Friday Bolts – 5.14.10
In case you didn’t see the update yesterday, KD on the dunk contest: “MAN I WAS JOKING IM NOT GON B IN THE DUNK CONTEST.”
You can mark OKC off LeBron’s list I suppose: “Q: Would u want Lebron in okc? KD: Honestly, nah I like who we have..I’m the leader of that teem.” I’m a big fan of that answer. KD knows this is his team and he’s entirely confident he doesn’t need another alpha dog. I like that mindset. But how dysfunctional is the culture in Cleveland right now? The coach is shrugging off questions about his best player, the best player is dancing around with the fans’ hearts, the team chemistry seems jacked and the entire city is shaken. Let’s hope it never, ever comes to this in OKC.
One Kevin Durant fan’s quest to collect every KD shoe.
Adrian Wojnarowski on LeBron again, this time mentioning KD’s agent, Aaron Goodwin: “Still, James will get it over it fast because he engages in so little self-examination. In his mind, and that of his cast of sycophants, blame belongs on his coach, Mike Brown, for his lousy adjustments and game plans. It belongs to general manager Danny Ferry for the unworthy teammates. James was no MVP in this series, but no one stays in his employ with impure thoughts of accountability. The next time you hear James, as the franchise star, say, “This was on me,” will be the first. All around James, his yes men never require him to deal in the currency of truth. Aaron Goodwin, his old agent, tried to be honest with him and his high school buddies, and it got him fired five years ago.”
Chad Ford with a few thoughts on James Anderson: “Anderson isn’t the quickest nor the most explosive athlete, but he uses his size, toughness and a knowledge of how to get to the basket and get separation to pour in the points. While he wasn’t a showstopper in the drills portion on Tuesday, when they rolled out the ball for 3-on-3 play on Wednesday, he dominated. No one who guarded him could do much to stop him. He even displayed an underrated skill — his ability to hit the open man when the defense collapses in the lane.”
Quick turnaround for SI: Here’s the top 20 players to never win a title.
Scott Brooks finds some motivation: “Part of a coach’s job is being able to inspire his athletes, to motivate them, to lift them up. But what inspires a coach? For Thunder Head Coach Scott Brooks, it’s turning to the athletes of Special Olympics. “They’re inspiring,” he said. “They give us so many joyful moments. It’s fun to see and be a part of.” He would know. For the second year in a row, Brooks took part in the opening ceremonies of the Special Olympics Oklahoma Summer Games. On May 12, he marched in the annual “Parade of Athletes” in Gallagher Iba Arena on Oklahoma State University’s Stillwater campus.”
