Thursday Bolts – 5.13.10
Comparing LeBron’s situation to KD’s: “I look at the Oklahoma City Thunder getting Kevin Durant, and building around him. If you consider the fact that Kevin Durant will be in LeBron’s class in maybe another year, they’ve set a model for how young teams should be built. LeBron should have been no exception. When you consider the fact that he’s only 25 years of age, has been in the NBA since he was a teenager, and yet the Cavaliers haven’t had a true “nucleus”, it’s been LeBron and his teammates. Looking at Oklahoma City, it’s Kevin Durant, Russel Westbrook and Jeff Green, complimented by James Harden, Thabo Sefolosha and Serge Ibaka.”
Derek Fisher has best tested this postseason: “First there was the youth of Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook, then the brilliance of Utah’s Deron Williams, the reigning “Best Point Guard in the NBA,” at least until an injured Chris Paul gets the chance to fight for the right. None other than a two-time most valuable player, Steve Nash of Phoenix, happens to be looming on the horizon for the Lakers’ Derek Fisher. Little ‘ol one-eyed Steve, who didn’t let six stitches and a swollen and shut right eye stop him from guiding the Suns to the Western Conference finals. Talk about the trilogy of point-guard terrors.”
There’s a 50 percent off sale at the Thundershop today. You can buy this shirt now for $15 or get the real deal for $20. Your choice.
This kid from Edmond is pretty talented.
I thought about writing on the LeBron thing yesterday, with this angle in mind: Game 6, Kevin Durant is 3-21 from the floor. He’s playing absolutely terrible, at least from the offensive perspective. Yet he never stopped working, never stopped trying to help his team. He never pouted, never hung his head. Then he hits a big 3 and then a driving layup. Had Nick Collison/Serge Ibaka gotten a body on Pau Gasol, KD goes down as a hero for making big plays in a big moment, despite not having a sexy box score. I think people that are flipping over LeBron’s Game 5 stinker are crazy, but my point is, I think we saw something very important from our star in Game 6.
Eric Freeman of Sporting News with a smart analysis of the upcoming draft: “This year, the situation is quite similar, only with big men replacing point guards as the most bountiful position. DeMarcus Cousins, the potential third pick, is supremely talented but has a reputation as a head case. Derrick Favors, another freshman, is raw and might not be able to contribute for a few years. Ed Davis is rail-thin and hardly played this season after suffering a wrist injury. Greg Monroe might not have the killer instinct necessary to succeed in the league. Cole Aldrich looks like an oaf.”
Hey, did you know the lottery is next week? Kinda cool not caring at all about it, huh?