Tuesday Bolts – 3.26.13

Darnell Mayberry on reasons OKC wouldn’t re-sign Kevin Martin: “1) Money: Because he still is one of the best scorers in basketball, Martin might command a lucrative contract that will be out of the Thunder’s price range. The Thunder proved with a contract offer to James Harden that it is willing to spend big to compete. But every team has a limit. 2) Only so many shots: There are times the Thunder succeeds despite off nights from Martin. Those are the nights when it seems OKC could be fine without him. Martin is averaging just 10 shots this season, the third fewest of his career. It remains to be seen whether the Thunder is willing to pay big for the possibility of periods of low production. 3) Promising youth: Reggie Jackson and Jeremy Lamb are chomping at the bit to get more playing time. Jackson in particular is blossoming before our eyes. Both, however, are cheaper versions who can combine to give the Thunder a similar impact as Martin without breaking the bank.”

Q&A with Martin: “After nearly a full season here, are you still as happy as when you arrived? ‘Oh, most definitely. And a lot of that goes beyond basketball. To me, basketball’s the easy part. It’s how the organization is ran, how the community is, just interacting with the players the past five months that I’ve been here. It’s honestly one of the greatest basketball experiences I’ve had in my career. I’ve been on one of the worst teams record-wise, and now I’m on one of the best. I’ve been a focal point of the offense and now I’m like the third option.'”

Stein’s power rankings: “I’m as guilty as anyone of taking on a life-or-death tone every time I write about the Thunder in the wake of the James Harden deal. But after seeing that OKC fan make the half-court shot Sunday, then get tackled in celebration by Kevin Durant, I’ve decided to lighten up. For at least one Monday.”

Rare Ink has a new Westbrook poster.

Mayberry on Reggie Jackson: “In his limited opportunities over the past 15 games, Jackson has averaged 6.7 points on 46.4 percent shooting. He’s added 2.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists over that same span. While he continues working to develop a reliable jump shot, Jackson is making a living in the lane. According to NBA.com/stats, Jackson is shooting 70.6 percent inside the restricted area. When combined with his connection rate in the paint beyond the restricted area, Jackson is shooting 65.1 percent in the lane. More impressively, Jackson is excelling at creating his own shot, giving the Thunder a crafty third ballhandler to complement Westbrook and Durant. It’s something the Thunder hasn’t had since losing James Harden to Houston.”

Stadium Journey checked out The Peake and gave it a 4.3 out of 5.

Sports Grid acting as if Skip Bayless wrote about KD’s tackle: “Kevin Durant, your halfcourt shot reaction game is fraudulent. Durant is a LeBron wannabe, and he is unlikable. This is indisputable. He is Dwight Howard, a media-hungry, me-first, three-card monte dealer. He is a fraud.”