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Westbrook and Durant help OKC overpower the Lakers, 114-108

by Royce Young on December 8, 2012 at 1:17 am 236 Comments

BOX SCORE

A lot has changed since the last time the Thunder and Lakers met. The Lakers are different. The Thunder are different.

Except nothing is really different.

At least in terms of outcome.

The last time the Thunder and Lakers met, Oklahoma City was polishing off a nice gentleman’s sweep, a five-game handling of the LA. Of course, the Lakers didn’t just make an offseason splash, but emptied the pool with the signing of Steve Nash and the Dwight Howard trade. The Thunder actually subtracted from their roster.

Didn’t matter Friday though. Russell Westbrook went ballistic the first 24 minutes, Kevin Durant calmly closed the last 24 and the Thunder cruised to a 104-108 win over the Lakers. Keep Reading…

Lakers vs. Thunder: Pregame Primer

by Royce Young on December 7, 2012 at 2:35 pm 2,012 Comments

vs.

Los Angeles Lakers (9-10, 2-5 road) vs. OKC Thunder (15-4, 9-2 home)

TV: ESPN (Cox 29, HD720); FSOK (Cox 37, HD 722, Tulsa Cox 27, DirectTV 679, UVerse 754)
Stream: Click here
Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1 FM, 640 AM, 97.1 FM Tulsa)
Time: 8:30 CT

Offensive Rating: Thunder – 113.3 (2nd), Lakers– 107.2 (9th)
Defensive Rating: Thunder – 102.9 (9th), Lakers – 102.8 (8th)
Pace: Thunder – 92.3 (15th), Lakers – 94.3 (3rd)

View from the enemy: Forum Blue and Gold

It’s pretty obvious how this is going to play out. We’ve all watched sports long enough to know. The Thunder are rolling, looking as powerful as ever. The Lakers are the disappointment of basketball and have everyone digging their grave.

So naturally, they’re going to beat the Thunder in OKC and have everyone proclaiming they’re back. That’s just the way it works. Sports, y’know? Keep Reading…

Friday Bolts – 12.7.12

by Royce Young on December 7, 2012 at 10:28 am 252 Comments

Tom Ziller of SB Nation looks at why no one scores 50 anymore: “The well-rounded superstar is the highest ideal. During the Kobe era, being well-rounded was perhaps not as valued as being incredible at what you do. I imagine Durant doing the Kobe-McGrady-Vince Carter era … and I imagine him taking many more shots, and maybe having a 60-point game under his belt. These days, we opine about completionism in our stars — LeBron and the post game, Durant and the assists. Coaches do, too, and so we have better players. But fewer big game scorers. It’s a net good with a drag on something we enjoy. Are there any current players who could signal a return to prominence for the 50-point game? Durant is an obvious choice, but it’ll take an injury to or trade of Russell Westbrook to make that happen. And vice versa: Westbrook could have a few big nights if Durant misses any time.”

Tony Manfred of Business Insider on how KD is trying to LeBron himself: “His assist numbers have increased as a result. In addition, his slightly reduced scoring role has allowed him to attack the boards more freely, and he’s grabbing a solid share of rebounds despite playing alongside two rebounding specialists in Kendrick Perkins and Serge Ibaka. Look, we’re not saying Durant is going to be as good as LeBron. But it’s clear that he’s making an effort to expand his game by mimicking some of the ways LeBron plays.” Keep Reading…

Practice Report: KD and 30,000

by Royce Young on December 6, 2012 at 3:26 pm 836 Comments

Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE/Getty Images

For whatever reason, it often takes a nice round number for us to all pause and take a second to recognize how brilliant a professional athlete is. Five hundred home runs, 10,000 rushing yards, or 30,000 points.

Kobe hit the latter last night. He joined four other players — Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain. Obviously a pretty exclusive club reserved for the greatest of the greats.

Kevin Pelton of Basketball Prospectus did number formulatin’ and projected other active players likely to join those five. The most likely: LeBron at 90.5 percent, Kevin Durant at 58.1 percent and Dirk at 48.1 percent. LeBron is nearly 28 and has 19,442 points. Dirk is 34 and a half and has 24,134. KD just turned 24 and has 10,481. Keep Reading…

Thursday Bolts – 12.6.12

by Royce Young on December 6, 2012 at 8:06 am 237 Comments

Beckley Mason for the NY Times on OKC’s spacing: “One of the underrated advantages of good spacing is that the options for the player with the ball become clearer. It’s easier to see the floor and quickly discern the right read. The Thunder’s big men, in particular, have improved in this regard. When they aren’t setting high ball screens, Oklahoma City positions them extremely low along the baseline to make help defense on Durant or Russell Westbrook more difficult and make the Thunder playmakers’ decisions easier when the help does come.”

KD to Sam Amick of USA Today: “Larry Bird is a guy I like watching,” Durant said with a smile. “I watch film on him all the time. I like his approach to the game when he was playing. When I first started playing the game, my Godfather Taras Brown – who taught me how to play – he always was a Larry Bird guy, always used to look up his stats.” Keep Reading…

Lost in Help: On Serge Ibaka’s room to grow

by Royce Young on December 5, 2012 at 1:07 pm 295 Comments

Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE/Getty Images

Per usual, Zach Lowe of Grantland wrote a really interesting piece on the Thunder and more specifically, Serge Ibaka, dissecting things after almost 20 games. The conclusion was this: Ibaka is playing better than ever, on both ends. And that’s been a really important part to OKC’s 15-4 start.

Ibaka’s still maintaining his shot blocking chops — averaging 3.26 a game, best in the league — but he’s also a much steadier pick-and-roll presence, a better communicator and an improving post defender. Keep Reading…

Wednesday Bolts – 12.5.12

by Royce Young on December 5, 2012 at 10:22 am 338 Comments

Darnell Mayberry: “You can tell the Thunder gets up for games in New York. They can say whatever they want about marquee games being “just another game.” But its baloney. Bull crap. OKC came to Brooklyn, felt the buzz in the building and wanted to put on a show. And that’s exactly what the Thunder did tonight.”

Tyler Parker of Baller Ball on KD’s near poster from God: “I say this with sincerity: What a cool miss. I think I speak for basketball fans and lovers of effortless scoring everywhere when I say that if you harm a hair on Kevin Durant’s head, Andray, I will come to your home and politely cry like Garth from Anchorman at your doorstep until you open the door and I ask you why you would do such an awful, miserable thing. Durant wouldn’t hurt a soul. He’d hurt their eyes with Thunderstruck, sure, but he wouldn’t hurt their soul.” Keep Reading…

The Thunder hang on in Brooklyn, 117-111

by Royce Young on December 4, 2012 at 9:56 pm 523 Comments

BOX SCORE

It’s called the LaMarcus Aldridge Rule, but maybe it should be called the Kevin Durant Rule. Because it seems to always go his way.

With the Thunder holding on to a two-point lead against the Nets, 108-106, with 1:52 left, Durant drove hard to his right and tossed a floating layup at the backboard. Kris Humphries pinned the ball against the glass, simultaneously it appeared. Ball to Brooklyn, down two with a chance to tie or take the lead.

Instead, a whistle blows, two points to the Thunder. Goaltending on Humphries.

This time the play was reviewable because, of course, the play last season against the Blazers where Aldridge blocked Durant’s shot against the backboard except OKC got two points. The league admitted error on the play, but not before the Thunder forced overtime and won the game. Even with the review this time around though, the call still went KD’s way, OKC got a big two points and then finished off the Nets for a big 117-111 win to go to 15-4. Keep Reading…

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