SB Nation - Thabo Sefolosha

Game 28 Recap: Oklahoma City 117, Phoenix 113

Zorgon — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 12:56:14 -0000

More photos » by Rick Scuteri - AP

Amare: Hey, ref! He touched my shades!

We're .500 at Christmas!

That's all I can say. This win makes me so unbelievably happy....I've followed the NBA nearly my entire life, and the last time I followed a team that was .500 at Christmas, it was 2005. And that team finished with 34 wins. So you can see why I'm feeling overjoyed right now.

That being said, this game was no picnic, and a lot of mistakes were made by both sides. But, facing facts, the Suns were playing catchup all game. It all started when the thunder scored 6 in a row to put the team up 18-11 with 6:41 to go in the first. From there, it was a relatively stable lead that reached its peak at 12 points with 5:20 and 4:13 to go in the 2nd quarter. Sadly, that lead was erased by a Sun run, consisting entirely of Steve Nash and Amare Stoudamire. They combined for 18 points in the last 4:13 of the second, eventually tying it at 64 with 13 seconds to go. Thankfully, an amazing hanging shot by KD put the Thunder ahead by two at the half, but I still smelled trouble.

As the Third quarter rolled on, the Thunder managed to nurse their small lead until they barely lost it towards the end of the quarter. When it was all said and done, the teams were in a dead heat going into the fourth. Again, the Thunder jumped out to the lead, and managed to keep it that way until Jason Richardson hit back to back jumpers with 4:11 to go in the fourth, giving the Suns a 106-104 lead. But the game was far from over. Ibaka managed to get an amazing tip in to tie it at 106. Ibaka continued to fight hard, but Amare drew two fouls on him in a minutes, forcing him out of the game. This left it at 110-108 in Phoenix's favour, but, after the annoying Remington Park graphic, Kevin Durant managed to overpower the flopping Jason Richardson for an amazing plus one. This left it at 111-110, and after Stoudemire missed a short layup, Jeff Green made an amazing play. I would explain it, but please, just watch it, it's pretty darn spectacular. Zoom ahead to 1:54 in this recap.

After that, you knew it was almost over. And after Steve Nash missed a freethrow, KD Rebounded his own miss, and then spotted up for another jumper and hit it, you knew this game was over. Wow.

(On a side note, I'm getting pretty close to being able to provide video of the game on my own for this site. Don't expect anything full blown, but I might do my own video recap or provide a clip here and there when necessary.)

Below: Analysis, Awards

What more can you say about this game. Things just clicked for the Thunder on so many levels. First of all, you had the total shut down of Jason Richardson courtesy of Thabo Sefolosha. JRich hit a clutch 3 towards the end, but for the most part he had a pretty empty game.

At this point, James Harden is afraid of even looking at Amare's shades.

And, as per my keys to the game, Jeff Green had an amazing game, and the bench was a huge factor. Jeff Green had a solid 17 Points and 9 rebounds, along with that incredibly clutch tip-in at the end. That tip-in alone pretty much secured him the Thunder Down Under spot. I know, some of you were pulling for him to get the Thunder Wonder, but Kevin Durant's influence can't be ignored. James Harden did his thing, racking up 14 Points and 4 Rebounds. He also actually hit a three, which is good news. Nick Collison also did a nice job, with 6 points, 5 Rebounds. He fouled out rather quickly, but that's to be expected of big men in a suns game.

You could really see that this game was suited to Serge Ibaka's tastes. Flying up and down the court, tipping the ball in, providing aggressive defense....watching Ibaka play is like a work of art, simply because you don't usually see Big Men that are that athletic. Dwight Howard is the same way, but sometimes Ibaka just looks like a god among men. Did you see that block on Stoudemire? He's like what Robert Swift and Brandan Wright were supposed to be for the Warriors. He's like the big man "project" that every team picks up, yet never works out. Except this time, he actually met and exceeded everyone's expectations! He's completely eliminated Etan Thomas from the rotation, and he's taking away lots of minutes from Krstic. I don't know, it's only been a few games, so you really can't get a conclusive conclusion. But as for right now, I'm riding the Ibaka train, and it's pretty awesome.

Eric Maynor had his first minutes of tonight, but it's hard to say how he'll be. He went 1 of 4 from the floor, and he had a really bad turnover in the second quarter. He just dribbled it inside the three point line and almost gave it away. Regardless, he had 5 assists, and I think he's working out okay so far, but as for right now, he has to receive the Thunder Blunder awards, simply because I have nobody else to give it to. Still, the verdict on him is largely TBD.

I've already revealed it earlier in this recap, but tonight's Thunder Wonder is Kevin Durant. 38 Points, 12 of 20 from the floor, 3 of 4 from 3 Point Land, 6 rebounds, 3 Assists, and the game clincher. What more can you ask from your star. He performed solidly throughout the entire night, and hardly wasted any possessions at all, through missed shots, turnovers, and otherwise. I know it may not seem like it, but this is probably KD's most offensively efficient game all year. Hats off to him.

Amare: I told you guys to stay away from my shades! That's almost as bad as pissing on the rim!

On the Suns side of things, statistically, things went as expected. Their bench was totally ineffective, Jason Richardson was shut down, and Grant hill wasn't feeling it, leaving the bulk of the scoring on the shoulders of Steve Nash, Amare Stoudamire, and Channing Frye. Aside from a coupel of clutch plays from Richardson, this might as well have been a 3 person team. Amare Stoudamire, with 35 Points, 14 Rebounds, and 2 Assists, was clearly the most effective of the 3, so he gets tonight's Thunder Plunderer award. Hats off to him, as well.

On a side note, I know today and tomorrow will be a special time for some people, so whatever you may celebrate, I'd like to wish all of the Readers and Staff of this blog a very Slammin' Thursday and Friday. And a Slammin' season. Enjoy yourselves, and I'll see everyone on Saturday!

Next Game: Versus the Bobcats, Saturday, December 26th, 7 PM Central Standard Time

It's time to meet Stephen Jackson!

Game 28 Preview: Oklahoma City at Phoenix

Zorgon — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 18:11:08 -0000

More photos » by Sue Ogrocki - AP

No way, Ibaka! This ball is mine!

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Time: 8:00 PM Central Standard Time

Place: The US Airways Center, Phoenix, Arizona

TV: KSBI-TV, KUTP-TV My 45

Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1)

Enemy Blog(s): Bright Side Of The Sun, Suns Stufft, Valley of the Suns

Backstory: Well, what is there to say about Phoenix? They were the NBA's November darlings, the team that everyone thought had finally gotten back on it's feet. Sadly, December has not been nearly as kind, as they have a record of 4-7 so far. The record is a bit strange, though. they have wins against solid teams like Orlando, San Antonio, and Sacramento, but at the same time, they have an embarassing loss to New York. I suppose it comes with being such an up and down team.

The Thunder will hope the Suns are on the down part of the rollercoaster tonight, as the Thunder are under .500 for the first time in a long time, are on the 2nd game of a back to back, and really need this win.

Matchups:

Center: Nenad Krstic vs. Channing Frye

This is actually a winnable matchup for Nenad Krstic. Channing Frye isn't that much of a down-low banging center, so I think Krstic can compete and mix it up a bit. Still, I think his stats will end up being a bit less impressive than Frye's.

Power Forward: Jeff Green vs. Amare Stoudamire

Jeff Green seemingly overcame his weakness against big men yesterday against the Lakers, but can he do it again tonight? I'd put the chances at doubtful. Expect a big game from Amare.

Small Forward: Kevin Durant vs. Grant Hill

Man oh man, would I love to see this matchup were Grant Hill in his prime. Sadly, now, he's just a shadow of his former self and Kevin Durant will outclass him everywhere but in the department of defense. Still, I doun't think Hill will be a huge problem for Durant.

Shooting Guard: Jason Richardson vs. Thabo Sefolosha

Most people see Jason Richardson as a dunker, but in reality, he relies on his jumpshot a great deal. I could see Sefolosha slowing him down significantly.

Point Guard: Russell Westbrook vs. Steve Nash

Steve Nash is obviously the better player here. Russell Westbrook better have a pen and paper handy, because he's about to witness greatness.

Battle of the Benches:

Leandro Barbosa is out, which is good news, leaving Goran Dragic, Louis Amundson, and Jared Dudley to man the bench for the Suns. They're probably better than we're all thinking right now, but I'd still have to give the bench advantage to the Thunder.

Coaching and Intangibles:

The Thunder had to play extremely late last night, and they lost an hour by moving into the Mountain Time Zone. It would really suck to be them right now. Still, the suns have been on a bad streak lately, so I'll give the advantage to the Thunder.

Bottom Line:

I think a lot depends on Jeff Green and taking advantage of when the Suns' bench is on the floor. It's really not that Hurculean of a task, and I think this is a very winnable game.

Prediction: Thunder 111, Suns 103

How do you think the game will go? Vote in the Poll!

And, again, feel free to drop any comments you might have during, before, or after the game below. I might be here during the game to drop my thoughts as well. Go Thunder!

Poll

Who's going to win tonight?

Game 27 Recap: Los Angeles Lakers 110, Oklahoma City 108

Zorgon — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 08:15:01 -0000

More photos » by Jae C. Hong - AP

Here, Jeff Green kind of looks like a rich guy throwing away a piece of trash. As a result, the ball got stolen.

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Yahoo! Sports Box Score:

What a great game. That being said, argh!

This isn't at all the game I expected, but sometimes, I'm glad to be wrong. An incredibly intense game throughout. The game started off with both teams playing relatively evenly, but the there was something a bit different about the Lakers. They were playing lazy. They were letting far too many fast break dunks happen, and they weren't exploiting us on the inside as much as they should have. Eventually, their laziness lead to a 5 Point Thunder lead at the end of the first, a 12 point lead with 4:13 left to go in the 2nd, and a 7 Point lead at halftime.

But, if you know anything about the NBA, you know that inevitably, a third quarter collapse was coming. Immediately the Thunder started to fall behind, and everyone started to worry. But, unexpectedly, the Thunder never fell farther behind than 3 for a while, and they somehow managed to stay in the game. But, things seemed to be falling apart as they finally fell to 6 behind by the end of the 3rd, and 11 behind with 6:22 to go in the fourth. At this point, I thought the game was over, and was ready to resign myself to another Thunder loss.

But hope arose once again. Russell Westbrook got it started by getting fouled, and then James Harden had an amazing fast break dunk. Kobe Bryant responded with freethrows of his own, and then KD managed to miss his second freethrow, and after Serge Ibaka blew an opportunity for a 3 point possession, I, again, thought it was over. Then, Pau Gasol passed the ball out of bounds. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Russell Westbrook made a mid-range jumper, Kobe missed a layup and fouled Russell Westbrook, and Russell Westbrook made 1 of 2. Suddenly, we were sitting on only a 5 point deficit with 3:55 to go. I was feeling the hope.

But then, the rays of sunshine got black again as Lamar Odom hit a clutch 3 Pointer. Game over, right? Wrong, as Sefolosha came back to hit an equally clutch 3 just as the shot clock expired. The rest of the game was essentially spent trying to beat LA's freethrows. Kobe hit two at the line, but Ibaka responded with a dunk. Kobe made a bad pass, and Westbrook responded with a jumper. It was down to three! After another Laker turnover, Sefolosha had an open three. I could see the light!

KD wanted to have an all-night dance party, but his 6 fouls cut the party short.

But no. He missed it. Kevin Durant then got some BS foul call (fouling him out), and the Lakers widened their lead back to 5. the Thunder set Serge Ibaka up for a great short, two point jumper, but he bricked it. Again, I figured the Thunder were toast at this point. But no. They came back again. Lamar Odom missed a 3, and Russell Westbrook somehow managed to run around the entire Laker defense and hit a relatively uncontested layup. Spectacular. Then, Paul Gasol committed an offensive foul, we got the ball back, and Westbrook scored AGAIN! A baseline jumper! We were within 1!

And thus, we entered the critical last 19 seconds of the game. Kobe Bryant was fouled, and the MVP chants were louder than ever. The first free throw was perfect, and so was the second. At this point, Ron Artest had some "words" for Russell Westbrook, and it's a wonder they never got into a fight. The Thunder came out of their time out....and Harden scored over Gasol! And Gasol even tried to flop! The lead was back down to 1 with 14 seconds to go, and Derek Fisher was immediately fouled. The first freethrow was rainbow perfect, and the second was shaky, but in. I really wish he was that good at freethrows when he played for the Warriors.

So it came down to the final seconds. The Thunder knew they needed a three. The ball was inbounded to Sefolosha. He handed it off to Westbrook. Westbrook worked around for an isolation 3 point jumper on the left side.....it's up...it barely rattles out. Ibaka tries to tip it in, and it falls out. Sefolosha tries a bank tip, and it falls out. Ibaka tries again, but the ball slips out of his hand, and it was too late by then, anyway. It was all over.

Sorry to bore you guys with the long game description, but this was one of the best games in recent memory, and I wanted to recap it well. We lost, but seriously, could you ask for more from a basketball game? I've never seen the Thunder or Warriors beat the Lakers, and it will be a very grand day when I do see that, but this game was still a pretty darn good Christmas present. Still, it would be even better if we beat Phoenix tomorrow!

Below: Analysis, Awards

Lets take a look at the five factors that I said would lead to a potential Thunder Victory, and see how they all turned out.

1. First of all Russell Westbrook has to exploit the Derek Fisher matchup somehow. He's done decently in the past, but I'd like to see him get to the line more often, which is kind of difficult to do gainst Derek Fisher, one of the best floppers in the league.

Success! Russell Westbrook effectively exploited this matchup by being able to spot up for easy jumpers and, at times, being able to run around the entire defense for a easy layup. It also helped in that he fouled Derek Fisher at the end of the game, and Derek Fisher is a lot less likely to hit those two free throws than Kobe Bryant is. Granted, he still hit them both, but the 2nd one almost fell out!

2. Secondly, Jeff Green needs to find his way around Pau Gasol. Not an easy task, but maybe resorting to a good amount of mid-range jumpers will do the trick.

Success! Jeff Green didn't have a career game, but he was able to have 12 Points, 7 Rebounds, and 4 Assists. That's a pretty solid game, and about as good of a game as you're going to get from Jeff Green.

3. Thirdly, Ibaka, Krstic, Collison, and Thomas all need to play out of their shoes and prevent Bynum and Gasol from exploiting us inside too much.

Success! Bynum and Gasol were limited to a combined under 50% shooting, and they only combined for 26 Points. It's nothing to sneeze at, but Bynum scored about that amount on his own in the past two Thunder games, and Gasol has the potential to do the same.

4. Fourthly, James Harden needs to step up and make his shots. In the close game he was 3 of 9, but in the blowout he was 2 of 15, also going 0 of 10 from 3 Point Land. Yikes. Just pass the ball if you can't make it, dude.

Success! 2-3 may not seem like much, but it's a definite improvement.

Kobe tried out some new stretches tonight. They must've worked!

5. Fifth, Thabo Sefolosha will have to have a profound effect on Kobe Bryant. I'm talking turnovers, missed shots, whatever.

Failure. Okay, he had 5 turnovers. That's not that huge of an amount when the ball is in your hands most of the time. I mean, he scored 40 Points! Turnovers, big whoop. To go along with those 5 Turnovers and 5 Fouls, he had 14-26 shooting, 12-14 Free Throw shooting, 7 Rebounds, 6 Assists, and 2 Steals. Okay, I will admit that Thabo did a good job closing out on his shots and did force a few turnovers, but Kobe resorted to lots of penetration, and it worked out for him. Great job by Sefolosha tonight, but also a Thunder Plunderer worthy performance by Kobe tonight.

If all of those things happen, we'll win. If 3 or 4 happen, winning is a possibility. If less, then I really doubt the Thunder will win.

Correct! Four of these things did happen, and guess what? Winning was a possibility, but it didn't happen. Granted, I'm no master predictor of this game, as I thought it'd be a blowout, and I'm surprised that these things happened at all. But still, man, it hurts to have lost when we were so, so close.

Russell Westbrook had this fierce determination all game, and it showed.

And I don't think there's any question around here who the Thunder Wonder was. It's Russell Westbrook. In the first half, he had 10 Assists, creating ball movement and keeping this team ahead. Towards the end of the game, he stepped up as KD stepped out, almost steamrolling us to victory. This was, unquestionably, his game of the year. Enjoy it, Russell....even though the Thunder lost. Heh.

And guess what? I'm giving the Thunder Down Under to Serge Ibaka! Again! If you don't like it, too bad! He was an essential part of the great defense on Gasol and Bynum. Also, he grabbed a whopping 14 Rebounds. Sure, his 8 points and 4-12 shooting was a bit underwhelming, but he didn't shoot irresponsibly, and a lot of his shots were tightly contested and in the post. I almost didn't want to give him this award from his easy jumpshot miss late in the fourth, but this game wouldn't have been possible without him. Accolades also go Sefolosha, who helped immensely defensively and offensively, Durant, who had a great game besides his turnovers and fouls, Harden, who did a great scoring job, and Jeff Green, who managed to partially overcome his lack of production against big men.

The Thunder Blunder? This one is a bit harder to pick. But, you can't really blame Nick Collison, as his objective this game was to basically put pressure on Gasol and Bynum. Rather, the Thunder Blunder for this game is going to be Nenad Krstic. He had a horrible plus minus ratio (-16) and didn't manage to defend the post all that well. He did manage to get 4 points, which was nice, but it was pretty obvious that this wasn't his game even since the game started.

Next Game: At the Suns, Wednesday, December 23rd, 8PM Central Standard Time

Poll

Will the Thunder beat the Lakers on March 26th?

Game 27 Preview: Oklahoma City At Los Angeles Lakers

Zorgon — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 13:53:02 -0000

More photos » by Mark J. Terrill - AP

Last time, there was just no getting around the Laker defense. This time, it's looking like the same sad story.

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This also counts as an open thread, so feel free to post your thoughts during the game here.

Time: 8:30 PM Central Standard Time

Place: The Staples Center, Los Angeles, California

TV: Fox Sports Oklahoma, Fox Sports West, NBA TV

Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1)

Enemy Blog(s): Silver Screen and Roll, With Malice, Forum Blue and Gold

Backstory: Ah, we meet our indestructible foes once again.

We've seen the Lakers twice already this season. The first time was an expression of almost pure joy, as the Thunder nearly upset the Lakers, even taking them to overtime. It was at a time where we felt the Thunder oculd conquer even the strongest of the NBA's teams, as we were 2-2 and beat the Magic a few games later. Then, the other game can be seen as a coming back to Earth moment, as the Thunder got pulverized by the better team, which then featured Pau Gasol.

But, what have the Lakers been doing since we last saw them? Winning. And Winning. One Loss to Utah. But then, more winning. Their record is 22-4. They're not going to set records or anything, but it's a record that no team would pass up or sneeze at. Needless to say, this game means a lot more to the Thunder than it does the Lakers. If the Lakers win, it's just another brick laid in the wall of victory. But, if the Thunder win, it would be a Titanic upset, and a huge boost to the Thunder as they would secure wrapping up the toughest part of their schedule at .500. It would also send a huge message to the league.

Needless to say though, the Lakers definitely aren't overlooking us. They know all too well that we can sneak up on tough opponents, and they'll want to make sure to put the Thunder away by the third quarter, or it could mean big trouble.

Below: Matchups, Prediction

Matchups:

Point Guard: Russell Westbrook vs. Derek Fisher

Yes, I'm doing these matchups in reverse order. Why? Well, I copy and pasted them from the last preview, in which they were in reverse order, and because it's the only matchup that we can win. Derek Fisher doesn't do much more than pass the ball, defend poorly, and shoot these days, so I'm glad we have Russell Westbrook on our side. He'll have a mildly productive night, but nothing special.

Shooting Guard: Thabo Sefolosha vs. Kobe Bryant

Now, here's where we can start crying. Kobe Bryant has been successfully slowed, but in no way stopped by Thabo Sefolosha. Don't get me wrong, I love having Thabo in these situations, but it's the equivalent of putting 5 more boxcars on the end of a steam-engine powered train. The train might go a bit slower, but it will by no means stop. Expect lots of valiant efforts and a few more points than usual from Sefolosha, and a slightly watered-down Kobe Bryant.

Small Forward: Kevin Durant vs. Ron Artest

Anything we can do, the Lakers can do better. Sure, we can slow down Kobe with Thabo, but they can majorly slow KD down with Ron Artest. In this case, putting Ron Artest on Kevin Durant is like mixing half grape juice and half water. It's solid, but not as good as it used to be.

Power Forward: Jeff Green vs. Pau Gasol

And here again, the Thunder hit another brick wall. Jeff Green has struggled in every matchup this year against legitimate Power Forwards (well, sans the Pistons matchup). And, here's Pau Gasol, one of the top 5 Power Forwards in the league. Doh! Major advantage to the Lakers here.

Center: Nenad Krstic vs. Andrew Bynum

Hey! It's brick wall city! Krstic has been incredibly ineffective against the Lakers in the past, and not much is going to change here. He's going to get completely dominated on the inside, and the Lakers defense is generally good enough to where they don't have to worry about his jumpshot. Again, Major advantage to the Lakers here.

Battle of the Benches:

Ibaka and Harden have struggled mightily against the Lakers, missing shots left and right. Thus, while I'd say the Thunder generally out-talent the Laker bench in every way but Odom, I'd say the Laker bench will perform slightly better than the Thunder bench here.

Coaching and Intangibles:

The Lakers are on a huge run, are at home, are just as well rested as the Thunder, and have Phil Jackson on their side. Advantage: Lakers.

Bottom Line:

Okay, so I've spelled major doom and gloom so far. And you want to know what it will take for the Thunder to win this game. I'll tell you what it will take: A Christmas Miracle. Okay, okay, all joking aside, it's going to take a lot. First of all Russell Westbrook has to exploit the Derek Fisher matchup somehow. He's done decently in the past, but I'd like to see him get to the line more often, which is kind of difficult to do gainst Derek Fisher, one of the best floppers in the league. Secondly, Jeff Green needs to find his way around Pau Gasol. Not an easy task, but maybe resorting to a good amount of mid-range jumpers will do the trick. Thirdly, Ibaka, Krstic, Collison, and Thomas all need to play out of their shoes and prevent Bynum and Gasol from exploiting us inside too much. Fourthly, James Harden needs to step up and make his shots. In the close game he was 3 of 9, but in the blowout he was 2 of 15, also going 0 of 10 from 3 Point Land. Yikes. Just pass the ball if you can;t make it, dude.Fifth, Thabo Sefolosha will have to have a profound effect on Kobe Bryant. I'm talking turnovers, missed shots, whatever. If all of those things happen, we'll win. If 3 or 4 happen, winning is a possibility. If less, then I really doubt the Thunder will win.

Prediction: Los Angeles Lakers 105, Oklahoma City 83

Don't let me discourage you guys though. I want to see an upset tonight! I hate the Lakers! Go Thunder!!!!

How do you think the game will go? Vote in the Poll!

And, again, feel free to drop any comments you might have during, before, or after the game below. I might be here during the game to drop my thoughts as well. Go Thunder!

Poll

Who's going to win tonight?

Game 26 Recap: Houston 95, Oklahoma City 90

Zorgon — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 10:27:59 -0000

Yahoo! Box Score:

I like to call this one "The Statue of Liberty".

Note: I just realized the very beginning of this article is pretty arrogant. If it seems so to you as well, pleas ignore it and move on. I guess they were just the first two things on my mind.

Yet again, my prediction is only 2 points off! (I predicted it to be 97 to 90, albeit after the first quarter.)

Regardless of that, the Thunder lost, yet again, to the Houston Rockets. It's no surprise to me, as I declared the Thunder would not beat the Rockets this season (including our next and final meeting on March 24th). But what did surprise me is the manner in which it happened. I made the 97-90 prediction thinking that the game would end on a ho-hum note, with the Thunder down by 12 and then throwing in 5 points at the end just for the heck of it. But here, the Thunder made a legitimate run for it, and should have had a decent shot to win it, barring a couple of rebounds at the end of the game.

But, I'm getting ahead of myself. The name of the game for the Thunder on this night was "catch up". Nearly the entire game was spent behind the Rockets. There was a brief 34-31 lead with 6:01 to go in the 2nd, but other than that and the early minutes of the first, the Thunder were behind the entire time. And things were always looking grim. It seemed like every time the Thunder took 2 steps in the right direction, they'd take 3 steps back, and then all of a sudden, Houston would hit a 3 and say, "Boom! In your face!". This was especially emphasized in the 4th quarter, where every time the Thunder got within a 3 or 4 point deficit and you thought, "Man, this might get interesting!", the Thunder fell flat on their faces and got nay-sayed by Trevor Ariza or David Andersen. There were a lot of missed Golden opportunities in this game, don't get me wrong, but the most obvious to everyone was the one at the end of the game, and it pretty much summed up the entire game in 64 agonizing seconds.

After a HUGE second-chance 3 by KD to put it within 4 with 1:04 to go, the Thunder needed a stop. The Rockets dribbled the ball around, making sure not to shoot too early. Then, Aaron Brooks goes for the corner 3....and misses it. The rebound is tipped right out of Jeff Green's hands by Aaron Brooks, and the Rockets get to reset their offense. After a lot of holding, Trevor Ariza takes a spot up jumper, and it misses. The rebound goes right out of the hands of Westbrook and Durant and into the arms of Chuck Hayes. Aaron Brooks is finally fouled, and he misses the first freethrow, opening up a not-deserved opportunity. Then, Durant and Harden miss 2 good-looking threes, and the game is over. Yikes.

Below: Analysis, Awards

Well, the one positive you can take from this game is the fact that the Thunder actually put up a fight. But, even though the score was different, the stats still tell the same old, sad story. The 3 Point Shooting was non-existant. Thabo Sefolosha did horribly defensively. Trevor Ariza bulldozed. What else is there to say?

Ibaka puts up another strong performance.

The Thunder Wonder for this game is Jeff Green. Yeah, he pretty much failed to show up in the fourth quarter, but he carried the Thunder through a lot of the game, and, compared to the other Rockets games, this one was a drastic improvement. 21 Points, 8 Rebounds, and 3 Assists in 39 minutes complete his night. The Thunder Down Under is Serge Ibaka. Okay, I know I've been riding his bandwagon a lot over the last couple of recaps, and I tired to avoid it tonight, but there was no way around it. He was extremely efficient considering the minutes he got, and he helped out the scoring during an especially desperate time in the 2nd quarter and helped to ignite the run at the beginning of the fourth which got the Thunder within winning range. 10 Points, perfect 5 of 5 Shooting, and 8 Rebounds in 23 minutes. What more could one possibly ask? Accolades also go to Westbrook, who had a solid 15 Points, 5 Rebounds, and 7 Assists.

The Thunder Blunder is unquestionably Kevin Durant. 13 Points and 6-18 shooting isn't terrible, but it's pretty darn bad. I mean, 1 out of 5 3 Pointers? Really? You're our clutch shooter? In a night where all of the pieces were in place for a Rocket upset, the Thunder's main pillar crumbled. If he would have had a good day, there's a much higher chance that the Thunder would have won. Thabo Sefolosha doesn't escape blame either. 4 Points and 8 Rebounds are nice, but he's let Ariza destroy the thunder night in and night out.

James Harden: Worth Mentioning?

There was a comment in the Dallas thread saying that I didn't talk enough about James Harden. Well, in my opinion, there's not a lot to talk about. His effort will look decent, as he'll add around 10 Points, 3 Rebounds, and 3 Assists every game. But, the big hole in his game that needs to be fixed is 3 Point Shooting. Sure, he'll have a game where he'll go off and make 4 of 6 or 6 of 7, but usually his statline comes out as 0 of 3, 0 of 2, 1 of 4. If he's going to be taking 3s, he's got to make them, especially on the Thunder, who are a horrible 3 Point Shooting team. Look, I know he's a rookie, and I know he's done well considering that fact. But the thing this team needs is a consistent 3 Point shooter, and I wish he'd bring that to the table on a consistent basis, rather than on the occasional off-night. So, he'll be good enough to escape the Thunder Blunder, but not good enough to obtain a Thunder Wonder,Down Under, or recieve further mention. Thus, I don't mention him very often.

And....Ariza, Ariza, Ariza. Arriba! Once again, he captures the Thunder Plunderer Award. 31 Points, 11-20 Filed goal Shooting, 5-8 3 Point Shooting, 8 Rebounds, 6 Assists, only 1 Turnover, and 2 Steals. Honestly, I had no idea he was capable of such numbers. Major props to the guy for conquering the Thunder night in and night out.

Next Game: At the Los Angeles Lakers, Tuesday, December 22nd, 9:30 PM Central Standard Time.

Poll

Will the Thunder Beat the Rockets in March?

Game 25 Recap: Oklahoma City 109, Detroit 98

Zorgon — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 10:38:25 -0000

Ibaka: Yes, that ball IS mine!

We got to see Weezy once again, and successfully took care of the one easy game among this 7 game nightmare. I'd call that a good day at work.

But, it didn't start very well. Detroit's opening basket was made by our old comrade, Chucky Atkins. That eventually sparked them into a 14-6 lead, lead by Rodney Stuckey. Predictably, he had a great game, because the Thunder don't do well against good penetration. The Pistons got the lead all the way up to 10 points, as they lead 22-12 with 3:57 to go. But the Thunder responded strongly by recovering to get within 3 by the end of the quarter. Most of the points were made on penetration plays, but that's due in large part to the fact that Ben Wallace was out of the game.

The 2nd quarter was pretty even, as the Pistons managed to keep their lead until Jeff Green captured it from them with 6 seconds to go. In fact, he had 9 points in the last 3 minutes of the 2nd, largely accounting for our ability to take the lead.

From that point on, the Thunder only lost their lead once. The Pistons managed to tie it late in the 3rd, helped a lot by the fact that Ben Wallace was there to clog the lane again. The lead was only back up to 4 by the end of the 3rd. But, like a knight in shining armour, James Harden was there, making 7 points in the first two minutes of the 4th. After that, it was just a stagnant game of back and forth, with the Thunder running up the score at the end in order to make themselves look good.

As far as the analysis goes, there's really not much bad to find in this game. We had great shooting almost universally on our team, and those on the team who didn't shoot well made sure to take care of business at the line.

And, surprisingly....Jeff Green actually did a halfway decent job against some solid big men! Granted, he's undoubtedly played against Weezy many times, and Weezy is allergic to defense, but Jeff Green also had to fight through Jonas Jerebko, Jason Maxiell, and Charlie Villanueva. I know, they're not exactly the defensive all-stars, but they're all pretty legitimate, so it's definitely a step in the right direction.

As just one of that night's many festivities, Rumble decides to surprise a kid by giving him a....totally unusable model motorcycle? I'm as puzzled as you are. He can't ride it, and it's too big to store in his room. Hmmmm.... Still, a nice gesture.

It was also nice to see some of our old players again. I didn't hear many claps for them in the arena, but a few people seemed to remember Weezy quite well. He's since lost his braids, so he kept reminding me of Rasheed Wallace, which kind of freaked me out. But he met his old teammates and gave props to Rumble after the game, so you know he's a super cool dude. It's also nice to see him being semi-productive for once, getting 8 Points and 4 Rebounds in 18 Minutes of play. Chucky Atkins didn't do much but miss shots and commit fouls, going 1 of 5 and netting only 2 points in 22 minutes. But, he's in the twilight of his career now, and seeing as how he was guarded by Thabo Sefolosha, he didn't do terribly bad.

The Thunder Wonder....goes to Serge Ibaka. I know, he wasn't the best guy out there. There's just so many places in this game where you could say that x player saved us at this point or y player saved us at that point or z player helped us out through tough times. But Serge Ibaka has improved his game so much since the start of the season that I've got to give him this award at least once. I didn't even know if he'd be usable at the start of the season. Heck, I wouldn't have been surprised if he went back to Europe next year. But now, I realize that he's working his way into being an essential part of this team. A career-high 12 points and solid 5 rebounds in 22 minutes round out his fantastic night.

James Harden, furious at the ball, screams at it while telling it to "Get in there!" KD looks on, completely stunned.

The Thunder Down Under Award has to go to James Harden. I know, Kevin Durant had a great game, and Jeff Green helped us out of a jam towards the end of the first, but James Harden had an essential 7 points at the beginning of the fourth, and he has an insanely high plus/minus ratio (+19). He ended up with 14 Points, 3 Rebounds, and 8 Assists, which is the stat line that we all hope to see more often from this man.

The Thunder Blunder was, well....Shaun Livingston. I know he did an admirable job, but he's just about the only guy who put up a whole lot of zeros on this night. Hey, somebody has to win it! 2 Assists, 2 Blocks, and 2 Fouls in 20 Minutes recap his night.

Ben Wallace did help the Pistons out a lot defensively, but his defense didn't help a whole lot in the fourth. He did do a good job, and would get a Thunder Plunderer Down Under award if there was one, but the award has to go to Rodney Stuckey. The guy simply was the Pistons tonight. He's no Point Guard, and he's probably less valuable than Ben Gordon, Tayshaun Prince, Rip Hamilton and Ben Wallace. But through all of the injuries, he's been a nice shred of consistency for the Pistons. A season high 31 Points, 5 Rebounds, and 3 Assists in 37 minutes complete his superb outing.

Next Game: At the Rockets, Saturday, December 19th, 7PM CST

Game 25 Preview: Oklahoma City vs. Detroit

Zorgon — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 22:13:00 -0000

More photos » by Duane Burleson - AP

Kevin Durant won't get to shy away from Ben Gordon tonight, because he's injured! Instead, he'll have to deal with the ferocious Chucky Atkins.

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This also counts as an open thread, so feel free to post your thoughts during the game here.

Time: 7 PM Central Standard Time

Place: The Ford Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

TV: Fox Sports Oklahoma, Fox Sports Detroit

Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1)

Enemy Blog(s): Motown String Music, Need 4 Sheed, Detroit 4 Lyfe

Backstory: Detroit is one of the league's enigmas. At times, they look like a quality team, able to put up wins against strong opponents like Orlando, Atlanta, and Denver. At other times, they drop a bunch of stinkers, losing to teams like Chicago or Toronto. Still, there is some reasoning for it, as Rip Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, and Ben Gordon will all be gone tonight, and the Pistons have been battling injuries all season. Without those 3 players, I really can't see them beating us tonight, so I'm ready to throw out the celebration stuff.

And we all know the Thunder's story. They've been sliding because they've faced 3 of the leagues top 5 teams, and none of us want to see them slide below .500 and get into the muck of the West. Kevin Ollie is out through December, Kyle Weaver is out through March.

Matchups:

Center: Nenad Krstic vs. Ben Wallace

Last time, Nenad Krstic was able to break out for a decent game against the slow-footed Ben Wallace, and I don't expect this time to be any different.

Power Forward: Jeff Green vs. Jason Maxiell

When Jeff Green was faced Charlie Villanueva, he put up good numbers. But, this time, he'll have to face Jason Maxiell, and I think he'll have below-average numbers for yet another game.

Small Forward: Kevin Durant vs. Jonas Jerebko

That's right, Jonas Jerebko, a 2nd rounder the Pistons decided to use on the court. He strikes me as a European style forward, able to shoot and rebound, but not really able to get very gritty offensively or defensively. That being said, I've never seen him play, so I can only infer from the statistics. Still, Kevin Durant will undoubtedly have a better game, unless Jerebko is concealing a secret weapon that I know nothing about.

Shooting Guard: Thabo Sefolosha vs. Rodney Stuckey

Thabo normally closes out on scorers well, but last time, he had some trouble with Ben Gordon. And I have reason to believe that he'll have trouble guarding someone with the scoring style of Stuckey. So expect Stuckey to out do Sefolosha in every area of the stat sheet.

Point Guard: Russell Westbrook vs. Chucky Atkins

Yeah. Remember that ill-used guard we had last year? The one that was only good for shooting 3s? Well, he's starting for the Pistons now. Still, he is a decent scorer, so expect him to score around 10 while providing no defense whatsoever. This should open the way to a much better Russell Westbrook performance than last time.

Battle of the Benches:

Villanueva, Daye, Bynum, and Wilcox. Am I mistaken, or is that lineup far better than their starters? In any case, I'd say our benches are about even. We all have ample reserves for each position, and we're both missing a couple of guards.

Coaching and Intangibles:

Both teams have been on losing streaks, and both are well rested. I'll have to give it to the Thunder, because they're at home.

Bottom Line:

There is absolutely no reason we should lose this game. The Pistons are without their 3 best players, and they have to resort to secondary scorers and some of the Thunder's scrubs from last year in order to survive. We have the advantage at virtually every position. Let me say it again....we better not lose this game.

Prediction: Oklahoma City 95, Detroit 88

How do you think the game will go? Vote in the Poll!

And, again, feel free to drop any comments you might have during, before, or after the game below. I'll be in the Ford Center cheering the team on, but I'll be back to write a recap later tonight. Go Thunder!

Poll

Who's going to win tonight?

Loud Links: 12|16|09

daddydai — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 00:24:48 -0000

More photos » by Michael Dwyer - AP

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2009-2010 Hollinger Projections - All Players - ESPN
[Guys we have a new superstar on our hands. Just click the link above and see how Hollinger's numbers put Kyle Weaver above the league's creme de la creme.] The rookie swingman was a poor man's Thabo Sefolosha, showing an ability to defend and handle the ball but displaying an iffy shooting stroke and generally poor offensive instincts. Weaver wasn't half-bad shooting on the rare occasions he launched, hitting 34.4 percent on 3s and 47.7 percent on long 2s, and he made a stellar 59.6 percent in the immediate basket area. But too often he was a wallflower -- only two shooting guards had a lower Usage Rate and he averaged just 10.2 points per 40 minutes. Additionally, for a guy who spotted up for his rare shot opportunities, he was shockingly turnover prone. Weaver's turnover ratio was the third-worst among shooting guards; normally guys like this are in the top ten because they're required to do so little. Although he seemed a good ball handler, his pure point rating also was poor, coming in at 44th at the position.

Livingston Keeps Moving Forward Without Looking Back -- NBA FanHouse
[It is great to see Shaun Livingston get more playing time. Doesn't Jamario Moon and Shaun look like brothers? I hope Shaun gets those hops back.] "There's certainly things that I lack athletically,'' said Livingston, comparing himself to before the injury, when he was averaging 9.3 points for the 2006-07 Clippers and appeared well on his way to being a fine NBA player after being taken with the No. 4 pick in 2004 directly from high school. "Speed and quickness and the initial burst and a maybe a little bit of jumping. But I'll sacrifice a little bit of that just to be able to play the game. I can still play in this league and make a difference.''

Just seeing Livingston on the court serves as an inspiration to his teammates. Forward Nick Collison said he's "really impressed with him with all that he's been through.'' Ollie feels likewise. "To see him being out there playing, you look at a guy who has persevered and gotten through certain things in his career, and he's not given up,'' Ollie said. "That fires up everybody when you see a player who's going through those things and you know he's a better person for it . ... He's continuing to bounce back and continuing to fight and hopefully he'll have success this season and beyond and get back to the position he wants to be.''

Biggest Story of the Year? SI.com
So as not to bring out the big storylines yet, I'm going to say the Thunder's being above .500. Generally, a young team with one dominant scorer -- Kevin Durant, at 28.3 points per game, is averaging 12 more than the second-highest scorer, Russell Westbrook -- equates to a struggling team. But there the Thunder stand, just one game out of a playoff spot, even as people in Seattle remain angry about a franchise that was hijacked from under them. But "quarter pole" should be in boldface -- it's really early.

Sweat Equity: Arinze Onuaku's path to 1,000 points | Orange Basketball Blog - syracuse.com
[Etan's record in Syracuse is being threatened.] In the past 20 years, 24 players have reached the 1,000-point mark at Syracuse. Of those two dozen, only three were true centers — Otis Hill (1,416 points) and Etan Thomas (1,340)."Over the years, the guards do most of the scoring," said Onuaku. "You have to have the mentality that if you get the ball in scoring position, you have to take advantage of that and you’re going to score." Onuaku’s done that. He reached 1,000 points despite the fact that he’s never taken a 3-point shot. In fact, one could probably count on one hand the number of shots he’s taken outside the free-throw lane. But once Onuaku establishes position close to the basket, he’s nearly unstoppable. He is Syracuse’s career leader in field-goal percentage. His career percentage of 64.3 represents a Bob Beamon-esq leap beyond former leader Etan Thomas’ mark of 60 percent.

CavsHQ Running Thoughts - Cavs v. Thunder - 12/13/09 | CavsHQ - cleveland.com - cleveland.com
[I really need to start giving Krstic more respect.] Shaquille O'Neal looked good on Friday against Joel Pryzbilla, which is why it was a surprise that he would struggle mightily against Nenad Krstic. Shaq had 5 fouls and 3 turnovers in just over 18 minutes of play, and was once again pretty insignificant out there. While Shaq does give the Cavs a consistent plan of attack in the halfcourt, it would be better if that plan was working better.

Thunder notebook: Star search | NewsOK.com
ESPN.com’s John Hollinger, whose computer ratings were plugged in and the rest of the season was played out 5,000 times, attended Monday’s game in Denver. His reaction to his rankings predicting OKC will finish 48-34 and earn the No. 5 seed in the West? "It often changes because there’s so much water that has to go under the bridge," Hollinger said. "You can’t predict injuries or trades. The computer builds in some of that, but can’t (predict injuries). Their blowout win (at home) over Orlando really helped them." Hollinger said fans, coaches and players usually are more emotional about PER (Player Efficiency Ratings) than playoff predictions. In Hollinger’s updated future Power Rankings on Tuesday — projections for the next three seasons after the current 2009-10 season — Hollinger moved Oklahoma City up one spot to third.

Game 24 Preview: Oklahoma City vs. Dallas

Zorgon — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 22:03:40 -0000

More photos » by Tony Gutierrez - AP

Hey man! Easy!

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This also counts as an open thread, so feel free to post your thoughts during the game here.

Time: 7:00 PM Central Standard Time

Place: The Ford Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

TV: KSBI-TV, Fox Sports Southwest, ESPN

Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1)

Enemy Blog(s): Mavs Moneyball, That Two Man Game

Backstory: As a team that's not even one and a half years old, we don't have many rivalries. In fact, to fans in Oklahoma City, I'd say we have 0 rivalries. The only time they'll take a game seriously is when the team we're facing is really good, or when the Thunder are on National TV. To fans nationally, the thunder might have a rivalry going with the TrailBlazers, but to fans in Oklahoma City, the rivalry is irrelevant. In fact, I don't think I can even remember the games against the TrailBlazers, except through a recap I read.

But I think the closest we're getting to a rivalry is the one with our neighbors to the South, the Dallas Mavericks. Some were gunning for a Denver rivalry, but after last nights snorefest combined with the fact that only one game was really good makes for a dud of a rivalry. The Mavericks, on the other hand, have provided an entertaining game every time we've met them. Our first game against them was a close loss, which was one of the first indications that last season's Thunder weren't going to be the worst team in NBA history. Then, we had a close overtime loss in Dallas, and finally, a victory in Oklahoma City through a rally of some of our worst players. No Green? No Durant? No problem, just have Kyle Weaver go off on them!

But, this season, the games actually have meaning for both teams. We are both gunning for good seeds in the Western playoffs. The Mavericks have been doing a lot better, but what's to say that we don't already have their number? The players may have changed, but the coach and the strategy is the same.

Below: Matchups, Prediction

Matchups:

Center: Nenad Krstic vs. Erick Dampier

Erick Dampier isn't as young as he used to be. In fact, he's at the ripe old age of 34. But he's always proved to be the perfect compliment to Dirk Nowitski. Whereas Dirk is focused on offense, Dampier provides the yin to his yang by focusing on defense and inside battles. Even though he's facing a light weight in Nenad Krstic, I wouldn't expect Dampier to go above 15 Points or so, though. You can only set up so many plays for him, but expect him to really own the rebounding department,

Power Forward: Jeff Green vs. Dirk Nowitski

Jeff Green has never done well against big players, but Dirk Nowitski isn't your typical 7 footer. He'll get the same numbers as Dwight Howard, sure. But he'll do it through sheer size and outside shooting prowess, rather than bullying his way into dunks. This might open up opportunities for Jeff Greens quickness to outclass Dirk offensively, but I still wouldn't bet on a big game from him. The Dallas frontcourt wins by a longshot.

Small Forward: Kevin Durant vs. Shawn Marion

Shawn Marion is your typical above-average small forward. He'll get you just over 12 points, grab a couple of rebounds, and dish an assist. But he's no match for Durant. He'll produce his usual game offensively, but Durant will put up far better numbers.

Shooting Guard: Thabo Sefolosha vs. Jose Juan Barea

Jose Juan Barea is the only member of the Mavericks starting five to not have played pro-basketball in the 90s. Still, that doesn't make him any worse than his counterparts. He's known as a quick combo guard who can light it up on occasion for bunches of points. Unfortunately for him, he's going up against one of the best defenders in the NBA, and he won't have much success.

Point Guard: Russell Westbrook vs. Jason Kidd

This isn't your father's Jason Kidd. He can't defend or score as well as he used to, but, luckily for the Mavericks, his lightning quick passing skills and his ability to rebound are still there. He'll definitely out-assist Westbrook tonight, but I have a feeling Westbrook will put more points on him. It should be interesting to see the old guard vs. the new.

Battle of the Benches:

The Mavericks, as always, have an incredibly deep and talented bench, including the likes of Drew Gooden, Jason Terry, and Rodrigue Beaubois, who is way better and awesomer than B.J. Mullens. Since we're still without a Point Guard, I'll give them the win here.

Coaching and Intangibles:

Both teams are equally rested and have almost their full roster intact, but the Mavericks are at home, so they have the advantage.

Bottom Line:

This is the last game of the "Deadly Trio" that we lined up, with games against the Cavaliers and the Nuggets prior. If we can win this one, I'd say it was a successful 3 game stretch. But if we can't dial the Mavericks number again tonight, I'll have serious doubts about our playoff chances. And yes, I said the P-Word! If the Thunder can get some production out of Green and make sure Westbrook doesn't put up too many bad shots, I'd say we have a good shot at winning this thing.

Prediction: Oklahoma City 112, Dallas 110 (OT)

How do you think the game will go? Vote in the Poll!

And, again, feel free to drop any comments you might have during, before, or after the game below. I'll be in the Ford Center cheering the teams on, but I'll be back to write a recap later tonight. Go Thunder!

Poll

Who's going to win tonight?

Game 23 Recap: Denver 102, Oklahoma City 93

Zorgon — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 20:56:58 -0000

More photos » by David Zalubowski - AP

Serge Ibaka may have a name that is just as cool as Nene's, but he can only dream of similarly awesome dreadlocks.

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Well, what is there to say about this game?

After the second quarter, this game was over. Sure, the game might have still been statistically in reach, but it wasn't realistically in reach. The Thunder couldn't hit a 3 pointer if their life depended on it, and 39% from the field doesn't exactly cut it either. It just reminded us of the painful fact that we have no shooters, and that almost all of our scoring come from right next to the basket and from the line.

Below: Analysis, Awards (I promise, they're lengthy!)

First, let me just say that defensively, we did everything right. We limited them to 40% from the field and 29% from the 3 Point line. Heck, we even equaled them in total rebounding. So, what was the problem, you may ask? Well, it all comes down to turnovers and free throws. They had 9 more attempts than us at the line (totaling up to 5 more points), and they had 3 less turnovers. The second quarter collapse didn't help either. You can play with a team for three quarters if you want, but you can't completely collapse against them in one and expect to win. This game was almost like the Cleveland loss, except the collapse here came in the 2nd, rather than in the 4th.

Yet again, the Thunder Wonder for this game is Kevin Durant. 32 Points, 10 Rebounds, and a better performance than Carmelo Anthony is all that I have to say. The Thunder Down Under is Nick Collison, who really battled down low and helped us stay in this game. He was a big part of the first and fourth quarter runs. 14 Points, 5 Rebounds, and a whole lot of ammo for the cannons that declare him as the starter for this team. There might be something I'm missing, but Nenad Krstic has proved to be totally worthless against anything but immobile or European Centers offensively, and he doesn't provide much in the way of defense or rebounds. Sure, he can clear the lane and set picks all day, but couldn't Nick Collison do that while also providing something offensively and defensively? Look, I used to sit next to Krstic's friends, great people, and Krstic is a great guy. In fact, he'd probably be the guy who's jersey I'd be out to get next. But until he can prove that he can perform better than Nick Collison on a consistent basis, it's my recommendation that this 15 million dollar man sits on the bench.

The Thunder Blunder, however, is not Nenad Krstic. Rather, I'm turning to the Point Guard situation and Russell Westbrook. It's games like these that make me really miss Kevin Ollie. Now, before the fingers of hate start pointing at me, let me just say that I'm not in the Jim Traber camp which claims that Russell Westbrook will never be a "true" point guard. But, I'm also not in the camp of "Russell Westbrook is the greatest Point Guard Ever, let's put him in the All-Star Game". I'm somewhere in-between. I think that he's learning. Some nights, he'll be one of the most unselfish players on the court, throwing out 10 assists while hardly scoring at all. Some nights, he'll score really well, while dishing out few assists. Then, there's nights like these, where his scoring will be mediocre, and his assists will be below par. It's on nights like these we lose, and it's also on nights like these where I miss Kevin Ollie. I mean, how many times to I have to see Russell Westbrook just dribble down to the post and brick a layup? He's starting to look like Kyle Weaver offensively. And I know he had 14, but 5 of his points were in complete garbage time at the very end of the game. I'm not saying Kevin Ollie is better than Russell Westbrook by any means, I'm just saying that he brings stability to the offense in the middle of the game. He only shoots it if he knows he's open, and he triggers excellent ball movement amongst the team. Shaun Livingston will just go out there and copy Russell Westbrook's game. But I think it's helpful to have both Ollie and Westbrook, and I think Westbrook will have less of these games as time goes on. Unfortunately, for now, he's the Thunder Blunder.

And finally, on the Nuggets side of things, it was business as usual. Though Aaron Affalo and Kenyon Martin were shut down by Thabo Sefolosha and Jeff Green respectively, they still got a huge surge of scoring off of the bench via Chris "The Birdman" Andersen and J.R. Smith, who both combined for 34 points. Talk about former Hornets coming back to bite you. But the best performance of the day, and the Thunder Plunderer Award, is reserved for Carmelo Anthony, who had 31 Points, 5 Rebounds, and 2 Assists, all while shooting over 50%.

Next Game: Vs the Mavericks, Wednesday, December 16th, 7:00 PM Central Standard Time.