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.
Horrible news for the OKC Thunder family as Ingrid Williams, the wife of OKC Thunder assistant coach Monty Williams, has passed away from injuries sustained in a multi car crash in south Oklahoma City on Tuesday.
Monty Williams is in his first year of coaching as Billy Donovan’s head assistant coach. Williams was the New Orleans Pelicans’ head coach the previous five seasons.
Ingrid Williams, 44, is survived by her husband and five children… Lael, Faith, Janna, Elijah, and Micah.
All prayers and thoughts are with the Williams’ family.
I love Barkley. He was born in Alabama and played at Auburn before entering the NBA. Actually, a very bright guy when he’s not clowning it up on the TNT set. He’s even considered running for governor of Alabama. Thought his views on the election were extremely interesting. Great interview.
OKC Thunder 122 — Phoenix Suns 106
OKC’s Thunder appeared to share my indifference towards the Phoenix Suns tonight, and who could blame either one of us as Phoenix entered tonight having lost twenty-two of their previous twenty-four games. The Suns best two players Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight weren’t available, plus the Suns fired their coach Jeff Hornacek not long ago. So it’s not a shock OKC sleepwalked through almost thirty-four minutes of play before waking up late in the third period then getting it together enough to register a 122-106 win over the depleted Suns.
I think this is one of those games where you realize OKC was somewhat hung over from the Golden State loss. This isn’t a game to read much of anything into. Thankfully it’s a win for OKC and they improve to 39-14.
Kevin Durant went 32, 6, and 3 and is my No. 1 Star of the Game. Russell Westbrook didn’t triple double, but did go 29, 8, and 8.
Three other Thunder players scored in double figures. Waiters with 15 points and 4 assists, Kanter with 11 points and 6 rebounds, and Cam Payne with a nice 11, 4, and 4 game.
Thunder host New Orleans on Thursday night in their last game before the All-Star break.
Early voting results are coming in from New Hampshire as I type. Go John Kasich!