Wednesday Bolts – 2.25.15
Andrew Gilman of Fox Sports Southwest: “And all of this recent success has turned the Thunder from playoff outsider to championship contender. And it’s like the players know it. Mitch McGary hugs anything that walks. He even gave coach Scott Brooks a playful slap on the chest. Anthony Morrow celebrates 3-pointers like he won the lottery and Russell Westbrook’s game is RedBull with a jumper. Physical? Sure, but with the Thunder that isn’t just a style of play, it’s handshakes, embrace and emotion. More touching than John Travolta on Oscar night. Even a mistake, a turnover or a missed free throw comes with an arm around the shoulder.”
Berry Tramel on Serge Ibaka: “Here’s what seems to be the case with Ibaka. He needs adjustment time. Ibaka was not efficient playing without Westbrook early last season; but by mid-season, when the Thunder finally found its stride, it did so in part because Ibaka found a groove. In a 13-game stretch without Westbrook last season, Ibaka averaged 17.8 points and shot 62 percent from the field. He had scoring games of 21 at Houston, 21 against Golden State, 20 against Sacramento, 25 at Philadelphia, 22 at Miami, 25 at Brooklyn, 21 against Memphis and 26 at Orlando. That’s big production against some quality teams. Maybe that’s what is happening to Ibaka now. Maybe he’s finding his stride playing without Durant.”
Story for ESPN.com last night.
Tim Cato of SB Nation: “Westbrook’s been playing like this much longer than just Sunday, though. Durant is the reigning MVP and is scoring 25 points a game when he plays, but Westbrook has been even better. On a per game basis, he’s second in the league in points and steals, fifth in assists and leads all guards in rebounding. When Durant’s out, he somehow gets even better. If you exclude the second game of the season, where Westbrook was injured, the Thunder are [10-5] when he plays and Durant sits. His incredible stats somehow get even more impressive.”
Brad Daugherty says Westbrook is the best player in the NBA right now.
Perk on OKC: “We developed a family over there,” Perkins said. “When I first came in to OKC, Kevin (Durant) and Russ (Russell Westbrook) was young guys and even Serge (Ibaka). I just wanted to pass on some of the things I’d learned coming from Boston. I think I did that. Those guys grew up and I think they’re ready to lead, Russ especially. So I did my job. We had some great years there, a lot of battles. And OKC will always be my family.”
The Rondo-Carlisle thing is so weird.
Sounds like Michelle Roberts has talked to Russell Westbrook: “Most of the time I go to the locker room, the players are there and there are like eight or nine reporters just standing there, just staring at them,” Roberts said. “And I think to myself, ‘OK, so this is media availability?’ If you don’t have a f—ing question, leave, because it’s an incredible invasion of privacy. It’s a tremendous commitment that we’ve made to the media — are there ways we can tone it down? Of course. It’s very dangerous to suggest any limitation on media’s access to players, but let’s be real about some of this stuff.”
Pretty good breakdown of the Thunder roster on Reddit.
Jonathan Tjarks on Enes Kanter: “One of the biggest problems for Oklahoma City over the last few seasons is the lack of offensive production from the center position. Scott Brooks loyally stuck with Kendrick Perkins through thick and thin while Steven Adams, for all his potential, is still a fairly robotic offensive player who struggles to put the ball on the floor and make plays in space. Teams could feel free to double off them and crowd the paint in an effort to stop Oklahoma City’s stars. Kanter’s addition allows the Thunder to play total basketball in much the same way as the Spurs. They can attack you on offense from all five positions, something which they couldn’t do before. Even Ibaka, for all his offensive skills, is still a fairly limited shot-creator whom other teams could go small on with relative impunity. If you go small on Enes Kanter, he will destroy you in the post, on the glass and on the offensive boards.”
Coach Nick breaking down OKC’s offense. And he approves! Here’s one thing about that: A lot of those motion sets the Thunder have been running for a while. But they are definitely running them more effectively now.
