Wednesday Bolts – 12.30.09

Dime thinks  OKC could be the team of the next decade: “Very soon, contract extensions and players seeking greener

pastures will become an issue for the Thunder. But if they’re doing this much in their early 20s, imagine how they’ll look three or four years down the line. If they can keep their main core together and add some more solid role players along the way, I don’t see any reason why the Thunder can’t win multiple chips.”

Donate blood, get two free Thunder tickets.

BDL, behind the box score: “The Washington Wizards allowed Oklahoma City to score around 118 points per 100 possessions on Tuesday night, and for all the young Thunder’s talent, OKC is not that good offensively. They dropped about 115 per 100 against the Nets the before, but those were the Nets. Designed to lose. These are the Wizards, designed to compete, and they’re not. Not at home, even. Kevin Durant looked like a sage vet attacking that Wizards defense, he piled up 35 points a night after dropping 40 and brought the all-around game too – 11 boards, four assists, five turnovers. Jeff Green tossed in 18 points and was handed a series of open three-pointers (just two went in), and the Wizards look to be on the verge of imploding.”

A story on Eric Maynor from his hometown paper: “That game didn’t tell me I belonged here,” Maynor said. “I knew I belonged here when I got drafted. But it did give me the sense that I can really play and be a factor. “I’m not just on an NBA roster, I’m playing. I’m playing with the best in the world. I want to reach a point where I’m a 30-35-minute guy with the ball in my hands a lot.”

This is kind of cool: “Durant did something Tuesday that he hasn’t done all season. He wore a suit to the game, a blue pinstriped get-up that served as his unexpected homecoming outfit. “My mom, when she was at my house, she packed my bag and she snuck it in there,” Durant said. “I don’t wear suits to the games, but I did it since I came back home. She knew what she was doing, but it’s cool. It’s Mom’s.”

An interview with Eric Maynor from NBA.com.

Recap from Truth About It: “Then again …. maybe, juuuuust maybe …. I mean, look at the Eastern Conference playoff race. The Wizards are only 2.5 games out of eighth/seventh place and four games from sixth. Not exactly what the team was aiming for, but if they could get themselves together and sneak in as a low seed, who knows what could happen. Who am I kidding? Again, that denial thing.”

Flip Saunders just about melted down after the game.

I have to say, I am absolutely giddy right now. When this month started, the Thunder were 10-8 and headed into a gauntlet that we all thought would prove their worth. I saw them coming out of it 17-15, and even I felt like that was a little ambitious. Now with one game to play, they’re 17-14 and have proven they belong in the The Discussion. I can’t tell you how exciting that is.

D.J. White is transitioning into his role with the 66ers: “Because the Thunder owns the 66ers, White already knew the playbook and terminology. Now it’s about further developing his midrange and post skills offensively, as well as overall defense. “It’s written out what is expected of him and he knows before he gets here and we communicate each day the things he can do offensively and defensively to improve his development plan,” Tulsa 66ers head coach Nate Tibbetts said. The 66ers approach that development the same way the Thunder does.”

UPDATE: Awesome post from Nets Are Scorching on how KD got his 40 against the Nets. With video! Definitely worth a look.