Monday Bolts – 12.21.15

Erik Horne: “Thunder coach Billy Donovan said the guard getting over the screen allows big men

to get back and cover Griffin and Jordan. If the Thunder guards can’t get over screens, it’ll be trouble for OKC akin to its performance against Cleveland. On three alley-oop dunks converted by Cleveland in the pick-and-roll, the Thunder’s big man — be it Enes Kanter or Steven Adams — was caught in between stepping forward to defend the point guard coming off the screen or following Cleveland’s roll man to the rim. Russell Westbrook (twice) and D.J. Augustin trailed the passer on those plays.”

Jenni Carlson: “Saturday was one of the last times Kobe will pass our way. He has said this is his last season. He has proclaimed 20 seasons in the NBA enough. Even though he isn’t close to the player he was once upon a time, he’s still Kobe. We wanted to see him. Michael Evans knew his brother did. Kevin Evans is a lifelong Kobe fan, so Saturday morning Michael went on StubHub, bought two Loud City seats for $200, then called Kevin to tell him he was getting an early Christmas present. Right before he left to pick up his brother, Michael saw the Kobe news and called Kevin.”

Matt Moore of CBSSports.com has OKC fourth: “The tough loss to the Cavaliers is one you can forgive, and they’ve just annihilated the rest of the schedule the last three weeks. However, it is pretty apparent they’re a step behind the three elite teams. They are significantly ahead of everyone else, but their fourth-quarter execution shows that you can overcome them in winning time.”

NBA.com has the same: “Thursday’s loss in Cleveland was the Thunder’s fourth straight against teams currently at .600 or better after their opening-night win over the Spurs. And as they visit the Clippers on Monday, note that the OKC defense hasn’t traveled well. They’re 5-6 on the road, having allowed 8.2 more points per 100 possessions in road games (104.0) than they have in home games (95.7), the second biggest differential in the league.”

I wrote a thing about a play after the Laker game.

Jack Winter of Dime: “Discounting the four minutes Oklahoma City went small in its loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday night, Donovan has played Durant at power forward 152 minutes this year, according to data compiled from NBAwowy. Ibaka has been the Thunder’s center for 79 of those minutes, while Kanter and Steven Adams have notched 39 and 29 minutes, respectively, alongside the 2014 MVP in the frontcourt. Even franchise veteran Nick Collison has registered five minutes with Durant as a small-ball 4. The stats differ from group to group, as do the players that surround Durant and Donovan’s secondary choice on the interior. There’s one constant in these units nonetheless: They pour in points with ease. The Thunder boast a scorching 119.7 offensive rating with Durant at power forward, a number more than six points above the Warriors’ league-leading mark. Shockingly, they manage only solid marks of 49.8 percent from the field and 35.1 percent from three-point range. Where does that incredible proficiency come from, then? The charity stripe.”

I talked some Sports on the Blitz last night.

Anthony Slater: “But the Hack-A strategy has its flaws. It slows the game down and allows the Clippers defense to get set on the other end, stripping away the Thunder’s lethal fastbreak game. Then the fouling must be parsed out strategically, as to ensure no one of importance faces unnecessary foul trouble later in the game. Also, if you foul Jordan early in the quarter, the Clippers would quickly hit the bonus, which means automatic free throws for any team foul after the fifth.’