Friday Bolts – 7.1.11

The NBA may be locked out, but life goes on. No games have been lost yet. We’re just not enjoying free agency right now, which isn’t that big of a deal. Don’t panic until September. Business as usual… for now.

KD played one-on-one with Reggie Jackson yesterday:  “We played one-one and he was guarding me. He kind of spaced me a  little bit but still was up into me as a defender. That’s rare,” said  Durant, whose jump shot is hardly ever tightly contested coming from his  lanky 6-9 frame. “His arms are very long and he’s very athletic. He  covers ground quick. Most guys coming into this league go 100 miles an  hour, especially guards. But he has a great pace to his game and I think  he’s going to help us out.”

The 40 worst things about the NBA season.

KD talking about the lockout, his camp and a lot of other stuff.

Life is going to change for players, writes Sam Amick of SI.com: “The awkward exchanges will ensue in the coming weeks, as players are sure to bend the rules if only because of habit. As a result, executives and coaches will find themselves hitting “ignore” on any and all cellphone calls that aren’t identifiable while others will have to hang up quickly for fear that their phone records might become evidence. The list of off-court deeds that are done for players is often long, with team officials collaborating with agents to provide a support system that will no longer be in place. No more free carwashes or help with that speeding ticket you forgot to handle. No more free lunch — both literally and figuratively. And as noted by veteran center Brad Miller recently when he revealed that he recently had microfracture surgery on his left knee, even rehabilitation must be handled elsewhere.”

NBA.com underwent a transformation last night. Quite a visual sign of the lockout.

The lockout will impact downtown OKC: “Carrier admits an exact dollar ammount of not opening the Oklahoma City Arena for Thunder games is hard to calculate. Spending will almost certainly be diverted away from Bricktown to other parts of the city and there will be a loss. “People will still go out to eat and find other things to do for relaxation and enjoyment, but they won’t spend as much,” Carrier said.”

LeBron’s next great PR trick? Dunking over a small child.