after the lightning

We've moved!

2009-01-02T00:00:00.000-06:00

As gforce mentioned earlier, we've been invited to join the Blogs by Fans network. Our new site is up at http://www.afterthelightning.com. We're still working out the design, but our articles will now be appearing over there.

Take That T-Wolves!

2009-01-01T00:35:00.004-06:00

A night after Minnesota failed to gain a four-game cushion over Oklahoma City in the standings, the Thunder ended the 2008 portion of the year on a very high note. Three players notched over 20 points, and OKC used a huge third-quarter push to defeat Golden State.

The Warriors jumped out ahead in the opening quarter and were leading at the half. Then the Thunder took over, holding the visitors to 15 points while pouring in 27 during the crucial third. Coach Brooks has been consistent in his approach, and it paid off during the last 12 minutes of play.

OKC withstood multiple Golden State flurries and came out ahead for the fourth time this season. The Timberwolves, on the other hand, watched as Dallas made another huge comeback on Tuesday night. Much like the Mavs did to the Thunder, Dirk Nowitzki carried his team to victory and kept Minnesota at six wins.

In both games the scores were 107-100, emphasizing how close the race should be the rest of the season. The Thunder need to catch a few breaks and keep the T-Wolves within view. This goal of catching and passing a Division rival takes a burden off the players, who are tired of losing. More importantly every victory takes away the talk of breaking the all-time loss record.

Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, and Chris Wilcox dominated the action on New Years' Eve, and any OKC combination of three playing well together is starting to make some noise. Add in new addition Nenad Krstic, and the Thunder look that much different to the rest of the NBA. A few more games like this one, and no squad will come to the Ford Center with smiling faces.

Let's End 2008 with a Win!

2008-12-31T14:00:00.001-06:00

The Golden State Warriors make their return trip to Oklahoma City tonight to take on the Thunder team that they beat 112-102 a few weeks ago. The Warriors built up a 21 point lead at halftime before getting out-pointed by the Thunder in both the third and forth quarters. The majority of the lead was created in the second where Golden State scored 32 to OKC's 17.

Durant had a massive night with 41 points followed by Collison coming off of the bench with 15. Otherwise, it's pretty easy to say that none of the other Thunder players really showed up for the game.

The Thunder probably cannot expect such a big game out of Durant tonight (nor Collison for that matter). However, Durant only had 18 points Monday night which is the same number of points he had in the game prior to the one against the Warriors. Perhaps lightning will strike twice, and if so, we will need quality games out of Green and Westbrook to complete an upset.

Krst-mas Come Late

2008-12-30T21:44:00.002-06:00

The center of the future is hopefully now a part of the team. Nenad Krstic moves from the Nets to the Thunder after a pitstop in Russia. New Jersey didn't match the offer Oklahoma City made, and Krstic becomes the center with the most experience on the roster.

Steven Hill was let go to clear roster space, and Joe Smith is rumored to be on the move as well. Various teams are said to be interested with Toronto the latest on the prowl. OKC's front office has made no comments on Smith's availability, but at least six teams are known to be interested.

While the revolving door at center is hopefully fixed, another rotation spot is very much open. Rookie Kyle Weaver is getting a look at the back-up shooting guard role while Damien Wilkins hasn't made it off the bench. Look for Weaver to contribute more in the upcoming weeks as the Thunder become better acquainted with Krstic and his abilities.

No Good News

2008-12-30T09:42:00.004-06:00

Oklahoma City is not catching any breaks right now. The Thunder played as well as possible to start the Phoenix game and even caught a break when Steve Nash had to leave the contest. But the Suns showed poise, and the veteran squad took advantage of OKC's mistakes down the stretch.

Phoenix won 110-102 on the road, snapping Kevin Durant's streak of 20+ points games in the process. The Thunder are also still waiting on word from the New Jersey Nets about center Nenad Krstic, who could join the team as early as today.

All in all it was not a good night for anyone rooting for the home club. Russell Westbrook dominated the first quarter, but his turnovers in the final minutes doomed OKC. Jeff Green played well at both ends of the floor, but he only made 1-4 from 3-point range.

Joe Smith wasn't available due to injury, and the lack of skilled big men made it easy for the Suns' Shaq to dominate. Durant struggled early and often, hitting only five of the 17 shots he attempted. His recent string of good fortune from beyond the arc also ended as he missed on all five tries.

I will be back later today with an update on the Krstic situation, and a look at a young player getting an opportunity.

Nets on the Clock

2008-12-29T09:49:00.012-06:00

Today is the deadline for New Jersey to match the offer sheet signed by Nenad Krstic. He won't be playing for Oklahoma City tonight either way, but he could offer a big lift to the sinking team. While the Thunder await the Nets' decision, other moves may be in the works. The NBA trade deadline is Feb. 19, and some of the OKC veterans are targets for teams with playoff aspirations.

Tonight's opponent has already been active on that front, adding a piece to the mix. Phoenix dealt for Charlotte's Jason Richardson to give the Suns another potent scorer. These two clubs met before the trade, and it was much the same story for the Thunder. OKC jumped out quickly and led going into the final quarter before falling apart in a big way. Phoenix used a 29-17 advantage in pulling out a one-point win at the Ford Center on Nov. 25.

Now over a month later, both teams look much different. Kevin Durant is on a ten-game stretch of scoring 20 or more points, solidifying his place as an All-Star caliber player. Shaquille O'Neal didn't play in the first match-up, but he and Richardson offer different obstacles for OKC.

O'Neal dominates the post, and he should continue that trend against the undersized Thunder post players. Richardson is an explosive combo player that should create problems for both Durant and Desmond Mason. Coach Brooks will have his hands full trying to play defense against the Suns. Phoenix is 5-5 the last ten games but has also played a rough schedule.

If any game of the year should be played with attitude, it is this contest. OKC had the win before and is also coming off a terrible road trip. Durant needs help but might be enough by himself to keep the score close. Jeff Green may be the difference maker from outside, and a shooter's roll is what the Thunder needs right now.

Are You Flipping Kidding Me?!?!?

2008-12-28T14:00:00.002-06:00

In a very disappointing fourth quarter collapse, the Thunder lost last night to the Washington Wizards in a "battle" between the NBA's two worst teams. Making the loss extra depressing is the fact that Washington's leading scorer, Caron Butler, missed the game with a sprained left ankle.

The game was very tight through the first three quarters as the Wizards outscored us by two in the first, we outscored them by two in the third, and both teams were equal in the second. The Thunder couldn't keep it together in the forth and lost that quarter by a decisive 28-19 margin.

We out shot them in every aspect of the game: 48.1% vs. 45.0% from the field, 41.7% to 20.0% from three point range, and 84.2% to 68.8% from the line. So how did Oklahoma City lose this game? We allowed them to take a whopping 23 extra shots from the field (100 vs. 77). The Wizards grabbed 10 more offensive rebounds, 5 more total boards, had 8 less turnovers, and stole the ball 5 more times than the Thunder.

On the positive side, Durant led the way with 25 points and Green followed with 23. Green hit an impressive 4 for 6 from beyond the arc. The only other Thunder member to break into the double digits was Westbrook barely making it with 10. Otherwise it was a pretty unimpressive night for the rookie.

There's not much else that could or should be said about the Thunder's performance last night. The team will be heading home to Oklahoma for a four game home stretch where hopefully we'll find a way to steal a win.

The Answer to the Question

2008-12-27T11:00:00.002-06:00

What looked to be another 4th quarter collapse nearly turned into the highlight win Oklahoma City has been working so hard to achieve. Instead Allen Iverson carried Detroit to a last-second victory over the Thunder and cemented his place as one of the NBA's biggest clutch players.

AI's bucket prevented OKC from stealing the game after an impressive showing in the final 12 minutes. When the Pistons jumped out in front by double digits, the Thunder stormed back behind a 13-0 run. Kevin Durant tied the contest at 86, and the dramatic ending sealed another franchise loss to Detroit, the eighth in a row.

Poor free throw shooting plagued the visiting Thunder, and neither club had success on the outside. Durant led all scorers with 26 points, but he was not able to overcome the balanced attack of the Pistons.

If the first part of the back-to-back games was emotional, tonight's homecoming for Durant and Jeff Green will take it to another level. Washington plays the host role although the spotlight will be on the pair of D.C. bred ballers.

It is also a strong chance for a Thunder victory, as the Wizards are stuck in an eight-game losing streak. Injuries have taken a toll on both squads, but the big story is how well OKC rebounds following the Detroit contest.

Unless there is a serious letdown by the Thunder, victory number four should be in the works. Russell Westbrook could use another strong outing, and the new rotation played harder than in past games. Damien Wilkins did not see action against the Pistons, but rookie Kyle Weaver did. Nick Collison was also held out of his second straight game and look for Joe Smith to continue the starting role in his absence.

A tough stretch welcomes OKC back at the Ford Center, and this is the perfect opportunity for Coach Brooks' squad to make a statement. The T-Wolves did their part on Friday, knocking off the Knicks, and it is up to Durant and Co. to follow suit. Time for all that hard work to pay off and to show the rest of the league how much improved the Thunder are.

Detroit Rock City

2008-12-26T12:00:00.004-06:00

Tonight the Thunder travel to Detroit to take on the former kings of the East: the Pistons. A scant few years ago, the Pistons were the team to beat, and now mysteriously (or not, your choice), they've dropped. Sure, they're still a playoff caliber team, but not a team you'd expect to see contending for the NBA crown.

Regardless, they are still miles ahead of Oklahoma City. Tonight's game is the first game of a back-to-back series for the Thunder. The second game is against the weak Washington Wizards and is one that the Thunder should be able to win.

Tonight's game is probably not so winnable. Sure, we might be able to steal one here, but frankly, I'm not hoping the Thunder don't "use" themselves up tonight and then fall flat on their faces tomorrow. Sure, I know the point is to "win them all", but we're 3-26, so we know that won't be happening. I'd like the Thunder to win both games of a back-to-back series before the season is over, but this series doesn't have to be the one where that's done.

Stocking Stuffers

2008-12-25T21:37:00.004-06:00

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and got everything they wanted. I know I did, so I thought what better way to end the Holiday than by giving the Thunder presents as well.

Oklahoma City has a very long list of wants and needs, but here is a start.

Kevin Durant -- All-Star Honors

Coach Brooks -- Interim tag removed

Jeff Green -- Weight set (Power Forward edition)

GM Presti -- January becomes Let's Make a Deal!

Russell Westbrook -- Same rookie-year 2nd half that Durant enjoyed

Clay's Group -- A packed house no matter what

Joe Smith -- Chance to make playoffs one more time (Chicago?)

T-Wolves -- Kevin McHale out of town

Nick Collison -- Reunion with former Jayhawk Kirk Hinrich

Kyle Weaver -- D-League MVP Honors

Chris Wilcox -- A healthy end to his tenure with OKC

Earl Watson -- Joining best friend Baron Davis in LA

D.J. White -- NBA debut in February

Desmond Mason -- Contract extension to stay home

Some people are easier to shop for than others, but the Thunder are moving in the right direction. A few tweaks here and there, and all the negative talk can be transferred in Minnesota's direction. My last request is more of a pipe dream since it involves two other franchises.

Until Seattle gets the Sonics back, the Thunder will never get any respect. David Stern and the NBA can make this happen by admitting the mistake that is Memphis. Re-locate the Grizzlies for the final time, and move OKC into that vacant Southwest Division spot.

Playing against the Texas teams and natural rival New Orleans will be a harder fit, but it also may be what keeps Durant in a Thunder uniform -- a vital position for the city and everyone involved. But that is a story for another time on a different day. Bring on the Pistons!

Bah Humbug

2008-12-24T23:00:00.002-06:00

Given the spirit of the season, I am not going into detail about yesterday's contest. The Atlanta Hawks powered ahead in the fourth quarter and won a 99-88 decision.

There. Simple to the point. Concise. Won't take up much of your time.

The problem, however, is that it doesn't give you anything else. It gives the score, but it fails to mention another Thunder collapse. It tells you who was victorious, but it stops there.

If you must know, here is the breakdown. Oklahoma City got another great game from Kevin Durant while giving up a bigger game to an opposing player. Joe Johnson abused the Thunder to the tune of a triple-double, and the Hawks outscored OKC by ten points in the final 12 minutes.

So by doing the math, Atlanta was having fits trying to put the NBA's worst team away. Haven't we heard this before?

That is the running theme for the 2008 portion of the schedule, and I can't wait for the new year. 2009 brings many exciting opportunities, and I will be back tomorrow with my non-Scrooge part of the Thunder Christmas.

Road Trip!

2008-12-23T12:00:00.005-06:00

Tonight the Thunder head into Atlanta to start off a three game road trek. This away trip is tied for the longest they have left and is only one game shorter than OKC's longest of the season. After it's done, the Thunder will then have their longest stretch of homes games this season (4). Tonight's game is the toughest of the trip and then the following games are progressively easier. I would have much preferred that we play these in reverse, but unfortunately, that's not an option.

The Hawks are 11-2 at home and have won 5 of their last 6 games losing only to the Celtics who are currently the NBA's #1 team. This will be game 6 of a very successful 8 game home stretch. The Hawks are winning but not averaging a lot of points in this home stretch only cracking into triple digits once. None of their opponents in the made it to 100 in the stretch. In fact, the last time they gave up that many points was December 6 against the Mavericks, and the Mavericks only had 100.

This is the second and final meeting between the two teams this season, and the first went to the Hawks by a narrow margin: 89-85. The Thunder had led after three quarters but blew it in the forth. Neither team shot well all game with both squads averaging under 40% from the field.

The loss was a frustrating one for the Thunder as they let a golden opportunity to hand the Hawks their first loss of the season slip away. Had OKC played up to their normal level of bad basketball instead of sinking below it, that game would have been a win. Expect that both teams will play better this go around but neither team will break in the triple digits. If the Thunder can find a way to put 95+ points on the board, they should steal this victory.

Mounting Losses

2008-12-22T17:11:00.002-06:00

I jinxed the team with my last post. That is the only thing that comes to mind after writing about two wins against the Raptors. It wasn't bad enough that King James ruled the Ford Center -- LeBron may have taken any chance of a Thunder inside game with him.

Nick Collison broke a bone in his left hand against Cleveland, and reports are now coming out that New Jersey has interest in retaining seven-footer Nenad Krstic. These two revelations coupled with the imposing stretch of games ahead has Oklahoma City looking for a silver lining.

With five games left in December, the Thunder have a lot of room to grow and a foundation in place thanks to Coach Brooks. This was very evident during the game last night, as Kevin Durant and a strong defense kept the contest closer than the first go-around. Sure, Cleveland pulled away and won by eleven, but the real story was how OKC didn't fold against one of the NBA's best.

Durant took another step in becoming an elite small forward, making plays against possibly the top player in the game. James is getting all of the attention right now for how his team is playing, but he also has a strong supporting cast. Durant's recent stretch includes seven straight games with 22 or more points. He poured in 26 to again lead the Thunder, and his confidence is allowing teammates Russell Westbrook and Jeff Green to find their game.

Westbrook took his game to another level and is closing in on his first career triple-double. He and Durant are starting to figure it out together, and that is important with Green still struggling to find his long-range shot.

Three road games will test OKC's front court this week, especially if Collison and Chris Wilcox are not at full strength. The Nets have a week to match the offer to Krstic, or he will become the man in the middle for the Thunder. Green and the rest of the squad can only benefit from a lift in the paint and the knowledge that the OKC front office is trying to make the team better.

Welcome King James!

2008-12-21T09:00:00.001-06:00

The King, no not Elvis Pressley, makes his one and only appearance in Oklahoma City tonight as the Cavaliers take on the Thunder. This will be the final meeting between the two this season as the Thunder traveled to Cleveland late last month and got man-handled 117-82.

Nothing happened in that last game that could be considered a positive for OKC. LeBron played a mere 17 minutes and probably didn't even need to play that much. The entire Cavalier team played, and all but one played over a quarter's worth of minutes. Six players broke into double digits for the Cavs, and only one of the starters played for more than half the game. Cleveland shot an impressive 60.8% while the Thunder stunk it up at 35.4%.

Tonight's game has to be a different story. The Thunder are coming off of their third win of the season, and a strong performance against the Cavaliers should keep that momentum going. That will be quite important as our next three games will be on the road against the Hawks, the Pistons, and the Wizards. If we have any shred of positive momentum by the end of the week, we ought to roll the Wizards. But first we have to make a strong showing tonight.

Tonight's goal for the Thunder should be simple: Make LeBron play the whole game. Sure, there's a good chance he's going to light it up for 40+ points if he does, but make him score those points and not relax on the bench. And who knows, maybe after rocking OKC less than a month ago, they'll take us too lightly, and the Thunder will have the opportunity to steal a win from one of the best teams this year.

Two 4 One

2008-12-20T08:15:00.003-06:00

Due to previous experience, I chose not to watch the end of the last night's game. The contest was going way too well, and honestly I didn't want to see another one get away at the end. Boy, the party I missed in Oklahoma City serves me right after the first home victory in over a month.

And the third win of the year wasn't even the best Thunder news of the night! I know what you are probably thinking. How does a team with very little to hope for get more excited than winning? The long and short answer is this. When you can add to the club without having to subtract anyone, that makes headline news in my book.

More to the hopeful addition in a minute, but first to the Toronto game. Carbert was much more hopeful than I was going into the second game of the homestand, especially with LeBron James on the horizon. The Raptors are a bigger version of the Thunder, with their star player Chris Bosh leading an imposing squad. The visitors were not so lucky during the game, however, as their starting center had to leave with an injury.

Toronto's misfortune allowed OKC to dominate the lane on both sides of the ball, and it opened up scoring opportunities for Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and Jeff Green. The Thunder jumped out early, leading by as many as 13 points. The lead was down to single digits in the fourth quarter, and a string of poor shots by the Thunder allowed Toronto to tie the score.

Even with a rough night from 3-point land and the free throw line, OKC used both to seal the 91-83 celebration. Durant broke the tie with a trey and finished the scoring with two free throws. Westbrook also knocked down a pair from the line in the last minute, while also not turning the ball over down the stretch. Coach Brooks had his team ready defensively, and the Raptors couldn't match the intensity in the last four minutes.

Two big reasons for that were the changes in the starting lineup. Desmond Mason replaced Damien Wilkins and Nick Collison again found himself as the starting center. Both contributed solid numbers and even more from a leadership standpoint. The second unit struggled without Collison, but he may be returning to that role with the other big news of the day.

GM Sam Presti learned how to find talent overseas while with San Antonio, and he is on the verge of giving OKC a big piece to the puzzle. Seven-footer Nenad Krstic is set to sign with the Thunder and would provide an upgrade in the middle. The restricted free agent offers scoring and defensive help to an undersized squad and provides Green with breathing room. New Jersey can still match the offer, but all signs point to the Serbian suiting up in the near future.

Best Chance to Avoid 14 Straight

2008-12-19T12:00:00.003-06:00

Tonight the Raptors come to town to take on the Thunder. For Toronto, this game will be the first of a six game road streak. The Raptors are currently in the midst of a three game skid and have only won two of their last ten games. They are one of the few teams struggling as bad as the Thunder right now.

Chris Bosh leads the Raptors in scoring averaging 23.6 points per game but that average has drastically fallen over the past 10 games. He's failed to score more than 25 at any point over that span, and if the Thunder can contain him to fewer than 20 it will leave a wide opening for them to get the win.

OKC is going to need two of Durant, Green, and Westbrook to have big games to win this one. We're pretty sure we can count on Durant, so it's probably going to come down to which of Green and Westbrook can do it. Personally I don't care which one it is (both would be nice!), as long as one of them does it.

As a side note, the Raptors' Jose Calderon is having quite the season from the free throw line hitting a perfect 59 of 59 in the 23 games he's played. The all-time record in the NBA for consecutive free throws? 97 by Michael Williams in 1993. Why do I mention this? Mostly just to jinx him so he misses one against the Thunder.

Seeing Red over Green

2008-12-18T04:58:00.007-06:00

A week before XMas, and all I want is a Thunder win. When Jeff Green makes out his list, a consistent shooting touch better be on top right next to intensity. Oklahoma City has found a running mate for Kevin Durant, but he disappears in too many games.

One night it will be foul-trouble and the next it is the inability to make a 3-pointer. Green is an enigma that needs to choose a course of action. The move to power forward full time benefits the team, but does it suit the 6'9'' second-year pro?

Let's take a look at the numbers and see...

OKC's last victory was also the last game in November. Green had just scored 22 points in 40 minutes the following night, and the match-up against Memphis was a good test. While Durant dominated the Grizzlies, Green held his own with another 22 point outing. He also didn't miss a free throw and knocked down two treys. It was also the first time he had registered four fouls since making the move to the four spot.

Both the positive and negative trends continued into December.

During the current eight-game slide, Green is the streakiest Thunder player. His overall shooting figures, rebounds, and assists have all increased while his 3-point accuracy, free throw percentage and fouls are all going the wrong way. Basically Green has forgotten how to play outside while trying to learn the PF spot on the fly.

This isn't a knock on Coach Brooks for making the change. Green's scoring numbers have helped OKC stay in plenty of games, and it has allowed Durant to move to small forward. But to one day have Green become a post player is a hard thing to ask of any player, especially for a struggling team.

Two great games were followed by the crushing loss to the Clippers.

Against Dallas and San Antonio, Green shot over 60% from the floor and destroyed the Texas clubs for 58 points. Masking the high scoring was defensive troubles in both match-ups. Green was given the task of trying to stop the Mavs' Dirk Nowitzki one night followed by Tim Duncan of the Spurs the next. This proved to be the Thunder's undoing as Nowitzki scored 46 in the Dallas win, and Duncan used all his weapons to overcome Green's 33-point season high.

For OKC to get back on track, they need a little schedule luck and for Green to find his comfort level. Against Los Angeles on Tuesday, Green found early foul trouble and didn't play thirty minutes for the first time this month. He also failed to hit a triple, something more common this month.

The main reason for his struggles had nothing to do with himself.

Zach Randolph is a much-different power forward than Nowitzki and Duncan. Randolph is a bruiser, the type who likes to cause punishment, and he carried the Clippers past Green and the Thunder inside. Green will have trouble with the bangers until he is able to bulk up and play more like a conventional post player. This is because the current roster offers very little help on Green, forcing him to try too hard.

Durant has found his zone and is flourishing, averaging over 25 points a game in December. Until the Thunder play a few teams without a strong inside presence, the games will be hard to win. Green is battling in the paint, but he can't do it all by himself. OKC has to find someone to offer relief, or Green's wish-list may include a new team and a return to the small forward role.

How the West Fell Apart

2008-12-17T21:05:00.002-06:00

When we start saying good things about the Clippers, it is definitely time to wonder about the NBA as a whole. Now I'm not saying L.A.'s other team is all bad news, but history goes to show that unless relocation is an option -- the Clippers will always be yesterday's news.

This season started out no different, but the real drama played out over the summer. Elton Brand and Baron Davis were supposed to lead the charge together, but only Davis held up his end of the bargain. Brand jumped ship to the 76ers, and Davis was left to pick up the pieces. Well after a trade and a win streak, those pieces are starting to come together. Oklahoma City was the latest witness to the turnaround, as the Thunder were bullied in a ten-point loss.

Newcomer Zach Randolph showed OKC what an inside force can add to any team, dominating the paint with 22 points and 13 rebounds. Randolph came over in a trade from New York, and he has stepped right into Brand's old post spot. The Thunder did get a surprise when Chris Wilcox came in off the bench, but it wasn't enough to overcome poor shooting and foul trouble.

Kevin Durant did his thing, scoring a game-high 25 points, and Wilcox added 13 in a gutsy effort. Previous reports had the power forward missing up to two weeks with a finger injury, but his heart kept OKC in the game longer than expected. Jeff Green could use some of Wilcox's mental approach, and I will get into detail about that tomorrow. Russell Westbrook has yet to find a shooting touch as a pro, and all-star Davis took advantage of the rookie, causing turnovers galore by the Thunder.

Overall, it was not the type of game needed after an impressive weekend output. OKC remains winless for December, and the upcoming stretch of games will get no easier. I hope Coach Brooks has something up his sleeve because Durant offers something few teams have -- a bonafide star. If the Thunder fail to turn the ship around, plenty of coaches will be happy for a chance to get the job done.

Clippers @ Thunder, Take Two

2008-12-16T15:00:00.001-06:00

The Clippers make their second and final trip into Oklahoma City tonight to take on our "beloved" Thunder. The Clippers thumped the Thunder in their previous visit 108-88 in P.J. Carlesimo’s second to last game as coach. At the time, the Clippers were struggling almost as badly as the Thunder.

Fast forward to today, and we have a Clippers team that's starting to turn things around. They've won their past two games: both on the road and both against quality opponents (the Trailblazers and the Rockets). They have a soft schedule for the rest of December playing 7 of the 8 games against teams that currently have losing records with the other game against the inconsistent Dallas Mavericks. Now is an opportune time for the Clippers to make a run.

The Thunder are in a similar situation as they were when the two last met. Currently we're in the midst of a 7 game losing streak. Last time it was already at 8 games. We've set a franchise record for most consecutive losses at home at ten. The biggest difference between now and then is that we're not getting blown out of games as much anymore.

This game is going to come down to which team is more motivated to win as neither team has a clear advantage. Hopefully the Thunder players are sick of setting the wrong records and will be extra pumped up to end the drought.

Digging Out

2008-12-15T18:00:00.000-06:00

Last night against the Spurs, the Thunder attempted to dig themselves out of a gigantic hole but came up just short. The Thunder trailed by 20 after the first and San Antonio's lead grew as large as 26 before the Thunder came roaring back. OKC outscored the Spurs in each of the second, third, and forth quarters; but not by enough to claim the game. The Thunder pulled within 2 points with 30 seconds to play, but that was as close as it got.

For the Thunder, Jeff Green led the way with 33 points. Kevin Durant had a double double with 28 points and 13 rebounds. Unfortunately we didn't get much production from the other three starters as Westbrook, Wilkins, and Petro had 2, 3, and 4 points respectively. Nick Collison led the bench with 10 points and Earl Watson and Desond Mason also contributed 9 and 8.

This loss was the Thunder's 7th in a row putting them halfway towards tying the franchise record (again). Unfortunately they've only got two games in the next seven on the "easy" side: the Clippers tomorrow and the Wizards in a week and a half. The Thunder need to show up for all 4 quarters in both of those games if they are going to get some much needed wins.

Where to Begin...How Bout the End

2008-12-14T05:38:00.004-06:00

David Stern needs to help out Oklahoma City one more time. He needs to use his powers for good and make NBA games three periods instead of four. Heck, he can even make them longer if he wants. Just as long as the Thunder don't have to worry about how to finish out an opponent in the final 12 minutes of action. For what seems like the tenth time already, OKC had a late lead and couldn't find a way to win.

What makes this loss especially difficult was the opponent and location. Dallas may not be in the top tier of Western Conference teams anymore, but they are certainly a tall order for the Thunder. The Mavericks also have Dirk Nowitzki, one of the most complete players in the league. Any way you slice it, OKC faced many challenges in Texas without much to go on.

Leading almost the entire game, Kevin Durant and Jeff Green couldn't overcome the Mavs' own dynamic duo of Nowitzki and Jason Terry. Green tried to keep pace offensively with his counterpart but failed defensively against the taller Nowitzki. Down the stretch Dallas proved tougher mentally, and the young Thunder squad will have to put the game behind them quickly.

Things only get tougher for OKC's Green on both ends of the court. The power forward has to face the top player in the world at that position, and the Thunder picked a bad time to face the team they are modeled after...

San Antonio is rolling right now, and the Spurs would be happy to put a bunch of upstarts in their place. Tim Duncan is too big and too skilled for Green one-on-one, and he is a very skilled passer if double-teamed. Coach Brooks will have to make a decision on how to play defense, but the current roster isn't suited for a inside battle. With Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili both back for the Spurs, Durant and Westbrook will have their toughest test of the season.

OKC played a tough game last night while San Antonio was off, not exactly the situation GM Sam Presti was hoping for against his former club. This game could get ugly early and show just how much an inside threat would better balance the roster. Dallas didn't have to worry about it, and now the Spurs can send the Thunder back home hurting for change. Hopefully I am proven wrong, and carbert can provide some good news tomorrow. If not the clock has started for Presti to earn his reputation and find a way to make this year's team better. And soon...

A couple of tough ones

2008-12-13T14:00:00.001-06:00

After losing a couple of home games against struggling teams, the Thunder take to the road tonight for a two game away stretch against two surging teams: the Dallas Mavericks and the San Antonio Spurs. Both teams are 8-2 over their last ten games, and each will present a unique challenge for the Thunder to attempt to overcome.

Tonight's game is in Dallas, so we'll focus on that one. The Thunder will be without Chris Wilcox who dislocated his left ring finger in the game against the Grizzlies. Wilcox had been the starting center, but expect to see Nick Collison move back into the starting lineup. Collison has contributed ten or more points from the bench over the past three games and looks to be regaining his old form. Hopefully that will continue and he'll prove that he's ready for "prime time" if Coach Brooks reinserts him into the starting lineup.

Although they've been finding quite a bit more success, the Mavericks have also been suffering from a "Jekyll and Hyde" identity crisis similar to the Thunder's. Some games they show up and play like one of the NBA's best. Other times they are very fortunate to have a lot of talent on their roster and are able to scrape out a win with a sub-par performance. To a certain extent, they almost seem to play to the level of their competition. In the past two weeks, they played strong against the Spurs and the Suns (dominating the Suns, actually), and yet barely beat the struggling Clippers and Bobcats.

Hopefully for the Thunder, the "Hyde" Mavericks show up tonight, and OKC will have the opportunity to stay in the game and maybe even steal a win. Since the Mavs have been winning their poor performance games recently, they haven't received the reality slap-in-the-face of losing to a weak team. The Thunder are in the right position to give that slap. All they have to do is avoid a "Hyde" performance of their own.

D.J. Dreaming

2008-12-12T03:11:00.005-06:00

At least some good news is coming out of this NBA season -- carbert and I will have plenty to write about from our soon-to-be new location. But first a little about the team we cover. The Thunder are doing everything in their power to select Blake Griffin with the first overall pick in the next draft. Keeping the Sooner in state would allow Oklahoma City to pair Kevin Durant with an inside presence and hopefully a reason to stay in a couple of years.

It would also give Russell Westbrook and Jeff Green the opportunity to grow into role players who can carry the team when Griffin and Durant are having troubles. With the one remaining starting spot, my thoughts go to another young player who has yet to play a minute for the Thunder. OKC's D.J. White won't play until at least the middle of January, but he is exactly the type of player needed right now. White is a wide body, with enough skills inside to the change the game at both ends. Chris Wilcox is going to miss more time, and I hope Johan Petro can pick up the slack.

Well on to the big news of the day. (Drum Roll Please)

We have been given the opportunity to join an awesome website community where the Thunder can be properly displayed. It should be up-and-running very soon, and all the details will still be displayed here while we are renovating. Thanks to everyone who has been a casual fan and to those loyal readers who have commented. I can't speak for carbert, but I know being able to write again has made a huge difference in my life.

Records Were Made

2008-12-11T05:47:00.002-06:00

Pick any cliche you want. Then try to explain it to someone who has never heard it....in a foreign language. Meet the Oklahoma City Thunder, a walking-talking conundrum. My pick would be 'you have to hit rock-bottom before you can pick yourself up' and I would try to say it in Portuguese. I have never felt that biblical sayings had a lot to do with professional sports, but I do think karma is playing a part in the former SuperSonics demise.

Why do I mention any of this? If last night's crushing defeat was just another loss, my story today would have focused on any number of positive things. I could have talked about Kevin Durant. Joe Smith played and did well, maybe that would have been in there. Nick Collison may finally be figuring it out, and I would have been happy to give him some print.

OKC was doing all the right things for three quarters against Memphis, but quite possibly the worst 12 minutes of Thunder history has left me unable to think positive. True, the franchise is still in its infancy, and there will be low points to come. But for all intents purposes, this season is over. I figured it would be a long year, even wondering if any of the veterans would be traded so that the club could stay competitive. Now I just pray half of the players are gone by Christmas.

Let's look at how the Grizzlies took out my heart, did a little dance on it, and gave it back with a smile. Memphis took the lead for 18 seconds in the first quarter and then sat back and watched a good Thunder show. The visitors fell behind by as many as 21 points in the first half and still trailed by seven heading into the final quarter. Here is where OKC fell apart, committing as many turnovers as field goals.

Memphis enacted their revenge and in the process, they made the Thunder better resemble a D-League team. It was definitely the low point of the season, hands down. With games against Dallas and San Antonio coming up on the road, my only wish is that GM Sam Presti finds a way to make multiple trades, even if the partner is the Tulsa 66ers. At least that way everyone on the floor will be playing with heart, knowing that one bad game could end their NBA dream.

Because right now the only things left to debate are how long the current losing streak will go and how many wins the Thunder will achieve.

Look out for the motivated team

2008-12-10T12:00:00.003-06:00

Tonight, the Memphis Grizzlies come to town with revenge on their minds. Less than two weeks ago, the Thunder traveled to Memphis and made the Grizzlies a member of an exclusive club: teams that have been beaten by the Thunder. The club has just two members, and the only other member, the Minnesota Timberwolves, has already avenged their loss. If the Grizzlies lose tonight, they'll be the founding member of a new club: teams that have lost twice to the Thunder. This in not a moniker that they wish to own.

The last go round, OKC won the game from the line as we shot more free throws and made a higher percentage of them. This will likely be a key stat from tonight's game as it is throughout the season since the Thunder tend to get out-shot from the field and from beyond the arc. Closing the gap in those percentages will also be important tonight. Memphis shot 5.6% better from the field and 18.3% better from three-land last game. If Memphis out-shoots us like that tonight, we're likely going to get beat.

ever on the same page?

2008-12-09T18:49:00.003-06:00

the best player on the current worst team has to be getting frustrated. he can't seem to catch a break no matter how well he plays, and the losses just keep coming. kevin durant probably doesn't regret his decision to leave college early, but i'm sure he had other thoughts about how his nba career would be starting. continuing the unsettling trend, durant carried the thunder back from 21 points down against golden state only to see another defeat on the scoreboard. okc's most recent home setback was especially painful given how bad the warriors had been playing.

i do not have the patience to go back and look at how many games the thunder have lost when durant hits for 30+... but when the reigning rookie of the year knocks down 41 against a sub-par club and still can't get a victory, that is where i draw the line.

a number of times this season durant takes the blame for his poor shooting when other okc players have stepped up and contributed. most recently russell westbrook comes to mind, and jeff green scores in bunches when he is feeling it. both of durant's side-kicks definitely had their issues last night, and that has ultimately been the thunder's downfall too many times this year.

westbrook and green combined for a pathetic 8-27 from the floor, including 0-7 from 3-point land against the warriors. to make matters worse, the duo combined for more turnovers than field goals. only nick collison's double-double and over 50 percent shooting gave durant any help in the crushing defeat, and interim head coach scott brooks has to find a way to give his star a support system. and fast or even durant will be unable to keep the sinking ship afloat.

the thunder are the joke of the nba right now, and they have now lost games every possible way. memphis is up next, and that is not going to be any easier. the grizzlies are out for blood and payback for the last contest, an okc road win. carbert will preview the game tomorrow, but i hope for his sake that green finds his shot or westbrook regains the ability to drive the lane. because if neither one is ready to be durant's partner, the organization has to be ready to find someone who is.

The Power of Three

2008-12-08T09:21:00.002-06:00

Oklahoma City welcomes the NBA's worst defensive team tonight in what is sure to be a high-scoring affair. Golden State brings a nine-game losing streak and is coming off a 35-point thrashing to the San Antonio Spurs. The Thunder, on the other hand, look to stop a three-game slide and end the current trend of falling apart in the fourth quarter.

Russell Westbrook has taken hold of the starting point guard spot, and another game like Saturday's 30-point affair will have the rest of the league on alert. While both teams have been giving up triple-digit points, the Warriors are doing it at a record pace. Look for Jeff Green and Kevin Durant to expose the visitors from outside, and any number of OKC big men to find some holes in the middle.

Two players who I'm sure would love to be playing tonight had key roles in victories over the weekend. After the Lightning favorite Blake Griffin kept the Oklahoma Sooners undefeated, and he is sure to be a top pick in next June's Draft. If he isn't wearing a Thunder jersey next season, maybe Steven Hill will be. OKC's seven-footer wasn't leaving the bench very often, so he was re-assigned to the D-League's Tulsa club. Hill provided a double-double as the 66ers notched their first victory of the year.

Blew It!

2008-12-07T15:15:00.001-06:00

For me, yesterday's game was a major disappointment. Going into Miami my hope was for the Thunder to keep it close. As the first half played out, I began to have some serious confidence that we would pull out the win by containing Dwayne Wade better in the second half. Wade burned OKC for 25 points in the first but wasn't getting a lot of help from his supporting cast. Regardless, the Heat took a five point lead into the locker room at halftime.

In the second half, the Thunder did a better job of containing Wade, allowing him only half as many points (13). But offensively, the wheels just fell off of our bus in the 3rd quarter, and we found ourselves down by 15 with just one quarter to go.

Oklahoma City came out to start the forth quarter on fire scoring the first 8 points and eventually tying the game at 90 with 6:03 to go. Unfortunately that's when the spark went out, and the Heat easily cruised from there to a 105-99 victory.

As a team, the Thunder didn't shoot very well only hitting 43.2% of their shots. Russell Westbrook was by far the star scoring 30 points on 10 of 18 shooting from the field. This is the second game in a row Westbrook has been our #1 scorer and he's truly appearing to be worthy of being the starting point guard. Jeff Green contributed 21 hitting half of his shots from the field. Kevin Durant had a rough night only making 6 of 17 buckets but still put 18 points on the board.

The Thunder corrected their problem from the free throw line hitting 80% and scoring 6 more points from the line than the Heat. Otherwise there's not too much to sing about. The Heat out-rebounded the Thunder by 11. That, plus hitting a higher percentage of shots, pretty much put this one in the Miami's favor.

Johan Petro was not able to replicate his play from Friday night hitting just 1 of 5 and therefore only getting to play 8 minutes. Nick Collison did step up, however, and put 14 points on the board. One of these two guys needs to get consistent as Damien Wilkins is killing us as starting forward. If Petro or Collison would play well enough to deserve to be starting center, we could get Wilkins out of the starting lineup. I'm not sure who of Chris Wilcox, Green, or Durant would move to guard (Durant makes the most sense but is playing much better as forward than guard), but it'd have to be an improvement over Wilkins.

Getting Stronger

2008-12-06T11:56:00.003-06:00

I can't help but think of the Rocky movies when getting ready to write the Thunder reviews. Every game Oklahoma City is the underdog, and each result has yet to reach the knockout level. Orlando nearly was caught snoozing but pulled away at the end for another tough OKC loss. The Thunder were again victimized by poor shooting at the free throw line, and the Magic rode Dwight Howard's monster game at home.

The road trip ends tonight in Miami, but enough good things have been displayed to offer hope. It is a very long tunnel with a small light right now, but the Thunder are built to learn first and succeed later. By far the most important element is how the team is sticking together while the losses keep piling. Coach Brooks has every player on notice about playing hard, and two stood out from the pack in Orlando.

Johan Petro and Earl Watson made the most of their time, combining for 26 points in only 39 minutes. They anchored the second squad and were the main reasons OKC shot better than 43 percent overall. Petro made a strong argument for increased playing time, and he will be tested right away against the Heat. Watson and fellow point guard Russell Westbrook were two of five Thunder players to reach double digits, the second biggest feat of the game. That kind of balance will only help when Kevin Durant or Jeff Green is struggling with their shot.

Most of the attention was centered around Howard, who exploded for his first triple-double in the last match-up. Unfortunately for the visitors, the Magic had plenty of other options on the night, knocking down an incredible 13 three-pointers. That left Howard to grab rebounds and keep OKC off-balance. Durant and Green both had off nights and will look to rebound against one of the NBA's brightest stars.

Dwayne Wade has the potential to put up 40 or 50 points every time he plays, and Miami welcomes the Thunder in an intriguing battle later today. Wade is the type of unselfish superstar Durant has the chance to become. KD displayed some of that against the Magic, when his shots were not falling. He paced OKC with 10 rebounds and dished out a trio of assists. Knowing who has the hot hand will be the key to the game, and Westbrook may not have to look far.

If Durant's shots are on target, he is the obvious choice. Green can and should regain his range after failing to knock down a three against Orlando. Option 1, 2, or 3 may very well be Westbrook's for the taking if his drives to the basket keep coming open. High draft picks will be on display and look for OKC to out-do Miami in that battle and on the scoreboard. The Thunder have worked hard the past week and are due a big reward.

Avoiding the Triple Double

2008-12-05T11:00:00.002-06:00

The last time the Thunder matched up against the Magic, Dwight Howard blocked 10 shots, grabbed 19 rebounds, and scored 30 points as the Magic burned the Thunder 109-92. The Thunder play the Magic for the second, and final, time this season; but this time the game's in Orlando.

Howard destroyed the Thunder in front of the OKC crowd. Just imagine what he would have done if the game was in Orlando. The obvious key for the Thunder to stay anywhere close to the Magic in this game is containing Howard. Unfortunately, the Thunder don't have a "true" center that would match up well against Howard. Johan Petro has proven he cannot do it. Nick Collison hasn't played well at center. Chris Wilcox is the current starting "center", but he's undersized for the position. Robert Swift is the right size but has been recovering from injuries. If he's available, it's unlikely we'll be able to use him for the minutes we need.

Otherwise, the Thunder need to continue to shoot well (50+%) like they did against Charlotte, Memphis, and Minnesota. They need to turn around the turnover situation from Wednesday though. Due to turnovers and getting out-rebounded, the Thunder had 10 less shots than the Bobcats. Hard to win games that way.

On the Road Again

2008-12-04T06:00:00.003-06:00

In the first of three straight road assignments, Oklahoma City played catch-up but couldn't make the easy shots in the 103-97 loss to Charlotte. As much as I thought about posting just that for a recap, it would be a shame not to point out what the Thunder did well last night. First, however, I do need to give some props to the home team.

The Bobcats surprised me with their depth, and it was their superior play in the paint that ultimately locked up the victory. Emeka Okafor and Sean May combined for 35 points and 24 rebounds, the second number only four off what OKC achieved all game. That doesn't bode well as the Thunder next travel to face Dwight Howard and the Magic on Friday.

Chris Wilcox had his hands full in the middle, and Jeff Green isn't a true 'power' forward in the NBA. Orlando's Howard destroyed everyone to the tune of a triple-double last month at the Ford Center, and it will take a total team effort to remain close in the re-match.

But enough about the bad things and on to the highlights. The Thunder were never truly out of it last night, and Kevin Durant showed off a shooting touch that can only help the rest of the road trip. Durant made three of four triples and finished 9 of 12 shooting overall. His accuracy from 3-point range transferred to Green and Damien Wilkins as well, and OKC made a superb 7 or 11 from beyond the arc.

Another strength was the point guard duo of Russell Westbrook and Earl Watson, who dished out 16 assists. The pair kept the offense moving all game while helping the Thunder shoot nearly 55 percent in the process. Westbrook's inexperience did show with a game-high five turnovers, something Coach Brooks is going to have to tolerate in the transition. Watson and Joe Smith anchored the veteran second team, as OKC outscored the Bobcats from the bench.

The main reason the Thunder couldn't overcome Charlotte really had nothing to do with the hosts. It wasn't because of anything Durant and Co. failed to do so far this season. The one constant thing going for the two-win club was free show shooting, and this was where OKC gave the game away on Wednesday. After having perfect games from the charity stripe, the Thunder missed ten of 28 attempted, for a 64.3 percent. The Bobcats, on the other hand, shot over 80 percent from the free throw line to lock up their fourth win in the last six games.

OKC still found positives in the defeat, something that couldn't be said last month. A few more things bounce the Thunder's way, and this team will be fighting to get out of the division cellar by Christmas.

Are We Having Fun Yet?

2008-12-03T16:13:00.003-06:00

The pressure is off for the remainder of Coach Brooks' tenure. No matter how the team plays the rest of the way, the Thunder will set the tone for the future this month. Just one win can do wonders for what ails you, as Oklahoma City found out over the weekend.

Also going on a road trip against only one winning team helps too. The Westbrook era continues in Charlotte where a win is very possible. I will be back later with the high (and low) lights.

Stringing up the Lights ...

2008-12-02T19:00:00.002-06:00

Yesterday while putting up my Christmas tree, I made the rookie mistake of putting on the lights before checking to make sure all the strands worked. The picture to the left shows the results of this action. Sadly this was not my first "season" of putting up the tree, and I have no good excuse for making the mistake.

As a result, the process of finding the burned out bulb (or in my case, the two burned out bulbs) took quite a bit longer than need be. But in the end, everything worked, and the whole tree was lit up.

The Thunder are a lot like my Christmas tree ... a few dead bulb replacements away from being something special. Unfortunately unlike my experience, there aren't a supply of replacement bulbs available to fix the problem (ok, technically there are, but OKC doesn't have the resources to acquire them). The Thunder will get another crack at picking up some replacement bulbs at next year's draft and through free agency. Don't expect the Thunder to be big spenders though.

Continuing gforce's quarter-season awards from yesterday and keeping with the Christmas tree theme I've started so far, here are my winners:

Shining Star Award: Kevin Durant

Hey, if gforce gets to give him an award for this, so do I. There is no understating how valuable Durant is to the organization.

Burnt Out Bulb Award: P.J. Carlesimo

See ya, wouldn't want to be ya. The Thunder are playing a lot better now that P.J.'s gone, and that probably doesn't speak well for his future employability.

Dale Earnhardt Ornament Award: Jeff Green

Dale's number was 3, and this award goes to the player that's made the most 3s: Jeff Green. Green's averaging 1.3 per game and also leads the team in 3 point percentage at 46.9%.

Garland Award: Russell Westbrook

Ornaments and lights change frequently year over year, but garland (at least in my limited experiences) is something that is kept. Westbrook is quickly becoming the number two star of the team and will be a piece that the Thunder are going to want to keep around for a while.

Barry Bonds Ornament Award: Johan Petro

Hallmark made a Barry Bonds ornament a few years ago, and I received it as a gift for Christmas. The past few years I didn't have the heart to not put it on the tree, but I couldn't justify putting it where it could be seen. And so each year, I've put the ornament on the back of the tree. Since the coaching switch, Petro has gone from starter to not even coming off of the bench. Can't get much more "behind the tree" than that!

into the groove

2008-12-01T20:48:00.002-06:00

having a couple of off days is always a good thing, and the thunder find themselves not playing again until wednesday. we debated on how to cover oklahoma city the next couple of days since there are no big injuries (thankfully) or firings to report. but in the spirit of the season, carbert and i are going to hand out our first quarter awards today and tomorrow. i am up first...

...and the first award is always the easiest.

m.o.p. (most outstanding player) -- kevin durant

this one goes without saying, and he is too important to be listed as valuable. as long as durant stays healthy, the thunder are legit every night.

6th man award -- coach scott brooks

only because the team is playing with a new intensity since p.j. was let go. the lineup has been changed regularly, and that is a good thing. okc was put on notice, and the wins will be coming.

least improved -- nick collison

unfortunately there does have to be some negatives given the thunder have only two wins. collison was given every opportunity to secure a role with the club but was only on the floor for seven minutes in the last game. sometimes i wonder if his heart is really in the game?

face/off award -- chris wilcox

i stole this one from my favorite movie and it stands for the player who i will hate to see go but will love to have the money left over. wilcox may or may not be traded this season, but he will almost definitely sign for lots of money somewhere else. he will be missed but can be replaced.

welcome back award -- desmond mason

no offense to jeff green or russell westbrook. to me the second most important player for okc right now is mason. moving durant to small forward has opened a starting spot for the veteran, and the thunder are much better off with mason than having damien wilkins throw up 10+ shots a game. mason also adds a new level of defense that can only benefit the rest of the squad.

Doing it from the Line

2008-11-30T15:00:00.007-06:00

The franchise record-tying 14 game losing streak is over! The Thunder won their second game of the season and first on the road against the Memphis Grizzlies. Kevin Durant led the Thunder with 30 points and a total of six different players broke into double digits.

Memphis controlled the game early having a six point lead after the first quarter and taking an 11 point lead into the locker room at the half.OKC cut the lead down to 4 by the end of the third period before tying the game up at 94 with 5:14 remaining on a Jeff Green 3. Oklahoma City took the lead on another Green 3 pointer on their next possession. The Grizzles recaptured the lead at 100-99, but then the Thunder went on a 10-0 run and put the game away.

The Thunder shot an impressive 52.1% from the field in this game, but that was overshadowed by the 57.7% shot by the Grizzlies. In fact, the Grizzlies took two less shots but made three more buckets than the Thunder. Memphis also hit two additional three pointers (5 vs 3). So how did OKC win this game? They won it from the line. The Thunder attempted 14 more free throws and drained 16 more than their counterparts.

Russell Westbrook and Chris Wilcox made their first starts of the season as interim coach Scott Brooks continues to tinker with the lineup. Earl Watson still saw considerable playing time from the bench, but Nick Collison saw his minutes cut to almost a third of what he was playing before. Johan Petro once again didn't make it into the game.

Last night's win was huge for the Thunder not only because it stopped the 14 game skid, but also it showed that the team could rebound from a disappointing loss and still play hard. The Thunder's next three games are all on the road, but 4 of the next 5 games are against teams with losing records including a home game against the Grizzlies. The Thunder ought to be able to pull 2 wins out of those 5 games, and that would go a long way towards improving the direction of the team.

Let the Transition Begin

2008-11-29T02:04:00.002-06:00

Not even a last-second loss can overshadow the big picture in Oklahoma City. Russell Westbrook has been given the keys to the Thunder, and it is his show to run the rest of the season. He played over twice as long as starter Earl Watson, outscoring and dishing out more assists than the incumbent.

The Thunder's big three of Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, and Westbrook didn't get a chance to pull out the victory, as the Timberwolves got the last laugh Friday night. OKC fought back after a dismal third quarter and tied the game in the last seconds. But it wasn't enough to double the win total on the season. Minnesota got its pay back after losing a three point decision earlier, and the Thunder have yet to win again. Mike Miller nailed a jumper with one tick on the clock and sent OKC on the verge of dubious history.

Durant and Green tied for team-high honors with 22 points, and they both went crazy from 3-point territory. Well, at least a little nuts as OKC's luck from behind the arc has been this year. Green rebounded from a pair of terrible shooting games, knocking down four triples while finishing 8-13 on the game. Chris Wilcox matched his shooting from the bench and is quietly putting up big numbers since his return. If Wilcox can keep this up, the Thunder may find themselves in a position to trade for future needs before February. That is when the trade deadline hits, and quite a few teams may want a veteran big-man with an expiring contract.

With a much-needed win tonight, OKC can stop the bleeding many ways. The history I mentioned earlier comes in the form of a 15th straight loss, which would be the most in franchise history. It also would be against Memphis, the NBA's worst team this decade. Durant and Co. can notch the first road win of the season but will have to shake off another tough loss to do it.

After losing to the Suns at home earlier in the week, the Thunder were flat the following day and got crushed by the Cavs. Coach Scott Brooks can not afford to have his club come out the same way against the Grizzlies, who are looking to even their record at home. Memphis ran into a Spurs team on Friday who is healthy again, and San Antonio sent the Grizz reeling with their fifth defeat in a row and ninth in the last ten games.

Memphis features a young squad all-around, and both clubs figure to finish in the bottom of the standings for the foreseeable future. But this is also a chance for OKC to build off a 103-point performance and keep the Grizzlies on their heels. Desmond Mason returned against the T-Wolves and can push Damien Wilkins for a starting spot now. Also, Green needs to continue playing well or Wilcox will be starting at power forward very soon.

This much is clear in the 'Post-P.J.' era. Expect a lot of changes and hard play for the Thunder, or you won't be playing at all. The Blake Griffin train just keeps rolling...another win and another 20+ rebounding game, as Oklahoma takes the NIT title and moves to 6-0 overall.

Also Thankful for the Timberwolves...

2008-11-28T14:30:00.001-06:00

The Minnesota Timberwolves return to Oklahoma City for their second (and final) appearance of the season, and it couldn't come at a better time. The Thunder are on the verge of tying the franchise record for consecutive losses, and this game against the T-wolves gives the team a good chance to not share (and potentially then own) that distinction. Minnesota provided OKC with their only win of the season: an 88-85 battle in the Thunder's third game.

Neither team played particularly well in the first outing with the Wolves and the Thunder shooting 42.9% and 42.0% respectively. The big difference maker in that outing was rebounds as the Thunder out-rebounded Minnesota 50-38 including 10 additional offensive rebounds. Due to the rebounding differential, OKC attempted 11 more shots, and that's what tipped in the game in the Thunder's favor.

The Thunder will likely need the shot advantage again tonight if they hope to pull out a win. One of the keys to the game for the Thunder will be containing Al Jefferson who's averaging 10.2 rebounds and 22.8 points on a 50.2% field goal percentage. Jefferson burned the Thunder for 24 points and 13 rebounds in the first game, but Minnesota's second leading scorer, Randy Foye, went 0 for 10 from the field. Don't expect Foye to be such a major drag on the Timberwolves tonight.

I'm Thankful for the Detroit Lions ...

2008-11-27T02:00:00.005-06:00

... Or else the Thunder would be hands down the worst team in major league sports. My mom once told me that if you don't have something nice to say, then don't say anything at all. I will ignore this advice because I don't desire to write a blank article.

I was hopeful that with all the hoopla that the Cavs went through regarding their game on Tuesday with the Knicks, that there would be a chance that they wouldn't show up for this game at 100%. I mean seriously, the media circus must have been exhausting, Thanksgiving was the next day, and you're going to play the 1-14 Thunder? That doesn't sound like a major motivating moment to me.

But show up, they did. And spanked, the Thunder were. King James played a mere 17 minutes, and frankly, the 8ish minutes he played to start the second half weren't necessary. This game was over early as the Cavs jumped to a 13-0 lead to start the game, were up 33-14 after the first quarter, and up 66-32 at halftime. All 12 players on Cleveland's roster scored and played at least 9 minutes.

The Thunder shot an atrocious 35.4% from the field. Jeff Green and Earl Watson had as many of their shots blocked as they made (4 and 2 respectively ... seriously Jeff Green, 4 of your shots got blocked?). The only Thunder players that shot better than 40% were Nick Collison (2 for 3), Joe Smith (3 for 7), Johan Petro (3 for 7), and Chris Wilcox (5 for 7). Wilcox was the star of the game for the Thunder with 14 points.

Petro picked up 5 fouls in 12 minutes. Rust (or maybe frustration) from sitting on the bench the last two games? On the plus side, Petro and Kyle Weaver were the only players with whom the Thunder gained points on the Cavs when they were on the court (5 and 2 points respectively).

Desmond Mason is due to have his elbow re-evaluated and will hopefully be returning to the team soon. Hopefully his presence will inspire certain players not playing up to their potential (*cough* *cough* Jeff Green *cough* *cough*) to pick up their games or else lose playing time/starting position.

Blake Griffin Watch: Griffin lit up the boards with 32 points and 15 rebounds leading Oklahoma past UAB 77-67. Blake is averaging 28 points, 19 rebounds, and 36 minutes for the Sooners through 5 games.

Getting Defensive

2008-11-26T00:27:00.003-06:00

Although not a victory, Tuesday's strong showing against the Suns added more fuel to the fire. Only a furious Phoenix comeback and 3-pointer in the last minute stopped new coach Scott Brooks from putting the Thunder back in the win column.

Oklahoma City fell to 1-14 on the year, but the improvements far out-weigh the negatives going forward. Kevin Durant did the most damage, leading the team from his newly-reacquired small forward position. The Thunder shot better on the night, but no one stepped up down the stretch to help Durant. Chris Wilcox had another strong game off the bench and is close to regaining his form over the past two seasons.

Damien Wilkins and Jeff Green aren't shy about taking shots, but they need to start making more for OKC to pull out the close games. They combined for a 7-23 output on the night, numbers that don't lead to increased playing time in the upcoming weeks. Russell Westbrook and Desmond Mason would be more than happy to pick up the slack with Westbrook already getting work in at both guard spots. Green is falling more in a hole, however, and you have to think his leash is getting shorter.

Getting no time to think about the Suns' nail-biter, the Thunder find themselves at the end of a grueling four-game stretch. OKC travels to Cleveland to take on LeBron James and the 11-3 Cavaliers. If there was ever a time for a landmark decision, a road win against a top-flight team would make up for all the frustration thus far in 08.

But to have a chance at that goal, point guard Earl Watson, center Nick Collison, and the rest of the club have to play even better defense than on Tuesday. Holding Phoenix under 100 points was a great start, and it is time for the Thunder to buy into Coach Brooks' system. It won't matter how many jumpers Durant makes if the Cavs are scoring at will on the other end.

That starts with Watson and ends with Collison. King James will get his points, and it will be up to the other Cleveland players to take advantage of OKC's weaknesses. Collison is under-sized for a five, but he will get help from Wilcox and Joe Smith. Watson will have his hands full on the outside, and his veteran play will go a long way to determining how successful the Thunder can be tonight and in the next couple of weeks.

Once Mason returns to the lineup, the defensive play will get a boost. It will take a total team effort against the Cavs to stay close but here's hoping the home club is looking past OKC. Just maybe if Cleveland is thinking about the turkey dinner on Thursday, the Thunder can steal a huge momentum swing going into the weekend.

Home Against the Rising Suns

2008-11-25T12:00:00.002-06:00

Tonight, the 9-5 Phoenix Suns come to town to take on our 1-13 Thunder. The Thunder will be looking to continue to grow from the changes and positive performance that came on Saturday while the Suns will be looking to leave town with an easy win. I'm willing to let the Suns leave with a win, albeit not an easy one, if the improvements we saw in the last game continue.

The Suns are averaging 100.0 points a game on league-leading 49.7% field goal shooting. The Suns have a pretty balanced attack with 8 of their players averaging 8.8 or more points per game. All the starters but one (Raja Bell) are averaging double digits, and Bell is close at 9.8. With so many scoring options and the Thunder's weak defense, look for the Suns to rack up the points. If this one's not a total blowout, and the Phoenix starters play most of the game, look for the Suns to put up at least 110 points.

For the Thunder, it will be interesting to see how Kevin Durant's second game back at his collegiate position of small forward goes. Hopefully returning to the familiar position will bring some consistency as Durant, and Jeff Green for that matter, has been all over the map when it comes to field goal percentage. If Durant and Green could just settle out in the mid-40% game after game, it'd go a long way to helping the team out.

Nick Collison at center suffers from the same inconsistency and seems to play well when Durant and Green play poorly and vise-versa. It'd be nice if the three could get it together to make for a strong frontcourt. Speaking of center, you have to feel a little sorry for Johan Petro who went from starting center to no playing time with the coaching change. Granted he wasn't doing anything spectacular, but he'll see if he continues to ride the bench in the Scott Brooks era.

As much as the inconsistency of those three hurts, at least each of that trio is average above 40% from the field. The Thunder is not getting much out of their starting point guard Earl Watson, newly appointed starting shooting guard Damien Wilkins, and sixth man Russell Westbrook. All three are average sub 35% field goal shooting with Watson leading the way at 34.8%. Westbrook takes the third most shots per game but only hits 31.9% of them. Watson and Wilkins combined to shoot 42.9% Sunday against the Hornets, but Westbrook pulled the overall guard percentage down to 37.5. Weaver (what is up with all the guard's last names starting with a W?) is not ready for more playing time, but someone from the guard ranks needs to step it up.

the future is now

2008-11-24T14:34:00.003-06:00

coach/team

starting a trend for the first time, oklahoma city has been matched by washington in more than just the one-win club. the wizards fired their coach to join the thunder in rebuilding a once-proud franchise. both teams now take center stage in the blake griffin watch, but the advantage falls in favor of okc.

washington has more proven talent, but they have been hit hard by the injury bug. also the wizards have been strong the past three-four years, while the thunder had fallen on hard times in seattle. both teams have one star player, and the wizards have two other all-stars. okc could have multiple all-star talents in a couple of years, but only time will tell.

new thunder coach scott brooks is a polar opposite of the former boss, and the differences can only help. brooks won a championship as a player in the nba over his 11-year career, and he is young by coaching standards at 43 years of age. the 1-13 okc club needs a shot in the arm, and it will be up to brooks to provide it...or he won't be adding permanent coach to his job title.

player/current

new (again) starting center nick collison returns to a position he has played in the past, and this time it is more out of necessity than choice. collison had a double-double against the hornets at home, then looked rather lost the following day in new orleans. he attempted only four shots on saturday, and it will take some time moving back to the tougher spot in the middle.

collison is a natural power forward, but the play of chris wilcox has pushed the former kansas all-american back inside the paint. robert swift's injury and johan petro's inconsistency didn't help matters, but mainly coach brooks needed to turn to a proven player to stop the bleeding. look for collison to get acclimated quickly and give the thunder a boost in the upcoming weeks.

player/future?

let the countdown begin until griffin is chosen number one overall. carbert and i are praying the ping-pong balls fall okc's way in the june 09 draft. pairing kevin durant from the outside with the slashing russell westbrook and inside force of griffin would definitely take some of the sting out of this season. but since the basketball gods are not always in a good mood, oklahoma-bred griffin is only a pipe dream at this point.

his most-recent performance of 35 points and 21 rebounds (both career highs) saved a sooner victory against gardner-webb and cemented his place atop the draft boards. the only thing that could stand in the way is that griffin may decide he likes college and not want to opt out of his remaining seasons. but because he came back this year to play one last season with his older brother, the thunder can keep their fingers crossed.

i did away with the other half of my top-50 list given okc's recent (continued) struggles, but we will come up with something clever as soon as the thunder find another w in the victory column.

Well, That Was a Little Better...

2008-11-23T16:00:00.001-06:00

Even though they lost last night against the Hornets, the Thunder can walk away from the game feeling ok about how they played. They shot an impressive 52.8% from the field far better than any other effort this season. Kevin Durant led the way shooting 11 for 16 and scoring 30 points. Jeff Green rebounded from his awful performance on Friday night with 17 points off of 7 from 11 from the field. Chris Wilcox had a double double (14 points, 10 rebounds). Russell Westbrook nearly had a double double in assists and points which would have been a first for the Thunder, but he ended a point short at 9. He was one of a few OKC players that did not shoot well on the night (3 for 10).

The Thunder made five 3 pointers with Durant, Green, Westbrook, and Damien Wilkins (2) each hitting at least one. Free throw shooting could be considered a sore spot on the night as the Thunder only hit 69.6% of their free throws, but that statistic was pulled down by the 0-fers put up by Wilcox (3) and Joe Smith (2).

The Thunder cut their turnovers in half from Friday night and had 50% more assists. Hopefully this is a sign that the team will start moving away from always taking the quick shot and starting to look more for the open man. Our rebounds were down, but this was largely due to the fact that both teams made a higher percentage of their shots.

The biggest negative for OKC in the game was probably a lack of defense. We weren't able to contain either of David West or Chris Paul who lit up the Thunder for 33 and 29 points respectively. It's hard to beat a team when you give their top two 62 points.

P.J. = Purely Joking

2008-11-22T13:44:00.003-06:00

Even before I heard the news that the Thunder fired their head coach I was secretly hoping for a big shake-up. When a TV announcer is picking a part your team, changes definitely need to be made. For the sake of all children out there, carbert and I are reserving the right not to talk about last night's ESPN game against the Hornets.

The big news is not how bad OKC played last night. Really the shocker is that coach P.J. Carlesimo lasted this long. New Orleans didn't just dominate in the blow-out -- it was much more of a disaster. Hubie Brown, former NBA coach (hopefully a candidate for new Thunder coach?), was doing the TV play-by-play for ESPN, and he did a wonderful job of showing everything the league's 4th-youngest team was doing wrong. He also talked about what Kevin Durant needs to do on a daily basis to become an elite player. All I can say is that I hope someone is listening...

In case anybody wanted to see how much difference a coaching change will make -- ta da!!! Scott Brooks takes over as interim head coach starting tonight.

Here is your chance, as this is not a repeat. The Thunder head down south to hopefully take back their manhood after the JV-like performance at home. OKC's bright spots were Nick Collison, who needs to remain at the center spot, and rookie Russell Westbrook. With Chris Wilcox and Collison both on the floor, the offense finally started to look functional.

Durant, Westbrook, and the rest couldn't make a basket, and Jeff Green couldn't even hit the hoop. But Collison was steady and really the only player who looked competitive against the Hornets. He finished with 16 points and 13 rebounds while sitting out much of the last part of the game. Look for him to lead the charge in tonight's match-up.

Westbrook continues to struggle with his shooting, but he is finding ways to get to the basket. The new coaching staff must give him some direction if he is to be the point guard of the future. While watching the game last night, both of the a.t.l. writers got the same feeling. The play was sloppy, and even Collison made a couple of 'what was that?' moves.

This team is very very young and needs to find something to build off of soon. The record doesn't matter at this point, and the new coach will get his baptism by fire this week. It is a pivotal stretch for the struggling OKC club. Is there hope? I believe so if Durant can become the leader.

Carbert brought this point to my attention, and he has a very valid argument. Only time will tell how the rest of the Thunder's inaugural season goes, but the question is...

Has there ever been an NBA team that finished with single digit wins? Answer: yes, the 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers who finished 9-73. We will make a run at that record.

EveryoneStartPlayingNow!

2008-11-21T10:00:00.012-06:00

Tonight, the New Orleans Hornets return to their former "home away from home" Oklahoma City to take on the Thunder. Oklahoma City gave their heart and soul to the Hornets a couple years ago, and now the Thunder may do the same as they will give the Hornets an opportunity to turns things around and get onto a two-game winning streak (the Thunder and Hornets will clash again on Saturday although that game will take place in New Orleans).

In addition to the return of the Hornets, tonight's game will be the Thunder's first on national television as ESPN will be doing the game. I'm not sure why the execs at ESPN decided that everyone in the country needed to see what a truly awful basketball team looked like, but they did, so hopefully OKC can get their act together and not play too awfully in front of the national audience.

The Hornets are 5-5 so far this season but have lost five of the last seven games after starting off 3-0. They suffered a depressing loss to the injury-ridden Kings on Wednesday and will be looking to rebound from that loss against the Thunder.

Statistically, the Hornets are fairly similar to the Thunder. They have one player averaging 20+ points per game (Chris Paul) and only two other supporting players averaging over 10 (David West and Peja Stojakovic). Ok, so West is almost averaging 20 points with his 19.3 and will likely be above 20 after the two game series, but the comparison is still pretty valid.

Compared to the other games on the scheduled, this one definitely one of the more winnable games for OKC. The Thunder will have to show something that they haven't in the past few games: the ability to play for a full 48 minutes. Assuming that this will be a competitive game, expect the winners to score in the lower 90s and the losers to be in the upper 80s. Unfortunately for the Thunder, the upper 80s have been where we've ended up the past three games.

and then there was one

2008-11-20T05:34:00.003-06:00

with another disappointing second half, oklahoma city dropped its ninth game in a row and is alone at the bottom of the conference with one victory. only washington is as inept as the thunder, and the coach said after the game that changes will be made.

the problem is that there aren't enough things that can be done to fix the way okc has played. chris wilcox did return to action, but the thunder managed only 36 second-half points in a 108-88 setback. it ended up being a good thing that my partner in crime did the preview because i was going to gush about kevin durant. turns out the clippers decided to pay extra attention to the reigning rookie of the year, who failed to eclipse the 20-point mark.

durant did lead the team in scoring, however, but didn't get enough looks at the basket against los angeles. more importantly was the fact he only attempted two foul shots, again proving that the clippers kept him from dominating around the basket. for okc to be successful, durant has to be able to post up smaller two-guards and get fouled in the process.

instead of a much-needed victory, the thunder will have to take away two smaller accomplishments. they were perfect from the charity stripe, hitting all 23 shots attempted. los angeles dominated inside, but okc was able to find open shots from the outside, knocking down half of the ten 3-pointers attempted.

leading the charge from the outside was damien wilkins, who finished second on the night with 17 points. wilkins and durant both hit a pair of triples, but wilkins did it in 15 fewer minutes of action. he made the most of him time on the floor, filling the stat sheet with five rebounds, two steals, an assist and a block.

russell westbrook was the other thunder player to reach double figures, but both he and jeff green continue to struggle with making shots on a continual basis. if the coach is serious about shaking things up, maybe it is time for green to be coming off the bench, and wilkins to take over. okc desperately needs scorers, since none of the post players are getting it done.

a healthy wilcox could help things out, and desmond mason should also not be forgotten. the thunder have a very tough home-and-away coming up with the former tenants of the ford center, the new orleans hornets. chris paul and company come to oklahoma city on friday in the first nationally televised game in thunder history. can the team put together two halves of basketball or will that one be over by the end of the first quarter? if last night's game is any indication, expect okc to come out fast and hope to hold on against one of the nba's best.

A Likely Win ... I Hope

2008-11-19T16:00:00.000-06:00

Tonight the 1-9 Clippers come to town to take on our 1-10 Thunder in a battle between the two worst teams (record-wise) in the NBA. This game might just be what the doctor ordered to stop OKC's eight game skid.

The two teams right now are performing very similiar. Both are averaging sub 90s points per game while giving up triple digits. They are both hitting about 41% of their shots from the field. The Clippers are finding more success from three-land while the Thunder are pulling down about 4 more rebounds per game.

With this in mind, this game is going to come down to a shootout to see which team sucks less tonight. Green and Durant are both going to need to be on their games, and we're going to need at least 40% field goal shooting from both of them and likely 20 points a piece.

Fifty Feels Fantastic

2008-11-18T02:55:00.006-06:00

Congrats to my protege carbert for carrying our website through some very tough days and the first ten games. I hoped for better news in our 50th post, but the Rockets had other ideas in a 100-89 Oklahoma City loss. Not to dwell too much on yet another defeat, I give you multiple reasons why the Thunder still offer hope.

1. OKC's fan base will be even louder when the team starts winning
2. Kevin Durant
3. Plenty of cap space for upcoming years
4. Russell Westbrook
5. Only having to play Houston one more time
6. Jeff Green's potential
7. A very high draft pick next year
8. Joe Smith as trade-bait
9. The East is getting better, which offers some hope to OKC in the West
10. Earl Watson for showing Westbrook the ropes
11. Just think how good the team will be with a 3-point shooter
12. GM Sam Presti's future ability to make a deal (maybe for said shooter)
13. Unlucky nothing -- only one way for the Thunder to go from here
14. Speedy recoveries to Chris Wilcox and D.J. White
15. Adding a big-man who can score in the draft (hint, hint, hint)
16. Desmond Mason again able to provide a boost off the bench
17. Hoping for a Blake Griffin sighting at the Ford Center
18. Johan Petro and Robert Swift for coming out of nowhere
19. Convincing Griffin to come out early to keep playing in Oklahoma
20. Nick Collison's energy
21. Unveiling a mascot in the near future
22. Kyle Weaver and Steven Hill getting experience
23. Three more games to get past Minnesota, also a one-win team
24. Damien Wilkins and Mouhamed Sene playing their way into the rotation
25. The only team with a worse scoring difference coming to town tomorrow

First Team to Ten Losses ...

2008-11-17T11:00:00.002-06:00

Tonight, the Houston Rockets come to Oklahoma City in what will most likely be the Thunder's 10th loss of the year. The two teams have already played twice this year (once in the preseason: the Thunder's only preseason win). In their regular season match up, the Rockets won 89-77 pulling away from the Thunder in the final quarter. If OKC can stay in this game up until the final quarter, it will be a major improvement after their recent losses.

The Rockets shot a mere 36.4% from the field in the mentioned game. Don't expect to see such offensive futility from them tonight. They're averaging 41.9% on the season and will probably shoot better than that against the Thunder. They average only 91.5 points per game, so OKC may be able to break their current 4 game streak of giving up 100+ points per game.

Durant and Green are shooting 43.0% and 42.1% from the field this year, and while that's in line with what they shot last year (Green is off of his last year's percentage by 0.8), that's not enough for the Thunder to be a winning team. In addition, Durant and Green don't seem to be having big games together: when one's playing well, the other is off. Until the Thunder get another threat or two, these guys will need to combine for 45% from the field if there's any chance for OKC to win any game.

Let's Forget This Weekend Happened ...

2008-11-16T17:00:00.001-06:00

If you were to just look at the box score from the Knicks game, it would be easy to believe that the Thunder played a good game. They made four more shots from the field than the Knicks, hit 47.3% of those shots compared to 44.9%, and out rebounded New York by 4. Five of the Thunder players were in double digits with Westbrook putting up a double-double. Of course, then you'd read that the Thunder were down by 30 at one point and realize that New York eased up a little and let OKC pull closer in the second half. Neither Durant nor Green was very effective against the Knicks combining to shoot 39.4%.

If you were to look at the box score from the Philly game, it would be easy for you to start to cry. Statistically nothing looks good for OKC from this game. We shot a dismal 39.5% from the field and didn't perform better than the 76ers at any meaningful category. Green led the team with 21 points on 10 for 15 shooting (an impressive 66.7%) but after that, only Westbrook and Durant hit double digits with both of those guys at 13. Durant shot 6 for 18, Westbrook was 3 for 12, and Nick Collision (after going 7 for 8 against the Knicks) shot a bagel at 0 for 7. Weaver and Sene both saw some playing time and each put up 6 points in roughly 6 minutes of play.

This was an awful road trip, and hopefully the Thunder can put it behind them as their next three games are at home: Monday against the Rockets, Wednesday against the Clippers, and Friday against the Hornets. I smell a victory upcoming in that Wednesday match up. Of course, my nose is currently injured from the foul odor created by the Thunder's poor play over the weekend.

It Takes Two

2008-11-15T04:30:00.004-06:00

I will be doing things a little different for tonight's game. Instead of a recap/preview, I will be back to give updates of tonight's game and a bit about the OKC loss to the Knicks.

Update # 1

As carbert made me aware, the Thunder was playing well in the first half against the 76ers, but the third quarter is not going well. OKC was trailing by four at the half, but Philadelphia is running away with the contest, now 79-60 going into the fourth quarter.

The biggest issue for the Thunder is playing a complete 48 minutes of basketball. They have had great halves and very impressive periods of play. But Oklahoma City isn't consistently doing the things all game that pull out wins, and New York took advantage of that last night in their 116-106 victory.

Update # 2

Wow, maybe there could be a rule change and only the best two quarters of a game count? Or we can go back to the old CBA rules where you get points for leading a quarter. Nonetheless Philadelphia didn't need any help in dispatching the Thunder tonight. I will leave the details to my last update, but I will warn you now -- it's not pretty.

Finishing off the New York game from last night, the good news was that Kevin Durant did play. Outside of that it was the same old tune for the one-win OKC club. One good half of play, one terrible half of basketball. The Thunder remained winless on the road, and thankfully the road trip is over.

Game, set, match

The 76ers came into this season with high expectations, and they are starting to play like a team on a mission. Unfortunately for Durant and Co., Philly took a lackluster performance in the first half and turned the close game into a rout.

Jeff Green shot better from the floor and finished with a team-high 21 points, but Durant was off the entire night, making only six of 18 shots. The continued lack of outside shooting made any chance of coming back a moot point, and the final outcome was 110-85 in favor of the host 76ers.

Oklahoma City returns home for three of the four games next week. Chris Wilcox will hopefully be back to provide a spark as the team needs a turn of good fortune very soon. Too many more losses like this weekend's duo, and the fans may not be nearly as loud next month.

Kickin' it with the Knicks

2008-11-14T16:30:00.000-06:00

Tonight, the Thunder travel to New York to take on the Knicks. The Knicks are 5-3 this year and are averaging an impressive 103.4 points per game. They're giving up 103.1, so there's a chance this will be the Thunder's first triple digit regular season game.

Durant should be back in the lineup tonight after missing Wednesday's game against the Magic. Durant fully participated in this morning's shoot around and even did some post-practice shooting. OKC will need a big game out of Durant if they're going to win this one. If the Thunder get blown out early, expect Durant to sit out most of the second half to save him for tomorrow night's game against the 76ers.

Wilcox who's been out the past two games with a knee injury is unlikely to play in either of the weekend's games. There is hope that he will be back for the start of next week.

gforce mentioned that Johan Petro only played 10 minutes on Wednesday although he was performing well and wondered if he had an undisclosed injury. If he does, the injury is still undisclosed and Petro is still expected to be a starter tonight.

Tonight's game against the Knicks is likely to be an ugly one for the Thunder. The Knicks make more 3s than we attempt, and there's a good chance that this will be a blowout early. Steven Hill made his debut for OKC on Wednesday, and look for him to get additional playing time tonight in the event of a blowout. Kyle Weaver may also get a bit of playing time in the same situation.

And Then There Was None

2008-11-13T02:13:00.002-06:00

Zero hope, no chance of winning, you get the picture. Without one Kevin Durant, the Thunder can pretty much sum the game against the Magic in one word -- nothing.

I really wish it was that simple, but there does need to be more said about the 17-point defeat. Orlando overpowered Oklahoma City in the paint, and the visiting Magic cruised to a massive 71-42 lead at halftime. The deficit was as large as 32 points in the third quarter before the Thunder came alive with Jeff Green leading the charge.

Durant was sidelined with an ankle injury, and he had to watch Dwight Howard destroy OKC. Howard finished with the incredible line of 30 points, 19 rebounds, and 10 blocks, and the Thunder were left dreaming about big men who do it all. Green did his best Durant impression, finishing with 25 points and 10 rebounds, but Orlando was in complete control from the opening tip.

Johan Petro played only ten minutes in the game but contributed 8 points. Either trying to defend Howard was too much, or he had to leave with an undisclosed injury. Carbert's preview on Friday will update everyone on the condition of OKC's walking wounded.

Do You Believe In ...

2008-11-12T11:00:00.006-06:00

This evening, the Orlando Magic come to town to take on the Thunder. The Magic are 4-3 so far this season and have won 4 of their last 5 games (they lost on Monday to the Trailblazers 106-99). In their five games in November, they've never put less than 96 points on the board, so the Thunder had better be prepared for a high scoring matchup.

There is good news for OKC in this matchup as the Magic have yet to win a road game this season. That statement is pretty misleading as Orlando has only been the away team for one game: a Halloween loss to the Grizzlies. But if they can lose in Memphis then they surely can lose in Oklahoma City.

The Orlando Magic scoring-wise are a good model for what the Thunder need to become. They have their leading scorer, Dwight Howard, averaging 23.0 points per game. This is close to what can be expected out of Durant. Then the Magic have two players averaging above 15 points per game in Hedo Turkoglu (18.3) and Rashard Lewis (16.0). Finally, Orlando has two other players averaging double digit points: Mickael Pietrus (12.9) and Jameer Nelson (10.9).

The Thunder, in comparison, only have two other double digit scorers and neither is average 15 points per game: Jeff Green (12.4) and Russell Westbrook (10.4). Even if Durant put up 37 points like he did against the Pacers every game it wouldn't be enough if this is all the support he gets. Green is averaging about 2 more points per game this year compared to last but his FGP has dropped 5. If he can get that number back up, that'll add another point or two to his average getting him close to 15 points per game average.

The question is where can the Thunder get a second 15 point option. Westbrook is closest to that but is probably performing about as well as can be expected right now. To get more out of him, OKC would have to make him a starter, and they don't seem prepared to do that yet. He'll average over 15 per game in the future, but for now, we'll have to be satisfied with him being one of our double digit guys.

Frankly Nick Collision and Johan Petro are underperforming as starters. I think the Thunder should consider swapping them out with Desmond Mason and Robert Swift. Well, maybe not Swift yet, but when we're sure that he's healthy. Mason has shown he can score over 15 points and with more game time, should easily be able to be that threat. The biggest loss in switching Collision for Mason is the four inch height differential. Swift is the same height as Petro, and if we give him Petro's 20 minutes per game, we're bound to get better than the 4.9 points Johan is giving us.

As for tonight's game, expect a high scoring affair with the winner in the triple digits. If the Thunder are going to win this one, they'll have to finally break 100 while holding the Magic to the mid-90s. Orlando averages eight 3 pointers per game, so even if OKC gets an early lead they'll have to be on guard for the Magic to make a run at a comeback.

halloween replay

2008-11-11T04:37:00.004-06:00

not quite sure what i was expecting from the boys in blue last night. it is way too early in the season to be thinking about next year, but the thunder aren't giving me much to work with right now. okc gave up another early and late lead, kevin's durant near-perfect night was spoiled, and the pacers pulled out an eight-point win at home.

this is beginning to sound like a broken record, but the thunder didn't look as good as the 107-99 score might show. durant was truly a one-man show, and he is starting to sound frustrated with his supporting cast. while durant had a game-high 37 points, okc failed to shoot forty percent from the field again. the thunder led by ten at the end of the first quarter and by as many as 15 before indiana stormed back.

leading in multiple categories, okc couldn't capitalize in the final quarter. five players had seven or more rebounds for the thunder, who dominated on the offensive boards. i know the numbers aren't the whole story, but the lack of a second scorer is going to haunt this club much worse than the defense currently does.

jeff green had 14 points and 7 rebounds, but his poor shooting echoed the play of most of his teammates. durant knocked down 13-27 field goals on the night, tied with the rest of the four starters (13-39). possible scoring threats russell westbrook and desmond mason were no better off the bench, combining for a 1-15 night off the bench.

chris wilcox missed the game, but his replacement was the bigger story. robert swift is finally healthy, and his play is screaming for a bigger role. in very limited action, swift gave the thunder a near double-double (9 points and 7 rebounds). he also did something else against the pacers that not even durant can say. while on the floor, the seven-footer helped okc outscore indiana by twelve points. swift only played 12 minutes, but those minutes are sure to go up this week.

the loss begins a tough stretch for the now 1-6 thunder. carbert will have the preview of the home game tomorrow, but okc then goes on the road for two more tough tests. this season has proven that there are not going to be any easy games for the thunder. without finding a running mate for durant, this season is going to end up a nightmare - and not one of those made-for-tv ones either...

Feeling Green

2008-11-10T15:32:00.002-06:00

Joe's comment yesterday about Jeff Green proved to be right on, as the Thunder dropped another close game last night. Both teams struggled to shoot well, but the experience of a playoff team proved to be too much for Oklahoma City. Even without their best defensive player, Atlanta put the clamps on Kevin Durant and Co. in the fourth quarter. The Hawks pulled away in the final period, outscoring the Thunder 31-23 en route to the four-point victory.

It wasn't all doom and gloom for OKC, who had strong games off the bench by Russell Westbrook and Joe Smith. Durant did his part as well with a team-high 20 points. The problem was the continued struggle to find a consistent number 2 scorer. Green was abysmal offensively, hitting only 3 or 12 from the field, including 1-4 from three-point territory. He did step up defensively, grabbing eight rebounds, but the lack of a true threat against Atlanta doomed OKC in the 89-85 loss.

The other key point that needs to be made is the uncertainty surrounding Chris Wilcox. He left the game after only playing five minutes, further muddling the the situation. With four more games this week, the Thunder's other front-court players have to fill the gap.

Hitting the road again, OKC takes on another up and down team. The Pacers have been a playoff contender most of the decade but underwent a major overhaul in the off-season. Indiana traded Jermaine O'Neal and now focus on the play of Danny Granger, the Pacers' version of Durant. I will be back later with a full recap.

Another Undefeated Foe

2008-11-09T11:00:00.003-06:00

This evening, the undefeated Atlanta Hawks come to town and will give the Thunder their second straight matchup against an undefeated team. There are only three undefeated teams left in the league, so I guess maybe we should be thankful that tomorrow night's game isn't against the Lakers.

The Hawks will be playing without Josh Smith their starting power forward and one of their leading scorers. This is a significant loss for the Hawks, but they played the majority of their game on Friday against the Raptors without him and still managed to pull off a decisive 110-92 victory.

The Thunders job tonight is to prove that they can play a full game of basketball and not just a few quarters. They had a huge first quarter against the Celtics and then fell apart. Their second half against the Jazz (34 points in both the 3rd and 4th quarters) was insane but by that time they were so far out of the game it really didn't matter. OKC needs to avoid the big blowout quarter where they only score around 15 and the other team gets 30. If they give up a quarter like that to the Hawks, then this one is over.

Another question that might be answered tonight is whether or not Jeff Green is actually stepping into the much needed role of 3 point shooter. Green is 6 for 9 beyond the arc this season. All of those shots have come in the last three games, and he's increased the number of 3's made each game (1 against Minnesota, 2 against Boston, and 3 against Utah). If Green can increase his attempts to 5-8 per game and make 40-50% of his three point shots, he can increase his value to the team by becoming the one guy starting to break away from the Thunder norm of three point futility. I'm not sold on the idea that Green can become this guy for the team, but I'd love to see it happen none-the-less.

Jekyll and Hyde -- Tale of Two Thunders

2008-11-08T17:37:00.004-06:00

I will say this much for Oklahoma City's NBA team. The city should be damn proud to call the Thunder their own after last night's game at Utah.

With that out of the way, I should caution everyone that tonight's story isn't going to be a normal recap. It will give the score and all that pertinent info, but I will be foreshadowing for the most part. Carbert and I both agree that OKC is going to have ups and downs this season, but the Jazz exposed the true identity of the Thunder early and often in the 104-97 defeat.

The tale of two teams doesn't give the whole story. More to the point it is the play from quarter to quarter that is so unsettling. OKC came out hot, scoring the first eight points of the contest. Things turned ugly from there, as the Thunder managed only 21 more the rest of the HALF. Trailing 58-29 at halftime, the visiting club found a new gear and closed the gap back to single digits. The Jazz defended their turf, however, and they stayed undefeated while knocking OKC to 1-4 on the year.

Much like the game against Boston, my recap could have ended there because it doesn't look pretty for the Thunder. The big difference for me is that the team played with a fire in the second half last night that needs to come out more. Point guard Earl Watson played like a true floor general, and the leadership of Desmond Mason brought a new energy to OKC. Joe Smith showed the younger big men how to do it, leading the Thunder in blocked shots and tying for the high in rebounds.

My favorite stat of the night was the 3-3 shooting from 3-point range of Jeff Green. Notching a season-best 22 points, Green provided Kevin Durant the type of running mate that every superstar needs. Durant shot better as well, helping to overcome the dismal shooting of the opening half. Mason and Watson added double-digit scoring nights as well, leading the Thunder to a 69-46 scoring edge in the second half.

The key will be how the play carries over to tomorrow. Another tale of two halves won't cut it -- OKC needs to find a constant to stay competitive. Whether that means starting a smaller, faster team with Mason in the starting five or finding a balance with one of the power forwards/centers is something Coach P.J. Carlesimo will sort out this week. The Thunder face a brutal stretch of five games in the next seven days, and the road to a lottery selection could hang in the balance.

Why so dramatic you say? The blow-out losses are one thing. Fighting back just to lose close games is heartbreaking. My prediction is a 3-2 swing this week and a renewed life in Oklahoma City. My gut tells me that the Jekyll and Hyde routine will not be around much longer, something every fan can cheer for...

Preview: Thunder @ Jazz

2008-11-07T13:00:00.005-06:00

Tonight the Thunder are on the road to take on the Utah Jazz. The Jazz are 4-0 on the season with wins against the Nuggets, Trailblazers, and the Clippers (twice). The Jazz will be extra pumped up for this game as their coach, Jerry Sloan, has 999 victories as coach of the Jazz and will be the first coach to score 1,000 victories with one team. The Jazz would love to get that milestone victory in front of the home crowd, and after the tonight's game, their next five games are on the road. OKC will have a tough task ahead of them if they wish to spoil that party.

The Jazz are averaging 97.8 points per game this season while only giving up 85.5. The Thunder are averaging 83.8 while giving up 92.0. Those stats alone paint a grim picture for Oklahoma City. Add in the fact that Utah swept the series last season, and you have a recipe for disaster.

So how can the OKC win this game? The good news for Thunder is that Utah is just as pathetic from three land. Both teams are averaging just two 3's per game with the Thunder actually hitting a higher percentage (30.8 vs 21.1). The difference maker in the team's output this season is field goal percentage. The Jazz are making 47.5% of their shots from the field almost a full 7% better than the Thunder.

Assuming neither team corrects it's futility at three point shooting; this game should come down to which team shoots better from the field. To achieve this, the Thunder will first have to stop Carlos Boozer who is shooting 62.7% from the field so far this season (8 percentage points above his career average and 7 above his average over the past two). In addition, the Thunder's top three scorers (Durant, Green, and Westbrook) are going to have to step it up from their combined 40.2%.

In addition, Johan Petro is going to have to step it up. So far, he is averaging 6.0 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. These numbers just won't cut it from the starting center. Petro is getting out-rebounded by Green, Chris Wilcox, Nick Collison, and Earl Watson. Granted, each of those guys is getting more playing time, but Petro hasn't shown he deserves more. I know I pushed for Johan to start as the beginning of the season, but I'm starting to think that the Thunder should move Collison to center, Durant to small forward, and start Westbrook as the 2 guard. The Thunder recently signed another center (Stephen Hill) and declined to offer an extension to Petro by the October 31st deadline, so hopefully he is able to see the writing on the wall and pick up his performance.

at least for one quarter

2008-11-06T15:10:00.002-06:00

today isn't a sad day for thunder fans. it is just a reminder of what can happen after a team buys in to a system and plays together. okc jumped out to a 29-21 lead over boston before losing 96-83 at home. the eight point lead after one quarter was the highlight of the evening, as the celtics dominated both ends of the floor after that.

one other highlight of the match-up with the defending champs was that the 3-point shooting finally made an appearance. russell westbrook drained three triples, jeff green hit two, and earl watson knocked down a sixth for the thunder, who had totaled only a pair in the first three contests. if that trend continues, the rest of the offense will open up around the outside shooting.

star kevin durant again led okc in scoring, but his shooting percentage is struggling. green and westbrook added a combined 27 points, but boston had five players in double figures. it was a learning game for the thunder, and carbert will be back tomorrow with a preview of friday night's showdown in utah.

Stealing From the Spurs

2008-11-05T12:48:00.003-06:00

How does the saying go? Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Well if that is the case, Oklahoma City is doing their best San Antonio impersonation so far this year. The Thunder used defense to shut down the T-Wolves in the fourth quarter, and they will need an even better effort to contain the potent Boston lineup.

Modeling the club after the Spurs makes sense given the GM and Coach both came from arguably the best team the last decade. San Antonio won their championships with one star and role players who excelled on the defensive end of the floor. Hmmm, is it is a stretch to make the same comparison with OKC? Yes, the Thunder have a long way to go, but they made the right moves in the off-season.

Kevin Durant no longer has to do it all, as Minnesota found out. The team's star is still learning to play all-star caliber defense to go with his all-world scoring. That transition has been made easier by two vets and one rookie. Joe Smith and Desmond Mason have stabilized the second unit along with Russell Westbrook. All three play excellent defense and have allowed the pressure to come off of Durant and Jeff Green.

The Celtics will provide the strongest test, as carbert pointed out yesterday. The Rockets struggled to score points when it counted, and only one of their big three had a good offensive game in the loss to Boston. For the Thunder to be competitive, tonight will have to be a low-scoring affair. Both teams are giving up less than 91 points a contest while OKC has not looked comfortable on the scoring front.

Westbrook, Earl Watson, and the front court rotation are front and center tonight because Durant will be getting all of the attention. A strong supporting cast is the only way to upset the defending champs, and it starts with locking up the big three of Garnett, Pierce, and Allen. OKC has been impressive in the post, and the Thunder have to take advantage of every opportunity to send the fans home happy for the second time in a row.

The T-Wolves were put on notice that the NBA's newest franchise isn't a walk in the park. Oklahoma City is tied for second in the division, and a strong showing against the beasts of the East further lands the Thunder right where they want to be -- San Antonio who? How bout OKC!

Here Come the Champs ...

2008-11-04T23:00:00.001-06:00

Tomorrow night the reigning NBA champs, the Boston Celtics, come to town for their one and only appearance in Oklahoma City (unless, of course, the Thunder meet them in the NBA finals which is still statistically although not logically possible). The green ones are currently 3-1 after winning a close, hard-fought game against the Rockets tonight.

I had actually started to write this entry before the Celtics-Rockets game, and pretty much everything I had written was invalided by the game. Tonight's game, by far, was the strongest showing by the Celtics this season and should go a long way towards silencing their critics.

Unfortunately for us OKC fans, there wasn't much in tonight's game to give us hope for the Thunder stealing a victory tomorrow. Our best hope comes from the fact that tonight's game should have taken some of the steam out of the Boston players. The starters played 75% of the minutes, and Paul Pierce nearly played the full game (spending a meager 3:32 on the bench).

The Thunder have yet to show an ability to put massive points on the board, so they're going to have to find a way to contain the Celtics. The Celtics shot 52% against the Rockets, and all of the starting five were in double digits. If OKC can keep the Celtics to around 45% from the field, they may have a shot at this game.

For those of you who noticed that we're posted the game preview a day earlier, I'll note that gforce had internet issues today and so we flipped his story for today with my preview for tomorrow. Tune in tomorrow for a more in-depth look at what the Thunder did well against the T-Wolves and how they'll need to use that in the future. Or at least that's what I think he's going to write about.

Where There is a Westbrook...

2008-11-03T11:42:00.006-06:00

...the Thunder get a win. Man, if it was only that easy. I almost used the title 'There is a God' but thought better of it. Just too dramatic.

In a total team victory, Oklahoma City used defense to grind out a 88-85 decision over Minnesota. More than just the first franchise win, the Thunder added a number of other 'firsts' against the Timberwolves.

1. It took three games, but OKC knocked down a 3-pointer.

2. The Thunder dominated the boards, out rebounding the T-Wolves 50-39.

3. First-round pick Russell Westbrook announced himself to the rest of the league as a defensive presence.

Down by one at the half, OKC struggled again in the third quarter. They trailed by three entering the fourth, but Westbrook and Kevin Durant took over for the home squad. Nick Collison added the team's first double-double with ten points and ten rebounds, and the Thunder sent the fans home happy for the first of hopefully many exciting finishes.

The best part about it was the defensive play of the young club, led by rookie Westbrooks' steals down the stretch. He is proving many people wrong who said he shouldn't have been the fourth overall selection in last year's draft. Adding 14 points off the bench, Westbrook is pushing Earl Watson for time at the point and even getting on the floor with his counterpart.

Durant led the Thunder with 18 points, and Jeff Green was third with 13 points including the franchise's first triple. All in all a huge boost for OKC, who now gets ready to host Boston, the defending NBA champs on Wednesday.

Preseason Revenge

2008-11-02T12:00:00.006-06:00

Last night, the Thunder took on the Houston Rockets and got beat in a low scoring game: 89-77. The game was a step in the right direction for the Thunder as many of the problems from the Bucks game were addressed. Durant scored a solid 26 points off of 11 for 20 shooting (55%) from the field. The starters contributed most of the points (59-18), and the Rockets were held to 36.4% field goal percentage.

Not all went well, and the Thunder struggled to make it to the free throw line getting just 12 attempts of which they made 9. In comparision, Tracy McGrady made 9 free throws alone. The Rockets were an amazing 87.1% from the line making 27 of 31. The 18 point differental from the line more than eclipsed the 12 point difference in the overall score. In addition, OKC made no three pointers (attempted only 4!) while the Rockets hit 6. With those numbers, it's amazing that the Thunder were anywhere in this game.

The biggest heartbreaker for us Thunder fans must have been the start of the fourth quarter. Trailing by 7 going into the fourth, the Rockets went on an 8-0 tear, and OKC was never able to recover.

After losing last night to the only team they beat in the preseason, tonight the Thunder look to extract some preseason revenge against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The preseason game was one of extremes as the two teams took turns blowing each other out. Unfortunately, the Thunder let the Timberwolves blow them out in two quarters compared to one, and the Timberwolves notched the victory.

Tonight's game has the potential to be a different story. Minnesota was strong from the three point range in the preseason game but hasn't come close to equally that effort in the regular season. If the Timberwolves' 3 point advantage is neutralized, the Thunder have a much better chance of winning this game.

Look for the Wolves to score somewhere in the mid-90s. The Thunder are going to need to get into the triple digits to win this one. To acheive this, Durant's going to need to shoot over 50% from the field like he did against the Rockets, the team is going to need to combine for at least 45% from the field, and we're going to need more players breaking into the double digits. Against the Rockets, we had 3: Durant and two guys with 10 points (Petro and Green). That kind of team performance isn't going to cut it against anyone.

At a minimum, the Thunder need to score at least 90 in this game just to prove that we can. This will be our second showing this season in front of the home crowd, and the team needs to give the fans something to cheer about.

On the Road Again

2008-11-01T14:32:00.004-05:00

Houston hopefully is looking past tonight's game because that may be the only way of keeping it close. The Thunder look to put opening night behind them against the Rockets, already 2-0 this season and playing like a top 3 or 4 team in the NBA.

Kevin Durant needs to step up after a disappointing performance against the Bucks. He will be on display all year, the reigning Rookie of the Year forced to carry the young OKC squad. A sophomore slump is not out of the question, but a nice effort versus Houston will stop all of that talk.

The problem is that the Rockets have many weapons and added more over the summer. Ron Artest joined the team and immediately provided a third option to go with Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady in the scoring department. Artest also gives them a defensive presence, something the Thunder will see first-hand tonight.

Making its first regular season road trip, Oklahoma City will have its hands full in the paint as well. Yao is a force and averaging over twenty points a game. The Thunder struggled with Milwaukee's Andrew Bogut, and Yao is a bigger test. Chris Wilcox was impressive off the bench in the first game, and he will be called upon to at least slow down the Rockets big man.

McGrady isn't fully recovered from off-season knee surgery, but he still is a dangerous threat. The trio for Houston will be too much to overcome for OKC, even though the Thunder's only win of the preseason came at the Rockets' expense.

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-31T08:00:00.005-05:00

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!

And With the First Pick...

2008-10-30T04:32:00.003-05:00

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.

Opening Night: A Gift from the NBA

2008-10-29T13:00:00.010-05:00

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.

2008-09 Preview: A Building Year

2008-10-28T12:00:00.001-05:00

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?).

D is for Desmond

2008-10-27T11:13:00.004-05:00

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.

grading on a curve

2008-10-26T18:31:00.005-05:00

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.

Fell into the Lake Early

2008-10-25T14:00:00.001-05:00

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.

Finishing Up Strong

2008-10-24T18:19:00.002-05:00

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.

Pre-Season Preview: Thunder vs Suns

2008-10-23T14:00:00.002-05:00

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.

Sorting out the Ex-Sonics

2008-10-22T23:59:00.007-05:00

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.

The Rest of the Bunch

2008-10-21T15:37:00.003-05:00

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.

Durable Durant (We Hope), The Cornerstone

2008-10-20T23:00:00.003-05:00

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.

point me in the right direction

2008-10-19T19:51:00.002-05:00

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!"

Meet the Thunder: Jeff Green Edition

2008-10-18T18:00:00.003-05:00

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.

Fight for the Four

2008-10-17T21:08:00.008-05:00

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.

Rest Required

2008-10-16T15:27:00.006-05:00

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!

Rocked the Rockets, but Clipped by the Clippers

2008-10-15T22:00:00.001-05:00

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.

Pre-Season Preview: Thunder vs Clippers

2008-10-14T14:00:00.004-05:00

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.

Pre-Season Preview: Thunder vs Rockets

2008-10-13T13:30:00.002-05:00

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.

We Got a Ways to Go

2008-10-12T13:00:00.005-05:00

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.

there goes my next story...

2008-10-11T22:44:00.003-05:00

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

2008-10-11T11:10:00.002-05:00

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.

Pre-Season Preview: Thunder vs Kings

2008-10-10T13:00:00.005-05:00

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.

Don't trade for this guy!

2008-10-09T23:30:00.004-05:00

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.

Thunder come up short

2008-10-08T23:45:00.001-05:00

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.

Pre-Season Preview: Thunder vs. Timberwolves

2008-10-07T23:59:00.004-05:00

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).

crazy thoughts

2008-10-06T01:07:00.000-05:00

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 .

Color Sell-out

2008-10-05T16:00:00.003-05:00

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.

Meet the Thunder,Take 2

2008-10-04T22:57:00.004-05:00

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.

Stormy Memories

2008-10-03T19:15:00.002-05:00

"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.

Meet the Thunder, Part 1

2008-10-02T20:30:00.014-05:00

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.

let's get this party started

2008-10-01T19:23:00.007-05:00

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