Daily Thunder.com

Zach Lowe of Grantland: “It won’t be an issue in this series, and it might not crop up until and unless the Thunder meet Miami in the Finals, but it’s a tad concerning that Oklahoma City hasn’t been able to find a second wing player who combines size, defense, and outside shooting. Sefolosha is as close as Oklahoma City has to this type of player (other than Durant, obviously), and he did maintain a 40 percent–plus mark from 3-point range while hoisting 4.2 triples per 36 minutes this season — way above his career attempt numbers. But defenses still don’t guard him, and Sefolosha doesn’t make them pay in high volumes, or off the dribble. The rest of Oklahoma City’s backup ball handlers/wings are either too small for the job (Reggie Jackson), too old and too small (Derek Fisher), or flat-out disastrous on defense (Kevin Martin). Just a little thing to watch as Oklahoma City bounds toward June. Also: Please kindly eliminate those minutes when neither Westbrook nor Durant is on the floor, at least in high-leverage games.”

KD in Lee Jenkins’ fabulous profile on efficiency: “Let’s say you’ve got 40 apples on your tree,” Durant explains. “I could eat about 30 of them, but I’ve begun limiting myself to 15 or 16. Let’s take the wide-open three and the post-up at the nail. Those are good apples. Let’s throw out the pull-up three in transition and the step-back fadeaway. Those are rotten apples. The three at the top of the circle — that’s an in-between apple. We only want the very best on the tree.” That’s brilliant from KD right there. Keep Reading…

Kevin Pelton of ESPN Insider says OKC had the best Game 1 performance: “Since the Thunder led the NBA in point differential, it shouldn’t surprise that the weekend’s best game wasn’t even their best performance against the Rockets. Oklahoma City won by 30 at Houston in December. The start bodes well for the Thunder’s chances. According to Basketball-Reference.com, the last team to win the opener by at least 29 points and lose the series was the Boston Celtics against the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1985 NBA Finals. All told, since 1960 teams so dominant in Game 1 are 29-2 in series.”

Berry Tramel: “Now you know why the Rockets, who have little answer for the likes of Kevin Durant and Serge Ibaka, are overmatched in this series. They have no answer for Westbrook. Now you know why, when I asked Rocket coach Kevin McHale on Monday about Westbrook’s jaw-dropping play, he responded, “Which one?” Now you know why the criticism of Westbrook, who not so long ago joined LeBron as the most-scrutinized players in the NBA, has abated and why Westbrook just might make first-team all-NBA this season, at the expense of noted tweeter Kobe Bryant. Westbrook no longer plays basketball like his hair’s on fire. He is the fire. Sunday night, Westbrook had seven rebounds and seven assists in 181/2 first-half minutes. He missed out on a triple double only because he sat out the entire fourth quarter of the rout.” Keep Reading…

Berry Tramel: “The Thunder tried to downplay the Harden reunion angle, but Durant admitted it “felt a little awkward, looking across there and seeing him with another team. We gotta get past that.” The Thunder got past it just fine in Game 1 of this Western Conference playoff series. Most possessions started with Thabo Sefolosha dogging Harden, but when the Thunder switches — with Durant or Russell Westbrook or even Serge Ibaka moving onto Harden — it neutralizes Houston’s pick-and-roll offense. No one knows better than Oklahoma City how productive Harden can be in the pick-and-roll.”

Ben Golliver of SI.com: “The Rockets definitely got a taste of the best the Western Conference has to offer, and Harden’s attempt at optimism is in line with Morey’s pre-playoffs excitement. Given how the match-ups broke, this year was mostly about getting the Rockets’ young core their first set of playoff repetitions together, with an eye towards the future. The Rockets’ regrouping message for Game 2 should be simple: There’s no shame in getting blown out by the Thunder, who led the league with a +9.2 margin of victory, on an off night. Play sharper and shoot better and a more competitive contest awaits. That said, the series goal has crystallized quickly for Houston: try to avoid the sweep.” Keep Reading…