Oklahoma City Thunder Thread

[Andrew]

I'd say the continued emergence of their young core which has been together for a year now, Scott Brooks is well-established as the coach after taking over for PJ Carlesimo early last season and they're healthy. I'd also agree that Sam Presti has done a pretty good job reshaping the team.

[NovU]

It is indeed interesting. Without a major shake up in the line up, they achieved this, from bottom to one of the better teams. It wasn't like Wade coming off from injury too. I sure didn't expect them to make it here. Anyways, I can't stop imagining they still being in Seattle. I would be attending a couple games.

[Stress Fracture]

It is indeed interesting. Without a major shake up in the line up, they achieved this, from bottom to one of the better teams. It wasn't like Wade coming off from injury too. I sure didn't expect them to make it here. Anyways, I can't stop imagining they still being in Seattle. I would be attending a couple games.

And KeyArena will explode!

[Phil89]

Big win in Toronto. Durant with 31, Green with 25. That's a season sweep against the Raptors.
Durant has scored 25+ in 61 of his last 67 games. Compare that to LeBron, who has 25+ in 50 of his last 69. Not too shabby
Thunder now have 20 road wins. Only other teams with 20 are the Cavs, Celtics, Magic, Lakers and Mavs. Shows what a good season OKC are having.

[shadowgrin]

Durant has scored 25+ in 61 of his last 67 games. Compare that to LeBron, who has 25+ in 50 of his last 69. Not too shabby

Not to take anything from Durant's awesomeness but that probably means LeBron has to 'work' less as compared to Durant just to get those W's.

[Lamrock]

And LeBron passes more.

[Phil89]

Not to take anything from Durant's awesomeness but that probably means LeBron has to 'work' less as compared to Durant just to get those W's.

And LeBron passes more.

Wouldn't LeBron be one of the hardest workers in the league? I'd say he touches the ball nearly every offensive play for Cleveland.
They get the ball to him, he decides whether to shoot or to pass it to someone who may have gotten open as a result of the double team on him.
Whereas Durant doesn't usually get the ball on every play. Westbrook is more of the play-maker on the team. LeBron has to do the work of 2 guys.
In the games I've seen, it seems that Cleveland depend more on LeBron to run offense, than the Thunder do with Durant.
Also, Durant is only 21. Imagine him in 4 years when he is LeBron's age. He may well have developed a better passing game by then.

[shadowgrin]

What I'm implying (and I think Lamrock too) is that LeBron has better teammates/team than Durant. The Thunder has Durant, Westbrook, Green, or even Krstic to depend upon to score whereas LeBron can give it too Williams who's also a good scorer (except in the playoffs), West (when he's not insane), Jamison, Parker, and even Shaq and Z when they come back.

With more teammates who can score (in the regular season) as compared to the Thunder, LeBron being behind with Durant in that stat category you mentioned isn't really a surprise at all.

Still doesn't change the fact that both LeBron and Durant are fucking beasts in their own way.

[Phil89]

Yeah I got that. My original comparison wasn't trying to suggest Durant was better than LeBron in any way, just that he is matching it with the best player in the league. The scoring title is going to be close

On a side note, Thunder have won 18 of their last 22 games. Good form heading towards the Play-offs.

[NovU]

KD sure is playing like a max contract worth player. Hoping to see Wade do the same before he goes onto sign a max contract.

[benji]

...

Wade already has a max contract.

[NovU]

I just thought KD was playing at a higher level. I do think Wade deserves the max contract, but just hoping he'd step up little bit more. Honestly, he hasn't been all that great lately.

[Jackal]

I do think Wade deserves the max contract, but just hoping he'd step up little bit more.

...

...

Wade already has a max contract.

[Phil89]

Damn. Can't believe I missed them beating the Lakers

[Andrew]

Probably should've been a much bigger rout given the score at the end of the third but the Lakers closed the gap in extended garbage time. Great win for the Thunder nevertheless.

[Phil89]

Nervy finish, but they got the win over Dallas and clinched a Play-off spot. Well done to Scott Brooks and his young team

[Phil89]

Durant with 40 points against the T-Wolves. I was gonna say that it made the scoring race tighter, but then I saw that LeBron scored 42 against Boston

[|)e8*]

Durant would average 40 ppg if Green Westbrook and Harden is not on his team

[shadowgrin]

Or maybe not. The defense can just concentrate on Durant the whole game and limit his scoring opportunitites.

[Phil89]

According to NBA.com the Thunder vs Jazz game is an 'instant classic'. Jazz won it in overtime 140-139, Durant had 45 and Deron Williams had 42.
Durant has 85 points in his last 2 games. Hopefully he continues that kind of scoring form into the Play-offs.
Game recap

[|)e8*]

What great game from both teams.Although we won,The thunder are a good team and I really want them to be the eight seed and kill the Lakers

[Andrew]

Looks like it was a pretty exciting game, albeit with a controversial finish.

phpBB [video]

Should've been three free throws so the Thunder were definitely robbed, though contrary to the video's title the Jazz didn't cheat anyone; the missed call is on the referees, the worst thing you can fairly say about the Jazz is that they got lucky on that last play.

[Phil89]

Certainly looked like a foul. It's not like he did that move he does where he jumps into the defender looking for the call either, it was a genuine foul.

Thunder most likely would have won if they had called it. Durant is a very good free throw shooter.

[Bucket]

I think in last play referee need a give Paul Millsap foul.
Todays game is hard, but Thunder need a win.

[Andrew]

The NBA has admitted the mistake:

Joel Litvin, NBA President, League and Basketball Operations, issued the following statement regarding the final seconds of the Oklahoma City Thunder at Utah Jazz game last night at EnergySolutions Arena:

"On the final play of last night’s Oklahoma City-Utah game, the officials missed a foul committed by the Jazz’s C.J. Miles on the Thunder’s Kevin Durant during a three-point shot attempt.”

As usual, it's nice to see the league being transparent about these matters and owning up to human error, but at the same time it's kind of an empty gesture as it doesn't change the result. I think they need to further the expansion of instant replay usage and allow some kind of challenge in these situations.