Welcome to OKCThunderGround!

The NBA trade deadline expires later this afternoon and quite frankly I don’t expect Oklahoma City to do much beyond possibly moving Steve Novak’s expiring $3.75 million contract to make a roster spot available for a late season buyout of a player like say Kevin Martin.

OKC is every bit as elite offensively as Golden State so even adding Martin isn’t that big of a deal unless you’re one these types who believe Kevin Martin is an overall better player than Dion Waiters. He isn’t. Waiters is much better defensively than Martin. Martin is more efficient offensively, but as we saw in the Golden State game–Waiters only took five shots, so that isn’t what got the Thunder beat. Defense is where Oklahoma City has to become better if they’re to make a special run this post season.

Defense is where OKC will either improve or not make it to the NBA Finals. With Roberson at some point reentering, plus Donovan’s confidence in both Waiters and Singler—those three guys are key to OKC improving their perimeter defense as we move along into March and April. Again, Kevin Martin would do nothing to meet that end and OKC is already elite offensively.

It’s all about defense. If you doubt, ask Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers. Another words, taking the other guy’s space and time away from him as much as humanly possibly.

Some have talked about a DJ Augustin and Mitch McGary deal for PJ Tucker, but I don’t think so for two reasons.

One, Cam Payne got eaten alive in the Golden State game. Not dissing Payne because I like him, but it might be good to have Augustin around for the post season just in case.

Two, Presti might actually need McGary next season because common sense would say Serge Ibaka could very well be traded next season in  preparation of Durant, Westbrook, and Adams all becoming free agents at the conclusion of the 2016-17 season. Of course, in writing this I’m assuming Durant signs a one year extension after this season to stay with Westbrook.

In the event OKC keeps both Durant and Westbrook long term, there’s no way they can afford to keep both Adams and Ibaka. Let’s be candid, Adams has caught Ibaka and will probably pass him as an overall player. Plus, with Adams at center and Durant at the power forward spot, OKC can more than match the type of matchups Golden State dictates, it’s going to be about small ball in many instances and Serge Ibaka becomes expendable. In fact, if OKC makes it to the conference finals against Golden State—where exactly does Serge Ibaka fit in?

He doesn’t–as we saw on Super Bowl Saturday as he couldn’t keep up with Harrison Barnes. Golden State is changing the way the game is played and to beat them you either adapt or get beat. Not complicated.

Maybe Presti will surprise me and make a major move, but I don’t think so, at least not until sometime next season.

The Thunder have a good team, just tweak some things defensively and see what happens is my take given what’s available currently.

 

Feeling mentally rested from the break. Ready to bear down for the home stretch and the goal achieving portion of the season. Thought this would be a good time to maybe go through some of the award leaders.

MVP – Steph Curry. Enough said.

Offensive Player of the Year – Steph Curry again. But I think OKC’s own Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook have been excellent and should be in the mix.

Defensive Player of the Year – I’ll go Kawhi Leonard.

Sixth Man of the Year  –  I’ll go multiple guys here with it still being a horserace between Victor Oladipo, Jeremy Lin, Ryan Anderson, and Will Barton.

Coach of the Year – At this juncture, I’m going with either Brad Stevens or Terry Stotts.

Rookie of the Year – I’m going with Karl-Anthony Towns, with Kristaps Porzingus in close pursuit.

Most Improved Player – I’m going with CJ McCullum from the Portland Trailblazers.

Most Surprising Team From a Positive Standpoint – I’m going with either Boston or Portland. Both have been great stories. Nobody thought Portland had much of a chance to even contend for a playoff spot. Boston is on a roll and currently the No. 3 seed in the East with a young core of players who are growing up under Brad Stevens.

Most Disappointing Team – New Orleans clearly leads in this category with Houston and Washington following in the mix.

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Already starting to miss games. Trade deadline on Thursday. Then big home games this week-end against the Pacers and Cleveland.

 

What a great Valentine’s Day! Burned a ton of tree limbs all day out here at the Deer Creek ranch and got my pyro fix satiated. Hiked thru the forest with the alpha diva lab Pauli. Watched Russell Westbrook win his second consecutive All-Star MVP. Got to see Sting on the TNT Halftime Show, and had a great meal with some wine. Plus, did the chick flick thing. It was a good day.

My second favorite Sting song after Roxanne. How fitting for Valentine’s.

My favorite Sting song.

One more and I’m done. Third favorite Sting song. I was stunned Sting played tonight. I didn’t think the young knucklehead TNT male dem even knew who he was/is. Seriously. Kind of made my night. Maybe there is still hope for our Republic after all.

 

 

 

 

One last thing, shame on those judges last night in the Slam Dunk contest for taking the easy way out and giving the award to Zach LaVine. No way. Aaron Gordon should have been the winner. Gordon was cutting new innovative ground while LaVine was basically just doing what Michael did years ago.

 

I can’t lie, even as a rough and tumble Thunder rogue blogger, I always watch my favorite chick flick on Valentine’s Day night. I love chick flicks, what can I say? Probably in my Top Five all-time… currently I’d go 1 Serendipity, 2 Four Weddings and a Funeral, 3 Sleepless in Seattle, 4 Her, and 5 When Harry Met Sally.

Anyway, have a nice Valentine’s watching your favorite chick flick, eating Chinese and drinking wine. My two favorite scenes from Serendipity.

While Donald Trump and Jeb Bush continued their childish mano y mano, once again the one adult on the stage with a qualified resume to actually be running for the office… displayed why he should be seriously considered. Imagine…a  qualified candidate with a proven track record actually being considered by the electorate. Who would have even considered the concept viable?

John Kasich 2016

With the All Star Game being played in Toronto this Sunday evening comes a much needed break for the Oklahoma City Thunder and its fandom. No hyperbole, it’s been an up and down twelve months for the Thunder.

Last season’s injuries to Kevin Durant, the Reggie Jackson saga, missing the playoffs, the dismissal of a popular coach in Scott Brooks, the hiring of Billy Donovan, the impending free agency of Kevin Durant, and now the tragic death of Ingrid Williams this week. I can only speak for myself, but I’m a little worn down just as a fan/blogger. I can only imagine what Sam Presti is feeling right about now.

Here we are fifty-four games into this uber important season for the Thunder and maybe it’s time to make some calm, level-headed observations.

I still maintain OKC would be around 40-14 if Scott Brooks had returned and the team maintained this level of overall health. Durant has only missed seven games and to me appears to be an even better overall player because of his improvement defensively.

Russell Westbrook is a better player as well. Better passer, better distributor, and when he’s really locked in better at not taking bad shots.

What I’m saying is OKC would have ridden Durant and Westbrook’s evolution with or without the coaching change, and probably even been a little bit better defensively so far this season as an overall team. But under Donovan — I see two areas of improvement which could bode well..1 improved team ball movement, and 2 Donovan and Monty Williams’ ability to bench manage better than Brooks and be more flexible to change things on the fly. Circle this because if OKC gets to both San Antonio and Golden State in post season this is a significant positive.

The team as a whole is one of only four teams in the league with forty or more wins and a viable contender for an NBA championship this season. I still think OKC is one player away from being able to dethrone Golden State, namely another two way swing player, but never scoff at the notion you’re one of a select handful  of teams with a real shot to win a championship-especially when you have two guys named Durant and Westbrook.

The trade deadline is approaching on Thursday and the only  trade I can conceive as having a realistic chance of addressing this would be for OKC to send DJ Augustin and Mitch McGary to the Phoenix Suns for PJ Tucker. Anotherwords, another vet swingman who isn’t a defensive liability which OKC could throw into the mix against San Antonio, Golden State, or Cleveland–if OKC gets that far.

Otherwise-I really don’t see OKC doing much unless because dumping some expiring contracts doesn’t carry as much weight with the increased salary cap looming in each of the next two seasons.

Key players for me coming down the stretch are the same as they were a month ago…Serge Ibaka, Enes Kanter, and Dion Waiters. These three have to buckle it down mentally and give the Thunder consistency from the third, fourth, and fifth options. Especially Ibaka, he’s the third option and he has to start giving the Thunder something worthy of the third best player every night.

The Thunder’s team defense is the major area of concern, offensively the Thunder are elite. With Roberson coming back, and Waiters showing he’s more than capable defensively there’s no reason for OKC to not be better defensively. Add some flexibility with Singler, and maybe the addition of a PJ Tucker and OKC should have a chance to be better defensively. Not great, but functionally better.

So…for the most part I’m upbeat and exited about the remainder of this season. It should be great basketball to follow from a fan/blogger’s viewpoint.

I think the break comes at a good time for the Thunder considering what Monty Williams and his family are dealing with currently and in reality will be dealing with for the remainder of their lives. A very tough situation for all concerned, but sometimes out of incredibly tough life situations such as these come an even stronger bonding of will and love.

 

 

OKC Thunder 121 — New Orleans Pelicans 95

On a night when neither team really wanted to play this game, OKC’s Thunder beat the New Orleans Pelicans by a score of 121-95. It was a game which was uncomfortable to watch given the death of Ingrid Williams and the obvious pale it thrust over players from both teams. In a more perfect, humane world, NBA Commish Adam Silver would have postponed this game and rescheduled it, but this was not to be on a night when this was the opening game on the TNT Thursday night broadcast.

Players from both teams professed their love, respect, and concern for Monty Williams. It was a raw, emotional night for Kevin Durant and Ryan Anderson and pretty much all of the players from both teams in that Monty Williams was the New Orleans coach the previous five seasons.

From a human view it was a testimonial to the type of person Monty Williams is and the respect he commands from the players.

The best thing about this game is that it’s over and behind both teams as they head into the All-Star break.

Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant were efficient and much too much for this New Orleans team to hang with given the night and the season.

OKC improves to 40-14, while New Orleans under first year Pels coach Alvin Gentry will somehow try to salvage something of a so far disastrous season after the break.

 

Mike Jackson

In the grand scope of life, what the Williams’ family is going through currently makes this game pretty shallow and meaningless all things considered. As a father of only one child, I cannot fathom all the feelings Monty Williams and his children are encountering in the aftermath of this tragedy. I’ve never met Monty Williams, but he seems like a very good guy. One thing Monty Williams and his family are getting ready to learn is the genuine decency of people in Oklahoma. Oklahoma isn’t perfect by any stretch, but it is the inherit inner strength of Oklahomans which make this a great place to live and raise a family. I’m sure Oklahomans will do everything possible to help the Williams family get through this the best they can.