Author: Mike

This is excellent if you haven’t seen it. They should both probably win the MVP. Maybe Adam Silver can cut the trophy in two.

With each passing game, Russell Westbrook’s journey continues along the sacred lines of NBA history. I know we live in an age of millennial influence, Donald Trump, and the such, but with each passing Thunder game, Russell Westbrook has saved me from becoming completely jaded in regards to our current state of affairs. That’s one of the wonderful things about sport, it can make us hope and believe things can and will be better beyond the games.

Since July 4th, when Kevin Durant announced on the Players’ Tribune he was taking the easiest possible route to an NBA championship, Russell Westbrook has literally been a savior to not only the Thunder franchise, but this city itself. At a time when it could have been easy to become cynical, Russell Westbrook has done and said all the right things. He has put this city on his back and basically said, “Let’s go. Life goes on.”

For me, as an obscure Thunder blogger, it’s been a journey as well. My father and I attended Game 6 together. As those horrific last few minutes unwound, we looked at each other and knew in our hearts the Thunder season was over. We feared OKC would lose in Game 7 on the road, and they did.

My father’s battle with pancreatic cancer ended on August 23rd and to my eternal dismay, he’s not here with me watching not only Russell Westbrook’s journey as a player, but Westbrook’s evolution as a man. Westbrook is a smart dude. He was an excellent student and qualified for Stanford if I recall correctly. It’s part of what he is, but even more importantly for those of us who have watched him from his rookie season–his growth as a young man has given me hope beyond the lines of a basketball court.

Russell and his wife are expecting their first child in May. It’s going to be a son. Russell Westbrook is going to have a son and I say without reservation this son will turn into a solid man just as Russell has become because of the parenting he received from his loving, supportive parents. So, now I guess I need to talk about this game in Orlando last night.

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OKC won a game in Orlando last night they had no business winning. None. I’m almost certain I wrote that exact sentence on Monday night in Dallas. For the most part, Westbrook’s teammates went invisible into the night again against a bad Orlando team which is currently the No. 14 seed in the East. Good thing for the Magic the Russian oligarch owns the putrid Brooklyn Nets or else the Magic might be the worst team in the East.

The Thunder as a team were awful for most of this game. They trailed by as many as 21 points in the second half. They trailed 97-79 with six minutes left in the game. They trailed by 13 points with three and a half minutes left in regulation. But here’s what happened again, Russell Westbrook just said fuck it and took over the basketball game to the extent that the Orlando fans, like the Brooklyn fans, started MVP chants and basically cheered for Westbrook instead of their own team.

Westbrook scored 19 points in those six minutes of regulation. He hit a tough, contested three pointer with 7.1 seconds left to send the game to overtime. He then went on to score 7 points, grab 4 rebounds, and assist twice in the five minute overtime. In the last ten or so minutes of this basketball game, Russell Westbrook scored 26 points, but more importantly, he won another game for this Thunder team which somehow stands 43-31 with eight games remaining in the regular season. BTW, OKC clinched a playoff berth last night as well.

Westbrook’s line was something we never saw from either Michael or Kobe. His line was 57 points, 13 rebounds, and 11 assists. The 57 points is the highest point total ever associated with a triple double in the history of the league. It was Westbrook’s 38th triple double of the season, he needs only three more to tie Oscar with eight games remaining. It would be nice if this could happen at home, but looking at the schedule it might very well happen in either Memphis, Phoenix, Denver, or Minnesota. We’ll just have to see.

OKC now stands at 43-13 only a half game behind the Clippers for the No. 5 seed. The Thunder have somehow won four of their last five on the road and are now 31-7 in games in which Westbrook has triple doubled. For those who think this is a stat deal, It’s not. It’s more to the point these young Thunder players are still the Bad News Bears and need Westbrook to do this every night just for the team to be competitive.

Kevin Durant may or may not win his first NBA championship with the Splash Brothers and Draymond Green. I could care less at this point. I’ve moved on and not just as a basketball fan. The reason is simple…Russell Westbrook. I owe Russell Westbrook, big time.

I’d wish Russell Westbrook good luck as father, but I know he doesn’t need it. Here’s there and he’ll be a wonderful father.

OKC hosts the San Antonio Spurs on Friday night.

Russell with courtside post game comments.

This is what he should do and he should do it because he had no mandate whatsoever to be governing from a far right hardline position. What makes all this even more comical is that he’s a guy who probably should either be on his golf courses or in a furniture store doing his furniture store sports fucking thing. He has no governmental experience. None. For crying out loud, I’ve been president of the OKC Youth Ice Hockey Association and VP of my HOA. I have more governmental experience than Trumpula and it’s not like in any way do I feel qualified to be POTUS. None. It’s a tough ass job.

Trump should fire these people: Bannon, Miller, Sessions, Conway, Spicer, Price, Pruitt, and Priebus. Start over. Pretend the inaugural speech never happened and reach out to all Americans and a handful of moderate Dems. Govern all the people in this country, not just the dudes in the White Billionaires Men’s Club. This is isn’t complex because he’s going absolutely nowhere as his presidency is currently constructed. Sure, the 36 % who would have voted for Hitler are still there, but nothing will get done otherwise.

So does Donald Trump really want to govern the entire country or just be the adoptive parent of Jerry Springer fans? BTW, Jerry Springer like Howard Stern didn’t vote for Trumpula. You can analyze this all you want, but I dare say a good deal of these people would have voted for David Duke over Hillary Clinton. Truth hurts.

Unless you’re a vapid, clueless simpleton there’s no way one could be surprised with Trumpula’s Kingdom nine weeks down the road. When you have a website owner running the country, or have pawns of the Koch Brothers assuming the vice-presidency and chief of staff positions, ‘had’ a paid agent from Turkey as the chief national security counsel, ‘had’ your former campaign manager conducting Russian commerce with select Russian & Ukranian interests, have a redneck peckerhead as your attorney general, have a wannabe Nazi draw up a Muslim ban, have a completely incompetent puppet running the House Intel Committee, have someone from Oklahoma heading the EPA, have Tom Price heading a healthcare revamp, and of course, have Sean Spicer and Kellanne Conway this is what you get………

There certainly will never be a shortage for this segment with the likes of Trumpula, Squeaky Conway, Sean Spicer, and now Devin Nunes. Maybe, it’s just me, but I find it especially offensive that any of these idiots are subsidized by anyone’s tax dollars.

Sean Spicer should go home. He’s embarrassing himself, his family, and his country. Somebody should tell him to get on a plane and go home. Maybe Chris Christie should tell him.

This might be my favorite moment of the whole Trump presidential experience thing so far.

“Chris, tuck your fat ass in your pants and go home. This endorsement is really important to me.” When I’m down this is always in my top three play list.

If Russell Westbrook needed a closing argument as to why he’s this season’s MVP then he made it on Monday night in Dallas at the American Airlines Arena. The OKC Thunder won a basketball game they had no business whatsoever winning by coming back from thirteen points down with four minutes left. It was vintage Westbrook as he carried his team scoring in every imaginable fashion as the Thunder roared back with Westbrook hitting the game winner from the top of the key with seven seconds left to give the Thunder a stunning 92-91 win. And, oh, btw, the reason OKC even had that possession was the same Russell Westbrook caused a J.J. Barea turnover with thirteen seconds left which gave the Thunder a chance to win without playing the foul game.

Russell Westbrook notched his 37th triple double of the season. His line was 37 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists. He would have had many other assists, but it like kind of like takes a teammate who can make a shot for an assist to be registered. I’ll get to the rest of the team in a bit as I have a rant festering. But on this night, it’s more of a case of appreciating Russell Westbrook.

OKC is now 30-7 in games in which Westbrook has triple doubled and 12-24 in which he hasn’t. On this night, I’m not sure his teammates by themselves could have beaten St. Mary’s high school team, let alone the Dallas Mavs, and that in a nutshell is why the MVP voting should ultimately go Westbrook’s way.

OKC trailed by 15 points at the half and his teammates in a word were abysmal bordering on horrific. If Billy Donovan didn’t throw a chair against a wall and say ‘are you fucking kidding me’ at least a dozen times during the intermission it would qualify as coaching malpractice. Former OCU coaching icon Abe Lemmons would have kept these Bad News Bears on the floor practicing during the break…especially Alex Abrines and Semaj Christon who both played at D League levels on Monday night and were unwatchable. Enes Kanter was bad as well, which was a surprise and it left Westbrook without any scoring crutch as none of his teammates could do anything offensively. I have no idea how he worked ten assists.

So, in essence, Westbrook had little help in this game and yet somehow willed his team to a win which now has these Bad News Bears only one game behind the Clippers for a No. 5 seed in the West.

OKC as a team hasn’t turned any corners, it’s just that every time you think Russell Westbrook can’t reach any deeper to save these Bad News Bears from themselves he somehow does and this group somehow stands at 42-31 with nine games remaining.

Nothing against James Harden, but it would be a major crime if Russell Westbrook doesn’t win the MVP.

OKC in Orlando on Wednesday night with Westbrook going for No. 38. Hopefully, several of his teammates show up.

Here’s Brett Dawson of newsok with the wrap up. Dawson and Erik Horne do a nice job covering the Thunder.

As each day passes, it’s becoming progressively harder for me to take any one who voted for Caligula Lite seriously on serious matters. Pro wrestling, maybe. It’s to the point I almost feel sorry for the Trump Trekkies… almost.

Here’s a brief Monday morning thought for the Judge and some of the lost souls who voted for Trumpula. Maybe next election vote for a candidate who has some fucking clue as to what he’s talking about. Maybe vote for a candidate who didn’t create the Birther Movement just to pander to people left behind by globalization. Maybe vote for a dude whose principal hobbies aren’t going through bankruptcy and sport fucking with celebs in furniture stores. Maybe vote for a dude who isn’t out there on the Ted Cruz alien runway with some of you and other wingnut factions beaming home Ted Cruz’s father. Maybe vote for someone who knows something more about governance than Sarah Palin.

Keith Olberman rant done. So, for all you Trumpsters here’s your ideological soulmate, Judge Jeanine.

So…you really think these people are going to figure out health care, infrastructure, tax reform, trade treaty nuance, foreign policy, immigration, etc.? Know your wheelhouse. Stick to Rowdy Roddy Piper and Andre the Giant. Know your wheelhouse.

For the second time in three games, the OKC Thunder lost to a top three Western Conference team wilting under an avalanche disparity of made threes. Golden State buried the Thunder by being a +33 shooting three balls last Monday. This afternoon in Houston the Thunder were -27 in the three point scoring department. As was the case against the Warriors, the Thunder were never a threat to win this game beyond the middle of the second period.

This is very simple math, the OKC Thunder cannot spot the Warriors and Rockets 33 and 27 points respectively from three point land and have a chance to win games. Houston was 20-39 (51.3%) on threes, while OKC was 11-30. Overall, Houston shot 63.3 % from the field and it never really appeared the Thunder could defend a Rocket team which was missing Ryan Anderson and only used eight players in this game.

Four Rocket players scored twenty or more points with Lou Williams leading the way with 31 points. Trevor Ariza and Eric Gorden both scored 24 points for the Rockets. James Harden had his customary stat stocked game with 22 points, 5 rebounds, and 12 assists. Houston won its 51st game of the season, but it’s still really hard for me to think of the Rockets in the same frame as Golden State, Cleveland, or San Antonio, but more like a next tier team such as the Boston Celtics in the East.

Russell Westbrook notched his 36th triple double of the season, but just didn’t get enough help from his teammates. Again, when you’re playing either the Warriors or Rockets it’s a math game. They’re making threes and you’re making twos. Even a Trump supporter can figure that deal out one would think. Look at it this way, in these two losses combined, OKC gave up 35 threes, while scoring only 15 three balls, even in Kellyanne Conway’s Alternate Universe that’s -60. Duh.

Westbrook’s line was 39 points, 11 rebounds, and 13 assists on a decent 13-28 shooting night. The Thunder are in serious trouble if either the Warriors or Rockets turn out to be a post season foe. I can’t think this game hurt Westbrook because it was apparent to anyone watching the game that Harden has teammates who consistently hit threes and Westbrook does not have that luxury.

Enes Kanter had another good offensive showing scoring 23 points in 22 minutes on a 9-12 shooting game. It has become apparent he’s Russell Westbrook’s only reliable game to game scorer at this point in the season with ten regular season games left on the slate.

OKC drops to 41-31 and has the tough task of playing a road back to back tomorrow night in Dallas. Of OKC’s ten remaning games, only four are against teams with a plus .500 record so in all likelihood a 47 or 48 win season is more in line as far as reasonable expectations.

I think most of us who follow the Thunder closely would have taken a 48 win season back on July 4th after Kevin Durant shared his secret with the world on the Player’s Tribune. So there’s no real reason to be down or dragging your head. We knew it was going to be the year of Russell Westbrook chasing Oscar Robertson and with ten games remaining Russell needs five more triple dubs to tie the Big O. I think he’ll do it. I do.

OKC in Dallas tomorrow night in a game which will be tough because as we know the Mavs can shoot some threes.

Harden, 2016. There’s an off the record story from a local OKC writer which details from the driver who dropped off Harden at the Will Rogers Airport in Oklahoma City that Harden was indeed crying on his way to the airport for his flight to Houston. As a Thunder fan, you always wonder…what if.

Interesting game this afternoon in Houston as Russell Westbrook and James Harden square off in their MVP duel. There’s so much these two have in common. They both grew up in LA, both idolized Kobe Bryant, both played their high school ball in LA, both attended PAC 12 schools, both were picked surprisingly high in their respective draft classes by Sam Presti, and of course both have ascended to the top of the NBA hierarchy with teams which aren’t at the time considered top NBA title contenders.

This is the last time these two teams meet in the regular season. This game might or might not be the determinant with voters for their MVP vote, but it’s one of those games you have to put in the must see category. I have Westbrook as a narrow leader in the race as they enter today’s game. In no way is this because I devalue what Harden has done, but rather of what Westbrook has done with much less around him on his roster.

When Westbrook has tripled doubled the Thunder are 29-6, when he hasn’t the Thunder are 12-24.It hasn’t been a stat gimmick kind of thing although ‘some’ have made an issue with some of his rebounding stats. It’s more of a case of Westbrook needing to do these things on a regular basis for the Thunder to be standing at 41-30 entering today versus being one of the bottom dwelling teams in the league.

Without Westbrook, I’d guestimate this team would be something like 14-57 or of the such. Instead, OKC is fighting for a fifty win season and a No. 5 seed, and that’s why I have Russell Westbrook as my MVP heading into today’s game.