Tuesday Bolts 3.15.16

Anthony Slater: “Communication is the lifeblood of defense. It’s what still keeps Kendrick

Perkins in the league. For the Thunder, it’s been absent of late. On Monday, it wasn’t. From the bigs to the guards to the coaching staff, everyone was talking. They were calling out and recognizing screens. They were making proper rotations. They were summoning over Donovan, more than usual, for dead-ball discussions. The result: Portland, the league’s seventh best offense, shot a putrid 34 percent.”

Berry Tramel: “Truth is, Westbrook and Durant at times the past couple of weeks looked like they were playing care-free games at the YMCA. Westbrook had nine turnovers at San Antonio on Saturday night. The seven games before that, his turnover totals were five, seven, seven, two, five, seven and seven. Durant had been playing better, with five total against San Antonio and Minnesota over the weekend, but before that his totals were six, six, five, nine and six. These guys have the ball in their hands all the time, and the NBA leaders in turnovers almost all are superstars. But geez. The Thunder can’t afford 11.6 turnovers per game from their two prime players.”

Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com on Phil Jackson: “Jackson would text Fisher observations and suggestions, and Fisher would respond in one-word answers. When the Knicks held a coaches’ retreat at The Ritz Carlton in Marina Del Rey at the end of summer, a meeting that sources said was meant for bonding and philosophical discussion about the team, Fisher was unable to attend.”

Berry Tramel yesterday on what ails the Thunder: “I get asked all the time why Kyle Singler plays. And if Singler wasn’t playing, I would get asked why Andre Roberson plays. I have a ready-made answer. Because they get back on defense. It’s nothing more complicated than that. If Singler and/or Roberson weren’t on the floor, at times it would be a layup line for the opposition. Roberson can’t shoot a lick, and Singler often can’t. But basketball, even at the very top level of the sport, consists of fundamentals. Take care of the ball. Get back on defense. The Thunder remains the No. 5 team in the league, with a 44-22 record, a winning percentage of .667. That’s on pace for 54-55 wins. The question isn’t why the Thunder has lost so many; it’s how they’ve lost so few playing with recklessness and lack of hustle.”

My ESPN.com story: The Thunder’s good remains very good.

Marc Stein had OKC eighth yesterday: “The Thunder have led entering the fourth quarter in eight consecutive games, yet we’re guessing you’re fairly aware by now that they’ve only won three of them. Defense continues to be the biggest culprit, but there’s no dodging the fact that Russell Westbrook’s late-game struggles are an issue, too. Russ, for example, is 0-for-11 on 3s in the fourth quarter and OT in those eight games.”

When advanced statting goes wrong.

Matt Moore of CBSSports.com: “If they were a party candidate, the other campaigns would be calling for them to suspend theirs since they’re clearly not going to win this thing. But that’s the thing, what everyone else thinks doesn’t matter in sports. The Thunder will get their election day over the course of April and May. We’ll see if they’ve got an upset bid.”