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When Reggie Jackson popped up off the Thunder bench and jogged over to the scorers table with a couple minutes left in the third quarter, I was confused.
Did Russell Westbrook get dinged up or something? Westbrook just picked up a foul, how many is that on him? Just three? So why is Jackson coming in?
It took me a second, but it became clear: Scott Brooks was just putting Jackson in the game. Not for any reason, other than to try and jumpstart the team.
Obviously it worked — maybe coincidentally — but it worked nonetheless. The Thunder went on a 15-2 run, took control of the game and escaped blowing a really bad game to the lowly Hornets at home.
“It was a feel thing,” Brooks said Thursday at practice. “During the game I felt like we needed something different and Reggie came in and gave us that.”
That begs the question: Is this “feel thing” going to become more of a regular feel thing? As in, with the way Jackson performed, is Brooks more willing to use him?
“I always try to find guys minutes. But it’s hard to play everybody on the team. The guys know that,” Brooks said. “When their number is called they have to be ready. I’m proud of Reggie because he stepped up and played well. Don’t know what it’s going to be like tomorrow night, but he has to be ready. I’m confident in all our guys, but you can only play so many.”
Jackson was supposedly step-for-step with Eric Maynor right up to the season opener for the backup point guard spot. And with the fairly disappointing play of Maynor in this early season, it’s been a natural question as to why Jackson hasn’t seen more opportunities. He got a few limited minutes early on in the season, but nothing regular, and nothing extended.
I don’t think Jackson will take over minutes from Maynor, at least not in the near future. Wednesday, Brooks used Jackson on the floor with Maynor, deploying him as an attacking creator and a defensive menace. His job was to get in, defend in OKC’s smallball lineup and make a few plays when he could. He wasn’t playing point guard at all.
This is often how it starts. A guy validates the minutes you give him, builds confidence both for himself and the coach, and justifies a reason to try him again. It’s hard to find rotation players at the end of your bench without giving them a chance to earn it. Jackson took a pretty good step Wednesday towards that.
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On last night’s win was a sigh of relief: “Yes. That first half, we were out of sync. We were running in mud, we were missing shots we normally make. Like I said, you have to give the opponent some credit, and they were making us miss shots. They were physical with us that first quarter.”
On the difference between the team now and five years ago digging out of a hole: “Five years ago, we had that feeling before the game started.”
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On if the Kings are just another game: “That’s been just another game for a long time.”
On if he can put his finger on what the problem was last night: “82 games in a year, you know. It’s gonna happen.”
http://kansascity.sbnation.com/2012/12/14/3765546/the-best-point-guard-in-the-nba-at-the-quarterpole-has-been-russell
Bolts is up!
http://www.dailythunder.com/2012/12/friday-bolts-12-14-12/
Lets hear it for a vacation day :)
Lamb and Orton to the 66ers, per @HPbasketball.
@ou_sas I like Orton much better in Tulsa when Lamb isn't also assigned.
Interesting that Liggins stays in OKC.
@rednuht Seems like all 4 of them (including Jones) will be on a conveyor belt to and from Tulsa all season long.
@ou_sas I'd like to see smarter play from Lamb offensively in Tulsa and it would be great if he could show some leadership. Not just dominate the ball and the shots, but really look to improve the play of the team when he plays.
@ThunderGunner @ou_sas Darnell has an interesting article about Brooks rotation philosophy that I expect to be in the today's bolts.
@ou_sas @rednuht he might get a run at the first team now though anyway
@ThunderGunner @rednuht Oh, yeah, forgot about him. So the 5 of them. O.o
@ou_sas @rednuht you dont think jackson will be back?
If Durant doesn't pick his scoring up and hit the boards relentlessly like the beginning of the season he will lose the MVP.
@Lost Ones Do you ever read your own post s and think did I really type that?
@rednuht Do you ever type a coherent sentence?
@Lost Ones I have proof somewhere that I typed one in 2006.
@Lost Ones he's averaging 30 points this month..
@supreme35 @Lost Ones
i would take 30 a game from him and be happy with it.
@supreme35 need to be more aggressive throughout the entire game, he looks lackadaisical still
@Lost Ones @justin_mia @ThunderGunner @supreme35 Last game I saw a Hornets shot go up and Durant immediately sprinted to the boards from the 3 pt line....the ball hit the rim and flew out of bounds. All while Durant was sprinting to recover it (pad stats).
@Lost Ones @ThunderGunner @supreme35 (all of whom are eclipsed by Durant on the defensive boards)
@Lost Ones @ThunderGunner @supreme35 Yet, he's still at a career high DRB% even though he's playing LESS power forward than last season. If you want to get on players for defensive rebounding get on the big men.
@justin_mia @ThunderGunner @supreme35 Not trying enough on the defensive boards i expect more out of him.
@Lost Ones @ThunderGunner @supreme35 Career high percentages from everywhere, career high rebounding, career high assists, career high steal and block percentages, lowered his turnovers from last season. The only thing that's changed is he's taking a couple fewer shots so he's scoring a tiny bit less.
@Lost Ones @ThunderGunner @supreme35 Durant's had the best start in his career, he's giving the team everything you could realistically want from him.
@ThunderGunner @Lost Ones isn't that his M.O though? this isn't some new thing about his game.
@Lost Ones @BallSoHard I mean I named one recent performance where he flat out put on a show. The Lakers game I'd say he wasn't bad either. The last two games have been against lackadaisical opponents.
@ThunderGunner @supreme35 which was all in the second half. I felt the same way in the finals KD averaged 30+ but he could have easily outpaced that if he wanted.
@supreme35 @Lost Ones somehow he also managed to get 35 against the hornets without me even noticing as well
@supreme35 So you named one game out of the entire season congrats. and @BallSoHard yes he still does look lackadaisical during the 1st half rarely ever aggressive enough on offense.
@Lost Ones He's been much more aggressive than he was earlier this season. Did you watch the Brooklyn game? How was that lackadaisical?
@Lost Ones @supreme35 woah. lackadaisical? couldnt disagree more.
@Lost Ones He already lost it LOL
OKC hired an applied sports scientist in late 2011. Check out this guy:
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/mark-simpson/5/716/98
Background in Olympic sports and major European soccer. Job in OKC is to "develop and implement a worlds best practise sport science support program that supports player performance, recovery and development."
Presti is making interesting hires.
where da boltz
@booles being marinated, in a bowl of awesomeness~
@Legendary_Dork i love the enthusiasm for DT
@booles dude i go to lunch usually when royce post them , so it gives me tons to read :D
@Legendary_Dork game or no, im constantly refreshing the page starting around 10am every day looking for the bolts
@booles cant help it, this place is like a plot of land, but its rented out to all kinds of awesome people, and we all live here, and fight, and laugh, and cry, and cheer. :D
@Legendary_Dork especially since we didnt even have a game last night
Just finished season 2 of The Walking Dead last night. My mind has been blown.
@BallSoHard poor poor poor little girl
@BallSoHard Wait until you watch season three.
@novelisticbee0 @BallSoHard wait till you get caught up all together :D . or read the comic and know what might be~
@novelisticbee0 I hope it's good. It appeared it could take a weird turn...hoping it doesn't.
@BallSoHard @novelisticbee0 Prison, is widely considered to be the epicenter of the series.
@BallSoHard @novelisticbee0 trust me, its awesome.
@BallSoHard i LOOOOOOOOOOVE the walking dead :)
its such a good series
@Legendary_Dork @BallSoHard I don't want to come off as a TV snob, but while I enjoy The Walking Dead, it's a bit overhyped. To me, it's a very entertaining show, but as far as quality goes, it pales in comparison to shows like Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, The Wire, The Sopranos, Dexter, Lost, or even Sons of Anarchy.
@BallSoHard @TempBoy @Legendary_Dork Well, overhyped from fans, I suppose I should say. To hear fans talk about it, it's the greatest tv show ever. I feel like it's great tv for people who don't normally watch great tv. Like, if your tv palate usually consists of CSI, Criminal Minds and Two and a Half Men, then yes, The Walking Dead would seem amazing in comparison. So I cringe a bit when I hear friends and see fans on the internet say it's the best show on television.
You're right, the acting is subpar compared to the shows I listed. And while the storyline is engaging (sometimes) and entertaining, there are way too many contrivances, conveniences, illogical character choices and actions, and, for lack of a better word, plot holes.
@TempBoy Brandon @Legendary_Dork I agree the acting is sub par...I came in with little expectations but it suprised me. The range in which the show can progree toward are limitless. I think the story line is pretty written. Overhyped? Not sure I've ever read or seen any advertisement indicating how good Walking Dead is.
@Legendary_Dork Still wouldn't rank it ahead of Breaking Bad. For me...1. Breaking Bad 2. The Walking Dead