Friday Bolts – 4.24.15
Brett Koremenos of Sports on Earth makes a case for D’Antoni: “The minutes issue, however, is a real problem. I don’t have an answer for that one other than to suggest that maybe watching Pop do his thing with the Spurs changed D’Antoni’s mindset. But if he hasn’t, you can at least count on the Thunder being awesome until half the team is out injured by mid-February, something that would bring horrible flashbacks to this lost season for the Thunder. If you’re looking for the guy who will help the Thunder achieve that elusive Finals victory, there may be better options (starting with Alvin Gentry) than MDA. But if you want a potent cocktail of success, off-the-court drama and pure on-court entertainment, D’Antoni is the man for the job. Let’s hope the Thunder feel the same way.”
Berry Tramel: “Of course, silly is the idea that Thunder leadership is cold-hearted and anti-community. Few people in Oklahoma City’s history have moved to town and immersed themselves like Sam Presti. The players and Brooks all live elsewhere in the off-season. Not Presti. He’s on every civic board, at every charity event. Presti will succeed Lee Allan Smith as Mr. Oklahoma City. And chairman Clay Bennett? He’s the reason we have a franchise in OKC. If we had a mountain and wanted to mimic Rushmore, Bennett’s face would be on it. But Presti and Bennett don’t play. They don’t jump off the bench to implore the guys to play defense or celebrate a great shot. Fans don’t feel like they know the decision-makers the way they feel they know Brooks and his ballplayers.”
A thing on the fallout from Scott Brooks’ firing.
Interesting quote from Kyle Korver on Mike Budenholzer: “I feel like every coach is either really good at Xs and Os or a really good personality manager, and there aren’t many coaches who know how to walk the middle. Bud? I’ve never seen a coach at any level who does it better than him.”
Talking Thunder on NBA After Dark.
Darnell Mayberry: “When the Thunder moved James Harden days before the start of the 2012-13 season, OKC won 60 games, improved its winning percentage from the previous lockout-shortened season, posted a 9.2-point margin of victory that was then the eighth best in league history and improved both its offensive and defensive efficiency. Even when the Thunder defense collapsed due to injuries and the absence of Kendrick Perkins who was traded at this year’s deadline, the offense was the best in the league in points per game over the final 29 games despite also trading Reggie Jackson and still managing the same injuries. To make the most of the change, the next coach must continue that trend.”
