Monday Bolts – 3.16.15
Berry Tramel: “Trying to pick on Westbrook is dicey for opposing offenses. He’s quick and tough. Westbrook’s defensive shortcomings are mostly mental letdowns. When challenged, Westbrook won’t give up, even if he’s undersized. “Obviously, some of the guys are bigger, some stronger,” Westbrook said. “But my job is to use my quickness.” Meanwhile, we’ve been hearing all season what a versatile defender Roberson can be. We saw it Sunday. The ability to guard all kinds of players is valuable. Truth is, Brooks needs to better cull that trait from Roberson.”
Skip Bayless wrote a thing: “For Westbrook’s first couple of NBA seasons, the world outside OKC knew him more for his eye-jarring, plaids-on-stripes ensembles. But in hindsight, his sartorial pastels screamed two messages: LOOK AT ME, and I DON’T CARE WHAT ANYONE THINKS ABOUT WHAT I’M WEARING. Or now, HOW MANY TIMES I SHOOT. Without Durant, Westbrook has become a monster fully created, a beast completely unleashed. Now, consider the far more fragile psyche of Westbrook’s costar. Durant is definitely human. Durant sees and feels, sometimes to a fault. He has perspective and conscience. He has been an outspoken believer in God and a powerful role model. But occasionally, he stumbles and struggles. He fights doubts.”
For ESPN.com: Westbrook is learnin’.
I wrote this one after Friday’s somewhat dubious triple-double.
Darnell Mayberry: “With customary starting power forward Serge Ibaka missing his second consecutive game due to knee soreness, Thunder coach Scott Brooks settled on Adams to start alongside Kanter. It’s a pairing Brooks had flirted with in brief stretches over the past two games but went all in with Sunday. And it paid off big time. Kanter and Adams each recorded double-doubles and combined for 32 points and 29 rebounds. The Bulls, who were out-rebounded 52-33, pulled down only four more rebounds than Adams and Kanter.”
If you missed it, Alex Abrines only had a sprained knee.
Kevin Pelton of ESPN Insider on Friday: “If the season ended today, the Oklahoma City Thunder would be in the lottery, with the New Orleans Pelicans (a half-game ahead) claiming the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. But the season doesn’t end today, and the odds are still in favor of Oklahoma City finishing eighth. The Thunder have been the better team over the course of the season in terms of point differential (plus-2.4 as compared to plus-0.8 for the Pelicans) despite being outscored during the stretch both Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook missed due to injury. In games Westbrook has played, Oklahoma City has outscored opponents by 4.4 points per game, which would rank seventh in the NBA.”
Here’s a bracket group to join, if you’re into that kind of thing.
