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As the string of easy games in January come to a close, it's nice to end that streak with a team like the Warriors. There were many entertaining baskets from start to finish, and we got to see a glimpse of what Nate Robinson can do when he's not glued to the bench.

The game was semi-equal early in the first, but from then on the Thunder held a pretty consistent lead. Golden State found success by looking for turnovers, but didn't have the size to challenge the Thunder at the rim. The Thunder scored pretty easily down low, and Serge Ibaka continued his offensive confidence from a few games back.

From the beginning, it was obvious that both teams were going to throw away possessions. The Thunder's two main ballhandlers were much bigger than their defenders, leaving them much more susceptible to steals. Not to mention the fact that the Warriors were constantly getting in the Thunder's passing lanes. On the other side, the Warriors throw the ball all over the court regardless of who they're playing, so they're bound to lose a few balls.

When the Warriors started falling behind, their only answer in the half-court offense seemed to be David Lee. You'd think he was finding success by luring Ibaka out to the mid-range and fading away, but he actually wasn't. He had better luck faking out Ibaka in the post and showing off a couple of fancy moves. Though he hasn't changed the face of the team, Lee is easily the best post player the Warriors have had in the past 10 years.

Below: Nate Robinson's Performance, Durant Domination, Perk's Technicals, More Analysis, Awards!

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What is your initial reaction to tonight's result?

It was yet another Warriors fourth quarter collapse. They managed to keep up with the Thunder all game, but they hit a shooting slump, committed a few turnovers, and the Thunder took full advantage. Oh yeah, and Kevin Durant is an AWESOME basketball player. If you didn't already know.

What was tonight's turning point?

With 5:43 to go in the fourth, the Warriors were down by 6. Bang, a Durant 3 off of the inbounds play. Bang, a missed Curry layup attempt. Bang, a Durant Ally-Oop. All of a sudden, the Thunder are up by 11.

What was, overall, the main reason the Thunder lost/won?

I'd chalk it up to the Warriors lack of a center. Andris Biedrins was in the doghouse because he can't play offense, which left the Warriors really thin down low. Rookie Jeremy Tyler actually saw significant minutes, but it didn't prevent the Thunder from getting to the line and into the post easily.

What's the key statistic to understanding tonight's game?

19 Offensive Rebounds. The Thunder's offense really stalled out at some points, and was resorting to isolation plays on every trip down the floor. But the offensive rebounds the Thunder were able to get kept them alive.

What does this game mean for the Thunder today and moving forward?

It doesn't really reveal anything new, as the Thunder have had offensive flow and turnover problems. But it shows their ability to dominate a game when they need to and not fall victim to a trap game. It also lets us keep the best record in the NBA!

Thunder Wonder: Kevin Durant, 37 Points, 13 Rebounds, 3 Assists

Thunder Down Under: Russell Westbrook, 28 Points, 6 Rebounds, 11 Assists, 7 Steals

Thunder Blunder: Kendrick Perkins, for another stupid technical foul.

Thunder Plunderer: Dorell Wright, 23 Points, 9 Rebounds, 5 Assists, 2 Steals

Next Game: At the Los Angeles Clippers, Monday, January 30th, 9:30 PM Central Standard Time

Nope, because the Golden State Warriors are still terrible. After the departure of the "We Believe" era players, management made a few power plays, locking up certain players to long term contracts, thinking that the players would develop and spur them to greatness.

It didn't. In fact, about the only thing that's gone right for the Warriors in the past year or so has been an ownership change, from the stingy Chris Cohan to the winning-committed Joe Lacob and Peter Guber. They've made some radical moves so far, like bringing in TV Analyst Mark Jackson as their new head coach, effectively ending the Don Nelson era in Golden State.

But don't let any of the information above sway you into thinking that this is an easy game. Despite their flaws, the Warriors have some serious wins under their belt, having defeated the Bulls, Heat, and Trail Blazers this season.

What's up with that? Why have the Warriors fared well against some good opponents, but hit the dirt against others?

There's several possible explanations. One might chalk it up to the Warriors horrible play at center, as position that is currently anchored down by the shells of Andris Biedrins and Kwame Brown. While the Warriors have been dominated by Howard and Monroe down low, they've also held guys like Roy Hibbert, Joakim Noah, and Marc Gasol to below their averages.

Could it be their fast-break style? Not really, because Mark Jackson doesn't play the fast break game anymore. The Warriors still rank high in threes attempted and steals, but that's only because their play centers around their guards.

In truth, I think the reason is maddening inconsistency. The Warriors are prone to totally collapse during certain points of the game. Since their style of play relies so much on long range shooting, some nights can be really good for them, but others can be really, really bad. They also rely on different players every night, with 5 guys averaging over 10 points yet still capable of scoring in the single digits.

If the Thunder want to win this game, they'll have to wait for the slump. And when it comes, they need to take advantage, because the Warriors will recover within a few minutes of play and likely re-equalize the game. The Thunder will also have to be careful to keep their offense rolling in the final minutes, as they don't want a repeat of the last time they played the Warriors.

But I'm predicting the Thunder to lose here. The Thunder don't have a legitimate threat at center, and the Thunder have a legitimate Turnover problem, something that the Warriors will eat up right away. Additionally, Serge Ibaka is prone to give up a lot of offensive boards, something that David Lee will eat right up. Lastly, Ellis and Curry have had no problem scoring against the Thunder in the past, and I don't think today will be any different. Oh, and Nate Robinson will be looking for revenge after all of that bench time we put him through.

Prediction: Golden State 107, Oklahoma City 105

Yahoo! Sports Box Score:

The Thunder fought through turnovers and scoring in lots of unexpected places, but they knew what they had to do to get the W. The Hornets were definitely a formidable match, but they couldn't get points when it mattered the most. I know, it's pretty much the story of their entire season, but it couldn't have rung more true tonight.

Early on, the Thunder were consistently getting inside, and dominating the rebounding game. They did a good job of establishing their dominance early on, and always leaving the lead just out of the Hornets' reach. Serge Ibaka had a particularly impressive quarter, as he dominated the soft Jason Smith and the undersized Carl Landry down low. His offense hadn't really evolved, but he was using the couple plays that worked for him (dunks and cuts). He hit one mid-range shot, but he's not ready to be a full part of our offense yet. I know that Ayon had an impressive game, but the Hornets could have really used Kaman to man up against Ibaka tonight. Kaman was out for a "non-injury related" reason, which could mean he had personal issues....or that he's about to be traded. Only time will tell.

Kendrick Perkins kept Emeka Okafor adequately out of the paint, but Okafor wasn't planning on getting to the rim. Rather, he out-witted Perk with some 7-10 foot shots that Perk just wasn't ready for.

On the other end, Jarrett Jack did a good job of keeping his offense going. Again, he wasn't wowing the Thunder with highlight reel plays like a certain other Hornets point guard would have, but he hit some really nice jumpers. Defensively, Jack shut down Westbrook, but not on his own.

As told to me by J.A. Sherman, the Hornets employed a "delayed trap" on Westbrook that worked for Dallas in the playoffs last year. Basically, they'd give him room in order to make him think the defense was breaking down, but then trap him late in order to not let him get to the basket and give him no options for passing the ball out. The tactic worked well, leading to some embarrassing moments for Westbrook. He fell short on one dunk attempt, clanked another off of the rim, and had another straight up blocked by Trevor Ariza. But, Westbrook was out of control in other areas of the game as well. He lost the ball out of bounds twice, pretty much did it a third time with a horrible bounce pass to Serge Ibaka inside. Additionally, he was a bit too audacious on the fast break, and lost the handle a couple of times.

Below: Westbrook's Resurrection, The Hornets' Offensive Production, Some Amazing Sequences, More Analysis, Awards!

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What is your initial reaction to tonight's result?

The outcome was never too seriously in doubt, but this was still a fun game to watch. After a blowout and two defensive grinds, this game provided some genuine back and forth scoring action. Russell Westbrook was a blast to watch, as he willed himself to recover from a horrible start and proved his own worth.

What was tonight's turning point?

The Thunder never gave up the lead in this game, but the Hornets made their most serious run in the early fourth. Al-Farouq Aminu hit a tough shot at the end of the third to get them within 7, and then Gustavo Ayon started out the fourth quarter on a tear. Carl Landry continued the roll for New Orleans by getting to the line, eventually tieing the game. Westbrook responded. Ayon responded with a jumper, but Westbrook fired right back. The Hornets then turned to Grievis Vasquez, who couldn't penetrate the Thunder's defense. Harden had another layup, and the Thunder's lead gradually increased from there. There wasn't any "defining moment", but it was still an entertaining sequence to watch.

What was, overall, the main reason the Thunder lost/won?

Talent. There were times that Kevin Durant would just fly by the Hornets' defense. Serge Ibaka had quite the game in the first half because the Hornets simply couldn't compete with his athleticism down low. The Hornets got some solid scoring from off of the bench, but the guys they needed to produce in the starting lineup, namely Bellinelli and Ariza, came out flat tonight.

What's the key statistic to understanding tonight's game?

21 Turnovers by the Thunder. That's the only real reason the game came into question at all tonight. The Thunder had no trouble scoring....when the ball was in their hands, that is. Westbrook got way too out of control in the third quarter, taking really long threes, getting blocked, and nearly airballing a dunk. He adequately recovered, but his turnovers were a big part of the Hornets' run.

What does this game mean for the Thunder today and moving forward?

The win re-affirms the Thunder's renewed offense and gives them a bit of confidence in rebounding. However, it also brings up the age-old problem of turnovers and Westbrook's tendency to get a bit too Wild N' Out. It also keeps them a half a game back of the NBA's best record, and moves them 2.5 games ahead of Denver for the Western Conference and Northwest Division lead.

Thunder Wonder: Kevin Durant, 25 Points, 7 Rebounds, 4 Assists, 2 Steals, 3 Blocks

Thunder Down Under: Serge Ibaka, 14 Points, 7 Rebounds, 2 Blocks

Thunder Blunder: Thabo Sefolosha, for going 1-6 from the field.

Thunder Plunderer: Jarrett Jack, for overcoming the defense of Westbrook and making some shots he wasn't supposed to.

Next Game: At the Golden State Warriors, Friday, January 27th, 9:30 PM Central Standard Time

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When the things that stick out in my mind were awesome Thunder plays on the fast break, Pistons shot clock violations, and Lazar Hayward airballing a three, you know it had to have been a good game.

From start to finish, it was an all-out Thunder triumph. Westbrook and Durant were handling the ball like Greek Gods with golden hands in the first. The ball went exactly where they wanted it to go, and the Pistons were massively overmatched. Knight and Stuckey weren't quick enough or big enough to deal with Westbrook, and Durant was manhandling Prince despite his long arms.

The Pistons offense was staggered at best. In the half-court, they'd try to pass it to Greg Monroe, but Kendrick Perkins did an excellent job of keeping him out of the paint. It looked like he was always just a foot too far away from where he needed to be, and it really screwed up his shot mechanics. As a result, we didn't need to double team him, eliminating the threat of Maxiell and Wallace in the lane.

The Pistons' plays mostly consisted of dumping the ball in the post or rotating it around the perimeter. Since there was no one to double-team and the Thunder didn't play in a zone, the Pistons couldn't exactly find a player open on the perimeter, much less in rhythm. Sometimes, the Pistons would run a pick play, but they would always seem to run right back into the defense. The only area they found any extended success was when they could push the pace or get an offensive board and take advantage of some defensive confusion.

At times, the Pistons looked really demoralized as well. Ibaka straight up missed two layups near the basket, with no Thunder players around him. He managed to rebound the both while surrounded by three or four Pistons and score on the third attempt. There's getting outsized, and then there's just not trying. That situation falls under the latter.

Below: More Analysis, Awards!

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What is your initial reaction to tonight's result?

Excellent! Tonight was an easy, easy win. The game was pretty much over from the moment it started, with the Thunder dominating offensively, and locking down the paint defensively. The Thunder exploited one-on-one mismatches constantly, and Detroit frequently resorted to bad threes or well-covered drives.

What was tonight's turning point?

There was no turning point per se. But with 4:31 to go in the third, the Pistons got within 19 on Tayshaun Prince jumper. Durant immediately responded with a turnaround jumper in Prince's face, and it just got worse for the Pistons from there. At that point, all hope of a comeback had been shot.

What was, overall, the main reason the Thunder lost/won?

Offensive ball movement. Early on, Durant and Westbrook were tag teaming with the ball, finding ways to get themselves to high percentage shots. Later, Reggie Jackson did an excellent job of running the offense, actually handling the ball and gaining a "sixth sense" of where other players were on the floor. Lastly, the Thunder continually found guys open on the perimeter, leading to some easy scores.

What's the key statistic to understanding tonight's game?

53% shooting from the field, which shows just how easily the Thunder were knocking the shots down tonight.

What does this game mean for the Thunder today and moving forward?

The win moves the Thunder to 14-3. With Chicago's win over the Nets tonight, it keeps the Thunder a half a game behind the NBA's best record. Denver remains 1.5 games back for the Conference and division lead. This win also gives the Thunder some offensive and rebounding confidence that they'll need moving forward.

Thunder Wonder: James Harden, 24 Points, 5 Rebounds, 4 Assists

Thunder Down Under: Russell Westbrook, 24 Points, 5 Rebounds, 6 Assists

Thunder Blunder: Serge Ibaka, 3-10 Shooting

Thunder Plunderer: Tayshaun Prince, 9 Points, 2 Rebounds, 3 Assists, 1 Steal

Next Game: Versus the New Orleans Hornets, Wednesday, January 25th, 7PM Central Standard Time

GameThread at 7, be there!

Records: Oklahoma City Thunder (13-3) vs Detroit Pistons (4-13)

Time: 7:00 PM Central Standard Time

Place: Chesapeake Energy Arena Seasoned by Zatarains, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

TV: Fox Sports Network Oklahoma, Fox Sports Network Detroit

Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1), 97.1 FM The Ticket Detroit Sports Talk All Day

Enemy Blog(s): Detroit Bad Boys, Need4Sheed, Piston Powered

Over the last couple of weeks, the Thunder have had a "break period" of sorts. All of our opponents have had records under .500, and there's been only one back to back. The team has had plenty of rest, and appear to be getting through their schedule relatively easily.

The rest of January has a similarly relaxing schedule, and that stretch continues tonight against the lowly Pistons. The Pistons are a part of that "lower half" of the East that nobody really gives a second look. They usually consist of a few undeveloped young players, a few over the hill guys, and a bunch of role players. Now, if you don't pay attention to them they can make you pay, as the Wizards did to the Thunder a few days ago. But they usually are stuck in rebuilding mode, unable to make the pieces fit and find defined roles for their players.

The Pistons, much like the Nets, are a team that can kill you from outside. Pretty much everybody on their team, save for Monroe, Wallace, and Maxiell, can shoot the three relatively well. Still, other than Gordon, they don't have anybody who can shoot well from beyond the arc while being well covered, so as long as the Thunder can stay vigilant on the perimeter, it shouldn't be a problem.

However, if Rodney Stuckey and Brandon Knight can have their way driving into the lane and scoring in transition, then the Thunder could be in some real trouble. They don't drive and get fouled in the sense of Russell Westbrook or Baron Davis, but they are excellent at finding seams that lead to easy scores, especially through a zone defense. Additionally, Greg Monroe can be an effective half-court set player, especially when he plays against teams that can't double-team him effectively. The Thunder should be able to contain him relatively well, but if we get too distracted by the outside shots of guys like Austin Daye, he could have an excellent game.

It's no secret that the Thunder have had some issues over the past couple of games, and tonight should serve as an excellent litmus test for those problems. First of all, the Detroit Pistons are dead last in the league in defensive boards, and rebounds overall. If the Thunder start giving this team repeat offensive opportunities, then we know we have a real problem. Additionally, the Pistons have a pretty middle-of-the-road defense as far as the NBA is concerned. The Thunder can be prone to bad nights offensively, but if they continue to have problems tonight, particularly with the second unit, I'll start getting a bit more worried.

All in all, it should be an entertaining game. There should be a lot of transition, a lot of hawked up threes, and a lot of Ben Wallace. Well, at least some Ben Wallace. Here's hoping for a classy victory.

Prediction: Oklahoma City 98, Detroit 92

Yahoo! Sports Box Score:

Man, this game was another strange one. It seems that the scouting reports on the Thunder tell other teams to constantly get in our passing lanes and try to force turnovers. And even though there were tons of loose balls tonight, the Thunder actually did better than their season average when it comes to turnovers, and they always seemed to recover the ball.

Early on, the Thunder were actually doing a good job of correcting their past errors. They had 7 offensive rebounds in the first 9 minutes, and the offense was moving well, with all parties getting involved. Westbrook found the spots on the floor he wanted, and the lane was wide open for business. Were it not for a last second Anthony Morrow four point play, the Thunder would have gone into the second quarter with a 14 point lead.

But the good offense pretty much ended there. The second unit came in, and they had no Ubuntu. James Harden basically carried them offensively, but he was mostly scoring for himself. Nobody was there to give opportunities to Cook, Collison, or Mohammed, all of whom need to be set up on offense. Reggie Jackson was running the point, but he seemed really unsure of himself. He almost passed on an open three, but after he took the shot and made it, he missed a couple more open attempts. He was working as a wingman for Harden on offense, but his offensive repertoire was more limited than Eric Maynor's. He seemingly had no mid-range shot, and he had no desire to drive the lane unless he was already halfway there. At times, Nazr Mohammed was actually barking out instructions on how to run the offense.

I know rookie bashing is kind of like shooting fish in a barrel, but my intent isn't to talk about how horrible Reggie is. He's a rookie, he'll soon learn our offensive system, become a part of the offensive flow, and know what shots he can and can't make. All I'm trying to say with this is that James Harden can't be the on-ball guy all the time. He's got to have pressure taken off of him, and that's what we're hoping Reggie Jackson can do in the future.

Below: Excellent Defense, Terrible Offense, More Analysis, Awards!

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What is your initial reaction to tonight's result?

It's nice to get a win, but did this game really have to be as close as it was? I mean, a complete defensive shutdown of the Nets is one thing, but our pithy offensive game wasn't much to see tonight. The only times I felt our offense was clicking on all cylinders was when we were getting out in transition or taking advantage of the Nets' lack of size down low. The Nets constantly got in our passing lanes, and ball movement in our second unit was staggered, at best.

What was tonight's turning point?

The Thunder were at a constant 10 point lead, so there was no real turning point. But the point when the Nets lost all hope of a comeback probably came with 1:52 to go in the fourth, when a Stevenson three was responded to with a Westbrook jumper.

What was, overall, the main reason the Thunder lost/won?

Some excellent defense overall. The Nets really had trouble finding success inside because of their lack of size. Mehmet Okur was hardly a part of the offense at all, and Shelden Williams can't be counted on for much. The result was basically Kris Humphries trying to score in the post on his own, while everyone else shot threes. Deron Williams did a good job of finding players in the right spots, but the Nets players were almost always covered inside the arc.

What's the key statistic to understanding tonight's game?

The Nets shot 13% from beyond the arc on 23 attempts. A lot of the threes they took were wide open or pop shots in transition. It just seems that nothing was destined to fall.

What does this game mean for the Thunder today and moving forward?

We move to 13-3, and are a half a game behind the Bulls for first place in the NBA. We are 1.5 games ahead of Denver in the Western Conference and the Northwest Division. It also raises some serious questions about our offense, and whether we can compete with a team that can actually break through our defense in the doldrums of the second and third quarter.

Thunder Wonder: Kevin Durant, for his rebounds. Yeah, I'm a grinch, but he had as many rebounds as Perk and Ibaka combined, and more defensive rebounds than all of the Thunder big men combined.

Thunder Down Under: James Harden, for basically carrying our second unit.

Thunder Blunder: Serge Ibaka, who hasn't been an offensive threat since the Devon Tower topped out.

Thunder Plunderer: Deron Williams, for initiating what little offensive ball movement the Nets had.

Next Game: Versus the Detroit Pistons, Monday, January 23rd, 7 PM Central Standard Time

GameThread at 7, be there!

Records: Oklahoma City Thunder (12-3) vs New Jersey Nets (4-11)

Time: 7:00 PM Central Standard Time

Place: The Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey

TV: Fox Sports Network Oklahoma, Yankees Entertainment and Sports Network

Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1), WFAN 660 AM

Enemy Blog(s): NetsDaily, Nets Are Scorching, Brooklyn Bound

The Thunder have had time to sleep, eat, and get prepared for tonight's matchup against the Nets. Meanwhile, Russell Westbrook has been served a contract extension, and a loss against the league's worst team has the Thunder hungry to get back on track.

Much like the Wizards, the Nets sit deep in the doldrums of the East, languishing with a 4-11 record and a roster that meshes young and old talent that doesn't necessarily fit together. Unlike the Wizards, they have an established All-Star in Deron Williams, and face a imminent move to Brooklyn. They've had to play 10 of their first 15 Games on the road, and all of their losses but two come against teams over .500. Compounding their problems has been a slew of minor injuries. Only Anthony Morrow and Shelden Williams have played in all 15 games this season.

But, the most important question is, "How seriously do we take this team?" After the triple overtime madness we endured against them last season in New Jersey, it's easy to say that this team is a threat. But the Nets do have several factors going against them.

Below: Where the Nets Lack, Where the Nets Are Good, Four Players Named Williams?, Prediction!

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Since you're here, you probably know that Welcome to Loud City exists. And if you don't live under a rock, you probably know that Daily Thunder exists as well. But what about the smaller Thunder blogs, that might fly a little bit more under the radar? This is the second post in a two part series that takes a look at two smaller Thunder blogs that both offer something unique to the Thunder blog-o-sphere.

Today, we've brought in Alex R, who runs the nowthatsthunderbasketball blog over at nowthatsthunderbasketball.wordpress.com. You might know him as RicanThunder from the OKC Thunder Fans Forums, AlexR44 on Twitter, or as the Thunder correspondent for HoopsTalkNation. Much like Ed Kleese, his blogging incorporates general thoughts about the Thunder with personal stories. But, rather than Ed, he focuses moreso on broader Thunder issues rather than individual games, and he meshes in his stories with his analysis of the Thunder.

Here's an example taken from his most recent post, On the Road Again:

I'm a child of the late 80's / early 90's. It was during that time that I was in elementary school learning, as most of the world was, about computers. And, of course, the best way to learn is to interactively play games that also teach you about the subject matter. My favorite games to play on those old floppy-disc induced Apple computers was Oregon Trail.

....

You and your fellow settlers can die from a range of maladies from drowning to snake bites to dysentery. Needless to say, it is a game about the difficulties of being on the road.

....

Many teams in this young strike shortened season are probably looking at their road records and wondering whether the entire team is suffering from a bout of cholera. Of the 30 teams in the NBA, only 6 have a winning record on the road. While most teams struggle on the road in any given season, shortened or not, the upper echelon teams usually buck that trend and win wherever they play. Such has not been the case this season.

Much like Alex, I have fond memories of Oregon Trail, so it's a joy to see it incorporated into a story so smoothly. I messaged Alex a couple of days ago asking for an interview, which he kindly obliged. Here are his responses to my questions:

1. How did you get into blogging?

Initially it was just a bit of curiosity. I kept hearing about blogging and kept seeing people pop on the okcthunderfans.com forum promoting their blogs. Then I realized that we had a blog page on this site, so I asked Betts (the owner of the site) about posting on there. She gave me the keys to the car (blog), and I started blogging for the site. I would mostly do pre-game and post game stuff and then I would sprinkle in a couple personal pieces. Then I started doing research on getting my own blog site. That's when I created nowthatsthunderbasketball.wordpress.com, and I've been posting on their since.

2. There seem to be two approaches to running a blog: One involves writing like a journalist, and one involves writing with the voice of a fan. Which approach do your prefer? Or do you lie somewhere in the middle?

I think my style lies somewhere in the middle. I've never been a journalist. I've never received any formal training (outside of college English) for journalism. But, I think, over the years, I've developed my own voice and my own style of writing. Since I don't have objectivity holding me down, I think I mainly write as a fan, but I try to write in a journalistic style. I try to remain as objective as possible, but sometimes my Thunder-colored glasses won't allow me to see the obvious.

Below: The Rest of the Interview!

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Since you're here, you probably know that Welcome to Loud City exists. And if you don't live under a rock, you probably know that Daily Thunder exists as well. But what about the smaller Thunder blogs, that might fly a little bit more under the radar? This is the first post in a two part series that takes a look at two smaller Thunder blogs that both offer something unique to the Thunder blog-o-sphere.

First up is the Oklahoma City Thunder Blog at oklahomacitythunderblog.blogspot.com, run by Ed Kleese. His blog mainly consists of extended thoughts from each game the Thunder plays, sometimes intermixed with adages from his personal life and thoughts on the NBA in general. A couple of my favourite stories of his are below....

From Thunder Thoughts (Knicks 1/14):

10:45 a.m.: Leading up to today I told them I planned on taking them to Cracker Barrel prior to the OU game in Norman. As we left to get down there I told them I had some passes for free BBQ at the game; both immediately shot down this idea. It became very clear, very quickly that each had his heart set on Cracker Barrel. My Dad even told me he got online and decided what he was going to order late last week. I mean, seriously?

From Thunder Thoughts (Houston 1/6):

I knew I had two bullets in my chamber tonight and I didn't want to fire either of them too soon... Pizza and ice cream. ....

I think the score was 2-0 when I decided it was pizza time.

Of course, his blog contains excellent analysis as well, but some of the stories are too good not to share. I recently messaged Ed and asked him for an interview, which he kindly obliged. His responses to my questions are below.

1. How did you get into blogging?
I suppose it's because I'm too long winded for emails or message boards Since the early days of sports forums, I've enjoyed sharing thoughts and experiences with fellow fans, but found that some of my posts were a bit "formal" for the setting. I decided to start a general sports blog to post some of my more coherent or specific thoughts. Last year I had an email chain going with some friends that was Thunder-centric and it just made sense to have a place to put it all.

Below: More of the Interview!

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At the time, I didn't mind it too much. But if I had to go back and watch this game again, I think it would just be too painful. Not much was there for the Thunder tonight. Nobody got into scoring position other than Durant and Westbrook, and our second unit had no offensive direction.

The game started as you expected it would though. The Thunder were getting easy buckets, and killing Washington in transition. Their lead was as high as 9, and everything seemed to be going in the direction of a blowout. But even though Washington was only 2-14 on shooting at one point, they stayed competitive by drawing fouls. They forced nearly every Thunder player into foul trouble, and slowly worked their way back into the game.

During the second, the Wizards were doing a good job of moving the ball and finding the open man. Trevor Booker had a few open layups, as did other guys. Generally, the Wizards would give the ball to a guy in the post, isolate one of their swingmen on the wing, or have John Wall try something fancy. They had varying degrees of success and weren't excellent by any stretch, but they scored consistently enough to stay in the game without going on any huge runs.

The Thunder's second unit was dreadful, to say the least. Reggie Jackson had a couple of nice assists, but as I've said before, Harden functioned as the defacto PG. He didn't seem to know how to play within himself. As a result, he attempted some really difficult shots, and often found himself trapped in unpassable situations. And when Jackson didn't have the ball in his hands, he was pretty much ignored offensively, giving the Wizards reason to pressure Harden. However, our transition game kept us alive.

Below: Bad ball movement, the Wizards shooting themselves in the foot, some crazy final seconds, a hand of appreciation, more analysis, and awards!

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What is your initial reaction to tonight's result?

Did that really just happen? I'm not shocked that we lost, but the game was pretty bizarre on the whole. There wasn't very good ball control on either end, and the Wizards had a whopping 19 offensive rebounds. And there were points during the early 3rd and late fourth where the Wizards were continually shooting themselves in the foot, begging us to take the game. It seemed the Thunder just wanted a loss tonight.

What was tonight's turning point?

After Harden went 1 of 2 from the line with 3:46 to go in the fourth, Nick Young hit a really nasty three in the Thunder's face. This put the Wizards up by 5. There wasn't another score for three minutes, so it's kind of hard to tell at what point we thought the game was pretty much lost.

What was, overall, the main reason the Thunder lost/won?

Just some bad, bad play. There are individual statistics and players that you can point to, but sometimes you've got to resort to those tired old adages like "a lack of effort" and "the shots just weren't falling".

What's the key statistic to understanding tonight's game?

Defensive Rebounding, no question. The Wizards were getting so many free re-tries at the basket, it was ridiculous. They took 9 more shots than we did, and 11 more free throws.

What does this game mean for the Thunder today and moving forward?

It means we fall to 12-3, and no longer have the best record in the NBA. It also means that we have to work to recover our streak and keep our current lead over the others in the West alive. Because if we sink into the muddled middle, things could get ugly.

Thunder Wonder: Kevin Durant, who had terrible stats but basically fought us back into this game during the final seconds.

Thunder Down Under: Russell Westbrook, 37 Points, 14-26 Shooting, 8-9 FT, 5 Rebounds, 7 Assists

Thunder Blunder: Kevin Durant, who shot 2-10 from three and had 7 turnovers.

Thunder Plunderer: John Wall, 25 Points, 7 Rebounds, 8 Assists

Next Game: At the New Jersey Nets, Saturday, January 21st, 7 PM Central Standard Time

GameThread at 6, be there!

Records: Oklahoma City Thunder (12-2) vs Washington Wizards (1-12)

Time: 6:00 PM Central Standard Time

Place: The Verizon Center, Washington, District of Columbia

TV: Fox Sports Network Oklahoma, Comcast Sports Network Washington

Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1), WJFK Sportsradio 106.7 The Fan

Enemy Blog(s): Bullets Forever, Truth About It, Wizards Extreme

Going by records alone, this is the most lop-sided matchup that you can have in the NBA right now. The Thunder have the NBA's best record at 12-2 with a league leading 7 game winning streak. The Wizards, on the other hand, have the NBA's worst record at 1-12 and are in the midst of a dismal 4 game losing streak.

Is there a point to previewing this game? Well, I've been embarrassed by predicting a blowout when we played the Nets last year, and I won't let that happen again. So let's start out this preview by taking a look at what the Wizards are good at.

From the Bullets Forever Recap of the Wizards-Raptors Game:

One thing I noticed early was more weakside movement. On one play at the seven-minute mark, Chris Singleton cut through the middle on a JaVale McGee post up, preventing the Raptors from doubling McGee once he dribbled. McGee used that attention to make a strong up and under move on Andrea Bargnani for a layup. Weakside cutting is important even when the cutters don't get the ball because it occupies the defense long enough to give the man with the ball a better opportunity to catch his defender off-balanced.

I know, it looks like I was lazy and just copy/pasted the first thing in his recap. But this is important, because the Thunder are terrible at defending weakside movement. When an opposing player is in the post, the Thunder usually pressure him if he's a big guy, or let Perkins/Ibaka come in for help defense if he's a smaller guy driving the lane. I don't think JaVale McGee would be able to dominate Ibaka or Perk like he did to Bargnani in that game. But if he could draw attention to himself and know where his teammates are, it could lead to some easy points.

Another strength of the Wizards is their guards, Nick Young and John Wall. I use the term "strength" loosely, because they're as much a "strength" as getting a quesadilla from Taco Bell is a guarantee of a filling meal. You know what I'm talking about. There's certain dishes that Taco Bell can't mess up, like tacos. But the quasadillas are a mixed bag. Sometimes you'll get it perfect, with adequate cooking in all four sectors of the quesadilla and an even distribution of ingredients. But other times, you'll get all of the meat and cheese squashed and undercooked into one sector, the other inner sector full of jalapeno sauce, and the outer two sectors consisting of nothing but burnt tortilla. Nick Young and John Wall are the same way. Sometimes, they can go off for fantastic offensive performances, like Wall's 38 points against Houston or Young's 27 points against Philadelphia. Their good performances never seem to coincide, and when one guy isn't playing particularly well, he'll force the issue by jacking up at least 10 shots without getting to the line. So most of the time, these guys come out like one of those bad quesadillas. Some parts are good, but on the whole you just really wish you had ordered something else. But if they happen to gel....man, is that quesadilla good.

I'd also keep an eye on Trevor Booker tonight. He's not a huge contributor to the Wizards on most nights, but the last time we played them he was especially good at hurting us with the backdoor cut. Shawn Marion did it to us at key times during the Western Conference Finals, and it's the type of play that can keep the defense guessing.

Lastly, I'd like to say that if the Wizards want to stay in this game for a long period of time, they should focus on rebounding. The Thunder only had one offensive board two nights ago against the Celtics, and it was the main reason the C's were able to stay in the game while throwing up bricks. With the size of the Wizards, it's certainly possible.

Still, the Wizards are the Wizards. They have a hard time scoring, and they've only had two good defensive performances this season. If the Thunder play the flawed game they did against the Celtics, they should still win this one pretty easily. In other words, you should be able to make your late night Taco Bell run by the mid-fourth quarter, at least.

Prediction: Oklahoma City Thunder 94, Washington Wizards 78

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Yahoo! Sports Box Score:

We were lucky to get out of that one with a win. I know, I know, it was a great win, and there's no better stylish victory than winning with two clutch threes late in the game. But this game could have been over much, much earlier. I'm talking start of the fourth quarter.

The Thunder were, simply put, dominating the paint whenever they decided to go down low. O'Neal and Garnett were too slow to provide adequate help defense, and the Celtics overall defense was situated around the perimeter. We had 9 less free throws than our season average, and we only had three attempts from inside the paint in the fourth quarter, compared to 18 outside of the paint. Why all of the jumpshots? It's not like the Thunder were struggling to get down low, it just seemed that they were satisfied by winning this game from beyond the arc.

I wouldn't say the shots the Thunder took were terrible, but they fired one too many from beyond the arc for a team that's not too good at three point shooting. I mean, we were 2-11 before our miracle run of four threes in a row, and the shots taken before that point (aside from one badly advised Westbrook three) were solid looks. Harden was bricking wide open shots really hard, and Durant's lazer-like long range threes weren't falling.

Let me give you an example. With 8:16 to go in the fourth, the Thunder were up by 10 with possession of the ball. I'll tell you how the next three shots went: Missed Harden three, and two blocked Collison jumpers. Two Pierce free throws and a Pietrus three later, and the Celtics are right back in the game. Why couldn't one of those shots been a drive? Why was Harden shooting a three when he had already missed three earlier in the game? Why was Westbrook passing it to Collison while he was in a extremely susceptible position?

Below: More Analysis, Awards!

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Yahoo! Sports Box Score:

What is your initial reaction to tonight's result?

Looking at tonight's Box Score, one thing stands out. Thabo Sefolosha. 19 Points on 7-9 Shooting? 5 Rebounds, 4 Steals? Yeah, Sefolosha was on fire offensively. Sure, he wasn't taking down double teams like Kevin Durant or shooting difficult jumpers in the face of defenders. BUT, he was knocking down the shots he needed to, getting to the spots he needed to, draping all over Pierce defensively, and doing it all in the most critical of times.

What was tonight's turning point?

After a deep Pietrus two, the Celtics were down by three with two minutes to go. Then, Westbrook passed it to Sefolosha for an open corner three. Rondo responded with a two, but Westbrook hit right back with a really difficult-looking three in his face. At the point, the Celtics just didn't have the time to stage a comeback.

What was, overall, the main reason the Thunder lost/won?

Luck from three point range, and some really atrocious shooting from the Celtics. I know that is seems a bit grim, especially with the Thunder on a 7 game winning streak. But we're not going to beat the Trail Blazers or the Mavericks by firing tough threes all game. Plain and simple.

What's the key statistic to understanding tonight's game?

The score at the end of the first quarter: 25-17. The Celtics have lost the first quarter in each of their losses except for one. The Celtics can't come out so sluggishly every night against good competition and expect to win.

What does this game mean for the Thunder today and moving forward?

It keeps us at the top of the West, and solidifies us as the cream of the crop of the Western Conference. It also solidifies our TD Garden domination, as we've won there three straight times. It also proves that the Thunder can shoot well from three.

Thunder Wonder: Thabo Sefolosha, 19 Points, 7-9 Shooting, 5 Rebounds, 4 Steals

Thunder Down Under: Russell Westbrook, 26 Points, 7 Rebounds, 4 Assists, 3 Steals

Thunder Blunder: James Harden, for missing four threes at some critical junctures.

Thunder Plunderer: Mickael Pietrus, 14 Points and Much in the Clutch

Next Game: At the Washington Wizards, Wednesday, January 18th, 6 PM Central Standard Time

GameThread at 7, be there!

Records: Oklahoma City Thunder (11-2) vs Boston Celtics (4-7)

Time: 7:00 PM Central Standard Time

Place: The Toronto-Dominion Banknorth Garden, Boston, Massachusetts

TV: Turner Network Television Only

Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1), WEEI Sportsradio 93.7 FM/850 AM

Enemy Blog(s): CelticsBlog, Red's Army, CelticsHub

The Thunder and the Celtics couldn't be more opposite right now. One team is today's news, one team is yesterday's news. One team was painstakingly rebuilt, one team was built in a day. One team comes from an old East Coast town, one team comes from a young city in the Midwest. One team is old, one team is young. One team has 17 championships, one has none. Yet, despite all of these differences, these teams destinies are intertwined.

And we all know why. Right before the trade deadline in February of 2011, Kendrick Perkins and Nate Robinson were traded for Jeff Green and Nenad Krstic. Robinson never played, and Krstic went to Moscow. Green is out for the season, but even before that, he looked lost in the Celtics' offense. You're left with Kendrick Perkins, who has become the defensive force in the paint the Thunder were looking for.

Right now, most Oklahoma City fans are laughing at this deal, especially after it came to light before this season that Danny Ainge actually tried to re-do the trade, offering Rajon Rondo and Jeff Green for Russell Westbrook and Kendrick Perkins. But, this deal could have turned out very differently. Kendrick Perkins has historically been an injury prone player, and it's not far off to think that he could have re-injured his knee this season. All of a sudden, the Thunder are left with nothing, while the Celtics could be left with a young and healthy Jeff Green. I'm not saying Presti made a bad move by any stretch, but I am adamant that there was risk for both sides.

The Celtics four game losing streak heading into this one isn't as bad as it seems. Their losses were to last year's champion Mavericks, last years East #1 seed Bulls, and twice to the scorching Pacers. Despite the quality of that four game stretch, if Boston is a championship contender, they should be able to win at least one of those games. Why aren't they?

Well, the Celtics have a propensity for getting behind. In 6 of their 7 losses, they've lost the first quarter. And in the other loss, they tied their opponent at a measly 14. Their lackadaisical play early on isn't so bad when they're playing a lower quality opponent that they can easily shut out. But when they're playing an opponent that's at least as good as them, all they're doing is digging themselves a mighty fine hole that they must later climb out of. Meanwhile, Rajon Rondo is dripping 4.1 turnovers a game and averaging one less assist.

What do the Thunder need to do in order to win? Obviously, we need to establish our lead early on. Secondly, they need to identify the hot hand. The Celtics aren't going to be a team that has guys scoring consistently well every night, but they have a lot of good places to look. If the Thunder can shut down whomever happens to be getting hot, the Celtics will have trouble finding offense. Lastly, the Thunder need to win the rebounding battle, which shouldn't be too hard considering our size advantage.

I predict a sluggish defensive battle that ends after a last minute Celtics comeback is thwarted by a few trips to the Thunder free throw line.

Prediction: Oklahoma City 95, Boston 89

GameThread at 7, be there!

Records: Oklahoma City Thunder (10-2) vs New York Knicks (6-5)

Time: 7:00 PM Central Standard Time

Place: The Chesapeake Energy Arena, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

TV: Fox Sports Network Oklahoma, Madison Square Garden Network

Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1), WFAN Sports Radio 660AM

Enemy Blog(s): Posting and Toasting, Knickerblogger, The Knicks Blog, The Knicks FanBlog, KnicksNow, Buckets Over Broadway

Analysis: With the off-season acquisition of Tyson Chandler and Baron Davis, the Knicks were looking to go from Eastern Conference pretender to Eastern Conference contender. Their status as a big market team was enough to lure Amare Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony last season, and they've been steadily stockpiling young talent, like Iman Shumpert, Toney Douglas, Landry Fields, and Bill Walker.

So far, their start has been....interesting. Early in the season, they were off to an atrocious start, and Tyson Chandler was struggling to make an impact. More recently, however, they've actually done a solid job defensively, winning games while scoring under 100 points. I don't think that's happened since the era of Patrick Ewing.

Still, this is a team that faces some challenges this season. They won't be getting Baron Davis for at least a month, and they've already experienced injuries to Tyson Chandler, Iman Shumpert, Amare Stoudemire, Jared Jeffries, and Carmelo Anthony, who will most likely not play tonight. They are also really thin at the backup big man spots, using second round pick Josh Harrellson for the bulk of those minutes. The guy can shoot, but right now he's offering 38.5% from the field, and he doesn't offer much else. Renaldo Balkman and Jared Jeffries also figure to be in the mix for power forward, but that doesn't take away from the fact that the Knicks are lacking a true backup center.

Normally, I'd talk about how the key to the Thunder's success was how well they controlled the pace of this game. But now that Chandler is there, the whole dynamic of the Knicks has changed. They use him as a defensive anchor in the paint, and rotate their defenders around the perimeter. This pretty much limits the effectiveness of guys who drive the lane, but it heightens the effectiveness of Perk/Mohammed's mid-range shot, and it helps out the guys who can knock down open threes in a catch and shoot situation (Cook, Sefolosha).

I'd also venture to say that I'd like to see Ibaka up his scoring tonight. He's only averaging 7.1 points on the season, which is down from the 9.9 he averaged last year. I know Stoudemire has been effective at guarding the mid-range area, but forget that. Just put Ibaka on the other side of the block from Chandler, like where he worked with Real Madrid. Have Perk bounce pass it to him. Have Westbrook challenge Chandler and pass the ball to Ibaka over the backboard. We can easily get Ibaka ten points tonight if we ran some plays for him in that area. And if Perk and Ibaka can combine for 15-20 points, I'd say we'd have a victory on our hands.

Prediction: Oklahoma City 101, New York 95

Via Posting and Toasting and Marc Berman:

Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony is expected to miss Saturday's game against the Thunder here due to a sprained wrist and sprained ankle, saying he’ll need "a miracle’’ to suit up.

Mike D’Antoni said Bill Walker will start in Anthony's place at small forward when the Knicks likely will have their hands full with the well-rested 10-2 Thunder.

While we all hate to see a guy get hurt, this is excellent news for the Thunder's chances of winning tonight. Carmelo Anthony is averaging 25.5 points this season, and has been known to get in some epic scoring battles against Kevin Durant.

Since the Knicks are a Mike D'Antoni team, this shouldn't affect their ability to score a whole lot. They can still pick 'n Roll Amare Stoudemire and fire up tons of threes. Bill Walker is no Carmelo Anthony, but he can still shoot really well, and might be able to handle Durant on an isolation. Instead of giving the ball to Anthony or another guy, they'll have to rely on a bunch of bit players shooting a few more shots than they usually do.

Losing Anthony certainly makes them lose a scoring punch, but their key players against the Thunder will be Tyson Chandler and Amare Stoudemire. If the Knicks can't offer good help defense against Westbrook and Harden driving the lane, they'll find themselves in a heap of trouble.

The injury also reflects on just how much the lockout still matters. Because of this one game injury, we won't be seeing a Durant-Anthony scoring battle until at least November, barring a NBA Finals miracle. Despite what that will do for our record, it definitely disillusions me as a fan.

You can find all of the previous KDIV Colorways here and here.

The NBA season is in full swing, and there's no shortage of shoes out there. Kevin Durant and his shoe, the KDIV, shocked the sneaker world with colorways such as the Weatherman, Nerf, and Year of the Dragon. But as the shoe goes into more full-scale production, more toned down and area specific designs are starting to pop up. Some are grand slams, some are terrible, and some are just okay. Let's get down to it and sample these new colorways.

Mint Candy Colorways

Release Date: April 2012

Photo:

(Image via Nicekicks.com)

Analysis: This shoe goes with the metallic paint of the Metallic Copper and Cool Grey colorways, but it does so more subtly, integrating different shades of light blue rather than blasting one color in your face. It's the type of shoe that does just enough to stand out without being too outrageous, as the lighter shades of blue are close enough to the metallic color on regular gym shoes these days to blend in.

Opinion: I'd love to see this shoe next to some white snow. Or on an all light blue basketball court. Or worn with Denver Nuggets uniforms. Heck, I'd love to see this shoe anywhere. It works well as regular shoe, a fashion statement, and a gym shoe. No complaints here.

Grade: A. Almost perfect, just lacks a slight "oomph".

Below: Thunder Home White/Photo Blue, Midnight Navy/Team Orange, Black/Team Orange, University of Texas, White/Black, Metallic Copper!

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Yahoo! Sports Box Score:

What is your initial reaction to tonight's result?

One of content. There wasn't much surprise involved in the result of this game, though I was surprised at how well the Hornets kept up with the Thunder. The Hornets also had an excellent run early on that scared at least a few Thunder fans.

What was tonight's turning point?

In the third quarter, the Thunder defense came through. Marco Bellinelli lost the ball in the backcourt, tracked it down, and couldn't hit the rim in time to avoid a shot clock violation. On the next possession, Kendrick Perkins blocked Chris Kaman. All of a sudden, the Thunder were up by 4, and their lead extended from there.

What was, overall, the main reason the Thunder lost/won?

Star Power. The Hornets simply had nobody to put on Durant, though they did a decent job of pressuring him. Additionally, Westbrook was really able to make a nice run for himself in the fourth and basically carry the team to a win.

What's the key statistic to understanding tonight's game?

The Hornets' three point Shooting. They went 1-16, which is atrocious no matter how you look at it.

What does this game mean for the Thunder today and moving forward?

It gives the Thunder 10 wins, making them the first team in the NBA to reach that number. It also proved that their young legs can overcome whatever tough stretch the NBA throws at them, as they've won 5 games in the past 6 days. Luckily for them, the rest of the month of January will be much easier.

Thunder Wonder: Kevin Durant, 29 Points, 10 Rebounds, 3 Assists

Thunder Down Under: Russell Westbrook, 22 Points, 2 Rebounds, 7 Assists, 3 Steals

Thunder Blunder: Daequan Cook, for going 1-5 from beyond the arc.

Thunder Plunderer: Chris Kaman, 17 Points, 9 Rebounds, 2 Assists, 2 Blocks

Next Game: Versus the New York Knicks, Saturday, January 7th, 7 PM Central Standard Time

GameThread at 7, be there!

Records: Oklahoma City Thunder (9-2) at New Orleans Hornets (3-6)

Time: 7:00 PM Central Standard Time

Place: New Orleans Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana

TV: Fox Sports Network Oklahoma, Cox Sports Television

Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1), KMEZ 106.7 FM

Enemy Blog(s): At The Hive, Hornets 24/7

The Hornets have an entirely new face after the off season departures of Chris Paul and David West. They're left with a lineup of good and somewhat good players, mixed together from old regimes. Their roster can go 11 deep without injuries, and it's hard determining exactly who should fit in where. In some senses, they're like the post Carmelo Denver Nuggets, with many old and new era pieces trying to fit in on a team without clear direction.

Eric Gordon appears to be the defacto leader, but he's out with a sore right knee. With him gone, surprisingly, the scoring leaders have been Jarrett Jack and Carl Landry, two guys whom I'd never have expected to lead a team. The expected defensive stalwart of the Hornets, Trevor Ariza, is out with a groin injury. Some reports are saying he could be back in action tonight, but his status is still to be determined.

Still, this roster does have certain strengths. Emeka Okafor and Chris Kaman are a deadly defensive and rebounding combination down low. They don't necessarily provide a lot of offense, but they can keep the paint locked down against a team that relies on inside scoring, like Denver. They can also shoot the three really well, with Jack, Bellinelli, and Jason Smith bringing the heat.

I expect this game to be a relatively easy victory for the Thunder nonetheless. Jack is a turnover machine, and will have a few mishaps that lead to Thunder fast breaks. Without Ariza, the Hornets have no real defensive answer for Kevin Durant. Should Ariza play, I'd say the game would be a bit closer, but still over by the final minute or so. The Hornets will probably cover the Thunder big men really well, but the Thunder's offense functioned relatively well without them against Memphis. As long as our stars are getting opportunities, this one should be in the bag.

Prediction: Oklahoma City 103, New Orleans 87

With the off-season loss of David West to Free Agency and trade of Chris Paul to the Clippers, the New Orleans Hornets are a team on their own. The last vestiges of the two years the Hornets spent in Oklahoma City have been removed, and the Hornets are left with a whole lot of role players, much like the Nuggets of last season. With our first game against the Oklahoma Cityless Hornets coming up, I thought I'd offer a few thoughts on that era.

It's interesting to see just how far we've come from the era of the Hornets in Oklahoma City. Back when Hugo was doing trampoline dunks, Chris Paul was Oklahoma City's darling, injuries were constant, the Ford Center was getting snubbed from video games, and 38 wins was considered a great success. All of that started back in 2005, which seems so far away and so close at the same time.

What is the Hornets place in the history of Oklahoma City? It's a perplexing question, especially as their era fades away and the Thunder become more ingrained in our culture. They were definitely the first taste of professional sports in Oklahoma City, with the Redhawks, Blazers, and other downtown pro sports teams being a far cry from what we saw happen with the Hornets.

The team was also definitely unique. They regularly had theme nights, celebrated Mardi Gras, and played the music extremely loud. I'll never forget DJ Rob Nice's pre-game ritual, which went something like....

ALRIGHT Hornets Fans, we're going to show the (insert team here) that we are the loudest fans in the N-B-A! Nobody sits down until our very first bucket. So stand up! Get on your feet! And make some NO-OISE!

The announcer was a treat as well. I'll never forget phrases like "Live at the Hive", "Hometown Hornets", or "CEE PEE THREE FOR THREE". The sounds they played after certain players scored, like the sound bite from "The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly" after every David West bucket, are things that will forever be ingrained into my memory. Heck, even the entertainment was memorable, with such events as Super Hugo doing extreme dunks, the dress and dash, MidFirst Bank Show Me the Money, and, yes, the introduction of the MidFirst Bank Half-Court Shot.

Below: How the Hornets Have Influenced the Thunder, Why We Should Remember Them Fondly!

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