Daily Thunder.com

A quick recap of events: The Nuggets forced a Game 6, meaning that the Thunder likely won’t play this weekend. It means Kendrick Perkins gets a little more rest to heal, and also means that Metta World Peace will play in Game 1 should the Lakers advance.

Championship experience matters, writes Benjamin Morris of Skeptical Sports: “Of course, thinking back, it seems like picking the winner is sometimes easy, as the league often has an obvious “best team” that is extremely unlikely to ever lose a 7 game series. So perhaps the better question to ask is: How much do you gain by including the championship test in step 1? The answer is: a lot. Over the same period, the team with the league’s best record has won only 10/28 championships, or ~35%. So the 5-by-5 model almost doubles your hit rate. And in case you’re wondering, using Margin of Victory, SRS, or any other advanced stat instead of W-L record doesn’t help: other methods vary from doing slightly worse to slightly better.” (via) Keep Reading…

Rob Mahoney of Bleacher Report on James Harden: “A defender’s only chance of stopping Harden outright is to get an early peg on his unusual rhythm; there’s no metronomic certainty, but there are still lilts to be measured as Harden swings his way from dribble to dribble, shuffling briskly on his path to the rim. If Harden is set to create from the perimeter on his own, there’s ample time to pin down that cadence and at least make an attempt to wall off his path or peg his eventual shot attempt. Yet the screen — while also bumping Harden’s defender off of his immediate path — also provides a timing reset; in the scramble to recover defensive positioning, Harden’s man is forced to surrender their count, and overextend as a means of preventing the easiest basket possible.”

Jared Dubin of HP in a 5-on-5 on his biggest playoff surprise: “James Harden’s fourth-quarter takeover (15 points, 3 assists) against the Mavericks in the Thunder’s series-clinching Game 4 win was marvelous. Neglected in crunch time for much of the season, Harden put on a show Saturday night and left no doubt that he’s ascended to the level of stardom along with teammates Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.” Keep Reading…

Ben Golliver of CBSSports.com on OKC’s sweep: “Harden also proved he could be the solution to arguably the Thunder’s biggest weakness: an offense that is often overreliant on jumpers, especially late in games. Success on the perimeter is never going to draw comparisons to a “buzzsaw.” That only happens when the damage is inflicted right down the middle, piercing drives that make a team’s defense collapse, scramble and flail repeatedly. Harden — not Durant or Westbrook — brings that offensive element when he’s at his best, and that’s why the Thunder left Dallas on Saturday appearing to Carlisle as if a trophy could be in their near future.”

Rob Mahoney of The Two Man Game: “You know what they say: If you’re going to lose a winnable series in four games, at least go out in an exhibition for one of the game’s most fantastically understated players, supplying the wood for his buzzsaw in what one can ultimately assume will be a daunting display of razor-focused finesse and craftsmanship. James Harden (29 points, 11-16 FG, 3-4 3FG, five rebounds, five assists) gets a raw deal because the public’s attention span can only extend to two star teammates at a time, but he’s far too good to be relegated as some distant third, and far too lethal to be ignored, even for a second. Dallas tried a number of coverages from a variety of directions in the fourth quarter, but none of it mattered — Harden attacked from the same point on the floor at the same angle, repeatedly bludgeoning the Mavericks with his own unique grace. And, as an important extension: credit upon credit to Scott Brooks, who afforded Harden the opportunities he needed without the slightest interference.” Keep Reading…