Daily Thunder.com

Ken Berger of CBSSports.com on the Rudy Gay deal: “By my count, Memphis has swung from $4 million over the luxury-tax line this year to about $8 million under, potentially leaving room to take on short-term salary in future deals. But on the heels of Oklahoma City trading James Harden to the Rockets, this was simply another example of the harsh realities of the new collective bargaining agreement coming home to root in a small market.”

Matt Clayton of the Tulsa World on what happens when KD scores 30: “There are some other interesting numbers to examine when Durant scores more than 30 points and what that means for the Thunder. Oklahoma City is 15-6 when KD scores more than 30 points, but 7-1 when he scores 37 points or more. Durant has reached the 30-point mark 13 different times on the road, including four 40-plus performances away from Oklahoma City. This level of performance isn’t really anything new for Durant. KD scored 30 points or more 25 times in 66 games during the 2011-12 season, 29 times in 78 games during the 2010-11 season, 47 times in 82 games during the 2009-10 season, 21 times in 74 games during the 2008-09 season and 7 times in 80 games during the 2007-08 season.” Keep Reading…

Kevin Arnovitz of TrueHoop: “Does Oklahoma City have anything profound to worry about? Thunder fans worry a lot about turnovers. But the high totals haven’t affected the offense’s overall efficiency, nor does it seem to produce a dangerous number of fast-break opportunities for opponents. More than anything, the turnovers seem like an ancillary product of an aggressive offense. Apart from that, the Thunder have an improved defense that has benefited from familiarity. Aficionados of high drama will yearn for a Russell Westbrook-Kevin Durant tug-of-war at a crucial moment, but there seems to be more trust than ever in OKC, on the floor and off.”

Berry Tramel on potential playoff opponents: “LA Lakers: Don’t count out the Lakers just yet. The Rockets, in eighth, are on pace to win 43 games. It’s possible they boost that up. It’s also possible they don’t. Forty-four wins might get the Lakers into the playoffs. To get to 44 wins, the Lakers need to go 25-13 the rest of the way. That’s possible. Not likely, but possible. Basically, play at about the success level as Memphis and the Knickerbockers have this season. Good news: The Thunder was built to beat the Lakers. Bad news: If the Lakers go 25-13 to reach the playoffs, they will enter with a load of confidence. History: The Thunder routed the Lakers twice before losing 105-96 Sunday. OKC went 6-2 vs. the Lakers last season, counting a five-game playoff series victory.” Keep Reading…

President Obama took credit for Miami beating OKC in the Finals: “A few of them were here a couple years ago for a pickup game on my birthday. Now, I’m not trying to take all the credit coach, but I think it’s clear that going up against me prepared them to take on Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. It sharpened their skills, it gave them the competitive edge they needed, and I think part of the reason they came back today is they wanted another shot at the old guy.”

Zach Lowe of Grantland: “Westbrook isn’t quite on the level of Dwyane Wade or the 2012-13 Lakers, but for a balls-to-the-wall, mean-faced competitor, Westbrook goes through some disappointing lapses. He enjoys holding up his follow-through and admiring 3-point shots, a bit of self-flattery that gives his defender a small head start in transition and is based around bad math; Westbrook is a career 30 percent shooter from deep, so chances are he’s admiring a brick. Every daring point guard gets caught under the hoop after a drive gone wrong once or twice a game, but Westbrook tends to stretch out his delay by arguing with officials and/or holding his face so as to make sure everyone in the building knows he got (didn’t really get) hit. This is fine in the regular season, but Westbrook needs to clean it up in the playoffs. He’s too good for such nonsense.” Keep Reading…

Marc Stein of ESPN.com: “I gotta challenge my old friend Ric Bucher on his Twitter suggestion earlier this week that LeBron James has to have the lead on Kevin Durant in the MVP race at the season’s midpoint because LeBron’s D is so much better. Buch is certainly entitled to cast his vote any way he wants, like the other 125-ish folks who are handed ballots at season’s end, but here’s my counter: If that’s standard, LeBron might as well be named MVP before the season starts, because he’s going to be the best two-way player in the league for years to come. MVP, to me, is the prize that goes to the guy who had the best season. And halfway through, if only fractionally, it’s Durant.”

Phillip Barnett of Forum Blue and Gold: “They benefited from a few missed calls from the refs (both Durant and Westbrook got clobbered on the head on field goal attempts), they shot an abysmal 55 percent from the free throw line and lucked out with Durant and Westbrook missing a lot of shots that they normally knocked down, but even with all of that, it was still a huge win and a well played game from the Lakers. The Lakers now have one more home game before they hit the road for their Grammy trip. New Orleans is up next with their first three road games coming against Phoenix, Minnesota and Detroit. This is definitely a win they can build on, and in a perfect world, they will.” Keep Reading…