At the end of every game, Welcome To Loud City hands out its awards; Thunder Wonder, Blunder, Down Under, and Plunderer. Throughout the season, I've been keeping a running tally of the award recipients in order to award our annual and highly cherished "End of Year Awards." Awards are presented to the player who had accumulated the most of a given award over the course of a year. Simply put, whoever wins the most Thunder Wonders in a season wins Thunder Wonder of the Year.

Without further adieu, let's reveal our awards:

THUNDER WONDER OF THE YEAR

Total tally:

Kevin Durant -- 32

Russell Westbrook -- 15

James Harden -- 12

Serge Ibaka -- 3

Thabo Sefolosha -- 2

Nick Collison -- 1

Kendrick Perkins -- 1

Daequan Cook - 1

WINNER: Kevin Durant

A few notes about the award:

• Unsurprisingly, Durant is Thunder Wonder of the Year. This wasn't even close, he won the award in nearly half the games he player in.
• The next three players on the list aren't all that surprising, but Thabo Sefolosha is a surprise at No. 5. Though he only won twice, there are still some Thunder fans out there who hate the fact that he starts. He also missed several games this season due to injury.
• The award definitely seems to favor scorers, which isn't really a bad thing. Scoring is the object of the game.
• Daequan Cook won once, which I'm sure comes as a huge surprise to some. It should be noted, however, that his win came at the end of the season against the Kings when the Thunder, frankly, didn't care all that much.

AFTER THE JUMP: DOWN UNDER OF THE YEAR, BLUNDER OF THE YEAR, AND THE DEBATE FOR PLUNDERER!

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Box Score

What is your initial reaction to tonight's result?

Strange game. For a good portion of the first half and the majority of the third quarter the 76ers really abused the Thunder defensively. Some might blame the Thunder's early struggles on rust, but credit has to be given to Philadelphia -- they've played fantastic defense all season and there's no reason to believe that just because they were playing the hometown Thunder tonight that all of a sudden it was just inability or laziness.

Still, when we got to the fourth quarter, the script completely flipped. The Thunder became the defensive juggernaut and the 76ers couldn't throw a brick into the Atlantic. With some timely Kevin Durant scoring, the Thunder were able to get back into the game and eventually regain the lead. Though free throw trouble threatened the very edge they had fought so hard to regain, the 76er's failure to convert on key possessions ultimately did them in.

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

It's true that the 76ers struggled to make a shot in the final minutes of the game, but just as we can't rule the Thunder's early struggles out because of rust, we also can't blame the 76er's late inefficiency solely on one team. The Thunder played stellar defense down the stretch, nearly holding Philadelphia scoreless in the final 5 minutes.

The Thunder also had a strong rebounding edge, which was lead mostly by Russell Westbrook's 13 boards (7 offensive). Westbrook also had a rebound off a Kevin Durant missed free throw late in the game that frosted the win away.

Though the Thunder were dominant in rebounding all game, they didn't take advantage of their opportunities early on. Despite more than doubling Philadelphia in rebounds, the Thunder shot poorly, mostly because Philadelphia did a good job of forcing the ball back out to the perimeter on offensive rebounds and limiting fast breaks on defensive ones.

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

It's simple, the Thunder nearly held the 76ers without a field goal in the last 5 minutes of the game. Whether you want to believe it was Oklahoma City snatching victory from the jaws of defeat or Philadelphia choking it off, you can't deny that this was the key stretch in the game. In the last five minutes of the game, the 76ers scored only 4 points, three coming from an Andre Igoudala shot from beyond the arch with less than 10 seconds remaining. Before that, the 76ers had missed their last 11 shot attempts.

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

First of all, it proves the team can play good defense -- great defense even -- when it really needs to. Though this isn't necessarily critical down the stretch, it will be crucial for a team that has dreams of the Finals. If you want to extend your season deep into the summer, you need to learn to grind it out against the conference elites, whoever those teams turn out to be.

Secondly, it's good to start your journey down the second half of the season with a win. A loss, and you may start to think back to your time off and how much better that was than losing. With a win, however, and you can take your mind pedicures and refocus on preserving your place atop the Western Conference.

Thunder Wonder: Russell Westbrook: 22 points, 13 rebounds (7 offensive), 4 assists, 7 turnovers, and magical game-clenching rebound off the missed free throw.

Thunder Down Under: Kevin Durant: 23 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 turnovers

Thunder Blunder: Reggie Jackson: 2 points, 1 assist, 1 rebound, 1-8 shooting in 11:51 of play

Thunder Plunderer: Andre Igoudala: 18 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals

***

Next Game: Thursday at the Orlando Magic, 7:00 PM Central Standard Time

WTLC has a very special exclusive for you today as we gear up for the 2nd half of this NBA season. We recently were able to reach out to Justin Zormelo, founder of BestBall Analytics and personal trainer of Thunder All-Star Kevin Durant. Zormelo's model for training focuses on the individual's basketball IQ and applies revolutionary analytics and training to further develop the player's intelligence, efficiency, and confidence. Zormelo boasts of a clientele that includes Durant and Daequan Cook of the Thunder, as well as five of this season's NBA All-Stars, which includes Dwyane Wade, Derrick Rose, Luol Deng, Roy Hibbert, and Joe Johnson.

WTLC's Ben Luschen sat down with Zormelo to pick his brain on Durant's development, how his analytics system benefits players, and what it takes for players to get to the next level.

***

Welcome To Loud City: So, you started BestBall Analytics. What separates your company from other basketball training companies? What makes you guys good at what you do?

Justin Zormelo: Well, it's really just myself, there's a couple of other people that work with me. I just try to have a good relationship with whoever I'm working with and try to find their strengths and weaknesses and their goals as a player. I try to assist them in any form they possibly need help in through video consulting or on-the-court training - I just try to tailor it best to their needs. It's kind of different in every case, but I just try to listen to their wants and needs and I try to evaluate them and tell them where I can see some room for improvement.

WTLC: The knock on KD coming into the league was that he wasn't strong, right? Obviously, that hasn't been much of a problem. Do you think he's stronger than people give him credit for?

JZ: Definitely, definitely. You know, Kevin works extremely hard off the court on his body, I don't think he's missed many games at all. He's just a different kind of strong. He lifts hard. He just lifts differently than most people lift for. He's got a lot of strength but its just a different type of strength. He's young, he was 18- years-old [when he was drafted] and now he's 23 and still growing and still developing his body.

WTLC: I heard a radio interview over the summer - Kevin was on - and the host was asking him why he didn't have a low-post game and if he was developing one. Kevin was like, 'Well, I do have one, but it's not always smart for me to use it in the game,' because it would be easier for teams to double up on him. Do you know? How good is his low-post game?

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(via the NBA Youtube channel)

Box Score

The Thunder are a good example of a team that knows how to ring in the New Year. The team had never lost the day before the calendar change, and from the opening tip it certainly didn't look like this year would be any different.

The first quarter of action was most notable for the improved play of Russell Westbrook, who finished the opening period with 8 points, 2 rebounds, and an assist. Two of those points came off the aforementioned steal-n-slam -- a move which can only be described with the words "Full Honey Badger."

It would be impossible to talk about tonight's game without mentioning the superb play of the Thunder bench. Brooks relied heavily on his bench in the second quarter, and really throughout the game. Nick Collison (11 points, 5 rebounds) and Nazr Mohammed (9 points, 7 rebounds) showed just how intelligent and crafty they can be on offense when they're called on to preform. And of course, it's always a good sign for the Thunder when Daequan Cook is shooting well. Tonight he went 4-of-5 from beyond the arch and finished with 12 points in only 9 minutes of play.

An important subplot to tonight's game was how well the Thunder played despite the underwhelming play from their biggest star. Kevin Durant supplied an only pedestrian 12 points to the team's total and committed a team-high 5 turnovers in his 26 minutes of play.

Overall, Oklahoma City can chalk this one up as a quality TEAM win. The Thunder were able to hold Phoenix to a field goal percentage under 40% while shooting above 50% themselves. Three of the Suns starters, and arguably their three best players (Nash, Hill, and Frye) were held to single digit scoring numbers.

Certainly, the Thunder will need to keep up this kind of defensive and bench play for their next game on the road against Dallas, which will likely prove to be Oklahoma City's toughest challenge yet.

Sorry for the delay, come join the conversation!

The Thunder weren't playing. The game wasn't in Chesapeake Energy Arena. The NBA didn't even sanction the event. Having said that, the US Fleet Tracking Basketball Invitational was not about what wasn't there, but what was. Since the moment David Stern first announced the cancellation of regular season NBA games, Oklahoma City basketball fans have been starving for something to satisfy their basketball itch.

While no one was going to mistake this glorified pick-up game for anything from the last Thunder play-off run, it did allow the local fans a taste of the summer league action they've been hearing about in the off-season. I know I for one was very interested to see how the event would go down. Honestly, I had no idea what to expect for such a unique event. What will they do during timeouts? Who's going to do the play-by-play? How will this game compare to my experiences at a typical Thunder game?

Looking back at my experience, one primary thought comes to mind: this was no NBA. To say the defense was lacking would be akin to saying Tim Donaghy might have made a bad call in the '02 Western Conference Finals. Oh, and speaking of refs, not even sure why anyone in stripes showed up for this game (but more on that later). Also, the entertainment that was offered during play stoppages was often awkward and at best was unoriginal.

There are a lot of things I want to address about the game (both on and off the court), so here's my report card for this unique event:

Cox Convention Center Upgrades: C. 

It had been over a year since I had been in The Myriad last. Before this year, it was an arena stuck in the year 1982. I knew they were set to add improvements, and I was eager to see what they had changed. I'm sad to report I was not overly impressed. Mostly what they did was an overhaul of the arena concessions, which was much needed. Their expansions and additions seemed to lead to new problems, however. Lines from the concession stands expanded out from counter to wall in the narrow convention center hallways. It was quite difficult to navigate the arena halls during halftime and it was obvious the arena clearly wasn't suited for sold-out events like this one.

MORE GRADES AFTER THE JUMP

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I'm done with mock drafts. I've done my fair share of them in the past and it's nearly impossible to actually be able to pick a perfect draft. On draft day, there will be trades. There will be players that make unexpected falls. There will be head-scratching moves that shake up the entire draft landscape. There is no way I can predict that without having Chris Sheridan on speed dial.

I'm no actuary, but I'd have to say the chances of picking a perfect first round would be smaller than picking all 4 Final Four participants.

This, my friends, is not how I think the draft will go but how I think the draft should go. I basically pretended I was the GM of each of the teams and picked the player I thought was the best fit for the organization. Without further adieu, my 2011 not-so-mock draft:

1) Cleveland Cavaliers: Derrick Williams, SF/PF, Arizona

I know, I'm starting out with a bang by not having Irving here, but it's not because I don't think he's going to be a bad player -- he's the best point guard in the draft. It's not how bad Irving is, it's how good Williams is combined with the fact that a top end point guard will still be around by the time the Cavs are back on the clock at pick four. I believe you get more with the Williams-Knight combo than the Irving-Kanter combo.

2) Minnesota Timberwolves: Enes Kanter, PF/C, Kentucky (Turkey)

Irving is tempting, but Minnesota drafted two point guards in the first round last season. Flynn showed some promise and you have to at least give Rubio a shot. With this pick, Minnesota can finally get Darko out of the starting line-up.

3) Utah Jazz: Kyrie Irving, PG, Duke

Again, I think he's a very good player, and Utah is definitely getting good value for their pick. Irving is a no-brainer pick to become the new face of the franchise now that Deron Williams is in New Jersey/Brooklyn

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Yahoo! Box Score

NBA.com Recap

One game. One single game was the difference between continuing a run at history and an unbearable punch in the gut. One game was the difference between over-hyped up-and-comers and a team that is here to win and here to win now. A win in Game 7 lands the Thunder on the national center stage. Kevin Durant's status as a top scorer in the league is set in stone, but his legacy as an all-time player begins in the Conference Finals.

Now, as for the game itself, THAT is how you win a Game 7. There were several strong performances throughout the Thunder roster, including the likes of Durant, Westbrook, Harden, and Collison. Having said that, it must be noted that victory did not always seem so certain.

In the first quarter, the Thunder found themselves trailing by as much as 13-8, mostly due to the play of Zach Randolph and Mike Conley. At the start of the game it looked as if Randolph was going to have another one of his unstoppable shooting nights, and Conley was showing no interest in exiting the postseason, collecting two points, two rebounds, and two assists in the first six minutes.

The Thunder would fight their way back though. A timeout with 5:52 left to go in the first quarter led to the Thunder to a 13-4 run to close out the first. Their success here was largely due to the substitution of Nick Collison for Serge Ibaka. Ibaka has been ineffective of late, and a dose of Collison was just what the doctor ordered to get Randolph off track before he could really get into his rhythm.

In the second quarter, the Grizzlies scrapped their way back to tie the game due to a pair of Sam Young and Marc Gasol. Still, the Thunder continued to pull ahead, partially due to one of my favorite plays of the night, a Kendrick Perkins jaw-dropping 18-footer that finally put the Thunder up by double-digits.

BELOW: THE SECOND HALF, DURANT'S MOMMA DANCIN', RUSSELL WESTBROOK JOINS AN ELITE CLUB, AWARDS!

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Ozarka: My Fresh Life with Russell Westbrook #2 (via WaterOzarka)

We continue to document Russell Westbrook's adventures with Ozarka water. They should seriously be paying me to post this stuff. As a side note, I now have a strong urge to completely bathe myself if pure Ozarka spring water.

• The regular season has come to an end and the postseason has yet to start. The time between is a time for basketball fans to look back on the season that was, and what better way to do so than a look-back on this season "Awards" winners. You know, those cute boldfaced designations at the bottom of (nearly) every Welcome To Loud City game recap.

  Below is a season tally for every Thunder Wonder, Thunder Down Under, Thunder Blunder, and Thunder Plunderer award we've given out this season. Again, the lists won't total 82 because there were some recaps that we unfortunately missed. There were also times when no rewards were given in the recaps, or some rewards were left out. Still, I think the totals provide a telling snapshot of the season.

  So, without further adieu, your 2010-2011 award winners!
  
  
  2010-2011 THUNDER WONDER OF THE YEAR...

   

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Ozarka: My Fresh Life with Russell Westbrook (via WaterOzarka)

I can't figure out who Russ is endorsing in this spot. Any ideas?

As I'm sure you know by now, the Thunder were able to address their most pressing need at the trade deadline: centers who can bang down low and grab some rebounds. Before the deadline, it seemed that the team would try yet again to meet those needs in the draft. But now what? Do the Thunder look for depth at small forward? A shooter? Do they trade the pick? Is it possible they could still be in the market for big men? To answer these questions, let's first look at what the team has in the cupboard:

Point Guard

Russell Westbrook (Signed through 2012-13)

Eric Maynor (Signed through 2013-14, team option in 2012-13)

Royal Ivey (Signed through 2011-12)

Nate Robinson? (Signed through 2011-12)

Shooting Guard

Thabo Sefalosha (Signed through 2013-14)

James Harden (Signed through 2013-14, team option in 2012-13)

Daequan Cook (Signed through 2011-12)

Nate Robinson? (Signed through 2011-12)

Small Forward

Kevin Durant (Signed through 2015-16)

Power Forward

Serge Ibaka (Signed through 2013-14, team option in 2012-13)

Nick Collison (Signed through 2014-15)

Center

Kendrick Perkins (Signed through this season)

Nazr Mohammed (Signed through this season)

Cole Aldrich (Signed through 2014-15, team options in 2012-13 and 2013-14)

B.J. Mullens (Signed through 2013-14, team option in 2012-13)

As you can see, the first priority for the Thunder in the offseason will be to secure the center position. I really don't see the Thunder not resigning Kendrick Perkins. He probably wasn't happy to be leaving Boston, but once he gets a few games in Thunder blue under his belt, once he starts to bond with the guys on the roster, I think it'll be an easy resigning.

It's hard to say if Mohammed will be back before he's even played a game, but if I had to bet, I'd say no. The long-term futures of Robinson, Ivey, and Cook are also up in the air. It's not terribly likely they keep any of them after their contracts expire, the team may keep one of them. It's possible that they may be bought out/traded before then. Everyone else on the roster though is most likely going to be here through the 2013-14 season.

So, with that core group of players in mind, I list the team's draft needs as follows:

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

Records: The Oklahoma City Thunder (33-17) vs. The Memphis Grizzlies (27-26)

Time: 7:00 PM Central Daylight Time

Place: The Ole Snow Fort, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

TV: Fox Sports Net Oklahoma, SportSouth-Memphis

Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1), Soul Classics 103.5 FM WRBO

Enemy Blog(s): Straight Outta Vancouver, 3 Shades of Blue

Previous Meeting(s): Jan. 4, Jan. 9

I really wanted a clever headline for this one, there are so many to chose from when you're playing the Grizzlies. Bad News Bears. Winnie the Pooh. Bernstein Bears. Bear in the Big Blue House. Even Ewoks!

Unfortunately, this edition of the Grizzles have much more bite than they did two years ago (last season too, for that matter) so the demeaning pop culture terms hardly apply. Memphis is currently in a neck-in-neck battle with the Portland Trailblazers to determine the 8 seed in the West. To make matters worse, Serge Ibaka may very well miss tonight's game (As Dogburt reported earlier). The Grizzlies have given Oklahoma City some tough games not only this season, but in the past as well. Zach Randolph has proven to be too much for Jeff Green to handle, so the question remains: Who can step up tonight against the inside duo of Randolph and Gasol?

BELOW: The Answer (Hint: It's not A.I.), Predictions 

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It's true, the draft is still 4 1/2 months away and the pending status of the collective bargaining agreement may make this the most irrelevant post ever. However, I don't see any harm in posting a little primer for those who are starting to wonder who we may be seeing in Thunder blue next season. Therefore, below I'll be addressing 4 scorching hot, scalding, burning, melting, blazing, habanero-flavored NBA Draft questions:

1) Right now, who look to be the elite players in this year's crop of talent?

In terms of the talent sitting near the top of most big boards, it appears to be a good year for the multi-faceted power forward. Jared Sullinger, a freshman power forward who has played a large role in Ohio State's currently undefeated season, just may be the best of them all. NBADraft.net compares him to Kevin Love, which I can see, but he reminds me more of a slightly more athletic Zach Randolph. He's a hoss, even by NBA standards, at 6'9" 286 lbs, and will only add more muscle in the professional ranks. In addition to his old school post presence, his jump shot is decent enough to keep defenses honest.

My personal favorite in the upcoming draft class has to be Baylor freshman string bean Perry Jones. Jones, standing at 6'11" and a wing-span over 7 feet, is built in the Tracy McGrady, Kevin Durant mold. He projects to be an NBA small forward, but could serve as a power forward if that is the need of the team that drafts him. Of all the potential prospects in the coming draft, his potential eclipses all of them. It isn't often scouts see a scorer like this in such a long body, but when they do, they usually take notice. These kinds of guys don't stay on the board long.

There are a few knocks on Jones, however. His college team, the Baylor Bears, have disappointed this season. He's been averaging slightly over 14 points and 7 rebounds a game. Not bad for college, though not the god-like numbers that make you go, "yeah, this guy should go number one." (He is, however, shooting 57.1% from the field). Some people feel he'd be well served to stay another year in college. This doesn't appear likely, given he'll likely be selected in the top three and his Bears, who were highly ranked in the preseason, have fallen even below the (resurgent) Oklahoma Sooners in the current Big XII standings.

Other likely top picks include Kyle Irving (a shifty freshman point guard and floor general playing for Mike Krzyzewski at Duke), Terrence Jones (an offensively polished Kentucky forward with a great handle), and Derrick Willams (yet another athletic, scoring power forward).

2) Internationally speaking, who are the top incoming prospects?

I'll admit it, I have neither the time nor the means to keep a constant pulse on the international game. However, I can read draft boards and watch Youtube highlights as well as anyone.

Most regard Enes Kanter as the top international player. Though technically he's going to college at Kentucky, Kanter was ruled ineligible by the NCAA for receiving more than $33,000 in impermissible benefits while playing for his club team in Turkey.

Though he isn't the most exciting player in the world, he gets results, big results. He scored a record 34 points at the Nike Hoops Summit. The Hoops Summit, which pits the best young talent of the United States and the rest of the world against each other, featured some top-notch talent, including Jared Sullinger, Kyle Irving, Terrence Jones, and Harrison Barnes from North Carolina. None of them had a better stat line than Kanter. Oh, by the way, the record he broke belonged to some guy named Dirk Nowitzki. I think he may still be in the league.

Other notable international players fall in two stereotypical categories: Big white guys that can shoot and lanky athletic players with loads of "potential" but may have to be stashed away overseas while they develop. The former includes the likes of Lithuanians Jonas Valanciunas and Dontas Motiejunas. The project players include the Czech Jan Vesely and Brazillian Lucas Nogueira.

3) Jimmer Fredette is setting the college hoops world on fire. Is he the next great white hope or the second coming of Adam Morrison? 

In the spectrum of white college players who lead the nation in scoring, I'd say Fredette leans more toward Reddick than he does Morrison.

Adam Morrison could score in an NBA game. He averaged 11.8 PPG and shot a decent 37.6% from 3 his rookie year. Scoring wasn't a problem. His problem was that he couldn't do anything else on a basketball court. Rebound? Not physical or athletic enough. Defend? You must be joking. If you're not going to be an elite scorer, if you're not going to find your niche on defense, in the post, taking charges, and you're anything less than automatic from beyond the arch, what good are you in the NBA?

J.J. Reddick, on the other hand, who was always the much better shooter of the two, has found his niche in the NBA and should be in the league for as long as his shot keeps falling. Likewise, I think Fredette can be at least a similar type of player. Though he'll be routinely outmatched in athleticism, he at least has decent enough speed to not completely embarrass himself on defense. He isn't quite as gifted a shooter as Reddick either, but he's not far off, and his offensive skill set is more versatile than that of Reddick. Fredette seems to me to be a player who compensated for a lack of innate ability by mastering more unorthodox scoring methods, hence the floaters and the absurdly long-range bombs he throws up on occasion. Will he ever be an all-star? I doubt he'll even be a routine starter. But, can he be a leading bench player in the NBA? He definitely has the ability.

4) OK, I need my Thunder fix. Who are some players who could be playing in Oklahoma City next season?

Sam Presti has shown he has a pension for drafting project big men (Serge Ibaka, B.J. Mullens, Cole Aldrich). There's certainly need for a natural post presence on this roster. If Presit wants to keep up the tradition, judging from where the Thunder look to be in the upcoming draft, Lucas Noguiera is his man. The Thunder could use all 84 inches of his 7 foot frame. He's exactly the kind of Joakim Noah/Tyson Chandler-type center the Thunder have been begging for. However, rumor has it that Noguiera has exhibited some maturity issues, which definitely wouldn't fly under the current regime. He also still must grow into that long frame of his, and is not NBA ready.

Kenneth Faried is another pick that intrigues me. He doesn't grab as much attention as he should, as a 6'8" senior forward playing for Morehead State. What he does grab, however, are rebounds. He averages 14.5 rebounds this season and has averaged at least 13 rebounds since his sophomore season. He probably won't be much of a scoring threat in the NBA, but if he were to play on a team with, say, the top scoring duo in the league, that probably wouldn't be much of an issue. Many will say that his rebound numbers may be slightly inflated by the fact that he doesn't play against high caliber competition. That may be the case, but when Charles Barkley was arguing for Kevin Love's status as an all-star a few nights ago, he said, "you can't fake rebounding." I think Chuck may know a thing or two about grabbing boards. However, it always comes back to character. I can't testify either way for Faried, I've never met him. His idol, allegedly, is Dennis Rodman. Let's hope that's an on-court idol only...

Kyle Singler seems to be a player that Oklahoma City fans would appreciate. The 6'9" senior forward from Duke has a versatile offensive game (though he may become more of a shooter in the pro ranks). He also has a competitive engine that doesn't die and really shows that he cares about each possession. With 20 years of experience living in Oklahoma City, I think these are the players the fans value the most. He stayed all four years in college, which is a modern rarity for draft prospects. I think this shows he was dedicated foremost to winning, something he is accustomed to at Duke. The downside is that he seems to fit the small forward / power forward slot the Thunder currently have a logjam at. Offensively, he could play shooting guard, but he'd definitely struggle to defend the 2. In terms of character, he played 4 years for Coach K and is one of his favorite players, which is typically a reliable filter for a quality person.

LaceDarius Dunn, the 6'4" senior shooting guard from Baylor, is typically described as one of the best shooters in college basketball, which he is. The Thunder would welcome a chance to improve upon their three point shooting (though it doesn't appear to be Presti's top concern), and he'll likely still be available whenever the Thunder end up picking. However, there are a few things that may keep the Thunder away from him. 1) The already documented struggles of the much hyped Baylor Bears and 2) a regrettable run in with the law.

It's impossible to predict anything at this point. The Thunder's draft position is unknown. Prospects will rise and fall on the boards. The season may be canceled. But, at this point in time, it looks as if the Thunder will be at least tempted to stray from the path of the straight and narrow.

Image courtesy of Trey Kerby from blogs.thescore.com. I DID NOT DO THIS!

There's always a certain amount of fun to be had in over-analyzing pictures and videos. This is no exception. Kerby does a good job sorting through the different levels of excitement to Jeff Green's shot clock beating three that pretty much put the game away. Royal Ivey's reaction is priceless.

The original image can be seen here.

Yahoo! Sports Box Score:

This game was particularly frustrating to me. Sure, they avoided being completely shalacked on the road again, but to me it's almost worse when you have a game against an inferior team within reach and can never seem to turn the corner.  

Two things were key in the Grizzlies' win tonight, timely scoring runs and dominance on the boards (at least compared to the Thunder's rebounding ineptitude).

Memphis set the tone early, opening with a 15-5 lead. Though the Thunder were able to fight their way back, leading for most of the second quarter and going to halftime tied at 55, the Grizzlies took back over in the third quarter, led mostly by Rudy Gay who was unstoppable most of the night.

The Thunder collectively only grabbed 3 offensive rebounds, which was just a quarter of what Memphis had. In total rebounds, the Thunder were outnumbered 42-31. Zach Randolph was definitely the greatest benefactor of this. The Thunder had absolutely no answer for him, and it showed.

Below: "The Shot," Awards

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

Records: The Oklahoma City Thunder (23-12) vs. The Memphis Grizzlies (15-19)

Time: 7:00 PM Central Standard Time

Place: FedExForum, Memphis, Tennessee

TV: Fox Sports Net Oklahoma, SportSouth-Memphis

Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1), Soul Classics 103.5 FM WRBO

Enemy Blog(s): Straight Outta Vancouver, 3 Shades of Blue

There are a three words that some to mind when I think of the Thunder's last game:

Bad. Bad. Bad.

But, my momma always said that you gotta put your past behind you and continue to look foreward, so that's what we're going to try to do. I think you're allowed to have a bad game every once and a while and that's exactly what happened here. What's done is done.

Tonight, the Thunder take on one of the leagues biggest enigmas in Memphis. They're fresh off a win over the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers, have wins over Dallas and Miami, and have scored more points than they've given up despite their losing record.

Below: More About The Grizzlies, Prediction

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Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1), WEEI-850 AM

Enemy Blog(s): CelticsBlog, Hardwood Houdini, Red's Army

Previous Meeting(s): Nov. 7

If the Thunder are indeed without Green and Durant for this season's second installment of Thunder-Celtics, some fans may want to get in line for the Deathly Hallows instead of watching the game. Westbrook can score, sure, but he's never been the go-to-guy or the focal point of an opposing team's defense. Who knows how he'll respond to that kind of pressure? And who is going to be the number two scorer? Harden? Ibaka? Maynor? I'm pretty certain there'll be a few people in the Garden tonight who have never even heard of those people. If there was ever a night to wipe the dust off Mo Peterson and see if he can get things going, tonight may be that night.

Even if Durant does play, it's hard for me to imagine them escaping the parquet floor with a victory, especially after what the Celtics did to them earlier this year in Oklahoma City.Though Jermaine O'Neal is out, Garnett, Davis, Erden, and Shaq (who is making his first appearance against the Thunder this season) will be more than enough for OKC's bigs to try to contain.

Though it looked like things were getting turned around after the Houston game, the Thunder will more than likely have to take their lumps yet again in Boston. Still, there are four very winnable games coming up for the Thunder: at Milwaukee (Nov. 20),Minnesota (Nov. 22), Dallas (Nov. 24), at Indiana (Nov. 26), and at Houston (Nov. 28). However, if Kevin Durant extends his leave into these games, we'll have to see just how "easy" they turn out to be.   


Prediction: Boston 118, Oklahoma City 89

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

Records: The Boston Celtics (5-1) vs. The Oklahoma City Thunder (3-2)

Time: 6:00 P.M. Central Daylight Time

Place: A Nameless Multipurpose Sports Complex, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

TV:Fox Sports Net Oklahoma, Comcast Sportnet New England

Radio:WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1), WEEI-850 AM

Enemy Blog(s): CelticsBlog, Hardwood Houdini, Red's Army

Previous Meetings:None. 

There was once a time when using the term, "Big Three" didn't bring up images of South Beach, The Flash, Predator, or LeBron eating donuts (Hi Chuck).

No, tonight the Thunder are taking on the original"Three Amigos." The Boston Celtics have mostly grabbed headlines this season for beating the Miami Heat on opening night, outstanding point guard play from Rajon Rondo, and for some questionable comments that may or may not have been said to Pistons big man Charlie Villanueva.

Tonight they come face-to-face with the Thunder, who is no stranger to publicity. In the preseason, columnists all over the country wrote long, tender love letters to the team nestled in the heart of America and its champion scorer, who wins so many over with his pearly white humility. Now that the season is underway, the Thunder still find themselves the talk of the town, but this time with much less adoration. They can't defend the paint! They can't shoot the three! They settle for jumpers too much! The Thunder can chalk up this criticism as a mere bad stretch of games with a win tonight. Whether they chose to oblige is up to them. 

Below: More Celtics Info, How The Game Will Go, Prediction!

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Former Sooner (and member of my personal sports name hall of fame) Longar Longar was added to the Thunder training camp roster yesterday.Though it can't be expected that he'll be backing up Serge Ibaka or Nenad Krstic this season, there's a chance he could make his way to a contract with the Tulsa 66ers if he is able to impress at camp.

Longar has been all over the place in his basketball career, including the D-League, Europe, various NBA camps and summer league rosters, and even the Harlem Globetotters. On the court, he's an athletic shot blocker with lots of energy. Off the court, he's from Sudan, has a billion brothers and sisters*, and knows more languages than Microsoft Word*.

Though this means little to the Thunder in the great scheme of things, its always good to see a local talent like Longar have success, especially if its with a team close to home. We hope to see him in a 66er uniform soon. Boomer!

*-slightly exaggerated facts.

Its not quite official yet, but it seems that the city of Seattle may finally be getting its "revenge." Reports indicate that an ownership group in Seattle (known as Force 10 Hoops L.L.C.) may be purchasing the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz, an arena football team that moved from the Arena2 league last season to form the new revitalized Arena Football League.

I'm not trying to open any old wounds here, but the incredible coincidence here was too much to be left untouched. There are a few things I notice about this potential purchase in particular. Read More Below.

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It was a hard fought battle. Earlier in the day it seemed certain that Al would wrap up the tournament by a comfortable margin, but a late surge by Berry Tramel resulted in the toppling of the top seed. Its been almost three weeks, and here we are! As voted by you, the reader, I am pleased to present Berry Tramel with the illustrious title of best sports media personality in Oklahoma City. Please, enjoy the sampling of Berry Tramel works, moments, and images below: 

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I have finally returned from my breathtaking tropical getaway. The locals hated me, my luggage was lost, and I came down with a case of dysentery the details of which may put your grandmother into cardiac arrest. But enough about me! Today is all about one thing: the championship. Al Eschbach. Berry Tramel. Both are long-time media vets, but their personalities couldn't be more different. Throw aside the rankings and all previous results. Only one thing matters now: your vote. Who will be the king of OKC???

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Well, its an interesting game, I'll give you that. Rarely do Cinderellas take on fellow underdogs, especially in the second round. But, here we are... Who will it be? Toby Rowland, whose roles are too many to name? Myron Patton, whose journalism is a little off the beaten path? Its all up to you. Someone gets to keep dancing...for the other, its midnight.

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We know half of the identities in the Final Four. Now we the Bill Teegins Regional begins with a couple of true toss-ups, today's Tramel-Pinto showdown and Sunday's Rowland-Patton Cinderella shootout. Berry Tramel and Matt Pinto aren't your shorts and sandals radio hosts like some of the other guys in this bracket. In fact, they're quite the antithesis. The winner will be the favorite by default to advance out of the Bill Teegins bracket and into the championship. 

#3) Berry Tramel

Bid: Automatic (The Oklahoman)

Resume:Columnist for The Oklahoman. Co-host of The Total Dominance Hour. WWLS contributor

The Story of Round One:He may not have been facing the toughest opponent, but 8 votes over Jenni Carlson is nothing to sneeze at (whatever that's supposed to mean). When it comes to total votes, he didn't rank very highly among winners, but because each day brings a slightly different sample to the blog, total votes aren't always the best way to gauge who's going to end up winning these things. I didn't sense that strong of a hater vote against him in the last match either, as Carlson was one of the lower vote-getters in the opening round.

#6) Matt Pinto

Bid: At-Large

Resume:Thunder Radio Play-By-Play. WWLS Contributor.

The Story of Round One:Pinto received the lowest number of votes of any first round winner. There are a few ways to interpret this: The first way, and perhaps the most likely, is that not to many people were interested in reading about Thunder basketball on their Sunday afternoon, and never visited the blog in the first place. However, another reason could be that his name wasn't a big enough draw to get voters in. I mean, like it or not, a Jim Traber poll could probably summon 40 or 50 votes on Christmas Eve. Either way, it goes without saying that if Matt doesn't pick up his game for this match, he'll be sent home, and fast.

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Prognostication:This one was tough for me. These people are hard to compare, because their professions and personal styles are so different. If you're voting for the best personality and the guy with the most knowledge of Oklahoma, Berry is your man. If you're looking for someone who takes his work very seriously (not that Berry doesn't) with a little national flavor, then its Pinto. But you ask who I'm picking? Tramel. I seeded these guys in the first place, and the low vote total for Pinto in the last round honestly does concern me a little. Still, this is one of the two biggest toss-ups in round two, and either way I won't be too surprised.

If Elmer Fudd were here, he might say that this is, "a vewy, vewy, vewy, Bawwy battwle." Unfortunately, Elmer isn't here. But that shouldn't make this match-up any less exciting. Whoever wins this one could be called the best local sports director in the city and just may establish himself as the favorite to win it all. Read the complete breakdown below:

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The Regional Semifinals open up with Al Eschach trying to fend off John Rohde. It may take two to tango, but it only takes one click to vote. So do it now!

Read the complete match-up breakdown below: 

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Traber fans are still stunned..........

The first round has come to a close. It featured nail-biters and boring clunkers. We laughed, we cried, we ranted, and we voted...and voted, and voted some more. We also lost a lot of dead weight in the past round – games promise to be much tougher from here on out. Here is a look at the schedule for the regional semifinals:

Bob Barry, Sr. Regional

Thursday, August 5: #1 Al Eschbach vs #9 John Rohde

Friday, August 6: #4 Dean Blevins vs #5 Bob Barry, Jr.

Bill Teegins Regional

Saturday, August 7: #3 Berry Tramel vs #6 Matt Pinto

Sunday, August 8: #10 Toby Rowland vs #15 Myron Patton

I could blabber on and on about how each individual game in the first round went down, but I'll let the numbers speak for themselves:

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The day you've all been waiting for has arrived...and its probably not because of Myron Patton. As promised, "The Ultimate" Jim Traber will be trying to advance into the second round today. Lead your favorite to victory! As always, the complete match-up breakdown is below.

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We're getting closer to the end of round one, but the matches are getting no less intense. In today's game, we have everyone's favorite high-strung local play-by-play man Brian Davis taking on the young and promising Toby Rowland. Do you have a favorite? If so, vote! Tell your friends to vote. Tell your mom to vote. Tell your mom's friends to vote. No one wants to see "their guy" taking a loss in the first round. Also, be sure to read the complete breakdown below:

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