Game 63: OKC Thunder @ Milwaukee Bucks Preview

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.

Kasich Wins Detroit GOP Debate

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.

 

Warriors Complete Season Sweep of Thunder

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

 

Michigan GOP Debate Preview

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.

 

Thunder Collapse in LA Against Clippers

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

 

Aubrey McClendon Dies in Car Crash

Stunning and tragic news on Wednesday as Aubrey McClendon died in a single car accident in northeast Oklahoma City. McClendon was one the original founders of Chesapeake Energy and one of the owners of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Much of what Oklahoma City has become can be directly traced to the drive, vision, and generosity of Aubrey McClendon.

Horrible news for our city and our state. Prayers and thoughts go out to his family.

Trump, Hillary Breeze Thru Super Tuesday

Can’t be much of a surprise at this point because it matters none what Donald J Trump says or does—he’s going to be the GOP presidential candidate unless the party establishment steals it from him behind closed doors in Cleveland at the Republican National Convention.

And you know what—these people are getting exactly what deserve because these are the same people who eight years ago had no problem whatsoever with Sarah Palin being one massive heart attack away from the presidency.

Karma.

It’s really sad because here we are not even to the conventions and the American citizenry will have gridlock for another four years regardless of if they vote for Hillary or Trump on election day.

Ryan and McConnell have already been informed by King Donald J IV he considers their constitutional roles trivial and meaningless. And if voters opt away from King Donald they’ve got four years of the GOP-Hillary hate we’ve already witnessed ad nauseum.

Kasich makes no sense whatsoever to the voting masses because he’s actually qualified and probably would do a pretty good job of dealing with the clusterf–k in Washington DC. But you can’t really go that direction because CNN, MSNBC, and Fox viewers would become bored with some degree of competence in the White House.

Cruz is too extreme. Bubble Boy is a lightweight. We have no idea what Ben Carson is actually trying to say, and even though Bernie Sanders is a lovely man—America the Reality TV Show couldn’t handle being Sweden or Denmark for a week before impeachment proceedings started.

It’s so bad—Lindsey Graham is now thinking of endorsing Ted Cruz while Chris Christie stands behind Donald Trump looking like a heavier version of Sarah Palin.

Pretty sad.

In retrospect–I guess we can only hope when President Trump builds his wall he allows those of us who want the freedom to move to Mexico the ability to go south thru his wall.

 

 

Thunder Beat Lazy, Dumb Kings in Sacramento

OKC Thunder 131 — Sacramento Kings 116

First off, I think so little of the Sacramento Kings that I went to sleep and decided to write this recap the next morning. Three things about these Kings, 1 they’re the worst defensive team in the NBA, 2 they’re the dumbest team in the NBA, and 3 George Karl has done nothing which I can see to change this team.

Having written that, OKC did show up and take care of business enough to win a 131-116 game on the heels of the emotional loss to the Warriors. But give the Kings an assist in that for some reason they felt compelled to self implode even more than usual by taking what has to be an NBA record for delay of game technicals.

Billy Donovan should thank the gods every night before he goes to bed his first NBA coaching job didn’t have figuring out DeMarcus Cousins and Rajon Rondo as part of the job description. You look at those sideline shots at Karl and you want to say, ” Stop it. Quit tomorrow. You got your record. Go back to work for ESPN and stop this. God will absolve you for ever having coached the Kings.”

Anyway, it’s Super Tuesday and I really don’t have my heart into this recap. Maybe I should have asked one of the pups over at Daily Thunder to sub for me on this one. But then again…I’m not sure this format allows for 10,000 words on Andre Roberson and a completely meaningless game.

But still–I need to be somewhat professional. Six Thunder players scored in double figures. Durant leading the way with 27 points. Westbrook had another triple double and to be honest with you I have no idea how many triple doubles he now has for the season. It seems like a lot though. Ibaka was so-so going 12 and 7.

But the story was OKC’s bench as it went for 64 points against these clueless, wretched, abysmal Kings. Kanter went 11-11 from the field for 23 points. Dion shot 6-8 and scored 22 points. Even Kyle Singler had a big night scoring 11 points. I wish I could think this was a turner corner for the Thunder bench, but it was against the dumbest team in the league so I’m tempering myself from thinking this.

These three guys are my co No. 1 Stars of the Game.

For the dumbasses who don’t really know anything about +/-, Andre Roberson somehow went -14 in 21 minutes against these Kings. I don’t even know how you do this even if you’re intentionally trying to do this. Seriously.

Billy Donovan, much to my surprise, seems totally wed to the thought of benching Cam Payne and going with Randy Foye as the hybrid guard on the bench unit. But I do like the fact KD is handling the point with these guys so it’s not like something which is won/loss altering.

OKC improves to 42-18 and plays the Clippers next on Wednesday in LA.

My mind is more on Super Tuesday than this recap. John Kasich has taken a very risky approach in putting his entire campaign on the Ohio primary on March 15th. For those of you not paying attention, after tonight, that’s all which will stand between Donald Trump being the nominee for a major political party in America.

I’m not sure exactly where America precisely went off the tracks, but Lindsey Graham is correct when he says our country has gone completely batshit crazy. Pray for our country.

John Kasich 2016

 

Mike Jackson