Friday Bolts – 4.8.11
J.A. Adande of ESPN.com on small markets: “And it’s not about getting the fans to buy in so much as it is instilling belief in the best players. Oklahoma City has done that with Kevin Durant, who took a step in the opposite direction of the spotlight-seeking stars this past summer and committed to a five-year extension with the Thunder. When asked recently about the challenge of attracting other stars to join him in Oklahoma City, Durant said, “That’s come to my mind. I guess that’s the way we did it with the draft. They have to come if they’re drafted. But if we continue to just play hard and be a team that comes out and is known for playing hard and playing together. Hopefully, guys that love to play basketball will love to be a part of it.”
Chris Tomasson for HoopsHype on KD: “A lot of people forgot about me this year,’’ said Durant, averaging 27.8 points. “So I guess if I get the scoring title, I guess people will remember me. Last year, I kind of jumped on the scene. I’m the old guy. I’m not going out there and averaging 40 points a game and stuff like that. So people forgot about me. So, hopefully, the scoring title I guess will let people to know, ‘Hey, I’m here still.’’’
Matt Moore of CBSSports.com on KD’s MVP thoughts: “Durant probably should be on the list. But if we’re looking for marks, his field goal, free throw, and 3-point shooting percentages are all down. He’s taken a slightly lower role in the offense (while still having one of the top usage rates in the league), and his rebounds are down as well. Last season’s results shouldn’t bear out in the current MVP race, but they’re going to.”
TBJ positional rankings have Serge Ibaka in the top 10 now at power forward: “Since the beginning of March, he’s averaged 11.7 points, 8.8 rebounds and 3.3 blocks on 52 percent shooting. The Thunder’s frontcourt of Kendrick Perkins and Ibaka is as defensively imposing as any in the NBA now that Perkins has defected from Boston. In continuation of Dikembe Mutombo’s standard of having an awesome full name if you’re from the Republic of the Congo, Ibaka’s full name is Sergeballu LaMu Sayonga Loom Walahas Jonas Hugo Ibaka. Leading the league in blocks likely looms for him next season.”
Technically, the Thunder haven’t been eliminated from the two-seed.
Vote for the All-Scrappy Team.
John Hollinger on Most Improved mentioned James Harden and Russell Westbrook, though this bit about Westbrook is odd: “The difference is that Rose isn’t taking food off a dominant scorer’s plate. In Westbrook’s case, it’s hurt Kevin Durant and possibly derailed what was expected to be an MVP season for him. (I’d also argue that playing with Rose has hurt Carlos Boozer, but he’s not a player of Durant’s caliber). Durant has a dramatically higher true shooting percentage (TS%) each of the past two years and obviously is capable of creating his own shot; for Westbrook to use more possessions than Durant, as he’s done this year, is madness. The fact that Durant led the league in scoring this year while playing with Westbrook should be the first bullet point on his Hall of Fame plaque. Don’t get me wrong — Westbrook is a fantastic player and a star by any measure, but there’s also some weird, weird mojo here, and I have to wonder if this year’s improvement came at the expense of the bigger picture.”
Will a banner be raised tonight in OKC?
Zach Lowe of SI on the silliness of the divisions: “Friday night may bring the ridiculous spectacle of the Thunder, who play in Oklahoma City, which is located here, raising a banner to commemorate their Northwest Division championship. It’ll provide the latest example of why the NBA needs to scrap its current divisional alignments, which make no sensem particularly in the Western Conference, and occasionally provide division winners with tie-breaker advantages they don’t deserve.”