Daily Thunder.com

Henry Abbott of TrueHoop looking ahead to playoff matchups: “This stat geek’s delight and James Harden reunion tour could be a wake-up call to the Thunder. The Rockets won’t roll over for anyone. By the time the Thunder move on, they’ll be battle-tested. The rest-sensitive Spurs aren’t that far ahead in the standings, however, and are unlikely to go all out every game down the stretch, however. Catching them would mean homecourt advantage in a likely Western Conference Finals matchup, which has some real value.”

Darnell Mayberry on Wall vs. Westbrook: “The matchup will pit two of the most electrifying point guards in the game against each other but, for Westbrook, it will simply be another opportunity to string together more success over other elite players at his position. Since the start of the 2010-11 season, the year Westbrook became an All-Star, Westbrook is 18-18 in head-to-head matchups against Chris Paul, Derrick Rose, Tony Parker, Rajon Rondo, Deron Williams, Kyrie Irving and Wall. He has a losing record against only Parker (2-6) and Irving (1-2). With the exception of a few occasions, Westbrook and his marquee matchup generally have canceled each other out. That wasn’t the case throughout much of Westbrook’s first three seasons, when his supercharged emotions either got the best of him or spurred him to a victory in the showdown.” Keep Reading…

Darnell Mayberry on reasons OKC wouldn’t re-sign Kevin Martin: “1) Money: Because he still is one of the best scorers in basketball, Martin might command a lucrative contract that will be out of the Thunder’s price range. The Thunder proved with a contract offer to James Harden that it is willing to spend big to compete. But every team has a limit. 2) Only so many shots: There are times the Thunder succeeds despite off nights from Martin. Those are the nights when it seems OKC could be fine without him. Martin is averaging just 10 shots this season, the third fewest of his career. It remains to be seen whether the Thunder is willing to pay big for the possibility of periods of low production. 3) Promising youth: Reggie Jackson and Jeremy Lamb are chomping at the bit to get more playing time. Jackson in particular is blossoming before our eyes. Both, however, are cheaper versions who can combine to give the Thunder a similar impact as Martin without breaking the bank.”

Q&A with Martin: “After nearly a full season here, are you still as happy as when you arrived? ‘Oh, most definitely. And a lot of that goes beyond basketball. To me, basketball’s the easy part. It’s how the organization is ran, how the community is, just interacting with the players the past five months that I’ve been here. It’s honestly one of the greatest basketball experiences I’ve had in my career. I’ve been on one of the worst teams record-wise, and now I’m on one of the best. I’ve been a focal point of the offense and now I’m like the third option.’” Keep Reading…

Andy Kamenetzky with a feature on Nick Collison: “The greatest sign of the respect Collison carries was demonstrated by Durant after a March win over the Los Angeles Clippers. The three-time scoring champ had just concluded his post-game media scrum, a part of the gig most players would decline if given a vote. Thus, the prospect of additional questions isn’t terribly appealing, and media relations reps are always stationed nearby to shoo reporters looking to extend conversations. As I approached Durant and told him I was working on a piece about Collison, I was quickly informed the session was done. Durant waved off the rep, then said with an eager smile, ‘I’ll talk about Nick.’ That Collison was my focus clearly pleased him.”

Berry Tramel: “Ibaka’s five blocked shots are part of that. Blazer guard Wes Matthews said ‘Perkins kind of controls the paint; Serge takes care of stuff at the rim.’ It’s a potent defensive combo, and the efficiency doesn’t drop off when Collison enters. That kind of defense can help the Thunder snap out of its recent doldrums. Kevin Durant said the Thunder can build off the defensive momentum shown in the last three games. And when Ibaka is blocking shots on one end and swishing shots on the other, the Thunder is tough to beat.” Keep Reading…