Durant Calls Mark Cuban an Idiot at Game 5 Post Game Presser

I like this. Durant sticking up for his buddy. Obviously, Cuban was just being his inner Donald Trump self on this one, but I like the fact Durant stood up for Russell.

Russell is clearly a superstar, albeit one without a ring who has yet to show he can navigate a team to sixteen post season wins and the cup, but clearly–Russell Westbrook at the least is a regular season superstar. Now—this next series against the Spurs will tell us if he’s taken the next step because there’s no way he shouldn’t own Tony Parker in this series. We’ll see.

 

Durant’s Flagrant Two and Ejection

Several things on this. It was a stupid play by Durant because he let Justin Anderson get under his skin and he hit him in the head where everybody could see it. Durant now faces a possible suspension for Game 5, we’ll see. It’s been an extremely chippy series as we knew it would be, but we’ll see what the league office does.

I’ve enjoyed watching Anderson this series. He’s my type of player. Physical, high energy, and he does little things for his team—kind of like Nick Collison. I wouldn’t mind having him on the Thunder at some point.

I have no problem with a head slap or an elbow just as long as you don’t get caught. Durant got caught, so it’s a bad play. If you’re going to do something like this then do it way behind the play–especially if you’re a star player.

It’s obvious Durant has never played hockey. I was a master of this in the mens B rec league. You get annoyed with an opponent, you wait, then you butt end the prick with your stick and give that ‘Who me shrug’ as he lays on the ice. No penalty, no power play for the other team. No harm done.

Hope Russell Westbrook’s brother tells Kevin to read this since I’m fairly certain Donovan never played mens B rec league hockey.

Hopefully, the NBA league office views this as I do, but you never know.

Heady Thunder Too Much For Mavs in Game 4

Oklahoma City Thunder 119 — Dallas Mavs 108

Granted, these Dallas Mavs are a dead team walking, but putting that aside — for the second consecutive road game the Thunder played smart, heady basketball in winning wire to wire to take a commanding 3-1 stranglehold of this first round Western Conference series.

Beautiful basketball two games in a row which makes you hope the Thunder could possibly have their best ball of the season still in front of them.

So many positives in this game for Oklahoma City. Russell Westbrook was superb with 25 points and 15 assists. Enes Kanter was equally sublime notching his career playoff best with 28 points on a 12-13 night from the field. These two share my No. 1 Star of the Game honors.

But other Thunder players were excellent as well. Serge Ibaka scored 16 points on a 7-11 night, plus he played with some snarl which has been missing at times this season. Keep the snarl coming, Serge.

Much to the dismay of the Daily Thunder zombies, Dion Waiters was excellent  again scoring 12 efficient points and doing multiple other things which make the Thunder a better team.

Steven Adams had some nice moments scoring 14 points. Andre Roberson did some nice things as well none of which included shooting a basketball, but still his metrics….sigh. But he really did do some good things.  Same with the always heady Nick Collison.

Here’s my stat of the night for the second straight game…Ibaka, Kanter, and Waiters went 23-29 and combined for 56 points. You get that from your third, fourth, and fifth options and good things could be on the horizon for this Thunder team.

Durant was okay going 7-20 with 19 points, but got ejected at the end for slapping Justin Anderson. I’ll be stunned if he gets suspended for this, but not a smart play. But otherwise—the Thunder were a very heady bunch tonight.

Twenty-six assists to nine turnovers. Westbrook and Durant with only three between them.

But the night basically belonged to Westbrook and Kanter, especially Enes Kanter. The two man game evolving between these two pretty much makes it mandatory Kanter needs to be on the floor in the fourth period when Westbrook sometimes struggles. It gives Westbrook so many more choices . It gives him a pick and roll partner who makes his free throws. Again, there was no point in matching Portland’s offer to Kanter if you’re not going to use him. Billy Donovan has used him these past two games.

To me–the key to this team is to keep Ibaka, Kanter, and Waiters involved. These last two games the Thunder have played the right way. Put the hero ball on the back burner. Not to be too tough on Durant for his post Game 2 comments, but it’s more than just shots falling, it’s getting your teammates involved. Getting them into the flow of the offense. Allowing them to do more than watch Durant and Westbrook play two on five basketball.

We know for a fact OKC cannot win the title playing hero ball. WE KNOW THIS. THIS IS NOT SUBJECTIVE THINKING. So since we all know this, there’s no reason whatsoever for the two stars to fall back into that mode as San Antonio awaits on the horizon.

Two beautiful games in a row. Build on this in Game 5 on Monday in Oklahoma City. Keep moving the basketball. Touch, touch, touch…finish.

Teams that win championships do two things, they defend and they move the ball. They win. They advance. They give themselves a chance.

I can’t tell you how much more I enjoy blogging about these guys after they play heady ball instead of playing dumb basketball.

Monday night in OKC gives the Thunder the opportunity to closeout a series and for the city to celebrate after a tough winter of multiple tragedies related to the city and the team jointly.

Hope to see the smart Thunder on Monday night.

Passing is fun. Keep passing the damn ball.

 

 

 

 

Thunder Focused in Game 3 Blowout Over Walking Dead Mavs

Oklahoma City Thunder 131 — Dallas Mavs 102

OKC’s Thunder took care of business on Thursday night with a wire to wire road blowout win over the injury decimated Dallas Mavs to take a 2-1 series lead.

There was no drama in this one. OKC played better, shot the ball better, and got their third, fourth, and fifth options all involved on a night which needs to be the template for the Thunder moving forward when they meet the Spurs in the second round. Durant and Westbrook both had bounce back games, but that’s expected from the two stars.

What was more encouraging to witness was the involvement and production from Enes Kanter, Serge Ibaka, and Dion Waiters. All three had double figure nights. All three were efficient. This is what OKC needs from these three players in the playoffs. Combined they made 15 of the 20 shots they attempted for 56 points. It doesn’t get much more efficient than that.

OKC never trailed in this game. Won all four quarters and quite honestly dominated just as they should have in Game 2. Yeah, I know making shots at a 57.7% clip from the field and making 15 3’s makes the game infinitely easier, but so does playing a little smarter and getting someone not named Durant and Westbrook involved on the offensive end.

It’s naïve to think the role players can produce this efficiently at the same time every night, but if OKC can get something solid from these three it makes the Thunder an altogether different animal to defend in half court sets.

Losing Game 2 doesn’t matter much now as OKC has home court back in their pocket and ‘should’ look to take a commanding 3-1 series lead on Saturday night in Game 4. This is a Dallas team running on fumes. Deron Williams did not play on Thursday night, while JJ Barea did. Dallas just doesn’t have the talent to stay with OKC despite what we witnessed in Game 2.

Mantra from the Thunder should be simple. Focus. Take care of business. Advance.

Game 4 on Saturday night in Dallas.

 

Scott Brooks in D.C. ?

It’s rumored Scoot Brooks has been offered the head coaching job of the Washington Wizards for a reported $7 million a year deal. This would put Brooks as one of the top seven paid coaches in the NBA. It’s been reported Ernie Grunfield visited Brooks in California and offered him the job.

I like Scott Brooks. I would have preferred he came back for this last season and I think he got a bit of a raw deal because basically his entire team was injured last season.

This is a great podcast with Brooks being interviewed by Chris Mannix on The Vertical about two months ago. I don’t really see this giving the Wizards any kind of an edge in the signing of Kevin Durant for the simple reason if Kevin Durant had told Sam Presti he wanted Brooks back–Scott Brooks would have been retained.

That’s something our local media (the Prestettes) haven’t really written about. Namely—did Durant and Westbrook give Presti the thumbs up to fire Scott Brooks. Given the entire Thunder organization licks Durant and Westbrooks’ toes before they go to bed—common sense would say…’Yes, they were okay with Scott Brooks being let go.’

I see virtually no difference in the team, except the team is weaker defensively. But again, that could be more from Perk being gone and not cussing the two stars routinely for their half assed defense at times.

Best of luck to Scott Brooks. Seems like a very nice guy.

Here’s the link to the podcast.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/the-vertical-pod-with-chris-mannix–scott-brooks-144203669.html

Let’s put this on here, too. Scott Brooks’ exit press conference with the Thunder last April after the team missed the playoffs. I’m envious of Scott Brooks. He’s done something which is on my Bucket List. Namely—he lived with Charles Barkley when he was a rookie for my Philly Sixers. That’s on the podcast above. But here’s Brooks sounding like he was going to be back as the Thunder coach.

Trivia question: Brooks was a backup point guard. Who was he backing up his rookie season in Philly? Clue…one of my favorite all-time Sixers who helped Dr. J finally win his ring.