SB Nation User Blog: manifestus

Loud Links: 12/22/2009

manifestus — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 03:19:24 -0000

2 months ago: Utah Jazz's Eric Maynor (3) passes the ball as Portland Trail Blazers Jarron Collins (9) and teammate Andre Miller, left, defend in the first quarter of their NBA preseason basketball game Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

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So the big news of the day was the Maynor trade for our spare parts. And we got an expiring contract in return to boot. Fleecing folks is always nice, but when it sets you up for even bigger trades (yay for lots of expiring contracts!) it's twice as awesome. mleetch352 and Zorgon have already covered the finer aspects of the trade, but here are a few more articles to reference for good measure.

Thunder acquires Eric Maynor in trade with Utah | NewsOK.com
In exchange, the Thunder will send the draft rights to Peter Fehse, a 2002 second-round pick, to Utah. The deal will also bring Matt Harpring’s expiring $6.5 million contract to Oklahoma City, but the 33-year-old Harpring is out for the season after numerous ailments and surgeries deteriorated his performance.

Maynor, Harpring Traded to OKC - hoopsworld.com
Maynor comes to the Thunder offering a unique skillset that he honed while playing at Virginia Commonwealth University, where he averaged 22.4 points and 6.2 assists per game as a senior. He has a good amount of speed and a solid mid-range game, but he needs to work on his defense as he's not strong enough to defend the tougher NBA point guards just yet. He is a true point guard in every sense of the word – able to create with both hands and he has great vision to set up his teammates. Although he won't wow his new fans in Oklahoma City, he is tremendously solid – a jack-of-all-trades, master of none (yet) type of player.

Cap Analysis of the Maynor Trade - SLCDunk.com
It's a little strange that the Jazz would give away Harp's expiring contract essentially for free. With the $6.5 million owed to him coming off the books at the end of the season his contract could have been a valuable bargaining chip as the trade deadline approaches. Teams looking to get under the cap to make a run at the elite 2010 free agent class probably would have been willing to throw actual basketball talent at the Jazz. Instead the Jazz have opted to give that bargaining power to OKC, who could potentially combine his contract (after a two month waiting period) with another expiring contract -- such as Earl Watson or Etan Thomas -- to go after a high salary player.

Derek, Lakers Welcome the Thunder | athletenewswire.com
Derek Fisher and the Los Angeles Lakers are rolling again, having won four straight, and tonight face a team they already have a prolonged winning streak against. The Lakers return from the road tonight to host the Oklahoma City Thunder, against whom they have won 11 straight, including twice this season.

On with the show: Thunder returns to Los Angeles | NewsOK.com
"The last game, an impromptu concert broke out, which was a little strange," remembered forward Nick Collison. "I haven’t had too many experiences like that before. It was a circus in there."

Loud Links: 12/17/2009

manifestus — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 06:06:30 -0000

More photos » by ALONZO ADAMS - AP

7 days ago: Oklahoma City Thunder's Kevin Durant debuts his new Nike shoes in the first quarter of an NBA basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks in Oklahoma City, Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2009. (AP Photo/Alonzo Adams)

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So the recap of the news for the last day is headlined by the loss to the Mavs along with KD's Creamsicle shoes. Then we have another Oden/Durant article, some snippets of news from John Hollinger, an article noting how oddly troubling this three-game losing streak is, and other stuff. Read on!

Durant's shoes only bright part of his game against Dallas Mavericks | dallasnews.com
OKLAHOMA CITY – It was a night of orange shoes for Kevin Durant. But his footwear was the only hot thing he had going Wednesday night. The former Texas Longhorns star has never had a seriously strong game against the Mavericks, and they continued to befuddle him in the form of a 4-of-18 shooting night in the Mavericks' 100-86 win.

Kevin Durant’s KD2 Creamsicles | dimemag.com
Yesterday against the Mavs, Kevin Durant debuted the outrageous "Creamsicle" colorway of his second shoe in the KD signature line, the KD2. The flashy kicks boast an all orange upper with a hint of "Oklahoma Thunder" blue on the swoosh and forefoot strap. Nike Basketball blessed other players on the squad with the Creamsicles as well so that the Thunder could style in sync. Unfortunately it takes more than footwear solidarity to get a W, as Dallas went on to win the game.

Durant Struggles; Thunder Fall | ksbitv.com
There were some bright spots for the Thunder as Jeff Green finished the game with 15 points and 11 rebounds, however all of those points came in the third quarter. The bench played well for the Thunder, a component of the team that has struggled for the most part this season. Nick Collison, James Harden and Serge Ibaka combined for 26 points and each added six rebounds to give the Thunder a boost keeping the team in the game for three quarters.

ESPN: Chat with John Hollinger | espn.go.com
I think the Hornets and Thunder will be the two that don't get in, with Portland just squeaking into #8. I really like OKC and they're WAY ahead of schedule defensively, but their lack of depth scares me and at some point in the next 50 games I think it will come back to bite them.

Draft picks are destiny’s children | thenational.ae
There are so many examples of teams making the wrong choice between players that it almost does not even qualify as a legitimate debate to use hindsight to evaluate the draft order of players in the NBA. With that being said, basketball fans in Portland should at least consider the possibility that their team made a mistake in selecting Greg Oden over Kevin Durant. The two players are forever linked because they were in the same NBA draft year. Oden was the incumbent star of his draft year, while Durant came out of nowhere to be one of the top players in the NCAA in 2006-07.

Storm clouds over Thunder | NewsOK.com
Well, things are pretty sour right now for the Thunder, and coach Scott Brooks didn’t hesitate in going to the well following his team’s 100-86 loss to Dallas on Wednesday at the Ford Center. "I said a couple of games ago that we were going to have some ups and some downs during the year," Brooks said. "We’re no different than any other team. And we’re in a little bit of a rut right now."

OKC Thunder players, SandRidge employees deliver shoes, cheer to students | okc.biz
National Basketball Association’s Oklahoma City Thunder players Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Nick Collison along with SandRidge Energy employees gave away Nike athletic shoes to Dunbar Elementary students Dec. 17.

Loud Links: 12/15/2009

manifestus — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 03:38:20 -0000

More photos » by David Zalubowski - AP

9 days ago: Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook, left, loses control of the ball as he goes up for a shot as Denver Nuggets guard Arron Afflalo, center, and forward Nene, of Brazil, cover in the first quarter of an NBA basketball game in Denver on Monday, Dec. 14, 2009. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

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So today we have articles on Westbrook's well-documented turnover struggles (as well as all the positives) from nba.com, the usual articles from our last few games against the Cavs and the Nuggets, stuff comparing Durant to the rest of the top-tier talent in terms of three-point shooting, and much more.

NBA.com: Westbrook taking his lumps as he learns point guard trade | nba.com
[Yes, same stuff. Glad even Westbrook realizes he's making turnovers. Too bad he's also quoted with the whole, "But other people make just as many turnovers as I do" bit. Comparing to others regarding your own area of weakness is stupid -- fix it rather than explaining why it's not that terrible ... sheesh] Make the basic pass, Scott Brooks tells Russell Westbrook. Westbrook listens and understands and even agrees. "The simple play is always best," he says at another time, when Brooks is not around. This has been going on for months. Brooks using his background to teach Westbrook, and the risky decision playing out. The final major act of the Seattle SuperSonics -- before the most major act of hitting the lights -- was to use the fourth choice in the 2008 draft on a point guard who had never really been a point guard.

Cavaliers: Mo's halfcourt shot had full effect - The News-Herald Sports : Breaking news coverage for Northern Ohio
[Okay, that shot was great, but I don't know if Mo Williams felt any sort of "arrogance" go out of the arena. What the heck was he referencing here? I'm totally lost. Really.] When Mo Williams' 48-foot, halfcourt shot dropped through the hoop on Sunday night, he said he could feel it deflate the Oklahoma City Thunder. "You could feel the arrogance go out of the whole arena and the bench," the Cavaliers' point guard said. "You just feel it. 'Ahhhhhh.' "

Nuggets storm past Thunder | INDenverTimes.com
Oklahoma City Thunder (12-10) came into Denver (17-7) on Monday night looking to ride their star, Kevin Durant, who has become the leading active scorer against the Nuggets, but left instead with a 102-93 loss. Durant is only 21 and is also the third-leading scorer in the NBA. Oklahoma City is a young, up and coming team. They are a good road team, as they are one of three teams in the Western Conference with a winning road record. They came in sitting in fourth place in the Northwestern Division and four games behind Denver.

Durant, Wade scoring big, but not from way downtown | USATODAY.com
[The later point noted in this article is probably more important -- it's how good of a three-point shot it was that was attempted. That counts for something too.] Two of the NBA's most prolific scorers, Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant, and Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade, are shooting blanks from long distance. Durant, third in scoring average (28.3 points), and Wade, sixth (27), are among the worst three-point shooters who qualify for the statistic. They are well below the NBA average of 35%. Wade is last at 24.1% (19-for-79) and Durant sixth-worst at 28.1% (27-for-96) through Sunday.

Durant turns focus from hoops to holidays | USATODAY.com
"That's all it takes. We have a busy schedule but we might be off one day," said Durant, who kept tight-lipped about plans to unveil his new Nike sneakers on Wednesday night. "This is the perfect time to help, especially around this time of the year. Whenever we can give back to the community, that's what we do." A constant stream of people willing to help out kept Durant signing autographs and smiling for the camera for two solid hours, with a line of bags filled with donated gifts eventually spilling out of a back room and into the main area where Durant was seated. "We've been meeting with all the families that have been coming through today wanting to provide Christmas and meet Kevin Durant. They get the thrill of meeting a superstar, and our kids get to have a holiday that they'll remember," said Kelli Dupuy, director of marketing and development for Sunbeam. "It's really a win-win."

NBA teams with their stocking stuffed early | examiner.com
Oklahoma City Thunder: Last year Kevin Durant statistically hurt his team when he was on the floor, having an exceptionally poor PER. This year he has made one of the biggest turn-arounds the NBA has ever seen and, in doing so, has put his team in great position to make the playoffs. Happy Holidays, OKC.

Carmelo Anthony lights up Thunder | NewsOK.com
The NBA’s second-youngest team looked like it was still suffering from a hangover from LeBron James’ dazzling 44-point game and Mo Williams memorable half-court 3-pointer Sunday night as Cleveland beat Oklahoma City in the Ford Center. "We learn so many things about ourselves every game," said Thunder coach Scott Brooks. "From tonight’s game, we learned we have to come out with energy to start the game. I didn’t think we did. We got away with it in the first quarter.

Mavericks-Thunder Preview | SportingNews.com
Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder have made big strides this season after posting one of the worst records in the NBA in 2008-09. Their last two games, however, showed that they still have a ways to go. Durant and the Thunder will try to contain Dirk Nowitzki, who had two 40-point performances against them last season, when they host the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night.

Loud Links: 12/10/2009

manifestus — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 05:22:38 -0000

More photos » by Sue Ogrocki - AP

8 months ago: San Antonio Spurs guard Ime Udoka, left, and forward Bruce Bowen, center, double-team Oklahoma City Thunder guard Kevin Durant, right, in the third quarter of an NBA basketball game in Oklahoma City, Tuesday, April 7, 2009. Durant had 24 points for Oklahoma City, but San Antonio won 99-89. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

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So today we have some news that was in the recap yesterday (see: Holiday Gift Assist) as well as info on Durant (comparisons with other valuable college hoops stars from then and now, his All-Star vote tallying, and so forth). Other random interesting stuff interspersed within the mix.

Group could close on dunes by Dec. 31 | woodtv.com
The land sits on each side of the mouth of the Kalamazoo River. McClendon, a billionaire who is an owner of the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder, bought the 402 acres in 2006 and plans to develop the property on the north side of the river.

Thunder rolls in to help during holidays | newsok.com
It was the Holiday Gift Assist. Grandparents raising grandchildren went around Target with the help of these NBA players to get Christmas gifts for the children. It was awesome, to say the least. I overheard some of the interaction between the Thunder and the kids. You would’ve sworn these guys were just big kids themselves. They were excited and engaged and really showed they had hearts of gold.

Surprises, letdowns after NBA's first quarter - NBA News | Foxsports.com
Our quarter-pole Coach of the Year is Oklahoma City Thunder sideline boss Scott Brooks. As the leader of the league's youngest core rotation, Brooks has overcome turnover-producing inexperience on offense and developed the NBA's fifth-most-efficient defense without the luxury of a certified baseline bruiser or shot-blocker. Kids who play team defense? That also makes Brooks eligible for the surprise list.

Thunder-Grizzlies Preview - Dec. 10, 2009 - NBA - CBSSports.com
Memphis (9-12) passed on Harden with the second pick in June, instead selecting 7-foot-3 center Hasheem Thabeet, who hasn't contributed much. Thabeet is averaging 2.6 points, 3.2 rebounds and 10.1 minutes a contest. The Grizzlies left Harden on the board for the Thunder (11-9) at No. 3, partly because they were set at shooting guard after obtaining O.J. Mayo in a trade after he was selected by Minnesota with the third pick in the 2008 draft. Mayo would finish second to Chicago's Derrick Rose for NBA Rookie of the Year, and he's averaging 17.6 points this season alongside point guard Mike Conley in a backcourt Memphis hopes to have around for a long time.

High Usage Rates should help Washington Wizards' Gilbert Arenas, Chicago Bulls' Derrick Rose turn things around - ESPN
Russell Westbrook, PG, Oklahoma City Thunder (Usg. 26.0, 16th in NBA): Westbrook is only in his second year, and only just turned 21, so his owners need to be patient and understand that they drafted him well aware he was going to disappoint in field-goal percentage. After a hot start, Westbrook's percentage from the floor quickly dropped beneath 40 percent, undermining what should be elite fantasy production.

Starting Five: Is Wall the best freshman ever? | sportingnews.com
As great as Durant, Jackson and Aguirre were as scorers, a gifted point guard is going to affect the game in so many more ways. Wall directs the team's offense and fronts the team's defense. Unless he is inadequate in these areas—and he has been exceptional—Wall has an inherent advantage. Ford had greater control of his team's offense than any point guard who has played college basketball. Anderson was a superior creative force. But neither player was built to be as disruptive on defense as Wall has been.

Durant Fifth In First All-Star Balloting Returns | Thunder Rumblings | newsok.com
Thunder forward Kevin Durant is currently fifth among Western Conference forwards in the preliminary All-Star balloting numbers the NBA released today. Durant ranks behind Denver’s Carmelo Anthony, Dallas’ Dirk Nowitzki, the Lakers’ Pau Gasol and San Antonio’s Tim Duncan. Forward Jeff Green and guard Russell Westbrook did not rank in the top 11 in voting during the first returns. Lakers guard Kobe Bryant leads all players thus far with 692,518 votes. Here is the breakdown for Western Conference forwards.

Loud Links: 12/08/2009

manifestus — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 04:13:44 -0000

More photos » by Sue Ogrocki - AP

about 1 month ago: Portland Trail Blazers center Greg Oden, right, goes up for a shot in front of Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant, left, in the first quarter of an NBA basketball game in Oklahoma City, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

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Here's Tuesday's edition of Loud Links. Lots of recap articles, so I'll present really just the one. Same goes for more of that Durant/Oden debate, what with the injury and all. There's stuff on OKC's sales tax extension (you know, the one that paid for arena the Thunder play in) and talk about Clay looking at setting up some exhibition games.

Thunder 104, Warriors 88 | Thunder Rumblings | newsok.com
If ever you get sick of hearing about the character of the Thunder, about how the players genuinely get along, or how they’re good for the community, Monday’s game served as a reminder of the shade of green that lies on the other side. Golden State, in 48 minutes, should have shown you all you needed to thank the basketball gods after every game for the type of players being gathered in Oklahoma City. The Thunder has a locker room filled with 20-somethings who understand the meaning of team. They play hard and they play for each other. They spend time off the court and they do their damndest to ensure everyone excels on it. Golden State is a franchise in turmoil.

Tim Donaghy, Greg Oden among hot topics in NBA - NBA - SI.com
They made a mistake, but not because of Oden's injury. It doesn't take an NBA scout's mind to realize that Oden, while a big and capable center with superior defensive instincts, does not have nearly the same upside as Durant, a potential All-Star this season and a sure-fire MVP candidate within a few years. Oden will be back, no doubt, and I believe he'll have a long and productive career. But he won't be as dominant as Durant, which is what the Blazers were hoping Oden would become when they selected No. 1.

James Harden knows how to draw the line | NewsOK.com
Harden scored a career-high 26 points in the Thunder’s 104-88 win over Golden State Warriors on Monday night at the Ford Center. Half his points came at the line. Before last year’s NBA Draft, Harden was best known as a left-handed sharpshooter. What was rarely mentioned is he got to the line as frequently as any player in Arizona State history other than Ike Diogu.

The Associated Press: OKC voters to decide whether to extend sales tax | AP
Oklahoma City leaders pushed for the first MAPS plan in 1993 as the malaise from the early 1980s oil bust hung over the area. Approved by 53 percent of voters, it paid for the construction of a new arena in which the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder now plays, a baseball stadium and a canal that helped convert an aging warehouse district into an entertainment destination known as Bricktown.

Arkansas Exploring NBA Exhibition in Walton Arena | Arkansas Sports 360.com
Could Bud Walton Arena be used to host a future preseason NBA game? Apparently, it's being discussed. Arkansas athletic director Jeff Long revealed that via Twitter on Monday night. He was in New York City and the idea was bandied about over dinner with Oklahoma City Thunder owner Clay Bennett.

Loud Links: 12/03/2009

manifestus — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 03:35:46 -0000

More photos » by Layne Murdoch - NBAE/Getty Images

21 days ago: OKLAHOMA CITY - DECEMBER 2: Kevin Durant #35 of the Oklahoma City Thunder drives on Rodney Carney #25 of the Philadelphia 76ers on December 2, 2009 at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (Photo by Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images)

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So a pretty large round-up of articles tonight, starting off with a great piece on Durant and more on whether teams doing poorly should start playing for the draft. Lets get started ....

Kevin Durant is NEXT | espn.com
[Battier presents the point well -- it's a progression of establishing yourself as a player year by year. In our case, it's also about establishing where we are as a team, and KD is the focal point of that development process.] "No matter how talented a young player is, his first year is sink or swim," Battier says. "Can he survive in a man's league? Obviously Kevin did, and he did pretty well." (Durant was named the NBA's Rookie of the Year after his first season, 2007-08, his team's last in Seattle.) "Year 2, the hurdle is, Can I bring it every night?" Battier says. "Can I average double figures? Can I be consistent?" (Durant improved in nearly every statistical category last season, his first in Oklahoma City. His three-point shooting percentage jumped from .288 to .422, and he averaged five more points per game, 25.3, and two more rebounds, 6.5.) Battier continues. "The next level is, Can I be dominant? That's Kevin's final step. He's shown flashes of dominance, but can he be dominant every single night? The great ones -- Kobe, LeBron, Garnett -- had to pass through that fire. Kevin still has to run through his flames."

Should the Detroit Pistons play for the playoffs or the draft? | mlive.com
[The rest of this article is interesting to read as well, as it pretty much sums up the impact of the draft on the fortunes of teams over the last few years. Falling into the lottery hasn't panned out all that well for the vast majority of teams, as it's been somewhat of a hole that takes a lot to climb back out of. Draft poorly and you're set back even further. I like how they sit around and point out that Portland could have Deron Williams running the point had they drafted him rather than trade down for Pick No. 6 ... alas such is life.] Oklahoma City Thunder/Seattle Sonics: Eight picks for them. They have drafted immensely better of late. The last three have yielded Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden (not to mention Jeff Green in the Ray Allen trade), all of whom will be key players for them. Pre-OKC? Not so great ... unless you dig Robert Swift.

After two years, Thunder have solid footing in Oklahoma | nba.com
[Look -- it's yet another article talking about how we're defending better this year. Amazing!] It's hard to say which is the bigger surprise: that the Thunder, after winning only 23 games all last season, are winning on the road. Or that defense, always a challenge for young teams, isn't an issue. The players have bought into coach Scott Brooks' philosophy about team defense, and considering the Thunder lack a proven shot-blocker or designated stopper, their improvement is clearly due to a collective effort. Oklahoma City is allowing nine points fewer than last season and taking a large measure of pride in that. It's a defense that would make Barry Switzer proud. "That's why we've improved as a team," Brooks said. "Everybody is on the same page. The effort has to be there. We've improved because we're thinking like a defensive team."

More after the jump, including Westbrook's 15 assist day, D-League stuff, and our long-lost friend Robert Swift.

Russell Westbrook notches 15 assists as Thunder beats 76ers | NewsOK.com
[Well he'd better get those assists going if he's going to sit around and shoot so poorly. If nothing else, that means somebody else is taking some shots. Yes to that.] Westbrook notched a career-high 15 assists to lead the Thunder to a 117-106 win over Philadelphia on Wednesday night at the Ford Center. Westbrook's distributing resulted in a balanced attack that ended with five Thunder players in double digit scoring.

NBA D-League Daily Developments | oursportscentral.com
[Mullens of course is far from ready. But nifty looking stat lines are always great fun to spread around.] The 66ers were led by Mustafa Shakur with 26 points and Cecil Brown with 19. Byron Mullens, on assignment from the Oklahoma City Thunder, had a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds on the night.

Long, strange saga of Robert Swift continues | seattlepi.com
So is this the end for Swift? It's hard to say. After returning from catastrophic knee injuries, then swallowing his pride to play in the NBDL, maybe there's a third act for the 24-year-old. Former Seattle P-I Sonics beat writer Gary Washburn talked with Swift when he was returning from surgery in February 2008. He sounds like an eternal optimist.

Thunder strike down the 76ers | philly.com
"It obviously feels like a snowball effect; it keeps rolling and getting bigger and bigger," said Sixers forward Jason Kapono, who finished with nine points. "We're always close, we're hanging in the game, and then there's a breaking point and we always tend to go backwards instead of pushing through." Durant, the sinewy forward around whom the Thunder are built, scored a game-high 33 points. Green finished with 19.

OKC Thunder uses team effort to take down Philadelphia | ocolly.com
Kevin Durant scored 33 points yet he failed to be mentioned in the press conference with Thunder coach Scott Brooks. Durant is in his second year in the NBA, and his accomplishments are equivalent with some of the games’ most distinguished players. Durant recently joined LeBron James, Shaquille O’Neal and Michael Jordon in becoming just the fourth player in league history to be under the age of 21 and compile 400 points in the first 15 games of a season. The end of Thunders’ 117-106 victory on Wednesday night against the Philadelphia 76ers (5-14) at the Ford Center left Durant seven points shy of being the second youngest player to reach 4,000 points. James holds the record.

Thunder's Krstic sprains ankle - nba | SI.com
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -Center Nenad Krstic has left the Oklahoma City Thunder's game against the Philadelphia 76ers because of a sprained left ankle. Krstic was hurt after tipping in a missed shot by Russell Westbrook in the final minute of the third quarter Wednesday night and then limped to the locker room when the period was over. He was not expected to return.

Former 76ers All-Star Iverson excited for improbable return to Philadelphia | taragana.com
The 34-year-old Iverson was teary almost from the start of his news conference. He said he retired after his ill-fated stint with the Memphis Grizzlies because he felt like "the basketball part of my life was over." Iverson will play his first game for the 76ers against Denver on Monday. "Coming back home, all I could think about was the people who made me who I am," said Iverson, the NBA MVP in 2001, when he led the Sixers to the finals.

When looking for daily matchup plays in fantasy basketball, consider those facing the Toronto Raptors - ESPN.com
Russell Westbrook made up for his terrible 1-for-11 shooting performance by picking up two steals and dishing out 15 assists in the Thunder's win against the Sixers. It's pretty amazing that a guy who couldn't throw it in the ocean had the highest plus/minus on his team for the night. Clearly his shot still needs some work, but he's establishing himself as one of the league's best point guards already.

Loud Links: 12/01/2009

manifestus — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 05:42:39 -0000

More photos » by Phelan M. Ebenhack - AP

5 months ago: Oklahoma City Thunder center DeVon Hardin (50) collides with Indiana Pacers forward Leo Lyons (4) while fighting for a rebound as Trey Johnson (6) watches during the first half of a summer league NBA basketball game in Maitland, Fla., Tuesday, July 7, 2009. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

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The big news of the day is that Hardin is headed to the D-League. And some other roster movement updates -- Collison might return for the next game and Livingston might be ahead of schedule. And more people are starting to take note of Ibaka. All of which are good things!

Thunder draft pick Hardin headed to D-League | USATODAY.com
[Highlight of the day. Good to see Hardin get in some solid playing/development time.] TULSA, Okla. (AP) � DeVon Hardin, a second-round pick by the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2008, has joined the team's NBA development league affiliate in Tulsa. Hardin played overseas after being drafted 50th overall by the Thunder last year. He has yet to play in the NBA, but was included in a trade to the New Orleans Hornets last year that was later rescinded when Tyson Chandler failed a physical.

Thunder notebook: Nick Collison could return tonight against Philadelphia | NewsOK.com
[Yay, good news. I'm more interested in seeing Livingston or Weaver make it back earlier though. But either way -- potentially good news all around!] "As long as I don’t get any swelling or pain through the night or shootaround I’m going to try and go," Collison said. "It’s still day-to-day. As of now I feel good about it.

Roundup: Sergio Rodriguez’s career-high, Serge Ibaka | interbasket.net
Serge Ibaka, a 6-10 center from the Congo has been receiving consistent minutes in the last several games for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Outside of one DNP, the first year player that was drafted with the 24th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, has averaged 21 minutes in the last five games. Ibaka recorded career highs of 11 points, 13 rebounds, 5 blocks in 31 minutes during the Thunder’s 101-85 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.

More after the jump!

76ers-Thunder Preview | sportingnews.com
[Yes, yes the whole Iverson ordeal. Honestly, whatever. It'll be a fun game regardless, but you can bet the game visibility will go through the roof if this works itself out in time.] The Philadelphia 76ers could be on the verge of welcoming back one of the best players in their history. There will be no reinforcements coming, however, before the team takes the court trying to avoid its first eight-game losing streak since Allen Iverson's acrimonious departure three years ago. With Iverson mulling a one-year contract offer from his former club, the 76ers look to end their skid Wednesday night when they visit the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Landry Powers Rockets Past OKC | KOCO.com
[Right, so lets recap for the millionth time just how the Rockets went about winning against us. Wait ... we already did that on this very blog.] Aaron Brooks scored 18 of his 21 points in the second half, Carl Landry had 21 points and 10 rebounds after replacing injured Luis Scola and the Houston Rockets beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 100-91 on Sunday night.

Moreau: The Education Of Jennings | hoopsworld.com
[Jennings is going to have to start adapting. This is a good article highlighting how easy it is to come out and score in bundles ... only to get stopped cold once teams adapt. Welcome to the NBA Jennings!] The Thunder picked up between the circles with Russell Westbrook and went behind almost every ballscreen, often switching the action – leaving longer, taller defenders like Kevin Durant and Jeff Green contesting. They backed off, didn't get greedy, and used their length to contest. Jennings missed most of his mid-range attempts. Westbrook had a block on a Jennings lay-up attempt at the rim.

Thunder Head Into December | ksbitv.com
[Thunder? Defense? Two words that absolutely didn't go together last season. It's nice to see that slowly start to change ...] Oklahoma City has firmly established itself as a solid defensive outfit that is in the NBA's top ten in seven, count 'em SEVEN important categories. With that it has positioned itself in a pack of teams like Houston, New Orleans, the L.A. Clippers, Utah and Sacramento who could well be jostling for the Western Conference's seventh and eighth playoff positions. That reality is the unspoken one within the ranks of the Thunder, which is a healthy thing. One of the key elements in this team's continued growth and development is a 'nose to the grind-stone', 'focus on improving everyday' approach. So far it's working beautifully.

Loud Links: 11.26.09

manifestus — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 20:42:01 -0000

More photos » by Lance Murphey - AP

2 months ago: Memphis Grizzlies' Sam Young (4) drives to the basket between Oklahoma City Thunder defenders Kyle Weaver (5) and Ryan Bowen (40) during the second half of a preseason NBA basketball game Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2009, in Memphis, Tenn. Young scored 22 points to lead the Grizzlies to a 99-91 victory. (AP Photo/Lance Murphey)

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Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! And this Thanksgiving, in terms of the team, is looking good. We've won games to the point where the team looks competitive most every (other) night. Progress is being made and while some bits still need work (see: lack of interior big man, sloppy PG play, etc) all in all I'd have to say that this year is off to a nice start. So, moving on to the Loud Links, which are a bit short due to all things Thanksgiving.

Thunder notebook: Kyle Weaver sidelined with shoulder injury | NewsOK.com
[Yikes. See the article below.] With Shaun Livingston and Kevin Ollie both battling knee ailments, Weaver was thrust into emergency point guard duty in Tuesday’s 104-94 win at Utah. But if Weaver misses an extended amount of time, the Thunder could be without a backup point guard to starter Russell Westbrook.

Report: Thunder To Sign Mike Wilks | newsok.com
[So, while we might scratch our heads and wonder "Who the heck is Mike Wilks?", this looks like a precautionary move. It'd be terrible to have no backup to RW0 with Weaver, Livingston, AND Ollie out.] According to the Web site InsideHoops.com, the Thunder will sign free agent point guard Mike Wilks. The site is reporting that Wilks agent, Bill Neff, has confirmed that Oklahoma City will add the 30-year-old Wilks to provide backcourt relief behind starting point guard Russell Westbrook.

Thunder waives F Ryan Bowen, roster now at 14 | USATODAY.com
[So this move removes some of the redundacy we had in a position of strength to open up more roster space for guys like Wilks. I'm pretty sure we're not going to miss Bowen.] Thunder General Manager Sam Presti announced the move Wednesday. Bowen had played in only one of Oklahoma City's first 15 games, finishing with four points, two rebounds and one steal in eight minutes in a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.

More, including a Bucks-Thunder preview, after the jump.

Finally home, Thunder has time for practice | NewsOK.com
"This gives us a chance to go back to the drawing board," said Thunder standout Jeff Green. "We can fix some things we haven’t had a chance to work on because we’ve had so many games."

Thunder Notebook: Earning Respect | hoopsworld.com
The Oklahoma City Thunder just may have earned increased league respect, and perhaps some new fans, after their decisive win 104-94 over the Utah Jazz Tuesday night. The Thunder showed how effective their defense can be on an opponent's floor and demonstrated that they are learning how to close out games.

Bucks-Thunder Preview - Nov. 26, 2009 | CBSSports.com
Jennings will be matched up with another former UCLA point guard Friday in Russell Westbrook. The second-year guard is averaging 18.1 points, 6.4 assists and 4.4 rebounds in his last seven games. In Milwaukee's last visit to Oklahoma City, Westbrook had 13 points and four assists off the bench in a 98-87 loss Oct. 29, 2008.

Loud Links | 11.24.2009

manifestus — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 03:52:20 -0000

More photos » by Lance Murphey - AP

2 months ago: Memphis Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay (22) gets the ball knocked away by Oklahoma City Thunder's Kevin Durant (35) and Serge Ibaka (9), of the Republic of Congo, during the first half of a preseason NBA basketball game Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2009, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Lance Murphey)

Browse more photos »

So today's Loud Links is up pretty late as I was held up at work. Regardless, here we go -- Ibaka is saying all the right things to the press, Weaver is back, and the 66ers start play this weekend.

Serge Ibaka knows time will come | NewsOK.com
[Thank goodness he knows enough to say good things to the press. I for one hope he gets some more minutes; we need to see what we have here.] "So for me it was very important to play well. Maybe next game I play five minutes or zero minutes. For me, that is no problem. For me, the (goal) is to focus every day and work hard every day. That’s very important for me and when my time comes to be prepared."

The Canadian Press: Thunder recall Weaver from Tulsa of NBA D-League, guard to suit up for Jazz game
[I love this move. Weaver is a much superior option from the bench then some of our other options, and I'm not sure how beneficial D-League would have been for him, in contrast to Mullens, who clearly needs to work on some fundamental drills.] A second-year player, Weaver scored 11 points in his season debut last week against Orlando. He also played the final minute of the Thunder's victory Friday night against Washington.

Tulsa 66ers Start This Weekend | tulsatoday.com
[So, all you people in Tulsa, time to go turn out for this. Maybe.] The rebirth of the professional sports scene in downtown Tulsa continues this weekend as the Tulsa 66ers NBA D-League team will make their debut in the newly renovated Tulsa Convention Center. The 66ers are coached by Nate Tibbetts and are owned by the Oklahoma City Thunder.

More after the jump -- including stuff on Jennings whom we'll see shortly in a wonderfully televised matchup, Jerry Sloan's take on the Thunder, etc.

NBA Parlay Picks – Utah Jazz Host Young Oklahoma City Thunder | betus.com
[So yeah, scoring's been a bit of a problem -- obviously.] The Oklahoma City Thunder have played absolutely fantastic defense this season, allowing just 94.1 points per contest this season. The problem for the young ballclub has been their inability to put the ball in the hole on a consistent basis. Kevin Durant is averaging a team-high 27.1 points per contest, but the only two other players scoring in double figures are point guard Russell Westbrook (16.4 ppg) and forward Jeff Green (14.2 ppg).

NBA.com: The best rapper alive? | nba.com
[Wait ... is Sloan trying to say that teams need to lose more games and get better players? I mean I guess that's sort of what happened, but it seems more an issue of just getting better players. Sure, losing can potentially get you that higher lottery pick, but the teams who now have Jennings, Lopez, etc seem to be quite pleased.] "That's the advantages of losing games and getting better players," Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said. "They've done a good job getting good players, making the right choice. I think they know their business very well and I think they've done an excellent job of picking players." The Thunder's rise is of considerable importance to the Jazz, given that the two teams are Northwest Division rivals. "You saw it happen with Portland," Deron Williams said. "They were kind of in the same boat a couple years ago and then finished better than us last year. They're on their way to being a good team as well. ... In a couple years, they're going to be scary good."

Oklahoma City @ Utah GameThread, Nov 24, 2009 9:00 PM EST | slcdunk.com
All of their losses have come against the top teams in the league save for Ls to the Kings and Clippers. Even then, the loss to the Kings was when Sac. was playing really well. The Clippers can be a pretty good team. They've also beaten the Magic, the Heat, and the Spurs. This team is just on the cusp of becoming a very good team. As they gain another year of experience, they're going to be trouble. They're just another reason why the NW division could become the best in the league.

Thunder notebook: Looking forward after loss to Lakers | NewsOK.com
[Wait ... that's not how regression works ...] A better defensive effort seems to be the key, as the Thunder has regressed recently on that end of the court. After allowing 100 points or more in four of its first 11 games, the Thunder has now given up at least 100 points in each of the past three contests. The Thunder is 1-6 when allowing at least 100 points. Utah enters the game averaging 99.9 points.

NBA D-League On The Rise - Sports Biz with Darren Rovell | CNBC.com
But the more relevant number was 2.25 million. That's the amount, in dollars, that Oklahoma City Thunder owner Clay Bennett paid to buy the rights to a D-League team in Tulsa last year.

Jennings' Italian seasoning pays off with thrilling NBA start | USATODAY.com
[And this looks to be a fun game ... Westbrook versus Jennings? Or will we stick Thabo on him?] That's also why Jennings' journey to Milwaukee is the talk of the young season. ESPN has noticed, juggling its Friday lineup to include the Bucks at the Oklahoma City Thunder, another young team, featuring Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. It will be the Bucks' first appearance on the network since Jan. 11, 2008.

Lets talk Westbrook

manifestus — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:39:44 -0000

hisjazziness put it succinctly in his recap of the last game (emphasis mine):

19 Thunder turnovers led to 25 Lakers points. There was just a general carelessness with the ball. This happens too much from Westbrook. I love watching him play, and he does some amazing things (like the block on Gasol and the career high 3 blocks in general) but there are times when he has a shoot-first mentality (something I don't like out of a point guard) and other times when he's not careful with the ball.

Westbrook dished out 7 assists to pair with a team-high six turnovers. While it could theoretically have been even worse, that's definitely not good. Couple the loose ball-handling with a 0.313 FG% on 16 attempts (2nd behind Durant's 20 attempts) and you're asking for disaster. Point of the matter is that Westbrook needs to stop losing the ball -- and tone down the shoddy shooting. On the flip side, one can't allow Bynum to dominate the interior to the point of an 0.818 FG%, 9 boards, 2 blocks, 25 points AND a steal ... in under 30 minutes. To make matters worse, Gasol and Bynum combined for a grand total of 2 personal fouls. The Thunder were thoroughly destroyed inside on both sides of the ball.

However, that's just one game in isolation -- and while it was a thoroughly terrible one, one game is just one game. The more interesting question would be to ask how Westbrook's been doing in the early going overall? Beyond what we've all obviously observed in game to game lapses or highlight moments, I thought it'd be fun to take a few seconds to pull up some of his aggregate stats for this young season.

To date, Westbrook features a TOV% (estimate of turnovers per 100 plays) of 19.0 for the year. That's worse than his aggregate of 82 games from last year (TOV% of 17.6) -- and last year was pretty ugly in that department. Obviously, the off-season plan to work on reducing turnovers hasn't been paying dividends in the early going. Given that he led the league in turnovers last year (with 274!) you'd better hope he starts getting a grip on that, or things are going to get very, very ugly in short order. If you can believe it, RW0 is featuring a higher TS% of 0.520 this year (versus 0.489 last year) even though he's been looking pretty awful shooting the ball (though this personal viewpoint may be slightly affected by visual remnants of seeing him tossing bricks around the court in that last game). Then again, a TS% of 0.520 is nothing to write home about, but as a personal comparison I suppose it does merit notice that while he's been lackluster as a shooter this year, last year he was flat out terrible. As an illustration for comparison's sake Chris Paul's aggregate TS% last year was 0.599, Steve Nashended the year at 0.615, and Jameer Nelsonfeatured a 0.612 TS%. Improvement is good, but Westbrook is far from a deadeye shooter, and jacking up all those blanks is hurting the team.

The question is ... what is it going to take? Is it time to start limiting some of his minutes and giving them to someone else on the roster until he gets it in his head to stop shooting when he can't actually make that shot? Do we have someone else handle the ball more, so as to prevent his ridiculous turnover percentage from costing us momentum and games? Or is it just a matter of throwing him out there enough times and hoping he finally learns how to protect AND shoot the ball?