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Manu Ginobili on the new flopping rules: “It’s going to be very hard to determine when it’s a flop and when it’s not,” Ginobili said. “There’s a lot of contact, a lot of heavy players, and it can be tricky. I don’t think (fining players) is going to happen much … “It’s going to be very hard to determine,” he said. “Many times, it’s an exaggeration of contact. That’s not a flop. A flop is when there is not contact and not a foul. So we’ll see how they explain it and how it works.”

Darnell Mayberry: “A few observations from those drills: Durant’s post D against Ibaka looked solid. On several occasions, Durant stripped the ball from Ibaka after Ibaka made a post move but just before he went up for the shot. Or KD contested Ibaka’s shot so well that he tipped it. Good sign. Maynor’s shot mechanics still has that wind up before his release. But it was going in, so who cares? PJIII looked comfortable attacking, but as a rookie he still has minor details to learn, as evidenced by coach’s pulling him aside and trying to show him angles and such.” Keep Reading…

HoopSpeak on the best pindown players: “Durant is a tough cover in any situation, but it’s coming off screens where he is a real handful. Because the super-skilled, 6’11” superstar has such a sweet stroke, it’s easy to forget that his jumper isn’t the only thing defenses have to worry about. Durant also has the jaw-dropping ability to catch coming off a screen from nearly anywhere inside the the 3-point line and finish at the rim with one or no dribbles. That incredible combination of length, coordination and athleticism leaves defenders scratching their heads.”

Sean Deveney of Sporting News comparing KD to George Gervin: “That mindset has shown itself on the court. Last year was Durant’s fifth in the NBA, and though he won another scoring title, what was most impressive about him was that he found other ways to contribute. He averaged 8.0 rebounds, a career high and the most of any small forward. He averaged a career-best 3.5 assists, ranking fourth for his position. He continues to get better as a defender, learning to use his long arms and quickness to his benefit. That is ultimately what could separate Durant from Gervin. While Gervin is a 12-time All-Star and Hall of Famer, his teams rarely got anywhere in the postseason. The Spurs reached the conference finals three times with Gervin, but never got any further.” Keep Reading…

Mark Cuban on if the NBA has missed Seattle: “I don’t think it’s a fair assessment. Obviously Oklahoma City’s done a great job, and so when I say I’m pro-Seattle, it doesn’t mean I’m anti-Oklahoma City. In reality, among our small-market teams they’ve probably done the best. And so as much as people don’t really like Clay, Clay has done a good job down there. … Based on where we are, there are teams that would pop into consideration.”

BrewHoop breaks down KD vs. LRMAM: “By crowding Durant and staying physical with him — while still having the quickness and length to effectively challenge shots and shut down driving lanes — LRMAM forces KD into tough situations on the perimeter. The choices for Durant are often whittled down to: (1) give the ball up, (2) take a contested jumper or (3) try to force a drive into the paint. The degree of difficulty imposed by Luc leads to more turnovers and less free throw attempts for Durant.” Keep Reading…