Friday Bolts – 10.29.10

Rob Mahoney asks, “If Derrick Rose is an MVP candidate, what does that make Russell Westbrook?”: “Rose will certainly have better nights than this one, but it’s scary to imagine that Westbrook might, too. Yet Rose will live in the spotlight due to declarations of his MVP candidacy and claims of an improved three-point shot, while Westbrook will be pegged as a mere sidecar rider. The hype around Rose is deserved — he’s a phenomenal talent, and this was not one of his finer nights — but to let Durant’s clout obscure Westbrook’s brilliance would be tragic.”

Matt Moore of CBS Sports wrote a really good thing on Russell Westbrook yesterday: “Westbrook wasn’t just blinding with his speed, he was patient and deliberate when the situation called for it. It’s been this progression since his rookie season two years ago that has brought him to stardom. Well, that and his insane athleticism and uncanny ability to both see the floor and attack opportunities to get his own buckets. It’s the complete nature of his game, including his spacing defensively and intensity that makes him so dangerous … and at such a young age (Westbrook turns 22 next month).”

Nick Collison tweets: “‘I’m the Muhammad Ali of farting’ – Cole Aldrich 10/28/10″

KD wore some new kicks on opening night.

Etan Thomas, writing for HoopsHype: “Are you officially old when you don’t know any of the slang that your teamates are using? Or you think how they dress looks absolutely horrible? (Skinny jeans will always be terrible to me). This happened to me a lot while playing with the Oklahoma City Thunder last year, but to my defense Oklahoma City was the youngest team in the League.”

The Thunder has plenty planned for this Sunday’s Halloween game against Utah: “Fans are encouraged to wear a costume to the game for a chance to win $500. Thunder officials will be on the lookout for attention-grabbing costumes. Three finalists will be chosen to showcase their costumes to the audience at halftime and one will win the grand prize of $500. In Love’s Loud City, children up to 14 years will be able to trick-or-treat on the concourse for candy. In addition, the fan favorite Rain Drops will perform a Halloween-themed routine.”

Darnell Mayberry on Jeff Green’s non-extension: “By choosing to not re-sign now, Green could potentially forfeit millions of dollars. NBA commissioner David Stern has said league owners are seeking to slash player salaries by up to $800 million in the new labor contract. The new CBA also could contain cutbacks on players’ annual raises, as well as the number of years contracts can be signed for. For instance, instead of signing a five-year extension with 10.5 percent annual raises, Green could have to settle for a three- or four-year deal with 8 percent raises. Additionally, Green runs the risk of injury this season, which could destroy his value on the open market. So, too, could an unproductive season.”

A lot of people wrote about KD’s evident stalker yesterday. Kelly Dwyer didn’t dislike them, Tommy Craggs of Deadspin had a similar reaction as I did and Darnell Mayberry found them pretty funny.

Hey don’t worry, because Kid Rock is going to be honored at tonight’s Pistons-Thunder game.

A shoutout to Dr. Tate who is an eye doctor in OKC (on Meridian). Mrs. DT went to get her eyes checked yesterday and Dr. Tate was coincidentally a DT reader. So that’s cool. If you’re looking for an optometrist, I highly recommend Dr. Tate.