Friday Bolts – 3.4.11
Nate Robinson underwent arthroscopic knee surgery and will be out 4-6 weeks. The team said he experienced discomfort after his first practice Monday and decided to go ahead and do it, especially since it was obvious he wasn’t going to be a major part of the rotation.
Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com on free agency: “Perhaps the most intriguing part of the outcome to many teams and agents was that Durant did not want an option at the end of the deal to get out early. These options are virtually standard for any player getting more than a three-year deal. Durant could have requested, and almost certainly received, a chance to opt out of the new deal after four years.”
Nazr Mohammed on the difference between him and Ibaka: “I’m not athletic. Don’t put me in that bunch. I have average athleticism. He’s an athlete. I’m decent. I’m fast enough, but not fast.”
John Schuhmann of NBA.com on the difference of Perkins: “No trade was more shocking than the deal that sent Kendrick Perkins and Nate Robinson to Oklahoma City for Jeff Green and Nenad Krstic. By moving Perkins, the Celtics seemingly compromised exactly what has made them so great over the last 3 ½ years. Their success has been built on an unyielding defense that has been its strongest on the interior.”
The Celtics haven’t offered Jeff Green a contract yet, so what’s his future there?
Speaking of, the Celtics can’t figure out how to use him either: “What we’re trying to do, as a staff, is watch a ton of film,” Rivers said. “We’re trying to figure out what [all of Boston’s new players, including (Jeff) Green] can do well, then we’re trying to put that in our offense and try to run it that way. It’s going to be difficult, it’s going to be tough, but we’re going to get it done.”
Thabo held a nice event: “An Oscar Night party organized by Sefolosha and his wife, Bertille, included about 200 guests, who came from as far away as Switzerland to raise money to help children in South Africa. The $50,000 the event raised and the links formed illustrate a broader perspective that the Oklahoma City Thunder has helped bring to the community since the team’s arrival in 2008. Thabo and Bertille Sefolosha organized “A Night for Africa” along with hosts Tina and Stephen Dobson, who opened their Gaillardia home for the event.”
Russell Westbrook, Derrick Rose and Kevin Love worked out together over the summer and SI’s Lee Jenkins writes about that impact: “They worked out six days a week at St. Monica, (Rob) McClanaghan putting them through full-court and half-court game simulations, peppering them with hypothetical questions: “How good do you want to be? You want to be an All-Star? You want to be an MVP? You want to be a champion, or lose in the conference finals?” McClanaghan’s assistant was a 3-foot black football pad he used to punish the players so they would not forget what it feels like to rush into a power forward.”