Thursday Bolts – 5.14.15

Darnell Mayberry on Andre Roberson: “Roberson’s presence also was felt by the likes of J.J. Redick, Klay Thompson, Kobe Bryant, Tyreke Evans, Danny Green, Bradley Beal, Kyle Korver and others. All of them had off shooting nights when defended primarily by Roberson. Roberson was far from perfect. He had his share of trouble against Thompson, James Harden, C.J. Miles and DeMar DeRozan late in a home game. But his body of work this season was sizable and significant. According to nba.com/stats, Roberson held his man to 39.8 percent shooting, 4.6 percent less than what they normally shoot. Defensive Player of the Year winner Kawhi Leonard, by comparison, held his men to just 0.5 percent less than what they normally shoot.”

Anthony Slater says Roberson shouldn’t start: “He’d be a defensive specialist off the bench. A guy to throw on a Klay Thompson type if he got hot. But in Donovan’s spread pick-and-roll attack, which thrives off space, it’ll be tough to give Roberson consistent minutes. I’d start Dion Waiters, give Anthony Morrow plenty of 2-guard minutes off the bench and then sparse out a little playing time for Roberson and Jeremy Lamb (if he’s still in OKC) depending on the matchup and night.”

Doesn’t sound like Hack-A-Shaq isn’t getting changed.

Tom Haberstroh of ESPN Insider on expected titles: “Step right up, Billy Donovan. The Thunder have been as good as any team in the regular season over the past five seasons, but untimely injuries and bad fortune have forced Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook to watch others hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy. The Thunder have posted an expected title count of 0.45 in the OKC era, which isn’t all that high and could give Thunder fans some comfort. But there’s a whole Sonics history here too. The 1979 Sonics won the title, but that feels like a lifetime — and a relocation — ago.”

Rex Kalamian isn’t going to be on Billy Donovan’s staff.

Via the New Zealand Herald, Steven Adams is looking likely to play with the national team this summer: “The Tall Blacks are closing in on their most prized possession. Coach Paul Henare has been having informal discussions with centre Steven Adams since he returned home about his participation in the upcoming Oceania Olympic qualifying series. Adams will return to Oklahoma soon for a check up on his hand and have a discussion with his new coach about his availability for New Zealand. Henare says OKC and Adams have been giving them positive signs.”

The Christmas uniforms look amazing. Except somehow, the Thunder’s still look very meh.