Wednesday Bolts – 5.18.16
Sam Amick of USA Today: “The Thunder had plenty of reason for hope coming in. While
they had fallen in all three regular season matchups, there were late mistakes and execution blunders that had more to do with what Oklahoma City was doing wrong than they did with what the Warriors had done right. Fix those, and fix your fate.”
Nick DePaula of The Vertical: “There were plans to build a $10 million community center in Washington, D.C., in Durant’s mother’s name. Additional company stock was even incorporated into the offer, the value of which we’ll never know. Durant could’ve single-handedly shifted the trajectory and long-term valuation of the entire company. The brand committed to work hand-in-hand with Durant to build a signature collection of footwear and apparel. There was even talk of launching a KD-only signature retail store along the East Coast. When Durant ultimately passed on the Under Armour offer – his bond with Nike being too strong – he announced the news with a simple tweet. Under Armour was devastated. As it turns out, it was the best thing that could’ve happened to them.”
Matt Moore of CBSSports.com with his top 20 free agents: “Franchise-changing player. Unstoppable offensive force, premier top-three player in the league. High-level defender when healthy and engaged. Underrated as a passer and willing to make the extra pass. Impossible to find a size matchup for him defensively. Has great character and integrity, a strong leader and ready to deliver when called upon but won’t hijack the offense because of his pride. Everything you want in the best player on your team. The alpha, beta and omega of this free agency class.”
Zach Lowe of ESPN.com: “Sports are fun when they are unpredictable. There is magic in a team coming together in a process of self-discovery at the right time. It is one place where human element inspires something that perhaps the numbers, and even the film, can’t quite anticipate. Win or lose, it’s happening for the Thunder right now.”
Berry Tramel: “But truth is, the Thunder’s halfcourt defense all year has been solid. It’s been the transition defense that has struggled. The Thunder gave up 13.2 fast-break points per game, 19th in the 30-team NBA. When your point guard attacks the basket, or goes aggressively after offensive rebounds the way Russell Westbrook does, a team is vulnerable to the fast break. The Thunder hasn’t always hustled back. The Thunder hustled back in Game 1 against Golden State. That’s not coaching strategy. That’s will to win. Donovan is protecting his players.”
Erik Horne: “The results were promising for the Thunder after 48 minutes. In its three regular-season meetings with Golden State, the Thunder allowed 29.7 points and committed 4.3 turnovers per fourth quarter. In Game 1? The Thunder allowed just 14 fourth-quarter points and didn’t commit a turnover in the period. Those numbers may not stand throughout the series, but the Thunder’s defensive improvement offers more leeway when the offense isn’t firing.”
