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Clearly you can tell by now I don’t want Donald Trump to be president of the United States. It’s not about ideology because he doesn’t have any. It’s not like I’m a liberal because at earlier junctures in my life I voted for Gerald Ford, Reagan once, Bush 41 twice, Bob Dole…and then something in me changed as I watched what was happening to the GOP as a party. Namely–it became a selfish, immature, freakish, dysfunctional collection of different movements who care more about their specific desires than the overall good of the country.

I have no real defining ideology. I just want our leaders to be qualified and honest. I have no check list of social issues a candidate has to pass beyond those, except I think foreign policy experience is fairly important if you’re going to be commander in chief.

Hence, it’s been easy for me to endorse John Kasich although realizing the odds are stacked heavily against him given the current culture in America. Imagine what I just wrote–namely, that the most qualified candidate who’s a very nice human being and someone you’d want your son to emulate has virtually no chance in this election because of what we’ve become as a country.

I saw this last night on the Lawrence O’ Donnell show and wanted to post it on here today before the results start coming in from Michigan later tonight. Spot on, Lawrence O’ Donnell.

 

With nineteen games left in the NBA regular season, the Thunder are 43-20 and still possibly the fourth best team in the NBA if they can pull themselves together during the stretch run. I don’t envision enough ‘pulling together’ for OKC to beat the Warriors, Spurs, or Cavs, but more the pragmatic hope the Thunder can play well enough to win a first round series and then play the Spurs to the hilt in a second round matchup. Anything beyond that with this team is wishful thinking.

Another story by Adrian Wojnarowski surfaced last week reiterating Golden State’s very strong intent on pursuing Kevin Durant at the conclusion of this season. Warrior GM Bob Meyers could make it work by not resigning Harrison Barnes.  Durant could leave to be the No. 1 guy on a team of his own outside of Oklahoma City or Golden State as well. Or he could sign a one year extension in OKC and make one last effort with Westbrook to win a championship together.

Still hard to tell what will happen, but this remains somewhat certain to me–OKC needs to pull itself together enough to the point where the way they finish makes Option No. 3 a plausible alternative for Durant.

OKC looks like they’re probably headed for maybe a 56-57 win season. In itself that isn’t awful, but it’s more the way the team has regressed which should be more of a concern. The Thunder look like they’re an ocean away from winning an NBA crown simply because it appears Sam Presti has never been able to find the missing piece to replace James Harden as the sixth man and hybrid guard closer with Westbrook. Granted—OKC has defensive issues, but the inability by Presti to find a reliable player for the shooting guard minutes continues to haunt the Thunder.

This was a season which started with so much hope. So much hanging on a season to see what the Thunder could be if they remained healthy. Yet—it’s been more of a nightmare with the deaths of Ingrid Williams and Aubrey McClendon, combined with the team playing some of the worst basketball of the Thunder era in Oklahoma City since the All-Star break.

The Thunder host the Clippers tomorrow night entering with a game and a half lead for the No. 3 seed. Huge game for OKC to be played in front of fans wondering if every glimpse forward of Kevin Durant is a precious snapshot of his last days in Oklahoma City as a member of the Thunder.

It kind of makes you swallow hard as a Thunder fan. Thinking this could be the end of Kevin Durant in Oklahoma City.

Big day for the GOP canidates on Tuesday in three distinct different regions of the country. It will be very interesting to see the results in both Michigan and Mississippi. Bubble Boy has fallen to the fourth seed. Cruz has closed the gap on Trump, while Kasich is surging past Bubble Boy and closing towards Cruz.

Trump is still projected to win Michigan, but the margin is of great interest as the GOP nears the Ohio primary on March 15th. It’s very simple, if Trump beats Kasich in Ohio, he’s probably on his way to the 1,237 delegates needed for the nomination. If Kasich wins–the road to a brokered convention becomes a real possibility especially with Bubble Boy dropping out of the race after he loses in his home state of Florida.

Like the Wall Street Journal, okcthunderground.com is endorsing John Kasich for president. If you’re the type who wants their candidate to be talking about his dick in debates, constantly denigrating others, and basically behaving like a petulant third grader—this video might not be for you.

 

 

Oklahoma City Thunder 104 — Milwaukee Bucks 96

OKC’s Thunder shot out to a 32-12 first quarter win doing everything right, and did just enough the remaining thirty-six minutes to claim a 104-96 win over the 26-37 Milwaukee Bucks.

This clearly wasn’t a piece of art, but OKC did win the game and did somewhat salvage this four game road swing  by beating two bad teams and losing to two good teams.

As is the case in so many of the Thunder’s games they struggled at the shooting guard position. Andre Roberson, Dion Waiters, and Randy Foye played a combined 54 minutes. In those 54 minutes they scored 5 points, grabbed 7 rebounds, had 4 assists, and were a combined -10. This was clearly one of Dion Waiters worst games and we’ll not go any further there, and this was against a Bucks team which won’t make the playoffs.

Cam Payne was a healthy DNP once again amidst all of this. Go figure.

Durant scored 32 points and pulled down 12 rebounds. Westbrook tripled doubled. Serge Ibaka, Steven Adams, and Enes Kanter all scored in double figures and were part of the Thunder drubbing the Bucks by a 54-34 margin on the boards.

Kyle Singler wasn’t horrible.

I wouldn’t draw anything from this other than OKC beat another bad team riding the fumes from Durant and Westbrook, but it’s a win and OKC needs to feel good about itself so you won’t read me bitching about the 21 turnovers and some dubious decisions made on the floor. Maybe at some point we just come to terms this is what the Thunder are.

LA Clippers in town on Wednesday night where a Thunder win gives them a comfort margin once again.

I need a dog and a hot blonde video to keep my mind off the basketball. I’ve come to terms with this team.

 

 

 

There are twenty games left in this regular season and I’m not sure what I feel about the Thunder currently. Obviously, I don’t feel they’re a viable championship contender, but it goes beyond that in many ways.

OKC has lost six of its last eight games and has looked lost in doing so. It’s a team which looks unfocused, mentally lazy, and quite frankly appears to be lacking leadership from its two superstar players. But the human side of me wants to give them a break because of what has happened of late with Monty Williams and Aubrey McClendon. I mean,  basketball players are human just like us. I know that doesn’t fit into advanced metric stats, but players are still human.

But starting this afternoon in Milwaukee, OKC needs to pull its head out of the collective fog and start playing some basketball. The Clippers lost yesterday to Atlanta, so with a win OKC could build its lead back to two games over LA for third place in the West.

In these last eight games OKC has been horrific from a mental standpoint of just making sound basketball decisions. Any high school coach worth a grain of salt  would  blush if this were his team doing these things. It appears Billy Donovan has no ability to reign Durant and Westbrook in when they loaf on defense, take bad shots, or make a low percentage pass opportunity at just the wrong minute in a fourth quarter situation.

I suppose this explains the Thunder’s addition of vet journeyman Nazr Mohommad as the fifteenth player on the roster. No, he won’t play because he’s too old, but I guess what Presti’s admitting is that maybe hiring a first year NBA coach in Billy Donovan has provided some drawbacks. Nazr Mohommad as a bench/locker room superstar whisperer isn’t doing a lot for me, but it’s really none of my business.

Tramel maintains Perk filled this role previously along with Derek Fisher back in that NBA Finals year of 2012 and beyond. Probably so, but my take is Durant and Westbrook are now in their ninth and eighth years in the NBA respectively. Plus, I thought this was the role Nick Collison would fill given the generous two year contract extension he was given last summer. Can’t Nick simply tell them to “Grow up.”

So–I’m kind of lost here, is there no one in the Thunder organization who can simply say to Durant and Westbrook–“Pull your heads out of your ass and play like you’re capable.” I guess not. I guess that’s not allowed in the current NBA collective bargaining agreement and this is precisely why so many coaches aren’t needed on an NBA bench non-withstanding Greg Popovich or Phil Jackson.

Regardless of what city/cities Durant and Westbrook find themselves playing in during the coming years, take some professional pride in the mental aspect of your games. When the collective analysts at TNT and ESPN are laughing at you–it’s time to take some notice for your own sake.

Milwaukee isn’t a playoff caliber team, but they have some nice young players in Parker, Middleton and The Greek—so OKC better be ready for a basketball game this afternoon in Milwaukee.

One other thing, I have no idea why Billy Donovan has gone so totally on board with Randy Foye and benched Cam Payne because it’s not like this shored up OKC’s defense. Maybe getting another capable point guard/hybrid guard along with Westbrook would help with some of the decision making.

Either way–OKC needs a win in Milwaukee today in a very bad way.

The GOP’s Big Three move onto Louisiana, Kentucky, Maine, and Kansas on Super Saturday. Meanwhile, Kasich lurks as the adult alternative in Cleveland come the GOP Convention if he can stay afloat that long.

 

I’m thinking Trump as Moe. Cruz as Larry, And Bubble Boy as Curly. But others may see it differently.

 

 

I think most would admit once again John Kasich was the adult on the stage last night in Detroit. With more time to actually address policy issues it was pretty clear who’s the most qualified. Do I think this will matter? Of course not. It won’t matter the slightest because Donald Trump has turned this presidential election into a reality television freak show.  Watch the reply of the audience at the end of Trump’s response if you doubt.

 

Golden State Warriors 121  — Oklahoma City Thunder 106

Golden State continued on its historical season with a predictable 121-106 win over the Thunder on Thursday night at Oracle Arena. This completes a three games regular season sweep of the series for the Warriors in  a season which was supposed to be all about redemption in Oklahoma City.

Keep in mind, as I proceed further I want to trend gently and show compassion as a human rather than just tear into the Thunder like I have before. The reason is simple–the Thunder are lost right now. Completely and totally lost in going 2-6 since the All-Star break.

This team has no idea what its doing right now. No team identity other than just hoping Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook can do enough and get them over the hump on a given night. The coaching staff has been obliterated by the absence of Monty Williams and Mo Cheeks. The entire state of Oklahoma is in a state of shock over the death of Aubrey McClendon and the Thunder have spiraled downward in the wake of all of this combined with the fact their schedule got really tough at just the wrong time.

I’m not making excuses for the Thunder, just trying to show some compassion amidst what is on the verge of becoming a completely lost season if OKC can’t work thru this in the coming days and start winning some games.

It hurts deeply as a fan to see this in a season which was supposed to be a season of vindication for the Thunder following last season’s injury riddled train wreck which kept the Thunder out of the playoffs. This was supposed to be redemption for Kevin Durant, Sam Presti, and the entire Thunder organization with a new coach and the hopes the team could show enough to keep Kevin Durant in a Thunder uniform for years to come.

Instead, it’s turned into a season of human tragedy and the revelation the Thunder have continued to regress in spite of having two of the most talented players in the world playing together.

Maybe this is what Scott Brooks privately understood about his two superstars and Sam Presti hasn’t been able to come to terms with as the general manager.

Maybe, but I  know I’m not alone in thinking this. While both Durant and Westbrook are lauded as tremendous individual talents–their inability to morph their games into a more team style of play is what national guys like Charles Barkley are correct in pointing out repeatedly. You don’t get that enough from the local media in OKC because quite frankly its a college market which just happens to have an NBA team.

OKC is now one game in front of the Clippers for the third seed in the West. Local homers can make the claim the Warriors and Spurs are doing historical things. So be it. But the Clippers have just basically had to dig in with Chris Paul leading a team which has been without Blake Griffin for a large stretch of this season. I call this professional mental toughness. Others can call it whatever they want.

OKC plays in Milwaukee on Sunday afternoon. The Thunder clearly need a win of any kind right now. Maybe a team meeting with players only wouldn’t be a bad idea between now and then. Clearly a tough spot for the Thunder currently, but it they want this season to be something other than a meltdown they better pull together as a team and figure some things out in a hurry.

Mike Jackson

 

I’m going with a GOP Presidential Debate Preview instead of a Thunder-Warriors preview. The Thunder have left me with no choice, I’m tired of previewing a stupid basketball team. What am I going to honestly write…I wonder if they play smarter tonight?

Besides this GOP race is the national storyline tonight and I can’t be chained to a pedestrian basketball team.

Mitt Romney has entered the fray and my take is that this will mean absolutely nothing. Trump and his followers wouldn’t even listen to Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt or Ronald Reagan…so why would they care what Mitt Romney thinks?

Only four debaters tonight as someone finally pulled Ben Carson aside and said, ” Please go home.” I wish the GOP would get Lindsey Graham drunk and let him take Carson’s place—it would make for great theatre.

Wonder if Trump’s new boy Chris Christie will stand behind him during the debate and glare at Bubble Boy and Cruz? If elected–I could see Chris Christie fomenting a place in history as this generation’s H.R. Haldeman or John Ehrlichman. Google if you need.

Anyway—I’m playing this to get me in the mood for another cerebral GOP presidential debate.

 

LA Clippers 103 — Oklahoma City Thunder 98

Tough to think about a recap considering what transpired in Oklahoma City on Wednesday, but still, this is a Thunder journal so I’ll make this to the point and get off of here.

OKC’s Thunder lost to the LA Clippers on Wednesday night in LA by a score of 103-98. OKC led 58-38 at the half, and led by as many as 22 points late in the third period. But in the game’s final period–OKC was outscored 35-13 and subsequently lost a basketball they had no business losing simply because the team’s two superstars refuse to play the game the right way on a consistent basis.

What I mean by the right way—is to believe in the team concept and instead just go into two man basketball mode whenever a game gets tight. It’s the same mode of play from Durant and Westbrook which has kept them still in search of their first NBA championship this far into their respective careers. It’s why I in no way consider them a viable championship contender even though both of them are stunning individual talents, yet two players who refuse to morph their games to the extent that they can trust their teammates for 48 minutes of play against top half teams in the league.

You look at this this loss through an honesty lense and you have to write the presence of Billy Donovan has in no way changed the culture of this ball club. You get to a point where you read the usual Durant and Westbrook quotes after a loss like this and you just kind of shake your head. Don’t get me wrong, I love these guys and have loved every minute of watching them play in Oklahoma City, but when do they get it? Seriously—when are they going to get it?

With the win LA continues to hang and play decent ball without Blake Griffin. The Clippers have now closed to with a game and a half of the Thunder.

When you watch the Thunder play like this it makes Charles Barkley and others appear prescient when they describe the Thunder as a dumb basketball team. Not Sacramento King dumb, but a team which despite its potential seems intent on playing the game the wrong way and not being smart enough to learn from its mistakes and become the team it has the potential to become.

At Golden State tomorrow night at Oracle.

Mike Jackson