Daily Thunder.com

Ben Golliver of SI.com: “Those two plays marked an unfortunate end to another strong performance from Jackson, who had 16 points, 10 rebounds and two assists, and found a way to provide the occasional spark by getting to the rim or finding space to shoot open jumpers in semi-transition. The future of Eric Bledsoe with the Clippers — where’s more or less stuck behind Chris Paul even though he possesses starter-type talent — has received all sorts of attention and we’re getting closer to the point where Jackson’s play will warrant that type of buzz as well. He’s way too talented to play just 14 minutes a night again next season. Most likely, the Thunder resolves the scenario by playing him alongside Westbrook on a regular basis, as Jackson’s finishing abilities far outpace his playmaking skills at this point. Remarkably, none of Oklahoma City’s 18 most-used lineups this season included Jackson and Westbrook on the court simultaneously, per NBA.com. Talk about a huge opportunity for experimentation.”

Gary Parrish of CBSSports.com: “Bottom line, the Thunder no longer look like a title contender. Or like a threat to the Heat. Or like much, really. They look, with all due respect, like a one-man show, like those old Cleveland rosters led by King James, like a team more likely to lose to Memphis in six than push Miami to seven. And that I’m typing these words after a game in which the Thunder out-performed the Grizz in a bunch of grit-and-grind categories and still lost speaks volumes. Because if Oklahoma City can’t win in Memphis on a night when it outscores the Grizz in the paint (44 to 30) while All-Star forward Zach Randolph misses eight of the 12 shots he takes and finishes with just one offense rebound, how is Oklahoma City ever going to win in Memphis? And if Oklahoma City can’t win in Memphis then Oklahoma City can’t win this series. And if Oklahoma City doesn’t win this series then this will forever go down as the season that could’ve been in addition to the one when the world realized that, great as he is, Kevin Durant being asked to “carry a huge load,” as Hollins put it, isn’t a recipe for notable success in the NBA because, you know, it never really has been for anybody.” Keep Reading…

Rob Mahoney of SI.com: “But over the course of these playoffs — and the first two games against Memphis, in particular — most of Perkins’ hypothetical value has been negated. A series against the pace-pushing Rockets appeared to be a horrible fit for Perkins’ skill set from the start, but this second-round matchup with the Grizzlies looked to be one of the increasingly rare opportunities for the 28-year-old to ply his trade as an interior stopper. Facing Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph, one of the most effective low-block combinations in the league, would seem to lend value to a player capable of grappling in the post and contesting shots around the rim.”

Zach Lowe of Grantland: “Look, Perkins has value. He’s a good post defender, a solid (illegal) screener, and he leads the league in scowling and complaining about very obvious fouls he just committed. He’s also a solid passer for a big man, and that has helped Ibaka nab some easy buckets over the last two seasons. But he’s a walking turnover who cannot do basic things on offense, such as: catching the ball, shifting his feet without traveling, and placing the ball into the basket. Collison isn’t Gasol, but he’s a heady passer, a brilliant dribble handoff partner for any competent perimeter player, a reliable jump-shooter, and capable of catching a defense off guard by faking one of those handoffs and driving to the rim.” Keep Reading…