Thursday Bolts – 12.18.14
Sam Amick of USA Today: “On the off chance that anyone was confused as to how and why the Oklahoma City Thunder could somehow lose their way, dropping 12 of their first 15 games this season and digging a hole so deep it was fair to wonder if they could get out, one need only to look at what took place Tuesday in Sacramento. Reigning MVP Kevin Durant and three-time All-Star Russell Westbrook were back at it again against the Kings, decimating them with the same array of dazzling talent that was nowhere to be found early on when their injuries threatened to derail the Thunder’s championship-caliber efforts yet again.”
Anthony Slater on tonight’s matchup: “The primary focus remains on compiling victories and strengthening their playoff position. But there’s also a certain sweetness that comes with delivering some payback shots. They didn’t publicly talk about the subject (“I’m not going there with you, man,” Durant said), but privately, they understandably stewed during that opening month. And the next chance for a bit of minor revenge comes on Thursday at Golden State. When the Warriors visited OKC in late November and handed the Thunder its sixth straight loss, Golden State reserve Marreese Speights was the surprising star. He had a game-high 28 points in only 25 minutes, tossing in a variety of mid-range jumpers. And after each made basket, Speights turned and yelled at the Thunder bench. The animated conversation lasted throughout the night, at one point leading Durant to call Speights over during a timeout and have a talk with him.”
A fun video of Russell Westbrook’s best finishes.
Fran Blinebury of NBA.com on players that might be moved first: “Lance Stephenson and Dion Waiters. It seems there wasn’t a bigger mistake made during the offseason than the Hornets trying to add Stephenson as a pinch of spice. He’s been a bad fit since Day One and team owner Michael Jordan would most likely enjoy a shot at a do-over. The bad blood between Waiters and point guard Kyrie Irving might be in the past, but Waiters is still most often like a fifth wheel on the Cavs’ machine and is likely never going to stop being frustrating.”
The Celtics and Mavs are talking a Rajon Rondo deal.
Matt Moore of CBSSports.com on KD talking Kobe: “Just to be clear on this: at no point did Durant say he was interested or open to joining the Lakers. Let’s keep our heads on one crazy storyline at a time, here. It’s no surprise that players are so adamant in their defense of Bryant. For many of today’s stars, Bryant was the player they admired and obsessed over as teenagers. He’s a legend to them, the same way LeBron James will be to the generation that came after. Bryant’s an icon. He can miss as many shots as he can take, he can cripple the Lakers’ cap sheet, he can shoot the Lakers out of 100 games. He has the players’ respect, and that will never go away.”
Rob Mahoney of SI.com with an interesting piece on development: “Development, then, isn’t as simple as hoisting jumpers in a practice gym until the overhead lights flicker out. It’s not as hokey as a weekend workshop with Hakeem Olajuwon, nor is it some inevitable part of aging into the NBA scene. For Chandler to grow as a player, he had to cull wisdom for himself and build it into the very architecture of his game. He then chiseled and chiseled until his approach, a studied tribute to specialization, became as lean as any in the NBA. Any attempt to imitate only what Chandler does best, then, misses the point. It’s not just high efficiency and strong defense that make him a standout. What defines Chandler are the very means through which he’s come to process the basketball world around him. Chandler thinks the game, and within it, his place.”
