Author: Mike

National game on TNT from Cleveland. It’s already been announced no Kyrie Irving or Iman Shumpert, and possibly no Mo Williams. But still, Cleveland will have LeBron, Kevin Love, JR Smith, Matthew Dellavedova, Timothy Mozgov, Tristan Thompson, Richard Jefferson, James Jones, and some others.

Cleveland is 16-7 and winners of three straight. Shumpert had just come back from wrist surgery and the Cavs’ defense was getting its house in order. Without Shumpert tonight it’s a big blow defensively for Cleveland. Plus, the loss of Kyrie on the point. But still, as we saw last summer against the Warriors in the Finals, LeBron has a way of elevating those around him in big game settings on the national stage.

Obviously–not the dream matchup with Cleveland not at full strength, but it should still be a great test for OKC just trying to get over the LeBron mental hump and all.

Kevin Love has been more important of late in the overall scheme of Cleveland’s offense so it’ll probably mean just more of Love, JR Smith, and Dellavedova in the way of getting shots and LeBron spending more time on Kevin Durant defensively.

It’s still LeBron James. LeBron has been Kevin Durant’s primary last hurdle as far as where Durant wants to ultimately go with his basketball legacy.

So still–a completely compelling and intriguing matchup if for no other reason than the LeBron-Durant matchup.

 

Heading into this game—I’d go 1 LeBron, 2 Steph, 3 KD. But I thought it might be fun to take a look back on a 2014 First Take conversation on this very topic.

OKC Thunder 106 —  Portland Trailblazers 90

Combined–Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum scored their usual 44 points or so. Trouble is the rest of the Portland roster only kicked in an additional 46 points as OKC’s Thunder toyed with the Blazers while strolling to an easy 106-90 victory inside the Chesapeake Energy Arena.

We knew these Blazers weren’t very good on the interior and it showed as OKC scored 48 points in the paint and pretty much did whatever they wanted on this night before the TNT game versus LeBron tomorrow night in Cleveland.

Six different OKC players scored in double figures. Durant 24 points, Waiters 18 points, Westbrook 13 points, Ibaka 13 points, Kanter 12 points, and Adams with an 11 point, 11 rebound night. Which leads into me writing Steven Adams is my No. 1 Star of the Game. He was excellent early and set the tone.

Adams and Ibaka were both active around the rim defensively and OKC had eight blocked shots on the night. Portland was 32-92 from the field which translates into 32.2% on the night. So you could easily say OKC passed this defensive exam against a one dimensional team.

Kevin Durant continued his high level efficient game with 24 points on an 8-14 shooting night from the field.

OKC had 13 assists versus 18 turnovers yet won going away– which to me speaks volumes on the current composition of these Trailblazers.

But to OKC’s credit they handled this game like professionals considering the early season hype with tomorrow night’s game.

The Thunder’s win streak now extends to six games and they’ve improved to 17-8 overall.

When the season started I had four teams circled as genuine contenders for the NBA championship–Golden State, Cleveland, San Antonio, and Oklahoma City in this order of seeding. Tomorrow night we’ll see two of the four  playing. We’ll see if LeBron still has Kevin Durant’s number or if something has shifted in their mini personal world order.

Durant has been superb of late. Tomorrow night is a tough mid-term test for Durant, Westbrook, Billy Donovan and the entire Thunder team. Could be a game we still have circled in red when we’re on the cusp of heading into April.

Time to find out some things about this team.

Mike Jackson

 

OKC Thunder back to work tonight hosting the Portland Trailblazers at the Chesapeake Energy Arena. Thunder come in with a five game win streak and winners of nine of their last eleven games. OKC is the No. 3 seed in the West with an overall mark of 16-8 and 11-3 at home this season.

Thunder have improved on paper defensively of late, but keep one thing in mind, OKC played three games last week against low octane NBA offenses in the Utah Jazz twice and the Memphis Grizzlies once. But it does appear OKC is improving defensively–the question remains is how much have the Thunder really improved on that end of the floor when they play elite teams.

Kevin Durant to no one’s surprise won the Western Conference Player of the Week for the second straight week. Durant has been on a run of late and has been the key to OKC’s improved overall improved play. No big  discovery there.

Portland comes in tonight off a Monday night 105-101 win over the New Orleans Pelicans. Trailblazers are 11-15 overall and 5-9 on the road. A much different looking Portland team as four starters are gone from a year ago in LaMarcus Aldridge, Wesley Matthews, Robin Lopez, and Nicholas Batum.

Clearly a new look Portland team which features the dynamic backcourt of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. A younger Portland team with Al-Farouq Aminu, Mason Plumlee, Meyers Leonard, Chris Kaman, Ed Davis, Allen Crabbe, Mo Harkless, Gerald Henderson and Noah Vonlee all seeing rotational minutes. Portland is ably coached by former OU player Terry Stotts.

No one sees this Portland team as a viable playoff contender, but they are a dangerous team if taken for granted and you allow their backcourt to have a big night. OKC’s perimeter defense should get a test in this game from Lillard and McCollum.

OKC needs to lockdown at home and get this win before heading off to Cleveland for tomorrow night’s TNT game against Lebron and the Cavs.

Nice break in the Thunder schedule which will give us all time to watch the GOP Presidential Debate tomorrow night. I thought this was a fairly decent interview—all things considered.

OKC Thunder 104 — Utah Jazz 98 OT

It took OKC a half to wake up and get going Sunday evening at the Chesapeake Energy Arena with the Utah Jazz in town. The Thunder scored only thirty-eight points the entire first half and found themselves trailing the Jazz by a count of 51-38. Even more stunning—Kevin Durant had but two points the entire first half.

Not sure exactly what was said in the Thunder locker room at half, but whatever it was it was effective as OKC came out blazing the second half with a 25-7 haymaker of a run to get back on top. Durant and Westbrook had twenty points combined during the run.

But to Utah’s credit they didn’t just wilt and  fade away quietly into the night in an arena where they’ve had very little success over the years. Rather–Utah dug in and actually led by five points coming down the stretch.

But OKC with its alpha closer Durant made the plays it had to make to get the game to overtime. Two come to mind. The first a crosscourt pass to Serge Ibaka in the opposite corner which led to an eventual three point make after Ibaka pump faked Trevor Booker, re-established his feet behind the line, then drilled a clutch three just inside the minute mark to tie the game at 94-94. The second, a Durant two handed flush where he exposed Derrick Favors and tied the game 96-96 with 14.6 seconds remaining.

Utah had a possession left in regulation, but never got a shot as Gordon Hayward threw the ball away with a wild pass to the corner which sailed out of bounds untouched.

OKC had one second remaining, but a Durant shot from the corner barely grazed the rim as regulation expired with the score tied at 96 all.

In overtime it was all OKC as the Jazz did at this point fade away gently into the Oklahoma night. Westbrook scored two buckets to get OKC going in the extra period, then Durant scored a basket of his own. It would be all OKC would need as they outscored the Jazz 8-2 in OT to claim their fifth straight win and ninth win in their last eleven games. Hard to believe when you consider the Thunder streak started last Sunday by almost losing at home against the abysmal Sacramento Kings.

Durant led the Thunder with 31 points on Sunday evening. With all but two coming in the second half and overtime. Russell Westbrook scored 25 points and coupled those points with 11 rebounds and five assists. Durant and Westbrook are my co – No. 1 Stars of the Game.

Ibaka struggled to get shots on the night, but did have the clutch three, plus several critical blocks to stave off  the Jazz around the rim during the stretch run.

Dion Waiters had 13 points, while Enes Kanter chipped in with 10 points as they were OKC’s only reliable players off OKC’s bench on this night.

Utah was led by Rodney Hood’s 23 points, Gordon Hayward’s 22 points, and Alec Burke’s  21 points.

With the win–OKC improves to 16-8 and established some  solid positioning as the current No. 3 seed in the West. Utah drops to 10-12 which is about what they are at the end of the day—a borderline team of youth who have yet to discover the secret of winning games of consequence which matter in this league.

In case you hadn’t made this observation, it was former Missouri Tiger coach Quinn Synder against former Florida Gator coach Billy Donovan in this SEC East game of sorts. It’s a stretch, but I wanted to throw this in anyway.

Remarkably–coupled with Golden State’s loss at Milwaukee, and this come from behind win…OKC is now the possessor of the longest current winning streak in the league.

It appears to have been a week of self discovery for the Thunder as together with Billy Donovan–all parties seem to be getting more comfortable with each other as each game passes. But putting that aside–it was a week where Kevin Durant picked up his first year coach and had himself a week of incredible clutch closings to get the Thunder’s season finally on track. If Durant isn’t the NBA Player of the Week—then I don’t know who would be.

Portland Trailblazers in town on Wednesday night before the LeBron excursion in Cleveland on Thursday.

Mike Jackson

Very simple–just win the game and get to 16-8, complete a 5-0 eight day stretch, and let it be known OKC hasn’t conceded this season just because Golden State started 24-1 defending their championship.

OKC already has defeated this Utah team twice on the road this season. Thunder needs to come in and put the proverbial foot on this team’s throat from the opening tap.

Play like professionals. Take care of business. Get to 16-8. Play with an attitude. Feed the Big Dog if it’s a close game late. Have fun because winning is fun. Just don’t screw around and lose a home game to an inferior Jazz team…and if the Peake crowd wants to boo Trevor Booker—then I have no problem whatsoever with that.

But win the game.

No need for a novel on this preview.

 

Regardless of what I write as this season moves along, or how many Kevin Durant highlight videos I put on here–this is the Kevin Durant I’ll never forget. The one who will have my respect regardless of what city he ends up playing in or how many championships he has at the end of his career. Like so many people in my generation—I was completely floored by his words for his mother in his MVP acceptance speech. It was so refreshing to see and truly touched me as a parent. At some point later in the season–I’ll put the whole MVP speech on here, but for today, I wanted to do this just to kind of remind myself to keep things in perspective.

Already twice in this week, we’ve seen Durant the Closer do his thing in wins over the Kings and Jazz. It’s what he does.