Wednesday Bolts – 3.18.09

Russell Westbrook back on top of SI’s rookie rankings: “Count Nuggets coach George Karl among those who believe

Westbrook has caught up to Rose and warrants serious Rookie of the Year consideration. “I like his stride, his power, his courage to learn a new position,” Karl told the Denver Post. “I think by March and April, I’m going with Westbrook.” Westbrook, who is adjusting to playing full time as a point guard, committed a season-high eight turnovers in Saturday’s loss to Phoenix. Therein lies the obvious rub with the raw playmaker: His eye-popping 226 giveaways in 67 games (3.4 average) rank second only to Dwyane Wade.”

Is Jeff Green the NBA version of Evengi Malkin? (that’s a hockey player): “It really seems like he’s doing somethinguseful in every single play, and his mark on a game is singular and unmistakable for this Thunder team. There’s a definite Swiss-army-like quality of utter utility to the guy, but somehow- even given the flashes we’ve seen of his true potential thusfar- he remains an undefined specimen. It’s like he’s a secondary (or even tertiary) figure in a mythology he’s helping to build. Green’s game is like a Funk Brothers Motown track, or an unwritten gospel… I’ve been struggling to find a proper illustrative analog from within the Association, but it turns out that the athlete who most frequently comes to mind when I consider Green isn’t actually a basketball player at all. Jeff Green really reminds me most of Evengi Malkin, the NHL center for the Pittsburgh Penguins.”

Take 15 minutes (or 20, depending on how fast you read) and digest this fanpost from Sactown Royalty. It’s got a few ties to OKC and really kind of illuminates the lunacy and hypocrisy of so many people openly talking about moving franchises while still casting stones at Oklahoma City: “Longevity can’t be the only criteria, though.  As we’ve all seen, a bedrock franchise with storied history, All-Star players, and established ties to the community can still be ripped from a city like Seattle, basically at the whim of ownership.  When discussing the egregiousness of any potential move, fan support has to be considered as well.  (Incidentally, you’ve been pretty vocal in opposition to the Sonics move to OKC–no friends at the Oklahoman, I guess?)”

I feel horrible about taking some kind of strange satisfaction in this: “New Orleans is 9-3 since his return. However, he has not played of late with the spark that led to his having three double-doubles in his first seven games back — when he averaged 9.9 points and 10.1 rebounds — and during the Hornets’ current two-game losing streak, Chandler has averaged four points and eight rebounds. “My ankle is banged up, but I’m going to continue to try and play through it, ” Chandler said. “But it’s definitely affecting me, because a lot of the stuff I get comes from energy and hustle, and I don’t feel like I’m able to do that.” Chandler and Hornets Coach Byron Scott said Chandler’s sprained left ankle, which forced him to miss 14 consecutive games in January and February, has not fully healed. And with the Hornets’ bench continuing to play ineffectively, Scott does not appear to have many options. However, he said if Chandler’s ankle continues to affect his mobility and performance, he would consider playing him fewer minutes, opting to use reserve Sean Marks.”

Tom Ziller writing on the potential of the NBA contracting: “The NBA has two or three current markets with serious problems: Memphis (the real ghoul), Charlotte (which may never recover from the Shinn departure) and Indiana (dying). Memphis probably shouldn’t have a pro team, and needs a new owner badly. Should we blow the thing up? No! Other markets are dyingto host the NBA. Look at the lengths Oklahoma City went to in order to have a team. Clay Bennett basically ruined his national reputation because bringing the Sonics to OKC would make him a local hero. Think about that. Bringing the NBA to Okla-fricking-homa made the dude a hero. The man had to resort to a completely shady tactics to spring the Sonics free because the demand for local NBA basketball was so high in two markets. (Unless you think, Dave, that Seattle didn’t want to keep the Sonics …)”

Ziller wrote that in response to BlazersEdge, who says OKC should vanish (but only as an “example”): “The six teams I’m going to use are Sacramento, Memphis, Indiana, Charlotte, Minnesota, and Oklahoma City.  OKC actually has decent attendance this year but there’s no history there and nothing to indicate that this won’t become another Memphis/Vancouver situation of declining support after the initial blush has worn off.  In any case, if you don’t like a team’s inclusion just throw them out and put in the Clippers or Bucks or Hawks instead.”

Looks like “ksmoove35” was a fake Twitterer, because it is no longer there.

Ball Don’t Lie is looking at NBA potential in this year’s NCAA tournament: “Blake Griffin has no weight, for he is light as a feather and yet heavy as a ox. Blake Griffin has no height, for his leaps are impossible to measure. Blake Griffin has no age, for he is both Alpha and Omega, the first and the last. In short, even if you only ever watch the NBA, you probably don’t need me to tell you how good Blake Griffin is at basketball. He’s really, really, really good, and you should watch him play, and then hope your team drafts him. It’s really just that simple.”

A British publication weighs in on the “Should the Blazers have taken Durant” non-argument and why KD doesn’t get more mention: “Already this season, Durant has 14 double-doubles. His tally for last term: zero. He is showing all the traits of a potential All-World performer. So why is everyone not jumping up and down to hail his progress? To quote Kirstie and Phil: Location. Location. Location. If he were playing in New York, they’d be erecting billboards on the sides of buildings to hype it up. For most, Oklahoma might as well be Mars. “I try not to worry about that,” Durant states, though. “If I get better, and our team gets better, as the years go on, it’s going to speak for itself.”

Ric Bucher was on Jim Traber’s show yesterday and they talked a little bit about Bill Simmons (via OKC Thunder Fans): “Anyone catch Traber rippin Bill Simmons on the radio at about 4PM? He was on with Rick Bucher (ESPN) who is in town to do a story on the Thunder and the path they’re on. Traber told Bucher that there are a lot of people in OK that want to rip Simmons’ head off for the “team/city that shall remain nameless”. Bucher did agree that Seattle had every opportunity to keep the team…and didn’t. …and he said Clay Bennett wasn’t even to blame.”

Fantasy junkies are catching notice of OKC’s attractive lineup: “Oklahoma City now trots out its own up-and-coming “big three” of

,

and

. If Green and Westbrook can take the step Durant did this season — mainly shoring up field goal percentage — they both will be top-40 players by next All-Star Weekend. But the other member of the Thunder who has grabbed fantasy interest of late is Thabo Sefolosha. Since coming to Oklahoma City, he has provided a new level of defensive intensity, which was on display during last night’s upset of the Spurs. Sefolosha, averaging 3.2 steals and 1.2 blocks over his past five games, is the rare fantasy player who doesn’t need 10 shot attempts a night to be a force.”

ESPN award watch with Westbrook sitting in second for ROY and Durant at two for Most Improved: “Before the season started, it wouldn’t have been a stretch to predict that the Thunder were going to challenge the NBA record for fewest wins. Thanks to the leadership and all-around solid play of Westbrook, and the steadily improving play of

and

, Oklahoma City, winner of six of its past nine, is a better-than-expected 19-48.”

And if you’re looking for something to waste your life with, participate in the Name of the Year. It’s incredibly entertaining and it looks like there’s going to be some stiff competition with Barkevious Mingo, Taco Vandervelde and Nutritious Love. But this is Rev. Valentine Handwerker’s tournament to lose.