Wednesday Bolts – 5.23.12
Bill Barnwell of Grantland on OKC: “If the Thunder were truly bunkering down and avoiding turnovers in a way that they hadn’t during the regular season, we would have already seen it in the first round, right? You can be the judge of that. Consider that in their four-game sweep of the Mavericks, Oklahoma City turned the ball over on 13.9 percent of their possessions. During the regular season, the Mavericks forced turnovers on … 13.9 percent of their opposition’s possessions. That’s average, and while average is still significantly better than the terrible turnover rate the Thunder had during the regular season, it’s not enough to justify believing that they’ve fundamentally changed their game during the playoffs.”
Noam Schiller for HP on defending Duncan: “If I’m Scott Brooks, I probably guard him with Perkins, because I’m Scott Brooks and I’ve yet to realize that my team has been better in every conceivable measure without the lumbering big man on the court (though, to be fair, this hasn’t been the case in the playoffs, I’d take the 66 game regular season sample over the 9 game sample that includes 5 games against the team Perk is most suited to play). If I’m not Scott Brooks, I give Perk a tip of the cap and go Nick Collison, who actually has the combination of strength and speed to prevent total obliteration at the hands of Timmy. Regardless, it’s not Serge, who is essential to the Thunder defense because of his ability to roam off the ball and provide aerial defense from guard penetration, the likes of which Tony Parker would be happy to supply by the bundle.”
Danny Chau for The Classical on Westbrook: “Yet, the thought of “accepting” a one-assist outing from Westbrook doesn’t settle well traditional notions. We like it when our point guards pass. We like it because it makes sense, and what is a point guard if not a player who makes sense of his surroundings? We want our point guards to temper the chaos so that things are simpler on the court and easier on our eyes. When a point guard breaks down a defense, it’s an affirmation of how simple the game can be, of how triumph can be broken down into a set of formulas. Follow the established rules and victory awaits. Point guards are thus brokers of tradition and order, guarding the faint belief that traditional roles themselves provide a blueprint for victory. It’s never that easy.”
How KD can become the best player in the NBA.
Clark Matthews of The Lost Ogle on the WCF: “Don’t let guys who couldn’t start in college destroy you – Danny Green was a bench player most of his college career. Then he got to the pros and fizzled out with the Cavaliers. So, of course, he winds up with a title contender, gets into the starting line up, and begins draining three pointers like he’s Ray Allen and playing defense like he’s Bruce Bowen.”
Police have made arrests in the Bricktown shooting.
Rob Mahoney for the NYT: “In all, the Thunder are set to play the most capable offensive and defensive opponent of its playoff run, and despite considerable advantages in other areas, Oklahoma City’s capacity for offensive rebounding – whether in big or small lineups – seems all but lost. Shot creation and ball control will thus be at an incredible premium, meaning the Thunder’s chances off keeping pace with the white-hot Spurs hinge on its greatest strength and most crippling weakness.”
Bill Simmons: “Of those six Staples games, this one had the biggest big-picture ramifications: not just Kobe stubbornly shooting the Lakers’ lead away, but Durant and Westbrook continuing to drift away from their once-dangerous Stringer/Avon dynamic. As we creep toward the Finals, you start looking for contenders with defined identities, which is what makes Oklahoma City so interesting. We know what the Zombies are at this point: They’re going to thrive because of chemistry, athleticism, interior defense and shot making — in that order — but without Westbrook accepting those occasional “I was the best player tonight and the biggest reason we won, but Kevin made the game-winning shot and got all the attention” nights, the whole thing could collapse.”
KD’s mom talks about, well, KD.
Andrew Sharp of SB Nation: “If you’re wondering why the Thunder are the most addictive team in basketball, the answer is Russell Westbrook. Even beyond his awesomely ridiculous outfits every night. As a player the past two rounds, he’s been the most magnetic personality of anyone on the court. This is strange for me, having loved the Thunder for a few years now in spite of Westbrook. I still wonder whether the Thunder would’ve been better off trading him for Chris Paul two years ago. For a while, I wondered whether Westbrook would’ve been better off.”
Jordan Schultz of the Huffington Post: “The Parker vs. Westbrook matchup will pit arguably the two best and hottest point guards currently in the NBA against one another. While both teams surely possess excellent offensive balance and an arsenal of other weapons, their overall success still hinges on their lead guards. And whoever wins that battle will very likely have his team headed to the Finals.”