Friday Bolts – 3.27.15
Nate Scott of For The Win on Russell Westbrook: “Granted, Westbrook was most likely just upset after getting so thoroughly beaten by the Spurs. But the answers don’t make any sense — Westbrook is asking the reporters why they don’t bring up the team’s bad defense when they win (I think?) but only when they lose? I’m not even sure what he’s saying. The initial question was totally fair, too. If anything, it was a little easy. It’d be a more direct question to say “Hey Russell why did your team lose by nearly 40 points tonight?” This isn’t to say Westbrook is wrong to not be cooperative — it’s his choice to react how he wants to the media. He can answer or not answer. But other people can’t criticize the reporter for doing his or her job with that question; it was more than fair.”
Matt Moore of CBSSports.com: “Morrow’s got to be on the floor. There’s no evidence to suggest that the Thunder struggle defensively with Morrow on the court (at least to a higher degree) and every reason to believe that he’s vital to what OKC needs to do offensively. The worrisome component is how the defense melts into a puddle when Westbrook is on the floor. The Thunder have a sky-high 109.2 defensive rating when Westbrook and Morrow on the court since Durant went down. However, they actually have a worse rating, 110.3 when Morrow sits and Westbrook plays, and the offense plummets.”
Anthony Slater on defensive problems: “Often, though, Ibaka’s eye-popping blocks per game clip can overshadow the improvement in every part of his defensive game. Over the years, he’s become a versatile and reliable team defender, able to bang with the likes of Zach Randolph and Blake Griffin in the post but adept enough to stay in front of guards if he gets caught on them out on the perimeter. In a recent game against the Suns, during a critical overtime possession, he was switched onto a scorching hot Eric Bledsoe. What followed was one of the more impressive defensive sequences you’ll see from a big man. Ibaka held his ground, shuffled his feet, didn’t fall for any head-fakes, stoned Bledsoe’s drive and then blocked his shot, forcing a shot-clock violation.”
Scott Brooks ranked 20th in #FrontOfficeRank. About 10 spots too high right harf harf harf.
Daniel Orton in a Q&A: “Were you surprised at how harsh or severe the punishment was?
The fine, not so much. I mean, the fine is OK because I said something about the refs, which I didn’t lie about that either. But I said something about the refs. But just to get kicked off the team was a little crazy. And then for the president of our team to compare Manny Pacquiao to Martin Luther King was just absurd, really. And I kind of just left it all alone. I didn’t really want to say anything because I thought it would die off. But I’m starting to learn now that it’s really not. It was on SportsCenter (a few days ago). It was just incredible to me.”
Always enjoy Kevin Arnovitz’s look at under-the-radar coaching prospects.
Darnell Mayberry: “Perhaps a portion of the troubling trend can be chalked up to the many new pieces the Thunder acquired this season. But even with the addition of five new players since the New Year, the chemistry excuse is quickly running its course given the eye-popping numbers OKC is yielding. Of course, it doesn’t help that the Thunder also traded defense for offense at the deadline when it shipped defensive anchor Kendrick Perkins to Utah in exchange for Enes Kanter. Perkins was not just a hard-nosed post defender, he also was pivotal in helping the Thunder adhere to its pick-and-roll principles. Kanter struggles in both areas and the numbers reflect as much. According to nba.com/stats, the Thunder is allowing 10.5 more points per 100 possessions with Kanter (109.7) on the floor than it did with Perkins (99.2) on the floor.”
Kevin Pelton of ESPN Insider: “As part of this week’s #WestbrookvsCurry debate, SportsNation has invited readers to weigh in on who’s the better player and who is the stronger MVP candidate. While Curry is winning both polls, he’s got a bigger edge in terms of MVP (66-34) than better player (55-45). Just two states — Oklahoma, naturally, and neighboring Arkansas — favor Westbrook for MVP, while he carries nine states and is tied in two others for being the better overall player. It’s unclear whether the difference can be explained by the amount of time Westbrook has missed because of injury this season or the Warriors’ superior record.”
