Friday Bolts – 2.15.13
Jeff Caplan of NBA.com: “The Thunder wanted this game badly, they said so beforehand. Last one before the break, national television showcase, a chance to notch a 40th win, but mostly to, yes, make a statement that they can go toe-to-toe with their elder, more battle-tested superstars in red and take them out. Yet on their home floor, the Thunder didn’t as much lay an egg as simply get bullied into submission by a more ferocious foe. Statement: Miami.”
Berry Tramel: “The night ended with the Thunder sipping champagne. Kevin Durant’s friend, Charlie Bell, proposed to his girlfriend on the Thunder hardwood, some 45 minutes after the Thunder-Heat showdown. Durant and his teammates celebrated with Bell when he got the answer he wanted. The same answer received by two brave romantics who, courtesy of the Thunder’s game operations, made public marriage proposals — one during a first-half timeout, another during the third-quarter Kiss Cam. So the night was not a total failure. But otherwise, this was a St. Valentine’s Day massacre.”
David Thorpe of ESPN Insider breaks down LeBron vs. Durant: “LeBron versus Jordan. Jordan assumed his status without anyone pushing him on the court — he was mostly driven by what Bird and Magic did in the past and used anything to motivate himself as we learned during his Hall of Fame speech. So with Durant on LeBron’s heels, it’s possible LeBron could end up with similar accomplishments to Jordan when it’s all said and done. One other thought: Durant is just 24 years old and comes back each season better than he was the previous season. If he can win an MVP trophy and a title or two in the next few years, he can make his own run at the Jordan Universe. Today, I see Jordan, Magic and Bird as the three best players in NBA history. If LeBron and KD win multiple championships, one day it could very well be Jordan, LeBron and Durant.”
Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com: “A Thunder-Heat game is one of the premier matchups on the NBA schedule. It was the centerpiece on Christmas Day. It is the oddsmakers’ pick to be an NBA Finals matchup. The Durant-James and Russell Westbrook-Dwyane Wade billings write themselves. And in the final seconds, the only drama was whether James could keep up some arbitrary streak that gained national interest because it was a new way to judge James with history. As he showed with the final flippant shot, he was numb to it. Someday, James may well be interested in getting into the tempting debates around his place and his rivals. For now, though, all that is noise he blocks out with his fancy headphones as he heads to Houston for another All-Star Weekend where he’ll be the guest of honor in every room he walks into. That is what his place in the game is for now.”
I think the Heat just have a major mental edge on the Thunder right now.
Tom Haberstroh of ESPN.com gave OKC a B for last night: “No one saw that coming. Not in that building. In a game many thought had MVP implications, Kevin Durant couldn’t get into rhythm and struggled to keep pace with LeBron until the fourth quarter. A late surge from Durant was quickly thwarted by — of course — LeBron. Russell Westbrook shouldered the offense for much of the game, but in reality, the Thunder needed much more from Serge Ibaka.”
Darnell Mayberry: “Perhaps the most popular question after tonight’s game is does this force Sam Presti to make a trade. If you want my opinion, no. Presti rarely, if ever, is going to feel pressure to do anything from what I gather. He’s a patient man, one who has repeatedly stated his goal of putting the franchise in perennial contention, not giving it a one-year puncher’s chance. Add to that, he’s historically avoided altering his roster with just one team in mind, regardless of what people may think the basis of the Perk trade was. With that said, I find it hard to believe that Presti could sit up there, in his seat atop the lower bowl, and watch his team get crushed without thinking a move should be made.”
Marc Spears of Yahoo! Sports: “No longer does James seem hesitant to take the big shots. He’s also showing some swag on the court. Three times, he told the Thunder crowd to hush up after making key plays in the fourth quarter. Each time, the crowd went silent. James accepts why he draws comparisons to Jordan, but he doesn’t always like it.”
Andrew Gilman of Fox Sports Southwest: “Maybe the Thunder need another big man, but really, if OKC is playing Miami, smaller is likely the better approach. The Thunder would be better suited to get a scorer to go along with Martin and Nick Collison. Count on general manager Sam Presti to make an effort toward a move. The bench has to be a priority. This is a team trying to win the NBA championship, not just make the playoffs or advance to the second round. Not to overreact, but Thursday’s showing against Miami might give Presti an even greater sense of urgency. The bench had just 16 points and Martin was pretty much a no-show. He had nine points. Reggie Jackson scored seven. No one on else on the bench scored. You have to love the dive-on-the-floor-all-the-time mentality from Collison, but that doesn’t always equal offense.”
I’m in transit to Houston today, so just a note that things will probably be on the lighter side today.
