Wednesday Bolts – 2.16.11
Matt Moore at HP expanding more on Westbrook: “Westbrook takes what’s his. It’s honestly the biggest difference between he and KD. Durant is always judging himself, the shot, the defense, the game, trying to find that equilibrium that allows him to do amazing things. He’s a kid searching through radio stations for that song he heard once. If he finds the right frequency, everything falls into place. Westbrook on the other hand is just going to run in and jump on the bed until it breaks and then run downstairs for his pudding pop. It’s not the best thing. But it’s the thing which hits you in the seratonin spots like chocolate.”
I don’t really get this paragraph from Ballin Europe: “It’s official: As though the Oklahoma City Thunder needed more cause to be anywhere from giddy to ecstatic about the immediate future, they’ll now be able to anticipate the addition of a talented multi-dimensional big man in a year or two in Jan Vesely.”
An email I got last night: “i look just lik kevin durant if he make a movie let me kno call me at 678-xxx-3253 n i send u a picture bye.” That has to be the best email ever written.
KD finally makes an appearance in ESPN’s MVP Award Watch: “He’s probably not going to win the award, as many so-called experts predicted, but the league’s top scorer has put together another strong season.”
From Elias: The Thunder had a wire-to-wire victory over the Kings on Tuesday night; the final score: 126-96. So we’re not here to tell you that Oklahoma City’s 28-of-30 performance from the foul line was the determining factor in their triumph. But the Thunder’s foul shooting bears watching: the team is now shooting 82.7 percent from the line, and only two teams in NBA history have finished a season with higher percentages: the 1989-90 Celtics (83.2 percent) and the 2002-03 Mavericks (82.9 percent).
FSOK set a regular season ratings record with the Thunder’s game against the Grizzlies. What?
John Hollinger searching for the next Thunder: “As a result, these probable playoff party crashers are two of the four teams I’d like to look at Tuesday — young teams on the rise that are playing better basketball of late and have yet to grab much national attention. For that, blame the Bulls and Thunder. Clearly any discussion of teams on the rise needs to focus on those two — both seem poised to win 50 games and survive at least a round in the playoffs, and the sky’s the limit for each in terms of the future.”
Ryan Costello of Hoops Addict making a start Collison case: “The starting unit with Collison at center is better in rebounding percentage, turnover rate, attempts more shots at the rim, allows fewer at the rim, and surrenders a lower effective field goal percentage, a stat adjusted to value three-pointers proportionately.”
Darnell Mayberry’s notes: “I’ve said before that it’s hard to reel in Westbrook. Doing so could take away his effectiveness. He’s got to learn to manage the game like this consistently on his own. But tonight’s attack showed how great the Thunder can be if he defers and gets everyone involved. He makes Green better. He makes Nenad Krstic more of a threat. And his passing rubs off on teammates. Westbrook can score whenever he wants. The fourth quarter should be his time to shine. But in the first three, things would be o much easier if Westbrook stepped it up as a set-up man.”
