Thunder 98, Bucks 115

It was pretty shocking to my system to see the Thunder completely crap themselves just a night after giving such good effort, and just days after talking about finishing strong. The team was slow, lethargic, flat, un-energized…you pick the adverb. If we play like this against a reeling Milwaukee team, what can we expect on Monday in Portland?

This crapfest of a basketball game doesn’t even really deserve a post game write up, but I am going to power through the misery and detail the lowlights in short order. “Get er done”!

The Thunder had so little regard for defense that they allowed a floundering Bucks team that is allowing about 100 points per game to go off for 115; and to score a ridiculous 71 points combined in the second and third quarters. I don’t know how many times I shook my head in disbelief as Jeff Green got jumpers nailed in his face with little or no resistance. Where’s the pride?

This game was completely over in the third period, but the rout started in the second. In the second, the Bucks shot 12/19 (63%) including 3/4 from three to open up a 5 point lead. They followed that with  13/18 (72.2%) including 2/3 from three. I mean, is it just me or do you think the Thunder might be able to get the Bucks to miss more than just 5 shots in the whole quarter?

The fourth quarter was just a run and gun session to run down the clock with all of the deep reserves. Earl and big Red even got some run.  If the Thunder don’t pick up their pride and play with some heart, last night’s win against the Bobcats might be our only win in April. It’s no fun going into the off season swirling the drain.

• If I would have guessed, I would have thought our offensive efficiency was even lower than 104.3, it seemed pathetically inefficient. But that defensive efficiency of 122.3 was up near 140 at the end of the third quarter.
• Luke Ridnour spent a bunch of time matched up against Earl. Team mates from last year who competed for the job and reportedly don’t like each other. Luke finished with 18 points and 8 assists….and zero turns.
• No Thabo and no Collison tonight. Earl had to run the pick and roll with Malik Rose. Malik is not exactly quick footed. The roll to the basket looked like slow motion, but it worked.
• The way the Thunder let Villanueva and Jefferson jack up uncontested jumpers reminded me of the Pacer’s game last week and Troy Murphy. Actually the whole game reminds me of the Pacer’s game.
• D.J.White is a nice pick and popper. He had 11 points and 8 rebs in 26 minutes. I think his offense is pretty diverse and well adjusted. I think he can be a very nice inside/out guy next year.
• The game was so boring I stopped watching the action and just watched D.J. for awhile. He spends a lot of time out above the free throw line like a small forward. I’m not sure if that is where Brooks wants him, or it that’s just where he is comfortable, but he was a dominant post player at Indiana. He does a good job of blocking out when the shot goes up. Hopefully Jeff Green is watching.
• Do you think it’s more than a coincidence that in one of our worst defensive showings in some time our best wing defender was out with a hurt finger?
• It might be a bad sign when Kyle Weaver is you leading minute guy and leading rebounder. No offense to Kyle, but it says something…..
• Only 2 Buck rotation players shot worse than 50% tonight.
• Livingston was again posting up smaller guards similar to last night. Tonight it was Charlie Bell. Livingston was 7/7. I didn’t know he had a post game at all.
• I had mixed emotions at the end of the third with the game out of hand. On one hand, I wanted Brooks to sit the starters who were stinking up the joint and have a conversation with them about effort and pride, and to let the hungry young guys go out there and finish strong. But on the other hand, maybe there is something to the “Popovich” method, where you leave the starters in when they stink to teach them a lesson and let them get humiliated as  a springboard to more inspired effort.  In the end, Brooks just never put the starters back in in the fourth.
• Scott Skiles never smiles. Even with his team up 20 and 6 minutes to go, he was scowling on the sideline and called a time out to chew out discuss things with his players.
• Lots of love and hugs for Ridnour after the game (Collison, Mason and the coaching staff), and college team mates Westbrook and Mbah a Moute, and Kelvin Sampson and D.J.White.

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