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Lookin’ like the Mavs. How u?

by Michael Kimball on April 26, 2012 at 10:04 pm 50 Comments

Glenn James/NBAE/Getty Images

The Thunder don’t have to wait for a chance to exorcise their playoff demons. With the Mavericks coming to Oklahoma City on Saturday and a potential matchup with the Lakers in the second round after that, the Thunder have to go through the teams that ended their last two seasons just to get to where they’ve already been before.

None of the potential first-round matchups for OKC would have gone without a fight at the very least. But the Mavericks present a unique challenge. First, when looking at all the rosters of the Thunder’s potential opponents, you choose one without Dirk Nowitzki on it. He was last seen in the playoffs rampaging through Oklahoma City and Miami. And the Mavericks have recent experience being better than the Thunder at making adjustments over the course of a series, a big mental edge that the Thunder have to overcome. Keep Reading…

Kevin Durant wins his third straight scoring title

by Royce Young on April 26, 2012 at 2:16 pm 228 Comments

It’s a 3-peat for KD.

Lakers coach Mike Brown said Thursday that Kobe Bryant will sit in L.A.’s final game against Sacramento. Kobe needed 38 points to take the scoring title from Durant. Durant’s margin of victory of just 0.17 points per game is the second closet in league history.

Durant is now both the youngest player to win three straight scoring titles as well as three scoring titles period. KD has three at 23. Michael Jordan didn’t win his third until 25.

Durant is also just the seventh player ever to win three straight joining George Mikan, Neil Johnston, Bob McAdoo, George Gervin, Wilt Chamberlain and Michael Jordan. Only two players have ever won four straight — MJ and Wilt. The all-time record for consecutive scoring titles is seven, held by both Jordan and Wilt. The most scoring titles all-time is 10, held by Jordan.

Durant finished the year averaging 28.03 points per game. The other two seasons he averaged 27.7 and 30.1 ppg, respectively. For his career, he’s averaging 26.3 ppg.

Dallas or Denver?

by Royce Young on April 26, 2012 at 1:45 pm 47 Comments

NBAE/Getty Images

Besides stalking over the Lakers box score tonight to see how many points Kobe Bryant has, Thunder fans also have a great interest in two games going on — Denver at Minnesota and Dallas at Atlanta.

The Thunder will draw either the Nuggets or Mavericks for the first round of the playoffs depending on tonight’s outcome. Here’s the scenario: The Nuggets are a game up on the Mavs, but Dallas holds the tiebreaker. So if both teams win, OKC draws Dallas. Both teams lose, it’s Dallas. Denver wins, Dallas loses, it’s Dallas. Dallas wins, Denver loses, it’s Denver. To dumb that down, the only way the Thunder avoid the Mavericks is if Dallas wins and Denver loses.

The question is, where should rooting interest lie? Should the Thunder hope for a chance at revenge for last season’s Western Conference Finals, or want another shot at handling the Nuggets? Keep Reading…

Thursday Bolts – 4.26.12

by Royce Young on April 26, 2012 at 9:25 am 168 Comments

Matt Moore of CBSSports.com has KD second for MVP: “Durant is the biggest part of the Thunder having one of the best offensive rating in basketball for the entire season, but he’s not such a dominant force that it outweighs LeBron. Kevin Durant will likely win the scoring title this season. That should tell you something about what James has done, not about what Durant has not. But if you choose to go with Durant, there is no fault to give. His defense has hit the level it needs to for him to be an elite player. He’s become an adept passer who can see the entire floor and deliver it. He’s become better in most areas and at the purest level, Durant is able to hit the tough shot at a better rate than any other player in the league. He’s a worthy candidate, just not quite good enough to bring it home.”

Ken Berger of CBSSports.com on James Harden as Sixth Man: “After that lengthy explanation and arduous analysis, the last two awards were pretty straightforward. The Thunder’s James Harden is by far the most important non-starter in the league, both in terms of statistical production and the completeness of his game. Similar to Lamar Odom with the Lakers the past few years, you take Harden away from the Thunder, and they go from being a championship-caliber team to being beatable.” Keep Reading…

OKC drops the finale, but can now look ahead to the playoffs

by Royce Young on April 25, 2012 at 10:47 pm 107 Comments

BOX SCORE

Now that that’s out of the way…

That kind of seemed to be the mood in the Thunder locker room postgame after their 106-101 loss to the Nuggets Wednesday. There wasn’t the typical glum feeling as there is after a loss. Players were joking, laughing, talking and their normal upbeat selves as if they’d just handled business on their home floor. They know this game didn’t carry a ton of meaning, outside of maybe who they’ll match up with in the first round. Instead, both Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant talked postgame about the team having another “level” they could get to, as if they’ve kind of been holding back and saving it.

“I don’t think we reached our ceiling by any means,” Durant said. I think that everybody is going to come out and get better. Our defense is going to be a lot better to start the game. I think we’re moving the ball better. Everybody in this locker room comes to work every single day and that’s going to help us out.”

Said Westbrook: “I’ve seen it before. I have seen us turn it up a notch. We started off the year on that level and we can hit that level again.” Keep Reading…

James Harden cleared to return

by Royce Young on April 25, 2012 at 6:15 pm 8 Comments

James Harden has been cleared to play for the Thunder, but will sit out Oklahoma City’s game Wednesday against the Denver Nuggets.

“We decided as a group to hold him out one more game and give him 24 more hours,” Thunder head coach Scott Brooks said. “He should be fine in our recovery practice tomorrow as a team and our practice Friday.”

Harden suffered a concussion on a brutal elbow from Metta World Peace during Sunday’s Lakers-Thunder game. World Peace was given a seven-game suspension by the league for the play.

Brooks said he’s not concerned about any hangover or rust for Harden from the injury.

“I don’t think so. He’s fine,” Brooks said. “It would be different if you go to the basket and you go up and one of his monster dunks and he gets clipped and falls on his head and got a concussion that way. There might be a little difference because the next time you go to the basket you might think that. He’s not going to be thinking that. He’s a tough individual. He’s a competitive player. He’ll be fine.”

In order to play, Harden had to pass the league’s mandatory concussion tests led by Dr. Jeffrey Kutcher. With him cleared, he’s obviously available and expected to play in the Thunder’s opening round playoff series which will begin this weekend.

Nuggets vs. Thunder: Pregame Primer

by Royce Young on April 25, 2012 at 4:34 pm 895 Comments

vs.

Denver Nuggets (36-28, 16-15 road) vs. OKC Thunder (47-18, 26-6 home)

TV: FS OK (Cox 37, HD 722, Tulsa Cox 27, DirectTV 679, UVerse 754)
Stream: Click here
Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1 FM, 640 AM, 97.1 FM Tulsa)
Time: 7:00 CT

Offensive Rating: Thunder – 109.7 (2nd), Nuggets– 108.7 (3rd)
Defensive Rating: Thunder – 103.0 (9th), Nuggets – 106.2 (19th)
Pace: Thunder – 93.0 (6th), Nuggets – 94.1 (2nd)

View from the enemy: Roundball Mining Company

The conclusion of this crazy 66-game schedule is upon us. The game quietly has quite a bit at stake too. All eyes are on KD and his points, the potential tiebreaker with the Heat and OKC’s first round matchup. Scott Brooks said he’ll play the game by ear in terms of minutes, so more than likely, you’ll see a game much like last night with the starters playing for three quarters. Unless of course Brooks determines those things are important. Keep Reading…

3-on-3: Elbow issues

by Royce Young on April 25, 2012 at 12:02 pm 76 Comments

Noah Graham/NBAE/Getty Images

The commissioner has spoken. Ron Metta Artest World Peace will sit seven games for his transgressions against the bearded one. As soon as the ruling came down and spread around, there were the natural reactions — not enough, enough or just right.

From a Thunder perspective, it was going to be hard to satisfy the desire for justice. Anything outside of a lifetime ban wasn’t going to quench the anger some Thunder fans were feeling about Artest’s vicious elbow. But was the punishment at least in the ballpark?

1. Seven games: Enough, not enough or just right?

Royce Young, Daily Thunder: I expected 10. Ten would’ve put World Peace’s status for a second round matchup between OKC and the Lakers in question. Ten would’ve been stiff, would’ve been fair and would’ve gotten the point across that you don’t mess with a player’s head. Seven games is a big number, especially when you consider these are playoff games. But Artest is a repeat offender. This is his 10th suspension since 2003. Did you know: Carmelo Anthony got 15 games for his punch-and-run on Mardy Collins. Was MWP’s elbow not as bad as that? There was an opportunity for the league to send a real clear message, but instead, they went the fair route. I can’t gripe about seven, but it feels a little on the low end considering how malicious the elbow was. Keep Reading…

Denver Nuggets (36-28, 16-15 road) vs. OKC Thunder (47-18, 26-6 home)

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