Tuesday Bolts – 2.2.16
Zach Lowe of ESPN.com with a deep dive on OKC: “Given run-of-the-mill injury luck last year, the
Thunder would be in the midst of their seventh straight season humming at a 55-win pace. Only the 1990s Jazz and Sonics won that many games even five seasons in a row without winning a title, and both disbanded. Sometimes, teams run their course. Those teams were old. The Thunder are young. If the stars stay patient, the Thunder will be in the championship conversation every year. If their patience is already running thin, the Warriors and Spurs might deliver the final blow to an NBA dynasty that never quite happened. Just be careful writing the end of the script ahead of time. Even Golden State optimists — ahem — never saw that team morphing into the type of historic powerhouse that could tilt the league’s entire power structure. Things can change on a dime. If the Thunder make huge in-season strides and catch some breaks, they could be back in the Finals. The Thunder are underdogs, but they’re not dead yet.”
Anthony Slater: “In all, Westbrook posted Wall up five times in the first quarter, leading to three makes, the Durant open airball and a slick feed to Serge Ibaka for an and-1. Westbrook finished the first quarter with eight points, four rebounds and four assists. By the end of the third quarter, Westbrook already had a triple-double, something he’s done eight times since entering the league. In that time frame, no one else has done that more than four times. The meat of his early work came in the post, but Westbrook’s prettiest move of the night was a third quarter eurostep around Wall. On the fastbreak, Westbrook froze Wall with a hard step left, then slivered right by his statue for a slick layup, leading Durant to turn toward the erupting crowd and emulate the shimmy.”
My ESPN.com story from last night.
Erik Horne: “Ibaka finished with 19 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and two blocks in the Thunder’s 114-98 win, the most emphatic of his plays in the runaway win coming on his throwback dunk. After two games in which Ibaka combined to shoot 3-of-14 with six rebounds and two blocks, he answered back with 8-of-12 shooting, two 3-pointers, and an athletic jam that brought back shades of “Air Congo.” Ibaka credited Durant with finding him out of the two-man trap, and he paid Durant back a possession later with a give-and-go sequence that netted Durant a baseline jumper and had Ibaka’s defender running in a circle. In transition, Ibaka passed up a 3-pointer, passed to Durant, caught a pass while cutting and kicked back to Durant for the 11-point lead.”
Jeff Caplan of FoxSports.com: “But, Westbrook is native of L.A., and that tug to play at home can be strong. If the Thunder don’t win it all this season, maybe Durant feels more comfortable leaving after just one season under first-year coach Billy Donovan. It certainly is getting interesting. But in the meantime, sit back and enjoy the show KD is putting on virtually every time he steps foot on the floor. He’s wanted man, and everywhere he goes he leaving them drooling.”
Jake Whitacre of Bullets Forever says DC shouldn’t give up on KD: “Giving up now would be like deciding not to ask someone to prom after you put down a non-refundable deposit on your limo. Yeah, you’ll probably go out there and make a fool of yourself. You’ll wonder why you ever thought you had a shot at them saying yes. You may even be confronted with the harsh reality that you’re a loser that no one wants to spend time with. BUT AT LEAST YOU WENT OUT THERE AND TRIED. The only thing worse than being a loser because you failed is being a loser because you never found out if you had a chance to succeed.”
Slater with more thoughts: “And if you’re looking for the efficiency over that 20-game stretch, the Thunder’s offensive rating (points per 100 possessions) is 112.5, right up there with the Warriors. And the production has been pretty balanced, by Thunder standards. Everyone is getting a fill. Which means everyone is happy. This team’s mood seems to be in a good place right place right now. The locker room has a positive, loose vibe. Which sets Saturday up perfectly for NBA fans. Assuming Wednesday’s home game against the Magic goes smoothly, OKC will be clicking and rested heading out to Oakland. The Warriors also have Thursday and Friday off, giving both teams two days to prepare and the build-up to boil. Golden State knows what it is right now. A historically good title favorite. At 37-13 and 25-5 the past 30 games, the Thunder is surging but a few questions linger. Saturday will be a great February measuring stick.”
