Tuesday Bolts – 9.22.15
Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders: “If Oklahoma City can stay healthy this year, their starting
lineup of Westbrook, Dion Waiters, Durant, Serge Ibaka and Enes Kanter gives them a chance to be one of the West’s best teams. I loved the addition of 14th pick Cameron Payne, who was one of my favorite rookies in this class and someone who could be a very good sixth man for OKC as early as this season. The addition of head coach Billy Donovan was a solid move too, as he should be more creative on the offensive end and help that lineup reach its full potential. Oklahoma City has a chance to contend this season, but keeping everyone healthy is vital.”
Darnell Mayberry: “From September 2005 to April 2007 Oklahoma then showed the world. The state dug deep and extended New Orleans a down home embrace. It showered the Hornets with unprecedented support in the form of a two-year hug that buoyed a beleaguered franchise and helped show the country once and for all that OKC was indeed a big-league city. In just days, the people of Oklahoma transitioned from an incredulous bunch whose laps the NBA had fallen into to a rabid and raucous fan base that would soon be known throughout the league as the best around. Tickets sold fast. Sponsorships piled up. Fans flooded the Ford Center. Paul’s wizardry with a basketball, West’s incredible game-winning shots and, well, everything about Chris “Birdman” Andersen fascinated and turned us into fanatics. But it wasn’t just the game. It was the event.”
A little remix on the Westbrook 0.Zach Lowe of Grantland on Danilo Gallinari: “Besides, Connelly is right that Gallinari and Chandler are in their primes, and it’s nice to have veteran leadership. They’re under good, movable contracts — just like almost everyone else on the team. The process hasn’t always been clean, and the cold math says Denver should have swallowed hard, made some painful trades, and gone full (Sam) Hinkie.”
A where are they now for the OKC Hornets.Ethan Strauss on Harrison Barnes: “The Warriors, meanwhile, are trying to flip that script on the court with their small, versatile lineups. Barnes is important to that mission, possibly vital if he continues to improve. As an aside, the Warriors (management and coaches) have consistently been more optimistic about his prospects than I have been. Where I see flaws, they see potential. I gripe about his miscommunications on defensive switches, they praise his focused one-on-one defense. I lament his lack of handle, they note that he recently adopted a couple of Curry’s ball-handling drills. I see a player benefiting from a small role, they see someone who might flourish if asked to be a big-time scorer.”
