Daily Thunder.com

Tom Ziller of SB Nation on the Lakers: “But a team with that profile wouldn’t be anything like an overwhelming title favorite. A team with that profile probably wouldn’t rate higher than the team that smoked them in the playoffs this spring, the Thunder. Or higher than the team that smoked the Thunder, those pesky Miami Heat. Unless something derails those two clubs, you can keep the dynasty talk in your back pocket. The Lakers would be a legit title contender so long as Nash (38 years old) and Kobe (closing in on 34) were highly productive, but they wouldn’t likely be a championship favorite in any season, let alone multiple seasons. Landing Nash and Howard would be great, but wouldn’t renew the Lakers dynasty.”

Hasheem Thabeet on what the Thunder coaching staff has told him: “They just told me that I have to be ready to work. That’s my focus right now, just come in and be able to work each day and get better every day.” Keep Reading…

Shayne Lee for CNN.com on the Dream Team vs. 2012: “The general consensus appears to side with Jordan and Barkley. In informal online polls, an overwhelming majority of the public favored the Dream Team over our current Olympic Team in a hypothetical matchup. Judging by the polls, pundits and prognostications on the issue, few seem to be taking Kobe’s sacrilege seriously. But I do. In fact, I believe Kobe Bryant’s team would not only win, but also win comfortably. What makes this social scientist so sure?”

Mike Kurylo of Knickerblogger: “Logically there is no reason to be a Knick fan, and yet you, we, persist. By acknowledging we are Knick fans we publicly support the moves of the organization. By watching MSG or buying Knicks gear we give our monetary support to the team. And by staying Knick fans we share the same stubborn traits that continues to make this team doomed to failure. So as Knick fans we not only agree with James L. Dolan, but in some deeper way, we become him.” Keep Reading…

Perry Jones III in a Q&A: “It’s a good fit, especially when they called me and told me that they wanted me to just play basketball like I’ve been playing. They know I’m a very unselfish guy, and that’s what they want the most from me is to be very unselfish. The team already has everything, and I just want to be able to contribute. I don’t care if it’s 15 seconds on the floor or 10 seconds on the floor, I just want to be able to help somehow.”

Nate Silver of the New York Times on the Lin situation: “But if Lin plays even 80 percent as well as he did in February, the Knicks could have a 55- or even 60-win roster. Winning a championship would still be a feat, with dominant teams like the Miami Heat and Oklahoma City Thunder in the league. But the Knicks would be on track to be a No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. They would also host many home playoff games and would have a puncher’s chance of bringing home their first N.B.A. title since 1973. The Nets might not be an afterthought like they were in New Jersey, but the Knicks would still be the toast of the town.” Keep Reading…

John Schuhmann of NBA.com on Team USA: “You get the feeling that Durant, who scored 24 points against the Dominican Republic on Thursday, is going to be this team’s leading scorer, even though he’s got more talent around him than he did in 2010. But most of his shots are coming off feeds from his teammates. He doesn’t need to control the ball much, and can be that weak-side shooter that makes defenses pay for loading up on James or the point guards.”

Michael Lee of the Washington Post on Team USA: “Krzyzewski was honest and direct with Durant, who was the breakout star and leader of the gold medal-winning world championship squad in Turkey two years ago. After the United States thrashed the Dominican Republic by 54 points, with Durant scoring a game-high 24, the District native joked with his Oklahoma City and U.S. teammate James Harden, the NBA sixth man of the year last season, that he was going to ask Thunder Coach Scott Brooks to come off the bench next season in the NBA.” Keep Reading…