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Thunder at Bucks: Pre-game primer

by Royce Young on April 11, 2009 at 11:06 am 6 Comments

okc-thunder2 vs. m-bucks

Thunder (22-57, 7-31 road) vs. Milwaukee Bucks (32-47, 20-19 home)

TV: KSBI (Cox 15)
Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1 FM, 640 AM)
Time: 7:30 CST

Offensive Rating: Thunder: 102.8 (30th), Milwaukee: 106.5 (23rd)
Defensive Rating: Thunder: 109.5 (20th), Milwaukee: 108.1 (15th)
Pace:Thunder: 93.5 (8th), Milwaukee: 92.5 (11th)

Well it’s been a long time. Opened the season with these guys and now the third to last game. And with that much space between, things change. A lot.

There’s just five players on OKC’s roster that are still receiving playing from that Oct. 29th game. Milwaukee’s starting lineup has been shifted around, Andrew Bogut is hurt and so is Michael Redd. So it’s kind of sort of hard to use the last meeting as any sort of barometer.

One thing that did happen in that first game was that the Bucks abused OKC on the inside. They outrebounded the Thunder 43-35 and they scored over half their points in the paint. I actually remember thinking after that game, “Man Chris Wilcox needs more playing time. He’s the only guy that did anything.” Because that’s true. He led OKC with 13, Kevin Durant had just 12 and just four Thunders were in double-figures. It was just a bad game. Keep Reading…

Forty-one nights of Thunder

by Royce Young on April 11, 2009 at 10:41 am 5 Comments

Oklahoma is known for its wild weather. One day it’s 75 and sunny then the next it’s 35 and snowing. Maybe at 10 a.m. it’s perfect and clear and at 4 p.m. it’s raining and the wind’s blowing 200 miles per hour. It’s just the way it is and the way it will always be. It’s completely, utterly and totally unpredictable.

But as random and impulsive the weather can be, there was one thing Gary England could predict and nail every time – it was going to Thunder 41 nights this year. And there was even a schedule to prove it.

Sure the scoreboard read 84-81 in favor of Oklahoma City, which was a nice way to close this inaugural home season. But Friday’s game against Charlotte was about more than the final score. 19,136 piled the Ford Center full, equipped with aptly named ThunderStix ready to make some noise and let this team know that we like having them around. And what happened was a two and half hour party with the main attraction being five guys in white that played with guts, emotion and desire. It was like they were hell-bent and determined to send the raucous crowd home happy. It was almost like they were trying to make up for the disappointment of Opening Night. Keep Reading…

Thunder 84 – Bobcats 81: Thunder = playoff spoiler

by Joe on April 10, 2009 at 9:36 pm 20 Comments

Box Score

Tonight’s game was a contest that was almost exhausting to watch. The Thunder and the Cats squared off and the refs just mostly let them go at it. Few fouls were called, bodies were flying, shots were clanging and the Thunder were lucky to walk away with a victory. Not lucky as in they didn’t deserve it, for they worked hard and gave really incredible effort, but they fell just one shy of their season record for turns with 24. The one game the Thunder got 25, it cost a coach his job. To win a game when you give the other team roughly 25% more scoring opportunities is a rare thing.

I’m sure Kev will be along shortly to give a better defensive analysis, but my impression was that the Thunder really clogged up the lane and defended the post and high post. The three point shot was there all night for the Cats, but once they came inside the arc it seemed like Thunder bodies were everywhere. Kyle Weaver was a MAN tonight: 9 points on 4/5 shooting, 5 boards, one dime, 4 steals and 3 blocks in 22 minutes. The Pac 10 all-defensive team player, who was a draft pick of the Bobcats gave the Bobcats a handful. Keep Reading…

Bobcats vs. Thunder: Pre-game primer

by Royce Young on April 10, 2009 at 11:34 am 18 Comments

c-bobcats vs. okc-thunder1

Charlotte Bobcats (35-43, 12-25 road) vs. Thunder (21-57, 14-26 home)

TV: FS Oklahoma HD (Cox 37, HD 722)
Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1 FM, 640 AM)
Time: 7:00 CST

Offensive Rating: Thunder: 103.0 (29th), Charlotte: 105.1 (27th)
Defensive Rating: Thunder: 109.8 (20th), Charlotte: 106.0 (7th)
Pace:Thunder: 93.5 (8th), Charlotte: 88.3 (27th)

You know a good way to close out a home season? With a win. Call me crazy, but that’s what I’d like to see.

Especially because this is arguably OKC’s best remaining chance to win. After this game the Thunder hits the road for three against Milwaukee, Portland and the Clippers. And OKC’s 7-30 on the road. So if you don’t win tonight, you could be looking at ending the season on an eight-game losing streak with losses in 13 of the last 15. Oh, and also closing out with seven straight losses at home. I’m not really a fan of that.

But the Bobcats have a lot to play for tonight. They are scratching and clawing (get it?) to get into the playoffs. They are three games back of Detroit for the eighth spot, but in order to get there, they’re going to have to win on the road. And Charlotte is not so good away from home. They’re 12-25 on the road and have lost five of seven. A loss tonight could all but kill the Bobcats so you can expect them to come out with fire and intensity. Keep Reading…

Where’s our Westbrookie of the Year promo stuff?

by Royce Young on April 10, 2009 at 10:02 am 1 Comment

So the Nets are promoting Brook Lopez’s Rookie of the Year candidacy this Saturday by distributing “Brookie of the Year” comic book-inspired t-shirts to the first 5,000 fans in attendance. While that’s not all that clever at all, it sure beats sending out a PDF file with some stats on it.

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There were so many options. I really like reader J.G.’s suggestion of “Russell Westbrook approved ankle braces.” Jet Zero instead of Coke Zero (a Jet Zero comic book would have been cool, no?). Heck, a website, a t-shirt, a short highlight video – just anything would have been better than a page with stats that nobody saw. The award really isn’t all that big of a deal and we all know Russell isn’t going to win it, but some effort would have been nice. Westbrook has had a fantastic rookie season and has exceeded everyone’s expectations for him and I just wish he’d get the recognition he deserves.

Friday Bolts – 4.10.09

by Royce Young on April 10, 2009 at 7:55 am 13 Comments

Dave Sittler of the Tulsa World says give up everything short of the farm to get Griffin: “The Thunder has a boy-genius thunderbolt237 in 32-year-old general manger Sam Presti, who was a Rhodes scholar nominee. But it doesn’t take a hoops Einstein to figure out that this state’s NBA franchise better figure out a way to get the draft rights to the best player this state’s produced since Tulsa’s very own wonderful Wayman Tisdale. It will, however, take someone with Presti’s intelligence to put together a deal that puts Griffin in a Thunder uniform without giving away the farm.”

Cavs.com’s awards: “Already coming off a solid freshman campaign that saw him win Rookie of the Year, Durant was even better this season – improving his scoring average from 20.3 ppg to 25.6. His shooting average is up (.430 to .479) and he’s grabbing over two more rebounds per game (4.4 to 6.5).”

In case you can’t find it, Ric Bucher’s interview with OKC’s Big Three. Man, I love these guys.

Ken Berger of CBS Sports looking at potential suitors for Griffin: ”For a team that’s scraping the bottom of the standings, the Thunder have an impressive array of assets at their disposal, starting with four first-round picks in the next two drafts. In addition to his own first in ’09, GM Sam Presti will receive another No. 1 from either San Antonio or Denver (whichever is better). They have no second-rounder this year, but the big payoff comes in ’10, when the Thunder get Phoenix’s unprotected first-rounder from the Kurt Thomas trade. Throw in the rights to Serge Ibaka and DeVon Hardin (who was almost sent to New Orleans as part of the aborted Tyson Chandler trade), plus $13 million in cap space this summer (including draft picks) followed by even more space in ’10, when the expiring contracts of Earl Watson and Damien Wilkins come off the books, and you have the makings of a potentially impressive turnaround.” Keep Reading…

Presti and Hennigan seen at the Portsmouth

by Joe on April 9, 2009 at 8:03 pm 8 Comments

Once again Draftexpress is on the scene covering the annual Portsmouth Invitational tourney. The Portsmouth is an annual tournament which allows College Seniors to get some 5 on 5 against their peers, and give the NBA execs another opportunity to see them play.

As is always the case, the first day of the camp revolves more around who didn’t show up, rather than who did. Quite a few players decided to pull out once again this year, which is very surprising considering that they won’t have any other place to be seen now. There are definitely still a good bunch of NBA prospects here, but you have to wonder a bit about the decision making skills of some of the players that rejected the opportunity to improve their chances of making the NBA, especially in a year like this.

Players who were on the initial roster that have since been replaced include Sam Young, A.J. Price, Jeff Adrien, Jeff Pendergraph, Dominic James, Kevin Rogers, Curtis Jerrells, Robert Dozier, Levance Fields and Goran Suton. NBA scouts, executives and GMs we spoke to all had similar opinions on this matter.

“I’m disappointed in those guys,” one Western Conference Director of Player Personnel stated. “For most players this is their last chance to make an impact on their draft stock, and they decided to pass on it. Real players play, and now these guys are risking being lapped by other prospects who will emerge here.”

Some went even further. “These kids are crazy!” an assistant GM said. “For players on the bubble to not be seen is suicide for some. Who is giving these kids advice?”

According to the article, 15-20 NBA general managers were seen on hand on day one, including Sam Presti. Most of these guys won’t get a sniff in the first round of the draft. I didn’t recognize more than a couple of the names from among those that actaully participated. Many of these guys are just hoping for a training camp invite, or to see their meager draft prospects inch up a bit. (the 2008 Portsmouth first team was: Pat Calathes, Gary Forbes, Jamar Butler, Mark Tyndale and Kyle Hines -not a lot of NBA credentials there) It is great to see our man Presti on hand looking for diamonds in the rough.

Thunder featured in new ESPN the Magazine

by Royce Young on April 9, 2009 at 12:23 pm 22 Comments

Just a totally, completely, entirely awesome piece by Ric Bucher (you need to be an Insider to read it online). I’ve already read it twice. Seriously.

The Thunder started the season 3-29, but they think they have the league right where they want it. Next year, the playoffs! (Laugh now, but consider yourself warned).

Bucher lays out seven things that OKC needs to accomplish or get lucky with to possibly make a run at the playoffs next season including “the lottery falls just right,” “Durant bulks up,” “the coach lays it out,” the team stays tough,” “the team settles in,” and “what’s already there gets better.” Potentially, according to Bucher if all those things come to fruition, he could see OKC adding 25 wins next season. Twenty-five! A little mathematics tells me the team’s record would look something like 46-36 then. Woo!

I liked this part:

As blue, yellow and orange confetti flutters from the rafters, and another rousing rendition of Oklahoma! blares over the PA, Kevin Durant, Jeff Green and Russell Westbrook bounce up and down, arm in arm, the heart of a young team hug at center court of the Ford Center. Just a year removed from being vilified for deserting their sacred Seattle birthplace and getting off to a 3-29 start in their new town – one of the worst out-of-the-blocks stumbles in NBA history – the Oklahoma City Thunder are playoff bound. “We’ve dreamed of this day,” says owner Clay Bennett as he accepts handshakes and bear hugs, a scarp of confetti stuck in his brush cut. “We just didn’t dream of it coming so soon.” Hey, it could happen.

Ric Bucher may be more optimistic than me. But I love it. I got chills reading that. Just thinking about what could be… oooohh boy.

Bucher’s got OKC taking Hasheem Thabeet, which I’m not all that crazy about, but in his feature it’s got the Thunder getting better, which I’m all for.

They also have a contrarian viewpoint from Shoals (going as his real name, Nathaniel Friedman) on the matter.

But while all of this makes them a prime candidate for the NBA’s new cult favorites—the heir to the Brand/Odom/Miles Clippers, the Suns before anyone realized they were good, or the2006-07 Warriors—there’s no reason to assume they’ll improve enough to make the playoffs next season. That’s because, for all their spunk and character, the Thunder remain largely a work in progress.

And also, on the front page of ESPN.com’s NBA section, Bucher had lunch with Russell Westbrook, Jeff Green and Kevin Durant and let me tell you, I laughed pretty much throughtout the whole thing. I can’t say how proud and excited I am that these three guys are the cornerstones and faces of this franchise.

Thunder (22-57, 7-31 road) vs. Milwaukee Bucks (32-47, 20-19 home)

Charlotte Bobcats (35-43, 12-25 road) vs. Thunder (21-57, 14-26 home)

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