Tuesday Bolts – 1.15.13
Henry Abbott of TrueHoop says it’s a fact that OKC will finish atop the West: “It’s a three-way race, with the Spurs and the Clippers in the conversation. But for as well as the Thunder have played so far, it seems to me they can play much better. They have been working through new approaches, roles and personnel. But late in the season it’ll be time to dial in.”
Marcin Gortat via Valley of the Suns: “Well first of all, I was looking for my car keys under the basket,” Gortat said. “I was trying to find my car keys because I lost them over there, so I was just looking for it. And Michael Beasley is going to get Krispy Kremes for the rest of the season for sure for me. It happens. The funny thing is that when [Kendrick] Perkins was standing under the basket he looked at me and I looked at him, and he said, ‘I know how it feels.’ He said, ‘Guards left you on the island, huh?’ And I said, ‘Yeah.’ Listen, it happens. I am not going to deny that was probably the top three dunks of the year, right? I mean at least I am going to be out there. I mean, I am just going to try to be silly about it. I am not going to cry. It is just part of the game. When he took off off one foot, I didn’t even lift my hands up, I already knew what was going to happen. I just tried to get out of the picture, or at least smile. It was bad defense, and then bad rotation, bad help. You can’t do anything.”
The NBA Geek on the All-Unsung team: “So, Thabo is a knock-down 3point shooter who’s also a good rebounder, great at not turning the ball over, collects steals and blocks shots. Martin scores more points, but only because he takes more shots (and given that Thabo starts, it’s hard to see how he could take more shots playing so much with Durant and Westbrook, although I will argue that Westbrook could look for Thabo on the wing more when penetrating in favor of many of the contested shots he takes). Thabo is truly playing amazing basketball right now. Yes, he benefits from being with Durant, but they aren’t just gifting him open looks; if you think NBA defenses are not aware of his shooting range and accuracy, you’re crazy.”
OKC is on top of ESPN.com’s power rankings: “More support for the Thunder’s case for No. 1 … assuming you can get past the fact that Kevin Durant is now 0-for-2 on his past two trips home to the nation’s capital: OKC tops the league in offensive efficiency and is knocking on the door of the top five in defensive efficiency.”
And on top of NBA.com’s: “The Thunder began last week with an embarrassing loss in Washington, but ended it by ending the Blazers’ nine-game home winning streak without Serge Ibaka or Thabo Sefolosha and with Russell Westbrook shooting 5-for-21. It was a coming-out party for DeAndre Liggins, who scored 11 points and grabbed nine boards in 40 minutes, more than twice as many as he’d played all season.”
HoopIdea is talking about the NBA and head injuries. Pay attention, Perk.
In fact, KD tweets: “Think I got a mild concussion after @KendrickPerkins slapped the thoughts outta my head today(pause) lol got damn lil Kendrick”
J.A. Adande of ESPN.com on KD’s mean streak: “All for the better. Not that there was much to dislike about Durant before. A two-time scoring champion by the age of 23, looked up to by youngsters, respected by the old heads. Only it wasn’t quite enough. Not enough to get him a most valuable player award, not enough to win a championship. Michael Jordan wouldn’t be Michael Jordan without the petty, vindictive side of him we saw in his Hall of Fame induction speech. Kobe Bryant doesn’t do soft and cuddly. They probably have more championship rings than close friends, and they’re fine with that. There are certain truisms in the NBA. You need multiple superstars to win a championship. And one of those stars better have a mean disposition, or at least be able to summon one on demand, as LeBron James did against Boston in Game 6 last season. You know what’s making it harder on Durant? That we’re not being harder on him. Because he’s so likeable he didn’t face a barrage of criticism for losing in the NBA Finals. That meant he had to generate the outrage from within.”
Nate Silver on TrueHoop TV giving the Thunder some dap.
From Elias: “Kevin Durant scored 41 points and Russell Westbrook scored 36 in Oklahoma City’s victory over Phoenix. Durant and Westbrook were the first pair of teammates to score at least 36 points each in a non-overtime game since November 29, 2008 when New York’s David Lee (37) and Al Harrington (36) turned the trick against Golden State. The last pair of Thunder/Supersonics to do it in a non-overtime game was Lonnie Shelton (37 points) and Gus Williams (36) on January 22, 1982 at Boston.”
Dan Devine of BDL on KD’s poster: “Kevin Durant’s been hunting for poster victims pretty much all season long. We’ve seen him ring up Toronto Raptors rookie Jonas Valanciunas, go end-to-end to throw one down on Atlanta Hawks forward Josh Smith, turn a blocked shot into a vicious slam on Dallas Mavericks big man Chris Kaman and just miss a supreme detonation on Brooklyn Nets reserve Andray Blatche. It’s almost like the Oklahoma City Thunder star entered this season saying, “Yeah, it’s kind of cool being the best scorer alive, a legitimate threat to join the 50-40-90 club and a rising MVP candidate on a perennial title contender, but what I’d really like to do is make sure everybody knows that I’m one of the league’s most ferocious in-game dunkers, too.” Well, KD, we get it. And now, in the unlikely event he didn’t before, so does Phoenix Suns center Marcin Gortat.”
