Monday Bolts – 11.1.10
Darnell Mayberry: “The first points of the game for the Thunder came on a long 2-point attempt by Jeff Green off a feed from Russell Westbrook. Long 2-pointers have long been described as the worst shot in basketball, and the Thunder spent the rest of the first half trying to live by them. OKC missed nine of its next 10 shot attempts, many of them long jumpers. The one easy bucket the Thunder got in that stretch was a reverse layup by Nenad Krstic off a pretty feed by Westbrook. But of course, it was waived off because Krstic traveled. That about summed up the kind of night it was for the Thunder.”
The Tulsa 66er roster is filling out FanHouse says: “The Oklahoma City Thunder-owned Tulsa 66ers will also be strong, returning six players from a team that made it to the D-League finals last season along with three of the players the Thunder released during their own training camp. They may have a bit of a logjam in the backcourt, however, as Zabian Dowdell (Phoenix Suns), Mustafa Shakur (New Orleans Hornets), Tweety Carter (Thunder) and Jerome Dyson (Thunder) all spent time playing point guard in NBA training camp this fall.”
Deron Williams on Russell Westbrook: “He’s a really good young player, man. He’s always had some good games against me as well. He’s just very athletic, quick — he’s one of the fastest guys in the NBA. He’s always improving something. They said he can’t shoot; he worked on his shooting and now he can shoot. It’s just tough to guard him. If he gets out in transition, it’s tough to stop him. Halfcourt, pick and rolls, it’s tough to stop him. He’s finding ways to get everybody involved. He’s becoming a better floor general. He’s a scary player.”
A nice NBA Western conference blog preview.
Marc Stein’s power rankings have OKC at seven: “Will too much be made of OKC’s first real test of the season (home date with desperate Utah) resulting in its first disappointment of the season (21-point humbling)? In the world of inflated expectations? Of course.”
Shoals on Jeff Green’s non-extension: “So wait, does that put the onus on Jeff Green to take less money now, lest the new CBA drive down even further the amount the Thunder “can” offer him? Unless he wants to be the one who tears the Thunder apart. Whether or not he finds himself in that bind depends on how much progress he makes this season. Either way, it seems like he’s being pressured to take less money now, the future be damned. At least it keeps him on the Thunder, and guarantees him a known quantity of cash (as opposed to this post-CBA world we all fear). Or maybe it’s just his duty as a member of that team to, well, take one for the team. Wouldn’t that be cute.”
Zach Harper on the odd double-foul from last night: “I’m conflicted on how to view the result of this play. It seems impossible there could be a charge and a block on the same contact. It almost has to be one or the other. At the same time, you can’t just waive the infraction because there was definitely a foul on the play. The most ideal resolution would have been for Bill Spooner to come in and make the decision one way or the other. Instead, both sides seemed angry and confused at the call.”
Mike Prada thinks we should be concerned.
Berry Tramel relaying why KD signs autographs before each game: “Why does Durant do it? “I put myself in their shoes,” Durant said. “That means a lot to people. Just showing my fans, letting them know I’m a nice guy to talk to.” Sunday night, Durant signed a few autographs, then went back down the line to pose for a photo. “I think it’s cool to have the pictures,” said Bobby Bingham of Chickasha, who shot a photo of his son, six-year-old Brayden, and nephew, eight-year-old Aiden Nickles, with Durant. Bingham said Durant, Jeff Green, Russell Westbrook and Nick Collison are good autograph signers. “The younger guys are harder to get.”