Friday Bolts – 1.29.10

KD reacts to being an All-Star: “Man, today’s been an unbelievable day for me, my family and the Thunder organization. I’ve been selected to play in my first-ever All-Star Game! This was something I’ve dreamed about since I was growing up and I’m just so fortunate to be named a Western Conference All-Star. Hopefully I’ll be able to maintain this level of play. I just really appreciate my teammates and my family for giving me support and thank the good man above for giving me these talents and this work ethic.”

Nick Collison congratulating teammates: “Congrats to @KevinDurant35 for making the allstar team. He deserves it. Nobody works harder. Also congrats @russwest44 & @jHARD13 aka JimboSlice aka kindegarten RickRoss for making rookie/sophomore game.” A couple of great teammates.”  Jimbo Slice… heh heh.

On SI, scouts make award picks and Scott Brooks is a candidate for Coach of the Year. But more interestingly, one says OKC would have the best chance to beat the Lakers: “I’d really like to see Oklahoma City play the Lakers. [The Thunder] have a definite size and strength advantage at point guard with Russell Westbrook, who has exceptional defensive tools with his length and quickness. Thabo Sefolosha at the least is an above-average wing defender who can give a good defensive effort on Kobe. And I don’t care how good a defender Ron Artest is; Kevin Durant is going to score on him. But the Lakers are always going to have an advantage in the paint, even if the Thunder get everything imaginable out of Nenad Krstic, Jeff Green, Serge Ibaka and Nick Collison.”

Get yer Kevin Durant All-Star desktop wallpaper.

I’ve slipped a bit updating on Tulsa matters, but last night the 66ers lost a close one but Latavious Williams had a big game with 18 points and 18 rebounds.

James Harden and Russell Westbrook are getting ready to play against each other: “Talking trash, just having fun and competing, that’s what brings us closer (as a team),” Harden said, smiling. “(The rookies) will definitely win.”

Wow, this is extremely cool: “This afternoon, Sandridge will unveil an over $100 million expansion of its downtown headquarters across three city blocks. The plans include a renovated 1960s tower by architect Pietro Belluschi, a restored Braniff Building–built in 1923 by the brothers who started their namesake airline–and a public park recycled from a pair of windswept plazas.” Check it out, lots of drawings and even a video too.

A rundown of the top power forward in the draft.

An Australian basketball blog is down with the Durantula tee: “I just keep finding cool Tees everywhere I look, so it’s only fair I share with all you guys. This latest print comes from an awesome little set up in Oklahoma City, called Tree & Leaf. One look at their awesome designs and it’s quite clear that the guys at T&L are Thunder fans (not that their is anything wrong with that), but you have got to love ‘The Durantula’ print!”