Daily Thunder.com

Ben Golliver of SI.com on OKC’s big problem: “The question, then, becomes whether or not Perkins should be on the final five. Looking to his box score line for reasons why he should be included is a fruitless task: Perkins finished with four points, five rebounds (all defensive), one assist, four turnovers while shooting one-for-five from the field. Of note, the Heat regularly left him to jump Thunder ball-handlers when he set high screens and he has no ability to make them pay for that lack of respect with his shooting and lack of mobility going to the hoop. If he’s not rebounding in volume (he wasn’t) or effectively captaining a team defense (he wasn’t, at least not when it mattered most), it’s difficult to comprehend Brooks’ thought process in riding him. Even on some of the Thunder’s successful late defensive possessions, Perkins found himself switched onto James on the perimeter. Surely, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra and company will see that on tape and find opportunities for exploitation.”

Tom Haberstroh of Heat Index: “Can we just start the 2013 Finals already? Even offseason pals Durant and LeBron were jawing at each other by the end of this game. The Thunder absorbed a big blow in the first half when their three-time leading scorer sat out with foul trouble, but they managed to stay in the game thanks to free throws. Tough loss, but why so many minutes for Kendrick Perkins?” Keep Reading…

Trimester awards in a 5-on-5 where four people picked KD for early MVP, including Ethan Sherwood Strauss: “KD was recently marked by Andrei Kirilenko, the ideal guy for defending Durant. The result? Durant had 33 points on 21 shots. I marvel at the 50-40-90 shooting production, but I’m also amazed by how it’s maintained on a hefty 17.3 shots per game. When you factor in KD’s improved passing, it’s clear that he’s leading the pack through this third of a season.”

Neil Paine of ESPN.com: “According to Synergy Sports, Oklahoma City’s spot-up shooting has been particularly sharp in the early going. The play has easily yielded the most total points for the Thunder, and they rank second only to the Knicks in per-play efficiency on spot-up chances, led by Durant (who is fourth among all players in points per play on spot-ups) and Martin (who ranks 10th). In fact, you can trace OKC’s meteoric offensive rise over the past four seasons by tracking the development of their spot-up efficiency, which rose from 19th in the NBA in 2009-10 to 15th in 2010-11, sixth a season ago, and now second.” Keep Reading…