Thursday Bolts – 3.6.14
Eric Freeman of BDL on Westbrook: “Those instincts are usually pretty strong. While Westbrook can be prone to bad decisions, that risk-taking is also what makes him so effective. Durant may have played at a career-best level while his co-star was out, but it’s apparent that Westbrook raises the Thunder’s ceiling and remains essential to their hopes of winning a title this June. OKC has some work to do to figure things out — they’re just 3-3 since Westbrook’s return — but reintegrating such a talented player is a problem any team would be lucky to have.”
Chris Strauss of USA Today: “Durant’s performance was his tenth 40-point game of the season and according to Elias, only he and James Harden have put up that many points without playing the fourth quarter. It was basically another day at the office. With both teams firmly set to be among the top seeds in their respective conferences, it would usually be easy for casual sports fans to get distracted by March Madness and MLB opening day and divert their attention away from the NBA until the playoffs start in six weeks. Instead, the league’s two best players are making each of their games appointment viewing.”
Some more stuff on LeBron, KD and the MVP.
Marc Stein on if LeBron is focused on beating KD for MVP: “A most definite fact. I’m fairly certain LeBron doesn’t want to concede one centimeter to his nearest individual rival. I’m just as certain LeBron found it unpalatable during All-Star Weekend to hear as much pro-KD chatter as he did. LeBron does not see the MVP trophy as some mere regular-season trinket. He wants it.”
Fun fact: Thabo Sefolosha is part of two of the top three defensive pick-and-roll combinations in the league.
Anthony Slater on Durant’s defensive versatility: “The success rate varies. Durant played Irving and Griffin decent in brief stretches, he forced Gasol into a big miss down the stretch and he got lit up by James in one of OKC’s worst performances of the season. But the simple fact that Durant is trusted enough to guard all four – and anyone else – puts him in rarefied company. James is well known for that capability, and Paul George can likely be clumped into that category. But beyond that? You’d be hard-pressed to find another 1-through-5 type player.”
Tom Ley of Deadspin: “But Westbrook looked like he was playing at a higher speed than everyone else on the court last night. He was in a constant state of motion—bouncing, cutting, and jumping in too many directions for the 76ers to even think about slowing him down—and he was doing it all without hesitation. It’s that combination of kinetic energy and instinct that’s always allowed Westbrook to work his way into angles and seams that nobody else can get to, and both attributes were on display last night. Russ back? Russ back.”
