Friday Bolts – 10.11.13

Matt Moore of CBSSports.com on Serge Ibaka: “Last season, without James Harden, was Ibaka learning about what it’s like to be the third option. It’s not dissimilar to how Paul George excelled in 2012, before his 2013 season put him on the NBA map. I expect the same from Ibaka, who has learned to stretch the floor all the way to the perimeter, and has an evolving skillset which could legitimately boost the Thunder to title contention, ruining the narrative about the Harden trade being a fatal mistake forever. He doesn’t need to improve in any focused area, he just needs to continue his natural improvement, and Ibaka’s not going to be a bit player, but a legitimate star in this league.”

Russell Westbrook’s ShotScore isn’t great, writes Kirk Goldsberry on Grantland: “The good news is that in the same way that Peyton Manning and Tom Brady can be great without being great runners, it is possible to be a great NBA point guard without being a great shooter. In fact, Westbrook and Derrick Rose, two of the world’s best point guards, prove this on a regular basis. Still, Westbrook’s game, as great as it already is, could improve if he just stopped shooting all those 3s. Unfortunately, this season may not be the best time for him to stop. The loss of Kevin Martin has left the Thunder in dire need of replacement production from beyond the arc. We need to get Westbrook a Matt Bonner for Christmas.”

Darnell Mayberry on Jeremy Lamb: “Jeremy Lamb has big shoes to fill. And tons of questions from outsiders about whether he can fill them. With guard Kevin Martin now in Minnesota, the role of bench shooter now falls to Lamb, the second-year guard out of UConn who appeared in just 23 games as a rookie. Lamb didn’t exactly quell questions with his performance in the Thunder’s first two preseason games. He missed 11 of his 12 attempts from 3-point range. Some rattled in and out. Others were air-balls. But the Thunder plans to stick with Lamb.”

An interview I did about sportswriting and such.

Rob Mahoney of SI.com on OKC’s best case/worst case: “In all likelihood, it’s a non issue; most players recover from meniscus injuries to return to form in short order, with some returning to the floor in a matter of weeks. Yet in a nightmare scenario the Thunder might not be schematically prepared to accommodate a lesser Westbrook, which could have some costly ripple effects for OKC’s offensive execution on the whole. Worry not, Thunder fans, but be wary.”