Monday Bolts – 5.6.13
Lee Jenkins of SI.com: “Memphis actually led by three points with 1:08 left when an inbounds pass slid through the hands of Oklahoma City center Kendrick Perkins and was recovered by the Grizzlies. They had a chance to seal the outcome, but Prince missed a running jumper, then Fisher swiped Conley, and finally Gasol threw an off-balance pass that Conley couldn’t corral. The Grizz failed to score in all three of those last-minute possessions, and in two of them they didn’t even muster a shot. The Oklahoma City defense, weakened without Westbrook, has apparently rediscovered its bearings. The offense has not, but the Thunder can endure, because they happen to employ one of the most prolific scorers alive.”
Kevin Arnovitz of ESPN.com: “For the Thunder to prevail in a rugged seven-game series, they’ll have to morph from a team reliant on individual exploits into one that makes the most of its fourth-ranked defense. Decision-making, which has always been an issue for the turnover-prone Thunder, will have to be refined. They’ll need production from Kevin Martin, who poured in 25 points of his own on Sunday. Durant may have locked up the office, but Martin was the guy who worked through lunch. Resourcefulness has always been Memphis’ thing, as it usually is for a team with obvious holes in its collective skill set. But it has been a long while since the Thunder were anything other than a large-scale operation that churned out offense in high volume. With Westbrook out of action, the enterprise has been downsized. The Thunder will still produce — especially with Durant at the controls — but as Game 1 demonstrated, their profit margins will be squeezed.”
ESPN Stats and Info: “With 3:57 remaining in the 4th quarter Sunday, the Thunder trailed 84-82. Kevin Durant took 5 of the final 6 shots for the Thunder, going 4-of-5 for 8 points. All 5 of his shots were attempted from touches that started in the backcourt. Overall in the 4th quarter, Durant had 15 touches, 11 of which started in the backcourt as the primary ball handler.”
ESPN Stats and Info again: “Kevin Durant made a jumper with 11.1 seconds remaining in the 4th quarter Sunday to give the Thunder the lead, which they never relinquished. It was Durant’s 4th game-tying or go-ahead shot in the final 24 seconds of a playoff game in the last five postseasons, tied for the most in the league. Durant is 4-of-10 on game-tying or go-ahead shots in the final 24 seconds of games in his playoff career, but has made three of his last six such shots. Ray Allen has the best shooting percentage in such situations in the last five postseasons (minimum 3 FGA).”
Marc Stein of ESPN.com in a 5-on-5 on who is under the most pressure: “I suppose you could nominate Reggie Jackson because he’s now starting in Russell Westbrook’s place. Or Kevin Durant just by virtue of the humongous load KD has to carry now that Westbrook is out for the playoffs. But I truly feel as though the pressure is off the Thunder after they survived that Houston scare. It’s the only benefit of Life After Russ: No one expects much out of OKC anymore.”
Darnell Mayberry: “The Thunder could have done a better job on Gasol. He finished with 20 points and nine rebounds. Kendrick Perkins got the bulk of the assignment against Gasol. And most of Gasol’s damage came from outside, which you can live with. But I’d like to see Perk press up on Gasol more. Ten of Gasol’s 14 shot attempts were beyond eight feet. He made six of them. That’s a percentage that’s past the point of something you live with. That’s something you’ve got to shut off. It’s not like Gasol’s going to blow by you. Might as well press up on him and take away that jumper.”
On KD and how Game 1 was really important.
Jenni Carlson: “Happy? He should be doing cartwheels. For the boys in blue to have any chance in this series against the Grizzlies and their stingy defense, Martin has got to be effective on the offensive end. He’s got to shoot and score and do exactly what he did Sunday. Otherwise, the Grizzlies can focus on Kevin Durant and make the Thunder superstar’s life miserable. From that last series against the Rockets, we know how hard that can be to watch. And the Rockets weren’t even all that good defensively. Martin is key to this series.”
Bill Simmons brilliantly summarizing Westbrook’s absence: “Now that he’s gone, the Thunder don’t have the same intensity. They don’t get nearly as many easy baskets, especially in transition. It’s much easier to double-team Durant and deny him the ball — if anything, Durant’s 10 percent (his inability to post up and his struggles just to get the ball sometimes) has been much more noticeable since Westbrook disappeared. And over everything else, they miss Westbrook’s swagger. Westbrook approached every game the same way: We’re gonna kick your ass. They don’t have that guy anymore. Down the stretch of Game 5 against Houston, the Thunder simply melted — they had to resort to that Hack-A-Sik crap, they were playing “hot potato” offensively, and Durant’s body language was the worst it’s been since P.J. Carlesimo was stupidly playing him as a shooting guard five years ago. This round made everyone stop looking at Russell Westbrook’s 10 percent and start seeing his 90 percent. Small consolation for Thunder fans, but still. He’s really, really good.”
Shouts out on the Fisher fish avatars. I see you.
