Friday Bolts – 6.17.11
The Painted Area looks at if Bismack Biyombo is the next Serge Ibaka: “Clearly, Biyombo is the best defensive big in this draft. Biyombo can immediately pay dividends on the defensive end in the NBA and projects to be a major defensive force in the future. Biyombo is simply a monster shot-blocker–led the ACB in blocks, even with his limited playing time. No doubt he will be a helpside terror like his compatriot Serge Ibaka.”
Dean Oliver of ESPN.com: “As a related note, it really is time to lay off of LeBron James for his performance in the Finals, and this is why: Russell Westbrook. Remember Westbrook? Against the Mavs in the Western Conference finals he got absolutely ripped by outsiders for taking too many bad shots against the Mavs’ defense and not getting the ball to Kevin Durant more. In the Finals, the Heat’s main creator off the dribble, James, got absolutely ripped by outsiders for doing exactly what people said Westbrook should have done — defer to their other great player.”
KD was hanging with E and Turtle from Entourage yesterday. He also squeezed in a workout with Blake Griffin as well.
Mike Prada ranks the 25 most influential NBA people of 2010-11. KD is 25 and Russell Westbrook is 13: “The exaggeration of the modern NBA star, in that his fall was as quick as his rise. During the regular season, he was the engine that drove the Thunder, taking on more playmaking responsibility as his more highly-touted teammate was in the background. Few noticed this phenomenon happening, and instead rushed to anoint him in the Derrick Rose category. Then, in the playoffs, everyone noticed, and suddenly Westbrook was being killed for cramping Durant’s style. Some of this was a change — after all, Westbrook’s usage went up to a level unseen even with the biggest NBA stars — but most of it was just a logical extension of what we saw all season. But with every additional game the Thunder played into May, the scrutiny grew louder. Now, Westbrook’s Stephon Marbury complex, which probably only exists in the great imaginations of NBA fans still mad that they were robbed of a Marbury-KG pairing, is threatening to bring the Thunder down. Westbrook has many more positive qualities than Marbury. Here’s hoping they show themselves next season so we can stop this charade.”
KD’s dunk over Brendan Haywood was NBA.com’s top play of the year.
KD ranked 31st in SI’s Fortunate 50, making over $20 million last year: “Is the Thunder star spying on the competition? Durant recently bought a $1.8 million condo in a Miami high-rise just blocks from American Airlines Arena. Dwyane Wade also owns a unit in the building.”
Darnell Mayberry on whether the OKC Thunder will sign a big name free agent, such as Shane Battier or Tayshaun Prince: “Highly doubtful. OKC has to save money and be smart [so that it can resign Russell Westbrook, Serge Ibaka and James Harden].”
