Wednesday Bolts – 11.12.14

Manu Ginobili with interesting comments to Sam Amick on being a sixth man: “It’s not as common as you may think, given the success we’ve had,” Ginobili told USA TODAY Sports. “But I understand when 20- to 23-year-old guys don’t want to do it. They think they can take the NBA by storm. They want to (get) their numbers. They want to get paid. So I can imagine why they don’t want to do it early in their career.”

Anthony Slater: “But the clock is running out. Anthony Morrow returned on Tuesday and will soon get more minutes. Andre Roberson and Perry Jones are days away. Kevin Durant is weeks away. So the Lance Thomas era is soon to come to an end. And he’s making sure to get up shots while he still can. Thomas has been mostly useful these past few weeks, chipping in with his defensive hustle and his around-the-rim energy. But on Tuesday, he was bad. Right from the tip, Thomas started firing up some ill-advised looks, tossing up far too many outside jumpers. At the end of the first quarter, he was 0-of-6 shooting with two turnovers. By the end of the night, he was 2-of-10. It’s already the fourth game this season he’s had double-digit shot attempts. Pretty soon, all those (and more) will be going to the MVP.”

Berry Tramel on the free throw issues: “But in general, the Thunder has been a better-than-average foul shooting team even without Westbrook and Durant. The last three years, the league average has been .756, .753 and .752. The Thunder has bested that all but last season, even discounting Durant and Westbrook. The Thunder won’t be up in the .800s, but OKC can’t afford any 3-of-11 nights, either. That’s just a lack of concentration, and it cost the Thunder a game. Soon enough, Durant and Westbrook will be back, and they’ll shoot a ton of foul shots, make more than 80 percent, and the Thunder will rise up the ladder in that statistical category.”

Interesting comments from Derrick Rose on his future.

Darnell Mayberry: “The Thunder took a 22-15 lead after the opening period, Milwaukee’s 15 points becoming the fewest the Thunder has allowed in a first quarter this season. That margin ballooned to as many as 10 early in the second period. But that’s when turnovers (five in the second period) and missed shots began piling up. OKC went 4-for-19 in the second quarter and got outscored 26-16. The Thunder’s double-digit lead had turned into a three-point halftime deficit. By now you’ve probably guessed that the Thunder’s 38 points at the half also were a season low. The confidence and rhythm with which the Thunder played earlier had disappeared. The ball movement and player movement that had resulted in easy baskets quickly dried up as well.”