Wednesday Bolts – 3.18.15

Rob Mahoney of SI.com: “All of which isn’t to say that the Thunder are doomed, so much as they’re set to be even more thoroughly challenged. Westbrook has played full bore for nearly a month. At some point his play will show signs of drain, thereby paring back this team’s capacity to overwhelm. Oklahoma City—as proven against Chicago and Minnesota before losing on Monday to Dallas—can still win games. Yet there are no sure things under these conditions. Even upcoming games against lottery teams like the Celtics and Lakers could prove more difficult than expected, and the Thunder have the added misfortune of catching opponents like the Jazz and Pacers at their most potent.”

Bethlehem Shoals for GQ: “All of which brings us back to Ibaka. The sixth-year forward may not have developed as expected—at one point, he was thought to have star potential—but the Heat and Cavs have shown us that two superstars are enough. It’s also makes the most sense to complement two high-scoring wings with a stretch four. Ibaka, who grew a three-pointer this year, also happens to be an elite shot-blocker. When the team was thin, their entire defensive strategy consisted of forcing opposing players toward him. The Thunder can survive without Ibaka for a little while but in some larger sense, they shouldn’t have to.”

Simmons has Durant sixth and Westbrook five in his Trade Value rankings: “The Homicidally Competitive Legacy Baton since 1990 looks like this: MJ, then Iverson, then Garnett, then Kobe, then Westbrook. Nobody else in the NBA gives even half as much of a shit as Russ does. Like, you actually fear for his safety. And everyone else’s safety. He’s like Springsteen circa 1980: When you see him in person, you know there’s a 100 percent chance he will throw himself into the proceedings like a tirelessly energetic freak/maniac/lunatic who just chugged 128 ounces of coffee. He’s the safest ticket purchase you can make.”

If you missed it, Ibaka is out for at least a month.

Matt Moore of CBSSports.com: “Some teams respond the best when the odds are stacked against them, when their backs are against a wall. OKC’s is flat up against it and have been battling for six months. They’ve risen to every challenge so far to stay in the hunt. All that’s left is to wait and see whether the Ibaka injury will finally be the straw that breaks the camel’s back.”

Jenni Carlson: “Could that be a false sense of hope? No doubt. The Thunder could get everyone back, make the playoffs and do some serious damage. Or it might not be playing past April. The thing is, even though this plague of injuries has been absolutely devastating to the Thunder, none of the maladies has been season-ending. Not Westbrook’s. Not Durant’s. Not Ibaka’s. Not anyone’s. We haven’t had an earthquake. That means hope remains in Thunder Nation.”

Anthony Slater on who steps up: “A week ago, following the return of Adams, McGary was caught in a numbers game. Despite encouraging flashes, he was on the outside of the rotation. But not anymore. Ibaka’s injury has thrust McGary back into a vital bench role. His production is no longer a luxury, but a necessity. On Tuesday, he had 10 points and 11 rebounds in nine first half minutes. In the past month-plus, he’s had four double-doubles. So the talent is clearly there. But the consistency, understandably, hasn’t been for the rookie. He’s had as many clunkers as great performances. Moving forward, those will sting more than they did in the past.”