Tuesday Bolts – 3.12.13
Read Matt Moore of CBSSports.com’s terrific feature on Scott Brooks: “Surely, the biggest cause of Durant’s liftoff was his own talent and work ethic. But sometimes the best of potential goes awry. You have to put the team around him, and you have to work with him to improve. That’s where Brooks comes in. Brooks is rarely talked about for his development chops, as if the Thunder just sprung up from the ground without cultivation. But turning good players into great is a process. Brooks is quick to acknowledge that turning these players into a Finals contender took a lot of work. He’s just not willing to take any credit for it.”
Neil Paine of ESPN Insider on KD’s ring chances: “Theoretically, Durant would be in his prime, just as James is now. By then, James should be in clear decline in his age-33 season, and there’s no guarantee Wade or Bosh will have anything left by then, nor whether James still would be playing with them. Fact is, that sweet spot could come even earlier if things break right for Durant and wrong for James. Having said that, James has such a huge edge on Durant and everyone else productionwise that he could lose 15 percent of his value and still be ahead of Durant. That means we shouldn’t be surprised if the first decade or more of Durant’s career plays out in parallel against James’, with LeBron getting the better of him in terms of ring count simply because he continues to be the game’s most dominant player. In some sports, there’s no shame in being second-best because sometimes you even get lucky and win anyway. Unfortunately for Durant, basketball just isn’t one of those sports.”
From Elias: “Russell Westbrook took 27 shots on Monday while Kevin Durant only attempted 13. Westbrook (18.8) is attempting more field goals per game than Durant (17.9). Only once in NBA history has a teammate attempted more field goals per game than a scoring a champion (Durant currently leads league in scoring). Neil Johnston of the Philadelphia Warriors won the 1954-55 scoring title, but his teammate Paul Arizin attempted two more shots per game than him that season.”
I wrote the Daily Dime for ESPN.com last night.
Great note from Darnell Mayberry: “There was a moment of extraordinary growth seen between Durant and Westbrook, one that anyone who questions the relationship of the two All-Stars should have seen. And it centered on the controversial topic of shot selection and ball distribution between the two. With 7 1/2 minutes remaining in the third quarter, Westbrook led a fast break with Sefolosha on his right and Durant to his left. Westbrook over-dribbled a bit and finally dished to Sefolosha. Durant threw up his hands and threw one of those 5-year-old fits he likes to give. Sefolosha missed a corner 3, but Westbrook corralled the rebound and nailed a 17-footer. The Spurs immediately called a timeout. Just before reaching the bench, Westbrook and Durant stopped in front of the scorer’s table and talked about that possession, specifically why Westbrook didn’t give it up. The brief exchange was filled with what appeared to be both positive dialogue and body language, Westbrook motioning with two fingers from his eyes to Durant and back, and Durant slapping Westbrook on the chest as if to say “it’s all good.” It was a classic moment that those that like to trumpet the Avon-Stringer Bell narrative never seem to see.”
Rob Mahoney of SI.com: “That isn’t the kind of mark that would doom the Thunder in itself, but with no other player stepping up to carry the scoring burden, OKC left itself vulnerable to a brutal run when those transition, second-chance, and free-throw opportunities dried up. And inevitably, they did. The Spurs used sizable offensive runs in the mid-second and early-fourth quarters to close a gap and, later, bulk up their lead, in part because the Thunder’s supplementary scoring vanished in an instant. Typically, Durant and Westbrook alone are enough to guarantee quality possessions and high-value shot attempts. But on Monday night, neither star could provide the spark that OKC needed to sustain itself. The Thunder were still able to linger on the game’s margins and claw back to make the final score respectable, but the Spurs guarded well, good shots bounced the other way and an offensive juggernaut was reduced to a cast of hopeful jump-shooters.”
Russell Westbrook is on the cover of Complex Magazine.
And here’s a taste of the cover story: “Another benefit of his svelte body type is that he can wear garment samples—a serious advantage if you hope to get free clothes. “I can fit into almost everything off the rack,” Westbrook says. He wouldn’t look out of place on the runway, and he says he’s considered modeling in the off-season. Like many celebrities, Westbrook has also thought about starting his own line. He talks about button-down shirts with zip-off sleeves and creating his own all-over print. He wants to make women’s wear, men’s wear, and even try his hand at children’s clothing. The only rule? “It’d have to be something that catches your eye.” Of course. Russell Westbrook, basketball star becomes Russell Westbrook, fashion designer? Why not?”
Kelly Dwyer of BDL on Westbrook’s halfcourt shot: “And, most importantly, there weren’t many among us that watched last night’s Spurs victory over the Thunder without reflecting back on the time Oklahoma City took four games in a row from San Antonio to close out the Western conference finals last spring. It’s true that the Spurs’ rotation has improved significantly since then, but it’s still San Antonio that has something to prove this spring. At least when it comes to this matchup. Was it a dumb shot? Yeah. But you know it came from a smart basketball mind. This is a player that is attempting old man tricks at age 24. That’s nearly as impressive as an airball from 45 feet with 18 seconds left on the shot clock is funny.”
Check this email I got last night: “Hello! My husband and I are fans of the Thunders but we have some major concerns that bother us when watching the Thunders. First, we get so mad when the Thunders coach take KD, WESTBROOK, IBAKA out the game when Thunders are losing. This behavior has been going on since the Thunders have had this team. In other words, why do the coach take the main players out the game? He does that every game set the main players down, he need to change his game strategy ASAP BEFORE PLAY-OFF START. My family are coming to one of the game and we need to talk to the coach. I am in leadership and I need to talk to him because he is the leader of the Thunder Team. He has to stop the way he coaches is not a good look. Give me a call or email me if anyone want to response to my email. Concern Oklahoma Fans, THE JOHNSON FAMILY.”
