Daily Thunder.com

David Stein of ESPN Dallas looking at Mav playoff opponents: “The Mavs are 1-3 against the Thunder and the ugly fact that the youthful Thunder found ways to pull games out late is concerning considering the Mavs prided themselves on such heroics during their championship run, and especially so against OKC in the West Finals. Kevin Durant stole the first meeting with a 3-point buzzer-beater at OKC in third game of the season. The Mavs looked great in one of their best all-around wins of the season, 100-87, soon after in the second game at home. The Thunder returned to Dallas a month later and returned the favor. But the Mavs were severely shorthanded without Jason Kidd, Brendan Haywood and Lamar Odom. Durant and Russell Westbrook struggled in the season finale, but the Thunder defense shut down the Mavs in the final minutes to win at OKC.”

Adam Figman of SLAM on KD: “There were growing pains, too, unlike any the Thunder had fought through in the past. As Westbrook’s talent evolved, so did his desire to take over big games, and the result was some minor friction between the two co-stars during a few crucial moments in the Memphis series. Westbrook was benched shortly thereafter as a likely consequence, and then everyone in the Thunder locker room moved right along. No big deal. But perhaps because this OKC team offers little in the way of off-the-court narrative—“We just want to play” was a bit of a media day theme this year, but also a straight-up fact—the national media latched on to the Durant-Westbrook power struggle as one that could lead to the downfall of the current roster.” Keep Reading…

Baxter Holmes of the L.A. Times on sleep: “When tired, even after a nap, most NBA players do what many non-athletes do: ingest a stimulant. Lakers guard Matt Barnes loves 5-hour Energy Shots. Oklahoma City’s Kendrick Perkins prefers a B-12 vitamin shot or two. His Thunder teammate Serge Ibaka likes green tea, as does Clippers star Blake Griffin. Coffee doesn’t seem to be popular among NBA players. “Coffee makes you too jittery,” Perkins said.”

Steve Aschburner of NBA.com in a roundtable on if OKC is in trouble: “When I saw the Thunder in Milwaukee recently, I was awed by their firepower, chemistry and aggressiveness. But I didn’t fully factor in the opposition – the Bucks offered no resistance in the paint or at the rim, and Russell Westbrook was matchup hell for both Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis. Serge Ibaka blocked five shots in a quarter … but five Bucks’ shots. My concern is that against bigger teams – up front and in the backcourt – OKC is the club that plays smaller, relying on jump shots, without much in the low post and without enough defensive tenacity. There are no perfect teams this season, these guys included.” Keep Reading…

Bethlehem Shoals for GQ: “This season was supposed to bring some resolution, and with it, the keys to the future. We could see it on the horizon, and it tasted so good, but the transition from old to new would have to be completed for this new class of power teams to take the reins. The Heat made the Finals, but LeBron left us mystified once again. They simply had to win at some point. The Bulls needed another strong season to cement their status. And the Thunder, assuming they could answer questions about the impetuous Russell Westbrook’s place on the team, seemed ready to make LeBron vs. Durant the new LeBron vs. Kobe, even if both dudes are thoroughly enmeshed in their team concept.”

Beckley Mason of HoopSpeak on a Harden-Durant two man game: “Perhaps the biggest problem: quality of screens. Harden sets them fairly well, but Durant still struggles to really lay the lumber on the targets of his screens. The other issue is that the Thunder rarely play three let along five threatening three point shooters, making it more difficult to clear out an entire side. But with Harden and Durant’s combination of ball handling, size and shooting, these two have the makings of an absolutely unstoppable duo in the kind of action that, through thousands of repetitions in games and practice, the Mavericks have perfected.” Keep Reading…