Tuesday Bolts – 4.27.10

Gwen Knapp of the SF Chronicle says the Thunder are making the Lakers look old: “But the 21-year-old scoring king and his mates are threatening to bring down a pillar of the old guard. Worse, they’re making Bryant look definitively old-guard, reminding viewers that those little nagging injuries tend to start dragging down all players, but especially smaller guys on the perimeter, after age 30.”

Darnell Mayberry says a win tonight is vital: “Newsflash: what the Thunder must do tonight at 9:30 is win. Lose and it could be time to turn out the lights on this playoff party. A loss tonight would mean Oklahoma City has to win Game 6 on Friday in Oklahoma City and steal the closeout Game 7 on the Lakers’ court Sunday. It could happen. But it wouldn’t be wise to bank on it.”

Former Laker Ron Harper is calling out his former teammates: “Ron Harper has called out the Lakers all the way from his home in New Jersey. Harper specifically called out Ron Artest, Lamar Odom and Jordan Farmar, wondering when they are going to “show up” for the Lakers in the Western Conference first-round playoff series against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Harper feels as if he still has ties, and allegiance, to the Lakers, with whom he won his last two NBA titles in 2000 and 2001.”

I used this video to describe my feeling before the season started and I think it’s fitting now as well. I’m so excited. I’m so… scared.

Berry Tramel says OKC’s role players have to make the flight to LA this time: “The great Willis Reed, who served as a sensei for us NBA novices in the Hornets’ two Oklahoma City seasons, offered all kinds of wisdom about pro basketball. Including this one: Role players don’t travel. Stars are stars be they home, road or on the moon, went Reed’s theory. But the blue-collar, help-out, fill-a-niche players who are so reliable in friendly confines? Best not count on them in road games. Which brings us to the Staples Center tonight, when the Thunder seeks to knock down the staggering Lakers and set up a wild West Friday with a chance to pull an epic series upset back at the Ford Center. Could happen, if rookie James Harden disproves Willis Reed.”

The Thunder’s got OKC business booming as well: “Business owners said the Oklahoma City Thunder’s away NBA playoff games have brought in more business than usual, but the home games have kept their restaurants and bars packed. Christopher Goree, the general manager of the five-month-old Rooster’s Bar and Restaurant, said Saturday’s Game 4 against the Los Angeles Lakers brought in the restaurant’s most sales ever. “Right now I’m up 35 percent from where I was last month,” Goree said. “It’s 100 percent because of the Thunder.”

A pretty spiffy homemade Thunder blankie.

Darnell Mayberry mentioned Kobe strolling out of the Ford Center puffing on a cigar as a reference to how he wasn’t overly concerned by the Thunder. Kurt Helin of Pro Basketball Talk and Laker expert has info on that: “Note to OKC fans: Kobe lighting up a cigar after a bad loss is a little cleansing ritual he has had since last postseason.”

The Thunder are setting TV rating records: “The Oklahoma City Thunder continues to set NBA ratings record in Oklahoma City during its playoff series with the Los Angeles Lakers. Game 4 on Saturday night earned a 16.0 rating on ESPN and a 4.6 on Fox Sports Oklahoma, making it the highest rated NBA game since Oklahoma City became a metered market in 1999.”

Sean Deveney of Sporting News looks for answers for the Lakers: “A pair of iffy home wins for the Lakers, followed by two convincing losses in Oklahoma City, have folks in Lakerland rightfully nervous. The team has shot poorly (41.3 percent from the field, 28.9 percent from the 3-point line and 69.1 percent from the free-throw line), has been burned by Thunder PG Russell Westbrook (21.8 points) and has gotten uneven effort from banged-up star SG Kobe Bryant. But as bad as they’ve looked at times, the Lakers are well-acquainted with postseason turmoil, and they know an assertive effort against the Thunder at home tonight could be all they need to get their fortunes turned around.”

An excellent post from FB&G that looks back to some posts and comments from last year’s series against Houston where LA faced similar circumstances. Darius also says this: “Winning Tuesday’s game will not be easy. The Lakers can’t expect the Thunder to come out, roll over, and hand them the win. The Lakers will need to execute the little things and can’t rely on the Thunder to not play well. However, if there is a team that knows what needs to be done to still win this series wouldn’t it be the one led by Phil Jackson and captained by Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher? Guys with 20 championships between them as players and coach? History has proven that these guys know how to get it done. But with every new season, new challenges appear, and the need to prove it again arises. I think the Lakers have it in them. Tuesday is when we all get to see if I’m right.”