Wednesday Bolts – 10.15.14

Anthony Slater: “Perry Jones started the other night in Dallas. But you wouldn’t have known he was on the floor. Two points and little impact in his 14 minutes. But Tuesday was different. Jones bullied Quincy Pondexter on the first play of the game, burying him underneath the hoop and dropping in an and-1 on an impressive post-up. Then he confidently nailed a corner three minutes later. It was the start to a nice night for the third-year forward: 5-of-6 shooting, 12 points in 19 minutes. His maturation could be key in Kevin Durant’s absence. Tuesday was the best night of his preseason.”

Ric Bucher of Bleacher Report: “Too much, they say, is made of the glimpses of Westbrook barking at Durant after a miscue or miscommunication and not enough of the times when Westbrook is yelling “Stick it in their face, KD!” or exhorting the crowd to support Durant when he’s missed a couple of shots. All that said, no one disputes that Westbrook wants to be regarded on the same superstar plane as Durant and that he seethes over the fact that he is not. If he wishes Durant as much success as he can achieve, he also wishes the same for himself.”

This chart shows how little Westbrook has played without Durant.

Zach Lowe of Grantland predicts Ibaka will win DPOY: “Ibaka is always in the running, and his skills have caught up with his reputation. No one has an iron grip on this award like Dwight Howard did a half-decade ago; it rotated over the last three seasons between guys who rose up behind outstanding play and an easy media narrative. Tyson Chandler held the 54-win Knicks together! Joakim Noah kept the Bulls afloat! Marc Gasol exists! This feels like Ibaka’s time, though Howard and perhaps Andrew Bogut will butt their way into the conversation. Chandler declined last season, Noah is 29 and back in the Derrick Rose shadow, and Hibbert could toil for a bad team. The Durant injury casts a spotlight on every supporting player, and if Ibaka anchors a defense that hangs in, he should emerge as the favorite.”

The best breakdown of KD’s injury you’ll see.

Zach Harper for TrueHoop gives reasons to watch this season: “Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook didn’t leave the organization this past summer. Until Durant is back from his fractured foot, we get to see the Westbrook solo act that he and his personal stylist have been waiting to unleash on the basketball world. You also get to watch Steven Adams take elbows like he’s Homer Simpson in a boxing match. Throw in a couple of Kendrick Perkins’ post-ups that the rest of the basketball world likes to call “turnovers,” and you have yourself all the entertainment you could want in a game.”