Friday, October 31, 2008

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween

To all of the Thunder fans out there that are unaware, today rather than two days ago is Halloween. I know that Wednesday night seemed pretty spooky and scary. And that it seemed like the sixth grader down the street was wearing a Kevin Durant costume. And your neighbor's son was dressed up as Earl Watson. And that freakishly tall junior high school girl who lives two blocks away and can school your son every day and twice on Sunday on the b-ball courts was dressed up like Johan Petro. And it seemed like Jeff Green was ... well, actually, that was probably just Jeff Green.

Thunder fans, take solace in the fact that nothing that you see tonight will spook or scare you at all like on Wednesday during the first quarter of the game. Tonight there will be no 10 point first quarter deficits. There will be no first half foul trouble for Durant. There will be no starters getting outscored by 15 by the bench. Or starters shooting a mere 35% from the field.

No, tonight will be a night of ghosts and goblins and witches and pokemon (or whatever the heck kids are in to these days). Obamas and McCains and Palins and Bidens. Candy grubbers throughout looking for a handout.

So go out, and enjoy the fake hoodlumry. For tomorrow night beckons the start of a two game stretch that will truly frighten the mind! Rockets and Timberwolves, Oh My!

Thursday, October 30, 2008

And With the First Pick...

Well we aren't quite to that point yet. Yet is the most important word for the Thunder after last night's opener. The Bucks dominated every phase of the game, and the final score wasn't a good indicator of just how bad things went for Oklahoma City.

Because this could be the start of a very long season, I am not going to dwell on the negative. Instead I bring you three reasons to be optimistic for Saturday's first road game.

1. Healthy Players: The Thunder threw everyone at Milwaukee, getting 11 players in the game. Chris Wilcox came off the bench after missing the last couple of preseason tune-ups and led the club in scoring and rebounding (15 and 7).

2. 08 Draft Results: Russell Westbrook continued to impress, hitting the lone 3-pointer for OKC and finishing second on the team with 13 points. Kyle Weaver also made his NBA debut, picking up an assist against the Bucks.

3. First Game Jitters: Sold-out arena, check. NBA bigwigs in attendance, check. Too much adrenaline, you get the picture. From now on the game on the court can be the story, hopefully without many more distractions.

From the outside looking in, Milwaukee came ready to play after looking flat in their opener. They caught the Thunder at the right time and taught them an important lesson. Nothing is a given in the world's best basketball league, and OKC has a lot to learn.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Opening Night: A Gift from the NBA

The NBA season kicks off tonight for the Thunder as they will be taking on the Milwaukee Bucks at home tonight. Milwaukee has already played one game (a 108-95 loss to the Chicago Bulls), and this game will be the second of a two game stretch for them. The Thunder will be fresh as their last preseason game was 5 days ago.

The Bucks, much like the Thunder, did not have a lot of success in the preseason and ended with a 1-7 record. The team last year was known for its weak defense allowing 103.9 points per game and a 48% field goal percentage. Their new coach, Scott Skiles, is more defensive minded than his predecessor, but with a lack of defensive talent on the team is hard to imagine there will be much improvement. If the Thunder hit anywhere close to that 48% field goal percentage, this game will certainly be a lock in their favor.

Milwaukee has two big scoring threats in Michael Redd and Richard Jefferson. OKC doesn't have to shut down either of them to win this game, but reducing the production of one of the two would go a long ways towards victory. Outside of Redd and Jefferson, the Bucks don't have a lot of double digit scoring threats. This will aid in the Thunder's defensive schemes which will be important as Oklahoma City is also a little weak in the defensive standpoint.

This game can really be seen as a gift from the NBA. The Bucks will be tired from playing last night and then will have to travel from Chicago to Oklahoma City for tonight's game. The Oklahoma City crowd will be loud and boisterous for the season opener of a team that they can finally call their own (rather than a team that they were "borrowing"). The atmosphere will electrify the Thunder, and I expect to see strong performances across the board. Look for the Thunder to put triple digits on the board while the Bucks struggle to get to 90.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

2008-09 Preview: A Building Year

Now that the preseason is done and the start of the regular season is upon us, it is time to take a look at what to expect from the Thunder in the upcoming season. If the preseason is any indication, and I believe it is, this season will be one of struggles. But with good planning, this season can be used to lay the foundation for the future.

As the Seattle SuperSonics, this club finished with a 20-62 record with 13 wins at home and 7 on the road. The only real "home field" advantage that the team had last year was not having to deal with a stadium full of fans of the other team. This season, home games will include the screams and cheers of nearly 20,000 fans. This should enable the Thunder to win roughly 50% more home games. I don't foresee OKC doing much better than last year on the road, so we're looking at about 27 wins on the season.

With that in mind, the Thunder really ought to be looking towards the future. The key question, of course, is at what point in time do you give up on the current season. For the first 10-20 games OKC definitely has to go with the best starting lineup, but if we're in pretty bad shape after that, we seriously need to start prepping players for next year.

Earl Watson is the best point guard on the team, but is certainly not the point guard of the future for Oklahoma City. Russell Westbrook was impressive in the preseason and should be made the starting point guard as soon as this season is determined to be a wash. Getting him up to speed as the team's point guard now will help lead the team to playoff contention in the next couple of years. At a minimum, the Thunder are going to want to have him starting even if that means that Kevin Durant has to be moved to a forward position.

Durant, Westbrook, and Jeff Green are going to be the core of this team in the future. Of those three, Green is looking to be the weakest link. gforce suggests that the Thunder allow Green to develop by utilizing him as the sixth man this year and let Desmond Mason start in his place. I suggest that they use a "carrot and the stick" philosophy with him. We need this guy to learn to be a starter, and if he can't do it, then we need to dump him before it's too late. Each game, the Thunder should let him start, and if he starts shooting and missing a bunch of stupid shots, they should bench him (the stick) and let Mason play. If he plays well, then we'll let him stay as part of the core for the future (the carrot).

Moving beyond the core three (or two, if Green fails, but I'm optimistic that he won't), the Thunder will need another forward and a center. Johan Petro has impressed me in the preseason and I'd like to see how he would do in the starting center role. Round out those four with Chris Wilcox, and the Thunder could get a pretty good view of what the team could look like over the next few years and easily identify what it needed from the draft (say, a three point threat perhaps?).

Monday, October 27, 2008

D is for Desmond

Building off of yesterday's post, my only critique of the Thunder is that they are trying awfully hard to stay with a young team. I understand KD is the star and that Westbrook is coming on strong. What I don't get is the infatuation with Jeff Green. This won't turn into an anti-Green website, but I do wonder about Desmond Mason.

My understanding was that he was brought in for leadership and defense. If he was only brought in to be a face and occasional player off the bench, then I have issues with management.

Do I think Green could emerge into the player who was drafted fifth overall last year?

Do I believe Mason is a short-fix to a bigger issue?

Do I envision a Thunder squad disciplined enough to be like the Spurs?

Yes!

Potential is the buzz word tossed around the NBA every time a high school athlete takes the leap to the pros. It is also the single most overrated quality that every first round pick is handed. Defense is not flashy and can be boring. But it also wins over fans and more importantly, games.

Durant's focus is on scoring, and that is understandable. He needs a running mate who does the little things. Mason brings an intensity at both ends of the floor, something KD should be quick to learn. Mason is also a proven scorer, averaging 12.5 points a game over an eight year career. He can pick up the slack when Durant is struggling and offer the encouragement of a seasoned vet.

Let Green get his feet and take some of the pressure off of holding down a starting spot before he is ready. Make him the sixth man and anchor of the 'energy' group with Westbrook. Just don't count on Green to save the Thunder this season. Save that for the future and go with the motto, 'D is for Desmond' for the 08-09 campaign.

Sunday, October 26, 2008

grading on a curve

i watched half of the okc/la game from friday, and carbert was right on with his review. here in a nutshell was the story.

good: russell westbrook.
bad: after leading 4-0, the game pretty much went downhill after that.
ugly: fighting back to take a 41-39 lead, the thunder still trailed 63-53 at the half.

oklahoma city did have some good moments against the lakers and throughout the preseason. given that this is a learning experience, i am going to use the same format to describe the team to date. we'll call it the preseason thunder roll-call.

good: front court play -- veteran presence in smith, collison, and wilcox combined with youth of petro, sene, and swift

less than a month ago this dynamic of the club appeared to be the weakest. there were question marks about who would be the starting center and power forward, and okc even brought in outside help to push the competition. now the only remaining concerns are health related, and those are minor at best.

collison and petro appear to have the starting spots locked up based on performance and a set-back to wilcox. smith is the glue that holds the group together with swift coming on in the last week. throw a healthy sene into the mix, and this is far and away the brighest spot of the preseason.

bad: 3-point shooting -- five was the high mark through seven games played

okc cut the only player who seemed comfortable from behind the arc, and this will remain a topic to watch as the year progresses. if superstar kevin durant has any noticeable flaw, it is his reluctance to play a true shooting guard role. durant knocked down 59 triples last year but shot less than 30 percent doing it.

westbrook has looked willing to play either the one or two, and there was talk during the lakers broadcast of having earl watson and westbrook in the same backcourt. if that were the case, durant could be moved to the small forward position, and jeff green can take the sixth man role. no matter who is on the court for the thunder, someone is going to have to prove they can consistently make shots from the three-point range or comebacks will be non-existent for okc.

ugly: defense -- or the lack of it especially with the guard play

another reason to get westbrook more involved. durant looked awful trying to guard kobe and luckily la had him out of the game before the first quarter was over. i will touch on this subject more before the regular season kicks off against milwaukee, but it hasn't been pretty thus far.

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Fell into the Lake Early

The Thunder were back to their old tricks again getting blown away 30-20 in the first quarter against the Lakers before losing 105-94. On the bright side, OKC only fell behind a total of 1 point over the next three quarters hanging fairly even with the Kobe-less Lakers (Kobe's only playing time came in the rough first quarter).

The highlight of the game for the Thunder was definately Russell Westbrook who came off of the bench to lead the team in scoring with 23 points off of 7 for 12 shooting from the field. He added an additional 9 points from the line. Durant was the #2 scorer with 15 points, and Damien Wilkins and Johan Petro were the Thunder's other players to break into double digits with 11 and 10 points respectively.

Jeff Green and Earl Watson had adbismal performances shooting from the field with neither shooting better than 20%. Watson contributed one three but attempted five others. Durant was also pretty lame from the field only hitting 4 of 12.

Chris Wilcox sat out the game, the second straight game he's sat out, due to his hamstring injury. With Wilcox out, Nick Collision moved to power forward and Petro took over as center. Collision only played during the first half so to not over do it on his wounded knees. Petro has been better than expected this preseason and has definately made a case to be a starter or be given a good dose of playing time this season. With both Wilcox and Collision banged up, expect him to get a few starts early in the season.

The Thunder were a miserable 2 for 14 from three point land, but their field goal shooting wasn't much better: 38.0%. For comparision, the Lakers were 5 of 16 from beyond the arc and 55.1% from the field. Frankly with such an impressive field goal percentage from the Lakers, it's amazing that the Thunder managed to only lose by 11.

A key thing that keep OKC in this game was extra opportunities from the free throw line. The Thunder shot 38 free throws compared to the Lakers 20, and they made 32 to L.A.'s 14. This has been a consistant theme throughout the preseason. The Thunder only have shot fewer and made fewer free throws in the game against the Kings. Currently they are averaging roughly 8 more free throw opportunities which is resulting in about 6 extra points per game. If the Thunder can continue this trend in the regular season, it could go a long ways towards helping them steal a couple extra wins.

Friday, October 24, 2008

Finishing Up Strong

Hanging tough for one half, Oklahoma City showed off their youth against Phoenix. Unfortunately the visiting Thunder ran up against the Suns' duo of Nash and Stoudemire in the third quarter before falling 102-93. OKC dropped to 1-5 and ends the preseason on the road tonight against the LA Lakers.

As the NBA favorite to win a title, Los Angeles poses the strongest test for the Thunder. Kobe Bryant might be held out again, and that may be the only hope OKC has of ending the exhibition season on a winning note. LA has five wins in a row while averaging just over 96 points a contest, three better than the Thunder. The Lakers are the better defensive team as well, but the main thing OKC is concerned with is health heading into the regular season.

Three regulars and three others were held out of the Phoenix game, and the story for tonight's matchup will be who plays and who doesn't. Earl Watson, Chris Wilcox, and Joe Smith didn't see action against the Suns, and each will be counted on for big minutes this season. Wilcox and Smith are nursing injuries, and Watson had started each of the first five preseason games. D.J. White, Kyle Weaver, and Mouhamed Sene also didn't play due to various ailments.

While injuries are an issue, one good thing coming out of the loss was the appearance of center Robert Swift. OKC can use some good news, and the 7'1'', 270 pound Swift provided that yesterday. Four points and six rebounds normally wouldn't draw much attention, but it will for a player who has missed nearly all of the last two seasons. He can provide a lift for the Thunder, and the 16 minutes against Phoenix was a good start.

Russell Westbrook and and Johan Petro did most of the damage, combining for 39 points and 11 rebounds. Poor shooting affected Kevin Durant and Jeff Green, who only managed an 11-27 night. Those numbers will definitely need to come up for the Thunder to stay competitive, and carbert will provide the highlights tomorrow of the Lakers' contest.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Pre-Season Preview: Thunder vs Suns

Preseason Game 6 of 7
Tip Off: Thursday, October 23, 2008 @ 9:00 PM CST
Location: US Airways Center, Phoenix, AZ

After a well deserved eight days off, the Thunder will return to action tonight against the Phoenix Suns. The Suns dismantled the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday winning a low scoring rout 86-69 all while giving Shaq the night off. That result does not bode well for OKC as the Thunder lost a close one against the Clippers in their last game.

The games tomorrow and Friday night are the Thunder's last two of the preseason, and picking up a win in either of the games will go a long way towards building confidence for the upcoming season. As usual, a win is not expected but keeping both games close is a realistic goal.

A big question for the Thunder will be: Who's going to play? Projected starters Jeff Green and Nick Collision both have minor injuries. Does Carlesimo sit them both out to let them heal and be ready for the regular season at the expense of less chemistry among the starters? Desmond Mason and Johan Petro both seem ready to go if either of Green or Collision respectively aren't. I think we have got to let the expected starting five start against Phoenix, play out at least the first few minutes, and then pull both Green and Collision and limit their playing time from that point forward.

The Suns shoot and hit a much higher percentage of three pointers than OKC, so it's going to be imperative that the Thunder not dig a hole early in this one. The Thunder managed to stay even with the Rockets and the Clippers after the first quarter, and they need to do the same with Phoenix. In addition, they will need to out-rebound and out-shoot the Suns from the field if they want to have any chance to win or stay in this one.

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Sorting out the Ex-Sonics

Because the move from Seattle brought more than just a new identity, this year will be a learning experience for everyone. Gone are the fears that the team will be temporary, and gone are the playoff hopes. Oops, I meant that to be not so harsh, but that is the reality facing Durant and Co.

Carbert gave more insight on the Thunder's shining star, and now Durant has to hope a few of the leftovers from the northwest brought their game with them. Playing in the Western Conference is tough enough by itself, and OKC did little in the off-season to improve the potential for the 08-09 campaign. I chose to only list the last names in yesterday's post since most or all will be a one-and-done for the Thunder. Out of those seven players, I think three at the most suit up next season in Oklahoma City.

Enough with the negative, however, and on to better and brighter things! Namely the strong young core that GM Sam Presti is building around Durant. Green, Westbrook, and White offer hope, and a few diamonds in the rough from overseas round out a good supporting cast. Even if OKC improves by ten games this season over last year, another high draft pick awaits. That is a story for another time as today is all about the Sonics' holdovers.

Damien Wilkins and Mouhamed Sene are the two from my list who represent what the Thunder hope to get out of this year. Wilkins is Durant's back-up and what amounts to a seasoned veteran on the young squad. He is entering season number five in the NBA and brings family experience to the court.

Damien is the son of Gerald and the nephew of Dominique, two long-time stalwarts who combined for over 20 + years of pro ball. Even though his scoring average has improved each of the four seasons, the rest of the stats haven't seen the same increase. Wilkins is the type of player OKC will have to make a decision on after this year, and his play off the bench will be pivotal to the team's decision.

If he can knock down some 3-pointers or provide a spark for the Thunder in a sixth-man role, Wilkins will not only win over the Oklahoma City crowd but also the management in the process.

On the other end of the spectrum is Sene, the third-year pro from Senegal. Knee surgery ended his 07-08 year, and he wasn't expected to play for some time after the injury was found to be worse than expected. The basketball gods were smiling on the Thunder center once again this summer, and Sene practiced full-speed this week. He won't be ready for opening night but is a game-changer with a huge wingspan. It is vital for OKC to improve defensively, and blocked shots are the name of the game for Sene.

Coach P.J. Carlesimo has a daunting task ahead of him this season, but future success is within reach. Players like Wilkins and Sene are crucial to the growth of the Thunder, who have to prove they are more than just a one-trick pony. Providing support for Durant is job number one, and the who is not nearly as important as the how. OKC has the pieces to stay competitive but proving they belong will be the story for the 2008-2009 season.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

The Rest of the Bunch

Due to lack of time to introduce the rest of the OKC players, the following two day event will center around the bench and whoever may start if Jeff Green isn't the guy.

Here is your list of finalists!!!


Wilkins
Mason
Smith
Sene
Petro
Swift
Weaver

There are a few others who could round out the last few roster spots, but I will be back later to give my take.

Monday, October 20, 2008

Durable Durant (We Hope), The Cornerstone

The starting shooting guard for the Thunder this season should come as no surprise to anyone. Kevin Durant was the SuperSonics' top player from last season and the NBA's Rookie of the Year. He averaged 20.3 points per game shooting 43.0% from the field and 87.3% from the line. His field goal percentage increased to 47.6% post-All Start game and, in turn, his average points increased to 21.8. Durant appeared in 80 of Seattle's 82 games last season tying him with Jeff Green for most appearances.

OKC has exercised their option on Durant for the 2009-10 season (I'm sure they thought long and hard about that one ... not). Durant is the star of the team, and expect that Durant, Westbrook, and Green will be the core that the team is built around for the future.

Durant has played in four of the team's five preseason games so far (getting the night off against the Kings). He's struggled a bit shooting 23%, 25%, 50%, and 33% from the field in the four games respectively. Fortunately, it appears he is starting to turn it around, and it will be very important to see how he plays in the final two preseason games against the Lakers and Suns. He's only had one 20+ points game in the preseason (vs the Rockets) but has scored at least 10 points in the other games (only he narrowly made that number against Minnesota).

The Thunder have no real viable three point threats this season, and it is imperative that Durant try not to take on that role this season. Attempting too many three points early last season seemed to break Kevin's rhythm, and he found much more success driving to the hoop, drawing fouls, and taking advantage of his 87% free throw percentage.

As long as he sticks to that plan, Durant should have another big season and avoid a sophomore slump. OKC will be counting on that, and without big production from Durant, it will be a long season for the Thunder.

Sunday, October 19, 2008

point me in the right direction

way back when, let's say in june or so, i really took an interest in the team formerly known as the seattle supersonics. i thought it was fitting that one of the northwest clubs would be relocating to the midwest. i enjoyed all the drama that centered around the 2007 draft. the fact that the number 1 and 2 picks went not to boston or new york, but portland and seattle made the world feel whole again. then i heard about the possibility that oklahoma city could get the team for the 08-09 season, and the rest is history...

well not exactly but you all get the point. this leads to tonight's topic, and the fact that i am about two weeks or so behind the times. the thunder do not have a point guard controversy, as their starter has been healthy all preseason. at least he has been able to play in all five games thus far and has shown no sign of giving up his spot.

earl watson and russell westbrook share more than their position in common, but this will more than likely be the only season of two bruins running the point. westbrook was drafted fourth overall this year to be the point guard of the future and possibly of the present if watson was slowed by a thumb injury suffered in july. as luck would have it, both ucla products have been on full display, and the race for the starting spot has been largely non-existent.

watson recovered faster than expected and started the first game this month. actually, he has been on the court for the opening tip of each game thus far, and that is as clear a signal as you can find in the nba. westbrook has seen his share of minutes and brings a different element to the thunder. okc will benefit from bringing westbrook off the bench, where his scoring in bursts can be better utilized. watson formed a bond with star kevin durant last year, and that is not something that should be messed with for any reason.

the writing is on the wall, however, and the point guard job will be westbrook's to lose down the road. for at least this season, enjoy watching the two exciting floor generals play a game of 'anything you can do, i can do better!"

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Meet the Thunder: Jeff Green Edition

One of the biggest things that the Thunder have going for them over the next few seasons is their core of young talent. One of the key members of this "core" is Jeff Green, the #5 pick in the 2007 NBA draft. Green was appropriately drafted by the Celtics but was then traded to the SuperSonics as part of a draft day deal that included Ray Allen.

Green had a strong rookie season last year finishing fourth among rookies in scoring with an average of 10.5 points per game. That number jumped to 11.7 in the 51 games that he started. He grabbed an average of 4.7 boards per game and registered a block and a steal about every other game.

Jeff will be the Thunder's starting small forward as the season begins and is expected to improve on the numbers that he put up last season. Look for him to be the team's third leading scorer and rebounder during the regular season.

Green has only played in three of OKC's preseason games so far as he sat out the past two with a left ankle sprain. The injury is minor, and he's back practicing with the team and expected to play in the final two preseason games as well as the season opener versus Milwaukee.

In his three preseason games, Green is averaging 10 points, 5 rebounds, and 21 minutes while shooting 37.9% from the field. He was the Thunder's leading scoring against the Kings nearly doubling his average as he put 19 points on the board.

A couple days ago OKC picked up the 2009-10 option on Green, so he'll be around for at least two more years. Expect the Thunder to make a play to keep him even longer than that as they work to turn the youthful core into a playoff caliber team.

Friday, October 17, 2008

Fight for the Four

Coming into this season, the starting lineup appeared set. After adding a couple of veterans, the OKC rotation was also much improved. Now the Thunder have played five preseason games, and the starting five is up for grabs.

I will be looking at the three closest battles over the weekend, and hopefully things will be cleared up after the final pair of tune-up contests. The Thunder have been luckier than some clubs (knock on wood) that the BIG injury has not claimed a starter. There have been some scares, but that happens in the NBA world. Now, on to the main event.

Ding, ding, ding...

In one corner there is the more athletic, more proven scorer, and more of a question mark. This is Chris Wilcox's corner, where he has played more like a big small forward instead of the presence needed at the power forward spot. The scoring edge is in his favor, and this ultimately may give him the advantage.

Although not a stranger to high expectations, Nick Collison brings more pressure into this campaign. Each of his four seasons has produced better stats, and Collison nearly averaged a double-double last year. Unfortunately, there isn't a crystal ball to say if those trends will continue, but the Thunder will find a place for both talented big men.

This preseason has been huge for some OKC players, and it has also been more of an afterthought for others. For Wilcox and Collison, it has been a role-reversal. Wilcox was huge in the Thunder's lone victory, posting a 13 point, 14 rebound contest against the Rockets. Not to be outdone, Collison's 21 points off the bench was the highest total in the Houston game and best of the preseason.

What does this all mean?

When the chips are down, put your money on the safe bet. Pencil Wilcox in as the starting PF and Collison as the starting C. My hope would be that Johan Petro and Joe Smith round out the rest of a healthy and productive OKC front line, no matter who starts against Milwaukee on opening night. More than likely, however, is that sometime soon the Wilcox vs. Collison fight will be on center stage.

And that is great for the Thunder, as long as both players use the rivalry against the other team, not the other way around.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Rest Required


This was going to be more of a recap of the home and 'away' games in Oklahoma earlier in the week, and I am sure it may get mentioned. The title was also going to be Walking Wounded but I decided that was too harsh for this early in the season.

Oklahoma City gets a much-deserved break before heading west for the last two preseason games. The Thunder definitely need it, as most of the team is hurting in one way or another. Star Kevin Durant is no exception, and his ankle will garner a lot of attention as opening night is in less than two weeks.

Even the rookies are not immune to the injury bug. D.J. White will miss 4-6 months after jaw surgery, and the Thunder will miss his contribution off the bench. If there is any bright side to all the OKC injuries, it is that other players are getting more of a look. One key example has been the play of seven-footer Johan Petro, a little used center from France. He was the team's first-round pick in 2005 but has seen fewer starts and less playing time over his three-year career.

The Thunder have penciled Petro in for a back-up role, but his play might be saying something else. Even with a sore hamstring, the starting center spot could be his with two more strong games against the Suns and Lakers. Petro has been a rebounding machine, and that type of play is exactly what the young team needs. He proved to be the highlight in the loss to the Clippers, notching his first double-double (12 points, 15 rebounds) to go with three blocks. More important for the big man was the 35 minutes he played, staying out of foul trouble and cementing a rotation spot for Oklahoma City.

If Petro does grab the spot in the middle, the power forward position is the last 'open' position battle. I will go more into this on Friday, but Chris Wilcox and Nick Collison will be the participants in the PF battle royale. Enjoy the show!

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Rocked the Rockets, but Clipped by the Clippers

The Thunder completed their second back-to-back game stretch of the preseason yesterday and split the games. They beat the Houston Rockets on the "road" (in Tulsa, OK) 110-104 and lost to the Los Angeles Clippers at home in a heartbreaker 90-88.

The game against the Rockets provided the Thunder with their first win of the preseason. This game by far has been OKC's best effort so far. They executed well shooting 48.2% from the field, their highest percentage so far. Kevin Durant led the Thunder in scoring with 26 points including 8 of 16 shooting from the field and a near perfect 10 of 11 from the free throw line. Nick Collision came off of the bench to be the #2 scorer with 21 points, and Desmond Mason added 16. Chris Wilcox had a big game, netting a double-double with 14 rebounds and 13 points.

The Thunder shot a tremendous 87.9% from the free throw line, hitting 29 of 33. OKC normally shoots in the lower 70% from the line, and this was the major difference maker in this match-up. Along with Durant, Collision also had a really strong night from the charity stripe, knocking down 9 of 10 attempts.

The two clubs were even after the first quarter, which marks the first time they weren't trailing after the first twelve minutes. The Rockets shot 44.6% from the field which is better than desired but less than the Thunder did, so that's alright. They hit 8 three pointers which was more made than the Thunder attempted (OKC finished 1-7 from behind the arc). All in all it adds up to be even more impressive that the Thunder won this game.

The Clippers game was sadly a different story as OKC played their one and only home game of the preseason. The Thunder didn't shoot quite as well from the field (40.5%) but fortunately were able to hold Los Angeles to the same percentage. Unfortunately, the Clippers got an additional 10 shots from the field.

The Thunder had one of their better 3-point performances of the preseason, hitting 3 of 11. One of the three was a running jumper by Russell Westbrook as time expired to make this a two point loss rather than five. Otherwise this would have been a 2 for 10 performance which is about par for the course.

Durant led the team in scoring for the second straight night. He had 18, and the point-guard combo of Earl Watson and Westbrook tied for second with 14. Overall, the Thunder had six players in the double digits, tops for the preseason and a good sign going forward.

Oklahoma City performed much better in this two-game stretch than the one against the Kings and the Warriors and did so against stronger opponents. The Thunder will now have eight days off before facing the Lakers and Suns in their final two preseason games.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Pre-Season Preview: Thunder vs Clippers

Preseason Game 5 of 7
Tip Off: Tuesday, October 14, 2008 @ 7:00 PM CST
Location: Ford Center, Oklahoma City, OK

Tonight, the Thunder will take on the Los Angeles Clippers in what will be their only home game of the preseason. The Clippers have only had one preseason game so far (a win over the Lakers) and will be coming off of 4 days rest. The Thunder played last night and will be taking part in their second of three back-to-back series in the preseason.

The main goal of this game for the Thunder will be to play strong and not replicate the poor performance in Warriors game which was also the second game of a back-to-back series. The Thunder will be playing 18 back-to-back games in the 2008-09 season and can't afford to look as poor as they did against the Warriors in those 18 games.

Aside from that, the Thunder should strive to continue to do what they did good last night against the Rockets: put over 100 points on the board, shoot in the upper forty percent from the field, and keep the Clippers' field goal percentage below their own. If the Thunder can do these three things, they will get their second win in a row. Playing in front of their home crowd should help make these items a reality.

Since you are reading this, you've probably noticed that the Rockets game hasn't been recapped yet. gforce will be providing his valuable insight on both games this week -- taking a look at the two day series as a whole. Definitely something you won't want to miss.

Monday, October 13, 2008

Pre-Season Preview: Thunder vs Rockets

Preseason Game 4 of 7
Tip Off: Monday, October 13, 2008 @ 7:30 PM CST
Location: Bank of Oklahoma Center, Tulsa, OK

Tonight the Thunder will take on the Houston Rockets as the visitors in a game that will the Thunder's first in the state of Oklahoma. This game marks the mid-point of the preseason for the Thunder and will provide the Thunder with their second biggest test of the preseason (their biggest test will come up against the Los Angeles Lakers in about a week and a half).

This game is one of the more important games of the preseason as the Thunder will play the Rockets twice in the first four weeks of the season including the second game of the season. In addition, seeing how the Thunder respond and bounce back from getting pummeled by the Golden State Warriors Saturday will give a lot of insight into the heart of the team.

I'm going to start to sound like a broken record on this, but the #1 goal for the game for the Thunder has to be better shooting from the field. After the past two games, I'd settle for a 42% field goal percentage which is just about what they shot against Minnesota (41.7%). A good part of this improvement is going to have to come from Kevin Durant. Durant has shot sub 30% in the two games he's played, and there's no way the Thunder can win if that continues. Durant shot 43% last season and needs to get up to those numbers if the Thunder is going to have any chance this year.

The Thunder's #2 goal is to prove that the Warriors game rather than the T-wolves and Kings games was the defensive fluke. If the Thunder can hold the Rockets to sub 40% field goal shooting, it will go a long way towards giving us a chance to win the game. Frankly, I'd be willingly to accept the Thunder holding the Rockets to a field goal percentage lower than what they get in the game, but based on the past two games, that will be a tougher goal than the 40% I've set forth.

The #3 goal for the game will be to outscore the Rockets in the first quarter of the game. The Thunder have been outscored in the first and forth quarters of all three games so far. Digging a hole early every game (the closest the Thunder have been after the first quarter is 8 points behind) puts unnecessary stress on the team. The Thunder somehow have managed to outscore their opponents in the third quarter of each game. One can only guess that P.J.'s been giving them one hell of a half-time speech. Perhaps he should start giving the half-time speech before the game.

A win against the Rockets is probably more than we can hope for, but a strong showing will go a long way towards erasing the doubts that have crept up after the Warriors game. Dropping to 0-4 would be pretty discouraging, but if the Thunder can get the offense turned around, we should see a win before the regular season starts.

Sunday, October 12, 2008

We Got a Ways to Go

Last night the Thunder took on the Golden State Warriors in what can easily be considered the Thunder's worst game of their existence so far. The Warriors pretty much had their way with the Thunder dominating them 122-102. This game exposed that the Thunder defense, which appeared pretty solid in the first two games, may not be as strong as originally hoped.

The Thunder gave Nick Collision and Desmond Mason the game off. Johan Petro got his first start of the preseason and John Lucas saw his first action of the preseason. Damien Wilkins was the Thunder's lead scorer for a second game (he also led the Thunder against the T-wolves) with 23 points. He shot 50% from both the field and the three point range hitting 3 of 6 three pointers.

Kevin Durant tallied up the Thunder's first double-double of the season in the game: 16 points & 14 rebounds. He had another less than stellar field goal percentage only hitting 4 of 16 shots from the field. Durant missed all four of his attempts beyond the three point arc.

The Thunder attempted many more three points this game than the first two: 16 compared to 5 (T-wolves) and 6 (Kings). However when you're getting smoked, that tends to be the case. They hit five of the three pointers, but other than Wilkins, only Derrick Byers made any (2). Five different players attempted 3s.

The Thunder's 102 points was tops for the preseason so far, so it's pretty safe to say that the Warriors let up on defensive with the considerable lead. Still it's good to see the Thunder crack 90 points (previous high was 85) let alone 100. I was beginning to worry about the team's ability to put points on the board.

Russell Westbrook and Chris Wilcox bounced back from their off performances against the Kings and combined to score 30 points (15 a piece) off of the bench. Both shot well from the field with Wilcox shooting a little better (Westbrook: 5/12; Wilcox: 6/11). They tied for third for most points for the Thunder on the night.

The defense, as mentioned before, was a letdown and makes one wonder if its perceived strength is just a farce. The Warriors shot 48.5% from the field (roughly 5% higher than what the Thunder were allowing) and got off 99 shots which is over 20 more than the average in the first two games. The Warriors captured 53 rebounds (10 more than the Thunder's average) and were the first team to out-rebound the Thunder.

Hopefully this defensive misstep was just an off-night and not an indication of things to come (emphasis on the word hope). The Thunder have four more preseason games to go (including two in the next two days with the game on Tuesday being their only "home" preseason game) hopefully that's enough time to get the team ready for the regular season.

Saturday, October 11, 2008

there goes my next story...

one of the great things about covering a team on a daily basis is to see how much they grow from game-to-game. on the flip side, games like tonight also bring you down to earth.

oklahoma city has been many things this preseason, and one of their greatest strengths by the end of the inaugural season could very well be defense. it just won't be on display against the golden state ball club.

the warriors are taking it to the thunder, currently 70-55 at the half. normally i wouldn't be sweating it, but okc has only allowed 91 points a game in the first two contests. yes, it is only the third game of preseason basketball, but more importantly it is the first time for back-to-back games.

my hope is that the thunder are tired and ready for a breather. unfortunately for okc fans, two more match-ups are coming up before the team can take a break. it is time for me to find a new story idea, and i'm thinking it could be to write to the nba about schedules. or the lack of sense on behalf of the oklahoma city thunder schedule, that is...

Down but not Out

Jeff Green proved that even being down 16 points at the half, Oklahoma City is going to be competitive this year. Green led the Thunder with 19 points off the bench, but it wasn't enough in the 94-85 loss to Sacramento.

OKC played without their best player, Kevin Durant, and it showed in the early going. The Kings jumped out early and the Thunder never recovered. They will have to put the game behind them, however, with another battle in California tonight. Golden State plays host to Oklahoma City in the first back-to-back contest for the NBA's newest franchise. Durant will be in the lineup tonight, and the Thunder look to keep working on the basics with the first regular season game approaching.

Johan Petro pitched in with eight points and ten rebounds, as seven players contributed at least eight points in the well-rounded attack. Earl Watson and first-round pick Russell Westbrook continue to make their case for the starting point guard position, and that is definitely something to watch over the next few weeks.

Tonight's match-up with the Warriors is the first time OKC fans will see the drastically different Golden State team. Gone is All-Star Baron Davis, who left as a free agent. Hopefully one team's turmoil will be a key for the Thunder, who are in danger of falling to 0-3 this preseason.

Friday, October 10, 2008

Pre-Season Preview: Thunder vs Kings


The Thunder will take on the Sacramento Kings tonight at 9:00 PM CST at Arco Arena in Sacramento. Both the Thunder and the Kings have lost their only preseason games so far with the Kings getting blown out by the Portland Trailblazers on Tuesday and the Thunder narrowly losing to the Timberwolves on Wednesday. For both teams, this game provides the best opportunity for a win during the preseason.

For the Thunder, the #1 goal for the game should be an improved shooting percentage from the field from the starters. The starting five hit a mere 29.5% (13 of 44) from the field against the T-wolves. The bench shot an impressive 60.7% (17 of 28) from the field. We can't expect that percentage from the bench every game, but it will be a positive thing if the bench can continue to contribute. The bench outscored the starters 45-37 on Wednesday, but the starters played for a combined 46 more minutes. If the starters are going to get more minutes, they need to outscore the bench.

The #2 goal for the Thunder should be improved performance out of Kevin Durant. Durant took the most shots for the Thunder on Wednesday, but only ended up as the forth highest scorer. The only highlights for Durant on the night were that he was perfect from the foul line (4 for 4) and tied for the lead in rebounds with 7.

Finally, if possible, the #3 goal should be to get more guys involved in the game. Only 10 of the 17 players brought to the last game played, and it's hard to evaluate talent outside of actual competition. This goal is only possible if the other two goals are met. Otherwise the focus should be on improving the core and learning to win with the talent we have.

Thursday, October 9, 2008

Don't trade for this guy!

The California Bay Area is known for its lame mascots. The Oakland A's mascot is an elephant called Stomper. The San Francisco Giants have a seal for a mascot. His name is Lou ... Lou Seal. For real. The 49ers have a gold miner as their mascot. Ok, that's not lame. His name? Sourdough Sam. Ah, yes, the lameness. The San Jose Earthquakes (a major league soccer team, who knew there was major league soccer?) have a big, blue dude named Q. The Oakland Raiders have no mascot. Thank goodness, cuz that'd be just one more thing that they'd suck at.

But of all the teams, the team with the lamest mascot by far has to be the Golden State Warriors. For exhibit A, check out the picture to the right. What is that thing, you ask? That is Thunder or if you'd prefer to call him by his full name, ThunderBolt!

Thunder has been the Warriors mascot since June 19, 1997. But today, he's out of a job. The owners of the Golden State Warriors in their infinite wisdom have determined that having a mascot with the name of another team in the league is just plain a bad idea. And so, Thunder had to go. It's not known when his last game as mascot will be, but I have a hard time believing he'll be in the stands for the preseason game between the Thunder and the Warriors on Saturday.

Golden State management has stated that they'd be willingly to trade Thunder to the Thunder. I'm not sure what we could trade them, other than perhaps a bout of diarrhea, that would be of equal value.

Seriously. One could ask what thunder has to do with being a warrior. I'd like to think that the creation of the Oklahoma City Thunder is just what the doctor ordered for Golden State: an opportunity to come up with a more appropriate mascot. And hopefully it won't be something blue. What, does everyone in the bay area have an obsession with the Blue Man Group?

While on the topic of mascots, the Thunder had better not blow it and introduce something lame like this guy. They had better do something cool, like Thor, and not something lame, such as a thunder cloud.

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Thunder come up short

The Thunder lost a close one tonight falling to the Timberwolves 88-82. The Thunder led by 9 with 9:54 remaining but were unable to hold on to the lead as Rashad McCants got a hot hand and scored 13 points in the final quarter to lead the Timberwolves to victory.

The Thunder were competitive throughout the game minus the dismal first quarter where they managed a mere 13 points compared to Minnesota's 24. The Thunder put 28 points up on the board in the second quarter to roar back into the game. The third quarter was pretty even with the Thunder taking a slight advantage. The fourth quarter was fairly even with a slight advantage to the T-wolves until the final 3 minutes where they outscored the Thunder 10-4.

Damien Wilkins came off of the bench (but played the third most minutes) and lead the Thunder with 19 points. Chris Wilcox scored 17, and Russell Westbrook (4th overall pick in the 2008 draft) was third highest with 13 points. Westbrook played less than 20 minutes and looked impressive in his first NBA game. Rookie of the Year Kevin Durant had 10 points but was a poor 3 of 13 from the field.

The Thunder suffered from a lack of three point shooting firing off a mere 5 shots from beyond the arc and only hitting one. In comparison, Minnesota made 7 three-pointers in 24 attempts including 2 with about three minutes to go that sealed the Thunder's fate. Unfortunately the Thunder have no real three point threats and this will likely plague them throughout the regular season.

On the bright side, the Thunder had almost twice as many fast break points (19 vs 10) as the Timberwolves. Quick buckets will be a key to victory for the Thunder this season as the Thunder will need a multitude of field goals to overwhelm their opponents and make up for the lack of three point shooting.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Pre-Season Preview: Thunder vs. Timberwolves

Tomorrow night, the Oklahoma City Thunder will take the floor for the first time ever in a pre-season matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Timberwolves have already played once this pre-season, and they crushed the Milwaukee Bucks 117-79.

Last season, neither team had much to cheer about as both finished at the bottom of the Northwest Division. The Timberwolves and SuperSonics had the 27th and 29th worst records in the NBA last year (the T-wolves were tied with Memphis for 27th worst). Neither team has had a winning season since 2004-05. This match-up should prove to be a good indicator of where the Thunder will be at this year.

Minnesota made a big draft day trade (trading the third overall pick [O.J. Mayo] for the fifth [Kevin Love] in a deal that included Mike Miller) that paid dividends in their game against the Bucks. It will be interesting to see if the combo is as successful against the Thunder.

For Oklahoma City it will be exciting to see how much Rookie of the Year Kevin Durant has improved now that he has a full NBA season under his belt. In addition, we'll get our first look at the new talent that came from the draft (Russell Westbrook, D.J. White, Kyle Weaver, and DeVon Hardin) and off-season trades (Joe Smith and Desmond Mason).

Monday, October 6, 2008

crazy thoughts

sundays were going to be light here at after the lightning, but carbert3 stole the show with his 'shirt story' -- so my rant will have to wait until monday. i will pose a question that has been bothering me since i first heard about oklahoma city getting a full-time team.

now that the move from seattle is complete and the supersonics are no more...who becomes the thunder's main rival? in a perfect world, new orleans would give the hornets back to charlotte and adopt lightning in respect to okc, where they played after hurricane katrina. i hope you are still following me because it only gets more strange from here!

i realize my dreams will not be coming true, so here is my more realistic goal. it is a three-step plan with three different teams over three seasons.

2008-2009 campaign


this makes the most sense for a couple of reasons. portland was seattle's natural rival, and they are in the same division. greg oden and kevin durant were drafted 1st and 2nd overall in the 2007 draft, and this will be the first season that they can play each other since oden missed all of last year due to surgery. my biggest reason for picking this match-up, however was due to portland causing oklahoma city some trouble this pre-season. instead of the thunder playing the trailblazers to stir the rivalry more, portland backed out and the two teams don't play until february. so much for that idea...

2009-2010 campaign


because portland is coming off of a good season and adding oden to the mix, i want to give the thunder a fighting chance in their second year of existence. look no further than the sacramento kings, the team most likely to find themselves, with oklahoma city, towards the bottom of the standings in the western conference. not only did sacramento trade their best 'name' players in ron artest and mike bibby, but they return only one 'star' quality player in kevin martin. hmmm, sounds a lot like the thunder to me. if only the kings can struggle just enough, this might make for an interesting match-up down the road.

2010-2011 campaign


first off, let me preface this by saying i really enjoy thinking ahead. my fiance doesn't understand this obsession, but i promise you it is very real. with that in mind, i hope a couple of things happen around the may-june 2010 timeframe. the nba needs to realize that the grizzlies didn't work in vancouver and moving the franchise to memphis hasn't worked either. three strikes and you are out in baseball, so basketball needs to stop at two and give seattle what it wants -- a second chance at making it work. all i really care is that if memphis leaves for the greater northwest, oklahoma city can take the vacant spot in the now-called southwest? division.

instead of a full-fledged realignment, i am also hoping for one more stroke of good luck to make the proposed match-up work. it won't be considered good for the new orleans hornets but really who likes that name anyway? the hornets will always be thought of because of charlotte, no matter how well chris paul plays. and if the team doesn't play as well as it did last year and maybe has a couple of down seasons, there is a perfect place waiting with open arms. i know the name won't stick but how does this sound for a rivalry...

playing for the midwest division crown, the oklahoma city thunder vs. the kansas city lightning!

true, kansas city already lost the kings back in the 80's and is more of a college basketball haven. but on the plus side, they do have a building in place (the sprint center) and the chiefs aren't really a football team anymore. kansas city lost in its bid for the pittsburgh penguins, and no other franchise has expressed interest as of yet, leaving a hole that the hornets could fill. personally i would love to see durant and paul fight it out on a regular basis, and it could be called the battle of .

Sunday, October 5, 2008

Color Sell-out


I have a confession to make: I am a San Francisco Giants fan. I own the shirt pictured to the right. I think wearing that shirt shows my solidarity with the team.

My girlfriend, however, thinks that shirt is ugly. She doesn't understand how I could wear such a shirt. She is embarrassed to be around me when I'm wearing that shirt (ok, she's embarrassed for other reasons too, but we'll just stick with the shirt for this story).

Sports teams throughout the years have had some pretty ugly color combinations. The Seattle Supersonics were one of these teams. I can imagine there were many guys who were told by their significant others to "change shirts" when they attempted to wear their green and yellow Seattle jerseys and t-shirts on dates to SuperSonics games. Thankfully, Oklahoma City Thunder fans shouldn't run into this problem as the new colors tend to be more pleasing on the eye.

I feel a little bit of sadness every time one of the ugly color schemes disappears. It feels as though a secret society has lost yet another member. We will miss you, Seattle SuperSonics.

Saturday, October 4, 2008

Meet the Thunder,Take 2

Coming home can mean many things. When I graduated from boot camp, the trip home reminded me how much Iowa is different than California. It also surprised me that there were so many people who wanted to see the 'Marine' change in me. I didn't feel any different, but I had changed because my priorities were not the same as before.

Here's hoping a return to Oklahoma finds Desmond Mason anxious to prove you can go home again. One of the newest additions to the Thunder, Mason's NBA career has truly come full-circle. A standout in college for the Oklahoma St. Cowboys, he was drafted in the first round by Seattle in 2000. After first being traded to Milwaukee and then to New Orleans, Mason found himself involved in another trade in August.

This time, however, Mason is returning to the team who drafted him and the state where he became a fan favorite. Just in case anyone might think being dealt again was a bad thing, Mason recently changed his number back to 34, which he wore in college. Going into the final year of his contract, Mason's role with Oklahoma City is two-fold. The veteran will give the Thunder a defensive lift, and he has averaged 12.5 points a season in his eight-year career.

Mason will provide something to his teammates that won't show up in the boxscore. The new franchise has no identity to this point, and it will be up to Mason and others to prove to the fans two important things. Not only is the team glad to be in Oklahoma City, but win or lose the team plays hard. Mason is just the type of player to lead by example. The Thunder have proven early on that it doesn't matter what happened last year, the basketball future is now in OKC.

Friday, October 3, 2008

Stormy Memories

"Thunderball" roared the announcer over the load speaker as the ball was tipped out of bounds by the Rockford Lightning. I can still hear the deep sound of the announcer's voice ringing through my head, and I can see the amusement on my dad's face when I asked him why they kept saying "thunderbowl".

The Quad-City Thunder joined the CBA (Continental Basketball Association) for the 1987-88 season (I was 9 at the time). At the time, it was the only "major" sports team in the area other than a single A baseball team (at the time the Quad-Cities Angels). The QC Thunder played in Wharton Field House, a local high school's gymnasium. As such, the court was smaller than regulation. This resulted in the Rockford Lightning's coach Charley Rosen to declare that playing against the Thunder was like playing in a phone booth. This was the start of a rivalry between the two teams (kinda sad, I know). Whenever the Thunder would take on the Lightning, at least a couple times a game, they'd play the following over the load speaker: "Ring. Ring. It's for you, Charley."

The Thunder started off pretty strong attendance-wise, but is it really that hard to sell out a high school gym? In 1993, the Mark of the Quad Cities opened (what a lame name for an arena, huh? and yet better than the i wireless center that it's known by now), and the Thunder moved their home games there. The Thunder won the CBA championship for the first time during their first season playing in the Mark. A couple years later, minor league hockey came to the Quad Cities (the Quad City Mallards). Hockey was much more popular in the area, and the attendance of the Thunder sufferred. The Thunder managed to win one more championship (in the 1997-98 season) before finally folding to poor attendance in 2001.

I remember going to one of the games in those last few seasons, and there couldn't have been more than a few hundred people in the 12,000 seat arena. They would have been better off going back to the phone booth.

One of my lasting memories of the Thunder or more appropriately the CBA was the quarter-point scoring system to determine which teams made the playoffs. Under this system, the games were played in quarters rather than halves, and the team that scored more points in a quarter would get a point and the team that won the game would get 3, so a total of 7 points were up for grabs each game. The theory was that this would keep things interesting in the 4 quarter even if the overall score was a blowout, but that really wasn't the case. I remember being confused as to why the Thunder (or usually, the other team) wasn't trying harder to win that 4th quarter point after winning the first three.

I can't believe that Oklahoma City decided to bring the "Thunder" moniker back. I'm not sure I'd want to name my basketball team after a team that recently went defunct, but I imagine the OKC team will get a bit more support. I suppose it could have been worse. They could have been the Oklahoma City Okies.

Thursday, October 2, 2008

Meet the Thunder, Part 1

I am a creature of habit, and it is hard to forget my roots. I grew up in a small river town in Iowa, and basketball was my first sports love. My dad poured a concrete court for me in the backyard, and I purposely made sure the apricot trees were not trimmed in the summer. This gave me a home-court advantage which I didn't object to using at any time.

Going as far back as I can recall, every top recruit from the state picked the Iowa Hawkeyes or ISU Cyclones. This home-state advantage was shattered when two high school stars didn't follow the normal path and took a different road to the NBA.

Nick Collison and Kirk Hinrich shared the 1999 Iowa Mr. Basketball award, and they ended up roommates at the University of Kansas. Both were first-round draft picks in 2003 after leading the Jayhawks to a runner-up finish in the NCAA Tournament.

Collison's pro career was derailed by two shoulder surgeries, and he missed his entire rookie season. After coming back healthy, the power forward/center was a key cog in the Seattle Supersonics wheel the last four years. His stats improved each season while nearly posting a double-double in points and rebounds last year.

He is expected to be a leader on the young squad, and Oklahoma City should benefit from Collison returning to his Midwest roots, where he set records in every step of his basketball career.

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

let's get this party started

a funny thing happened on my way to having a quiet non-sports fall and winter. i say that because rooting for the oakland raiders isn't all that enjoyable right now and living in kansas as a non-jayhawks fan is intimidating to say the least. i wasn't going to let that stand in my way of sports happiness, but i can honestly say the very last thing i thought i would be doing today was starting an nba blog.

with that in mind, let me introduce you to the newest oklahoma city thunder fan site. my name is gforce, and i will be leading you through the next few weeks right up to the start of the 2008-2009 season. helping me along the way is mr. carbert3, and i am sure he will be saying hi from time to time even if i have to nudge him. we are very laid back, and i hope this site can be a nice diversion, no matter the reason you are stopping by for a visit.

i have to give thanks to the men responsible for getting me back into writing. lboros introduced me to the world of blogging over at VEB
and erik at FR gave me the opportunity to write once again. i will forever be in their debt, and that is one of the reasons this blog may appear different from most. lboros retired yesterday from blogging, and the all undercase post is a tribute to him. larry, if you ever come accross this page, i hope it makes you smile.

as for the name and everything else about this blog, those answers will come later this week. everyone is welcome here, and who wouldn't want to stop by after seeing this picture!

"Excuse me, do these effectively hide my thunder?"
http://gizmodo.com/389923/touchscreen-blackberry-thunder-coming-exclusively-to-verizon