Oklahoma City Thunder at Miami Heat preview (Game 41 of 82)

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durant wade thunder heat

  • When: Tuesday, 20 January 2015 at 6:30 PM CST
  • Where: American Airlines Arena, Miami, FL

There was a time when this match-up was THE MATCH-UP. There was a point in time where this game would’ve gotten TNT Thursday night love or first available Sunday after football on ABC billing. Such is the power of LeBron James. With James taking his talents to Northeast Ohio, this game has been mitigated to NBATV exclusivity on the same day the President will be giving his State of the Union address. In other words, don’t expect a 4.9 viewership rating for this game.

The Thunder finally have a bit of a rhythm going to their game. They’ve won 2 of 3 since their five day break and have scored 127 points (non-overtime) in consecutive games. They beat the best team in the league and then molly-whooped a lottery team on their own floor. Though the sample size is small, the team seems to found a comfort zone with Dion Waiters that is paying instant dividends. The Waiters-Reggie Jackson combo is keeping the pressure on teams, even when Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are off the floor. Another plus during the Thunder’s recent play has been Serge Ibaka’s play. He’s doing a much better job of mixing his inside and outside presence whenever the team needs it. In the Warriors game, Ibaka shredded Golden State in the 4th quarter, scoring 10 consecutive points on 4 shots (2 lay-ups, 1 dunk, and a 3-pointer), which were all assisted by Westbrook. Then, against Orlando, with the lane opening up like the Red Sea for the Thunder’s playmakers, Ibaka stepped to the outside and thrashed the Magic with four 3-pointers.

This is the first of 2 meetings this season between these two teams. These teams split their meetings last season, with each team winning on the other’s home floor.

The Opponent

MIAMI HEAT V ATLANTA HAWKS

The Miami Heat currently stand at 18-22, good for 7th in the Eastern Conference. They are bottom third in most statistical categories. They are the slowest team in the league (30th in pace), which helps their scoring defense out, allowing only 97.2 points per game. Unfortunately, they only score about 93.5 points per game. The departure of LeBron James has changed the way Miami plays, and they are still adjusting to life without him. Mario Chalmers still leads the current Miami attack, but is likely not getting yelled at as much. Dwayne Wade is leading the team in scoring, at 22.1 points per game, and in assists, at 5.6 per game. When Wade has been out, rookie Shabazz Napier has stepped in. Luol Deng is still one of the premier 3 and D guys in the NBA and has been a good fit for the Heat. Up front, Chris Bosh is still one of the better inside/outside big men in the league, averaging 21.6 points on 40.5% shooting from 3-point territory. Up front, Most Improved Player candidate Hassan Whiteside has been one of the more pleasant surprises in the NBA. Whiteside’s journey has seen him go from Sacramento to Lebanon to China to the D-League, and then to Miami where he seems to have finally gotten his professional footing. Off the bench, Miami has a couple veteran players (Udonis Haslem, Danny Granger, Chris Andersen, Norris Cole), but lacks a consistent scorer.

Probable Starting Line-ups

Miami Heat

  • PG – Mario Chalmers
  • SG – Dwayne Wade*
  • SF – Luol Deng*
  • PF – Chris Bosh
  • C – Hassan Whiteside

* – Dwayne Wade is questionable due to a hamstring issue and Luol Deng is questionable due to illness.

Oklahoma City Thunder

  • PG – Russell Westbrook
  • SG – Andre Roberson
  • SF – Kevin Durant
  • PF – Serge Ibaka
  • C – Steven Adams

3 Keys to the Game

1. Pace – The Heat play at the slowest pace in the league. The Thunder, when healthy, like to move the ball up the court as quickly as possible. It would behoove the Thunder to play their brand of basketball.

westbrook chalmers thunder heat

2. Bench – The Heat have one of the weaker benches in the league. With Wade and Deng a possibility to miss the game due to various ailments, the Thunder reserves can be the key to an easy Thunder victory.

3. Half-way Point – This is the 41st game of the season a.k.a the half-way point. It will be up to the Thunder to see if they finally end up above .500 for the first time this season, or if they, once again, dip a game under .500.

Oklahoma City Thunder at Orlando Magic preview (Game 40 of 82)

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durant thunder harris magic

  • When: Sunday, 18 January 2015 at 5:00 PM CST
  • Where: Amway Center, Orlando, FL

Finally! I’m pretty sure that was every Thunder fans’ reaction after defeating the Golden State Warriors on Friday night. It wasn’t just that the Thunder got a win against one of the current elite in the NBA. It was how they did it. Their way. It was waves and waves of scoring brought on by Kevin Durant’s greatness and Russell Westbrook’s chaos. It was Serge Ibaka coming in and being the third best player on the team. It was Dion Waiters, Anthony Morrow, and Reggie Jackson putting the pressure on the Warriors when the dynamic duo were on the bench. It was ball pressure causing turnovers. It was defense quickly turning into offense. It was beautiful. It was Thunder basketball.

This is the first of two meetings between these two teams this season. Even though these two teams are on opposite ends of the team spectrum (one is still rebuilding, while the other is (supposedly) a title contender), their games last season were surprisingly close as the teams split the season series.

The Opponent

NBA: Houston Rockets at Orlando Magic

The Orlando Magic come into the game with a 15-28 record. Their season has been a series of “one step forward, and three steps back.” They’ll win one or two in a row, and then lost 3 or 4 in a row. Its the tale of a young team just now learning how to win. They are a scrappy bunch, but rank in the bottom third of nearly every statistical category, scoring only 94.9 points per game, while giving up 100.1. Leading the charge is the young backcourt duo of Elfrid Payton and Victor Oladipo. After missing the start of the season with knee and facial injuries, Oladipo has started to come on as of late, averaging 23.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 3.8 assists in the last 5 games. On the other wing, Tobias Harris brings a multifaceted game to the table as an outside/inside players. Unfortunately, Harris has missed the last 4 games with a sprained ankle, and is listed as day to day for this game. Channing Frye, the prized free agent signing for the Magic, has struggled this season, averaging only 7.9 points per game on 39.5% shooting from 3-point territory. Up front, Nikola Vucevic is a double/double waiting to happen and one of the better young big men in the league. Off the bench, the Magic have a veteran playmaker in Luke Ridnour, a veteran shooter in Ben Gordon, and a trio of young players (Evan Fournier, Kyle O’Quinn, and Maurice Harkless) who can be inconsistent at times.

Probable Starting Line-up

Orlando Magic

  • PG – Elfrid Payton
  • SG – Victor Oladipo
  • SF – Devyn Marble
  • PF – Channing Frye
  • C – Nikola Vucevic

Oklahoma City Thunder

  • PG – Russell Westbrook
  • SG – Andre Roberson
  • SF – Kevin Durant
  • PF – Serge Ibaka
  • C – Steven Adams

3 Keys to the Game

1. Rebounding – One way for a young team to stay in games against elite competition is by winning the battle of the boards. The more opportunities young teams have to score, the more confident they get. The Magic are one of the worst rebounding teams in the NBA (28th in the league), but have a center that has amassed rebounding totals of 16, 17 (twice), and 23 in games this season. Steven Adams and Kendrick Perkins will need to use their strength to push Vucevic out of position.

Orlando Magic v Chicago Bulls

2. Perimeter defense – Its not a secret that Serge Ibaka struggles defensively against stretch 4’s. Even though Channing Frye is struggling this season, he still is one of the better stretch 4’s in the league when he is on. This just feels like one of those games where Frye could go off on the perimeter against the Thunder.

3. Consistency vs. inconsistency – The Thunder had a great game on Friday, but have failed to build off of any momentum in the past few weeks. With a 5-game road trip coming up, the Thunder need to build off of their performance on Friday and carry that with them on the road.

Oklahoma City Thunder at Houston Rockets preview (Game 38 of 82)

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rockets thunder

  • When: Thursday, 15 January 2015 at 7:00 PM CST
  • Where: Toyota Center, Houston, TX

The Oklahoma City Thunder just experienced the NBA’s equivalent of an NFL bye week. They were off for 5 full days, last playing on Friday at home. Rest during an NBA season is always welcome. Probably more important, though, is the ability to hold full practices. In the 5 day break, the Thunder likely held 2 or 3 full length practices to help incorporate newcomer Dion Waiters. Hell, even Mitch McGary, who has had an injury plagued rookie season, likely benefited from the increased practice time now that he is healthy. After being shaky the last 3 games, practice time is probably something the Thunder cherished during this “bye week”.

This is the 2nd of 3 meetings between these two teams. The Rockets beat the Thunder 69-65 on November 16th. Yeah, that was the score of an NBA game that ended after four quarters played. The defense in that game was stifling, as was the offense. Of course, the Thunder were without Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook during that stretch. .

The Opponent

harden howard beverly rockets

The Houston Rockets come into this game with a 27-12 record, good for 4th in the Western Conference. The Rockets have been one of the more consistent teams in the league, sporting a top 5 defense with a top 10-15 offense. The Rockets used to be a strictly offensive-minded team, but that began to change when the Rockets started putting the point guard responsibilities in the hands of Patrick Beverly. The bulldog defender changed the demeanor of the Rockets and wrestled the starting spot from Jeremy Lin last season. While not necessarily an offensive weapon, Beverly is the heart of the team. On the wing, James Harden continues his excellent play as a scorer (26.9 points per game) and has shown improvements as a defender after being much maligned last season. His improvements on the defensive end have bolstered Harden into the MVP conversation this season. On the other wing, Trevor Ariza gives the Rockets the big wing defender they’ve coveted for a while. The power forward position is currently a back and forth between Donatas Montiejunas and Josh Smith. Both offer the ability to be a stretch 4, but Montiejunas has been a little bit more consistent since Smith’s arrival to the team. Up front, Dwight Howard continues to be one of the best defensive centers in the league (11.2 rebounds, 1.56 blocks), while also giving the Rockets 17 points per game. Outside of Smith, who can be inconsistent at times, and Corey Brewer, the bench is one of the weaker ones of the Western Conference elite.

Probable Starting Line-ups

Houston Rockets

  • PG – Patrick Beverly
  • SG – James Harden
  • SF – Trevor Ariza
  • PF – Donatas Montiejunas
  • C – Dwight Howard

Oklahoma City Thunder

  • PG – Russell Westbrook
  • SG – Andre Roberson
  • SF – Kevin Durant
  • PF – Serge Ibaka
  • C – Steven Adams

3 Keys to the Game

1. Perimeter Defense – The Thunder have been having issues lately with defensive minded teams that can consistently shoot 3’s. They struggled with the Warriors a couple games ago, generally struggle with the Trailblazers, and always have a difficult time with the Spurs. With the Rockets’ new found love for defense, they now fall into this category. Where this comes into play is when the Thunder struggle from the field (especially from 3) and can’t stop the other team from consistently making 3’s. The Rockets have 4 rotation players (Harden, Ariza, Beverly, and Brewer) that shoot at least 33% from 3-point territory, with Montiejunas clocking in at 28% from deep.

2. Bench play – Jason Terry and Terrance Jones will be out for tonight’s game, and Isaiah Canaan and Kostas Papanikolaou have fallen out of the rotation. The Rockets’ bench is weaker now than it was at the beginning of the season. And the Rockets will be playing in the 2nd game of a back to back after having to travel back from the East Coast. If the Thunder bench can win the battle of the reserves handily, the Thunder should be able to win this game going away.

westbrook beverly thunder rockets

3. Beverly vs. Westbrook – This match-up always sparks fireworks. Should be fun.

Scott Brooks and the Glass Ceiling

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scott brooks thunder

Earlier this college football season, I experienced something I have never experienced since I started following and rooting for the OU Sooners about 20 years ago. That feeling of seeing something bad and knowing things were going to change from that point on. For me, it was the OU/Baylor game in Norman this season. The Sooners were out and out embarrassed by the Bears as Baylor quarterback Bryce Petty shredded the defense on short wide receiver screens all day long. The OU defense kept their corners at least 8 years off the line for fear of the deep ball throughout the game, and Baylor continually exploited that strategy. In the end, Baylor thoroughly dominated the Sooners 48-14.

OU had lost before, but this loss felt different. For the first time, it felt like the currency Bob Stoops had built up with his 2000 National Championship win was beginning to run low. Even the most ardent of Sooners supporters were calling into sportstalk radio shows asking, not necessarily for Stoops’ head, but for significant changes. The Sooners had disappointed and Sooners fans were fed up. Needless to say, after the season, changes were made. Both offensive coordinators were let go of and the defensive coordinator (who happens to be the head coach’s brother) was almost let go and will likely have a very short leash next season. Will these moves help? That remains to be seen, but in the presence of stagnation, sometimes change is all that is needed to catalyze improvement.

Which brings me to the Oklahoma City Thunder. I try not to be a prisoner of the moment, but honestly, life is about how you react to moments right after they happen. Some people are good at withholding their reaction until they’ve fully processed what transpired, while others have a difficult time getting their emotions in check. I was very reactionary after the road trip the Thunder just had, but I also chose to wait a little and see what transpired with the Utah game. Here is a summary of the Thunder’s last 3 games:

  • @Golden State – lost 117-91 – Balanced attack by the Warriors (seven Warriors scored at least 8 points or more) decimated the hapless Thunder who shot just 30.6% from the field. The Warriors used small ball throughout the game due to the absences of Andrew Bogut and Festus Ezeli. The Thunder never countered, staying with a normal line-up most of the night, and were constantly caught in bad defensive match-ups.
  • @Sacramento – lost 104-83 – Three Kings (haha, punny) scored 23 points or more as the Thunder once again struggled to find any type of flow offensively, and failed to get stops when they started building momentum. The Kings played to the Thunder’s comfort, with a regular three wings/two posts lineup, but the Thunder’s perimeter defense was almost non-existent the entire evening.
  • vs. Utah – won 99-94 – A win is a win, right? Not necessarily. While a W is always nice, this was a game where the Thunder needed to play like a championship contender. Instead, the Thunder struggled the entire evening in keeping the Jazz wing players in front of them. Gordon Hayward and Trey Burke kept finding their ways into the paint and Derrick Favors feasted off of their drives to the basket. With 8:12 left in the game, the Thunder found themselves down by 7. It was at that point that Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook checked back into the game. From there, Durant, Westbrook, and newcomer Dion Waiter, went on to score every point for the Thunder the rest of the way. A win, yes. But not anything you can necessarily hang your hat on.

The Thunder, for as great as they are, still suffer from the same ills that have plagued them for the past 5 seasons: late game execution, lack of an offensive system that involves all the players (especially in crunchtime), defensive lapses, poor in-game adjustments, turnovers, being undisciplined, low collective basketball IQ, etc, etc. In my work experience, when a collective of employees continues to do the same things wrong over an extended period of time, it always comes back to the supervisor. In the Thunder’s case, the supervisor on the floor is Scott Brooks.

brooks durant thunder

Brooks has been the coach for nearly 6 full seasons. If consistency is a good thing to have as a coach, color Brooks good. But at what point does consistency become redundancy? Lately, I’ve come to compare Brooks to the cool supervisor at work. Those types of supervisors usually share similar traits. They confuse niceness and smiles with respect for authority and they tend to look the other way when their employees commit small transgressions. Eventually, the transgressions become more and more common and the supervisor is left with one of two choices: continue to look the other way or completely change course and do a behavioral 180. The problem with the second choice is that after enough time of being the “cool supervisor”, a threat no longer holds weight. Then you are left with a situation where the employees like the supervisor, but don’t respect his/her authority. When the employee/supervisor relationship reaches this point, it’s usually hard to salvage anything. Either the supervisor goes down with the ship, or the supervisor’s 180 causes his employees to despise him/her.

I feel like the Thunder have reached this point with Scott Brooks. One of my fellow bloggers commented, “The players love him (Brooks)” when I brought up my “cool supervisor” analogy. While that may be true, that’s also a symptom of the employee/”cool” supervisor relationship. If my superior is constantly allowing me to get away with indiscretions, I’d like him/her also. Its getting to a point where I almost have to wonder if the Thunder players are even listening to Brooks anymore. In practice, Brooks has to be running a system where everyone gets involved in the offense, even during crunch time simulations. But in real games, the Thunder always revert back to their default, which is Westbrook or Durant on the perimeter trying to make something out of nothing. It usually works, because Westbrook and Durant are that good. But against great teams with good coaching, that offensive plan is becoming easier and easier to guard. Teams with high defensive IQ’s (basically everyone in the playoff picture in the Western Conference) know what’s coming before it happens.

Another question that needs to be asked: Do the players still respect Brooks? Again, going back to the supervisor analogy, liking someone can easily be mistaken for respecting someone. A coach that used to play point guard likely has an unwritten kinship with his own point guard. But Brooks has usually delegated that job out to others. Be it Mo Cheeks, Kevin Ollie, or Derek Fisher, Westbrook has always had someone around to help cool him off. While I’m not entirely familiar with Westbrook’s relationship with assistant coach Robert Pack, it seems as if Westbrook is on his own this season. The results these last few weeks have been questionable. Westbrook has seemingly got hit for at least a technical per game in that time frame and was even ejected from an important game that had possible postseason implications. If this was a rookie or 2nd year player, you could understand. But this is a veteran floor general for a supposed title contender. If the head coach can’t sit him down and control him, who can? Even as an emotional player, Westbrook has to know that racking up technicals and getting a hot-head reputation can’t be a good thing.

Scott Brooks, Russell Westbrook

The other point guard on the team is an emotional mess, but on the other end of the spectrum. Reggie Jackson’s recent de-evolution from “future starting point guard for another team” to “what the hell was that?” is troubling and confusing. Jackson made his intentions known at the end of last season and the beginning of this season, that his current career goal is to lead his own team as a starter. Since the Thunder cannot supply his demand with Westbrook already in tow, it is almost a given that Jackson would likely be traded either this season or leading up to the draft. When the season started with both Durant and Westbrook shelved with injuries, Jackson did his best to lead the team and put up good numbers. He averaged 20 points, 5 boards, and 7 assists during the stretch where he was the Thunder’s best player. But lately, his play has been more reminiscent of his rookie season. He’s eschewing his bread and butter (attacking the paint) for step back rainbow threes. And his defense, always questionable, has been atrocious of late. Usually one of the players on the floor with the crunchtime line-up, Brooks instead chose to go with Waiters in the last game, which was extremely telling of how Brooks felt about Jackson in that moment.

The final thing that needs to be addressed is the lack of an offensive system. Around the league, teams are choosing to go with a Spursian model of sharing the wealth on offense instead of depending, almost entirely, on one or two scorers. Even teams that are known for their half-court offense (Memphis, Portland) have systems that play to the strengths of all of their players. The Thunder offense, unfortunately, still relies heavily on the abilities of Durant and Westbrook. As I’ve mentioned before, those two are good enough to succeed in many situations. But defenses are starting to key in on this fact, and it is getting harder and harder for the Thunder to come up with efficient shots when they need them the most. And it isn’t like the Thunder don’t have options. They have a PF/C that can shoot 3’s and is one of the best mid-range shooters in the game (Serge Ibaka). They have a 3-point specialist in Anthony Morrow that is one of the most feared shooters in the game. And now they have two combo guards, in Jackson and Waiters, that can drop 20 on any given night. But when the game gets close, the ball will likely find its way into the hands of Westbrook or Durant, and it will be a secret to no one.

I’ve never been a proponent of the mid-season coach firing. It can lead to chemistry issues and feelings of a season being lost. But once this season ends, the Thunder need to seriously think about changing the voice in the huddle, whether its changing the head coach or getting some specialist-oriented assistant coaches. There comes a point when the expectations of a coach switches from the win/loss record to finishes. Brett Brown of the Philadelphia 76ers is currently about the wins and the losses. But Gregg Popovich is all about the finishes. And finishes have been something Brooks has struggled with. Have injuries had a hand in the Thunder’s last few shortcomings? Of course. But no fail safe system has ever been put in place to protect against such commonalities as injuries. Its a wonder if Brooks has just reached his glass ceiling with this team. A lot like Bob Stoops, Brooks appears to be burning a lot of the currency he got when he took the Thunder to the NBA Finals in 2012. And it seems to be playing out in real time as the Thunder struggle to get out of the hole that was built for them in the beginning of the season.

Oklahoma City Thunder at Sacramento Kings preview (Game 36 of 82)

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durant thunder gay evans kings

  • When: Wednesday, 07 January 2015 at 9:00 PM CST
  • Where: Sleep Train Arena, Sacramento, CA

Two steps forward, one step back. Since the beginning of the season, this has been the story of the Thunder’s season. Since starting the season 3-12, the Thunder have gone on to win 14 of 20 games, which translates to a .700 winning percentage. But it seems like once they get it going, something happens that stops the momentum dead in its tracks. Be it an injury, a bad call, or a core-rattling midseason trade (we miss ya Lance), something always seems to derail the momentum train. The Thunder once again find themselves on the lower end of the win-loss spectrum. With Phoenix catching fire all the sudden, the Thunder need to put together a string of victories to at least keep within striking distance of the 8th spot. The narrative is always that there is plenty of season left. But the Thunder are 5 games from the midway point, and a sense of urgency has yet to develop within the OKC mindset. Hopefully, what I see as a lack of urgency is actually just a quiet confidence that has been fostered from experience.

This is the 3rd of 4 meetings between the Thunder and the Kings. Oklahoma City won the previous two meetings by an average of 10 points. This is the first game between the two teams where each team is relatively healthy. In the first meeting, the Thunder were without Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant, and in the second meeting, the Kings were without DeMarcus Cousins.

The Opponent

cousins gay collison kings

The Sacramento Kings’ record currently sits at 14-20. After starting the season 9-5, The King have gone on to lose 15 of their next 20 because of injuries to key players and front office turmoil, which resulted in the firing of head coach Mike Malone. The Kings’ issues can be traced directly to their defense and their lack of ball movement. Even though they score 102 points per game (good for 13th in the league), they give up 104.4 ppg on the other end. And they rank 28th in the league in assists at just 19.8 per game. Their offense runs through Cousins, but he does a poor job of finding shooters on the wings when he has the ball. That’s unfortunate because the Kings have 3 starters (Darren Collison, Rudy Gay, and Ben McLemore) who all shoot 36% or better from the 3-point line. Inside, they have a glut of power forwards (Jason Thompson, Reggie Evans, and Carl Landry) who aren’t necessarily great at any facet of the game. Their bench is deep, but is still one of the more weaker ones in the league. Ray McCollum and Nik Stauskas will likely see more minutes off the bench tonight due to injuries to Ramon Sessions and Omri Casspi.

Probable Starting Line-ups

Sacramento Kings

  • PG – Darren Collison
  • SG – Ben McLemore
  • SF – Rudy Gay
  • PF – Jason Thompson
  • C – DeMarcus Cousins

Oklahoma City Thunder

  • PG – Russell Westbrook
  • SG – Andre Roberson
  • SF – Kevin Durant
  • PF – Serge Ibaka
  • C – Steven Adams

3 Keys to the Game

1. Rebounding – The Kings aren’t good at a lot of things, but they are pretty good at rebounding. They grab 44.5 rebounds per game, which is good for 8th in the league. Cousins averages 12.1 boards himself and the trio of power forwards grab 17.5 boards a game between them. If there’s one thing that gives struggling teams momentum, it’s offensive rebounding. The Thunder bigs need to do a good job of boxing out and getting the 50/50 rebounds..

2. Get to the bench – The Kings’ starting 5 accounts for 76.3% of the points the team scores. Two of their top scoring reserves are out for tonight’s game. If the Thunder can get the starters in foul trouble, the Kings may have to use their bench more than they would like.

waiters thunder

3. Dion Waiters – It’s Christmas in January! Newly acquired guard Dion Waiters will be in uniform tonight and available. It will be interesting to see how and where head coach Scott Brooks will use Waiters.

Thunder acquire Dion Waiters in a trade

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NBA: Oklahoma City Thunder at Cleveland Cavaliers

The Oklahoma City Thunder acquired guard Dion Waiters from the Cleveland Cavaliers in a 3-team deal that also involved the New York Knicks. The Thunder used the Thabo Sefolosha Trade Player Exception ($4.125 million) to acquire Waiters while sending over a protected first round pick to the Cavaliers. The pick is Top 18 protected in 2015 and Top 15 protected in 2016 and 2017. If the pick is not conveyed by 2017, then the Cavs receive the Thunder’s 2nd round picks in 2018 and 2019. In a separate transaction, the Thunder sent Lance Thomas to the Knicks in a three way deal that saw JR Smith and Iman Shumpert end up in Cleveland.

Waiters is averaging 10.5 points, 1.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.3 steals on 40% shooting from the field and 26% shooting from the 3-point line this season. After having his best season as a professional last season (15.9 points, 36.8% shooting from deep), Waiters’ numbers dipped as he failed to fit in with LeBron James and the new look Cavs. He wasn’t quite the fit the Cavs were looking for at 2-guard when they made their big moves this offseason. Waiters started the first 3 games of the season, but was then relegated to being the 6th man after that.

Waiters gives the Thunder another scorer and ball-handler off the bench. He’s a bit of a streaky shooter, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing as the 4th or 5th option on a team. While not great defensively, he isn’t that bad either. He’s got a little bulldog in him and his strength and thick frame will allow him to guard bigger opponents.  The hope is that Waiters will pick up the slack on those games where Reggie Jackson is struggling from the field. Jackson appears to be either playing hurt and/or in a slump, and his inconsistencies have affected the team when the reserves are needed to either maintain a lead or chip away at a deficit.

This move may be the first of a couple for the Thunder. The Waiters acquisition probably knocks Jeremy Lamb completely out of the rotation and probably out of Oklahoma City by the trade deadline. Kendrick Perkins and Nick Collison are expiring after this season, and there were rumors the Thunder looked into obtaining Brook Lopez from the Brooklyn Nets for Perkins, Lamb, and Perry Jones. In addition, Reggie Jackson’s impending restricted free agency looms large on the horizon for the Thunder. If Waiters, who is a comparable player to Jackson, works out for the Thunder, look for them to move Jackson either before the trade deadline or at the draft.

Washington Wizards vs. Oklahoma City Thunder preview (Game 34 of 82)

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durant thunder nene gortat wall wizards

  • When: Friday, 02 January 2015 at 7:00 PM CST
  • Where: Chesapeake Energy Arena, Oklahoma City, OK

I feel like the Oklahoma City Thunder have been on the cusp of being .500 for about a month now. Every time the team gains a little momentum, something (usually an injury) gets in the way. Now, though, they are about as healthy as they have been all year with the possibility of finally reaching .500. After such a tumultuous path, the Thunder seem to be getting back on track at the right time.

This is the first meeting of the season between these two teams. The Thunder and Wizards have split their meetings the last two seasons. Washington DC has been a house of horrors for the Thunder the last 3 seasons, losing all their games in the Beltway.

The Opponent

wall beal wizards

The Washington Wizard currently find themselves with a 22-9 record, good for 3rd in the Eastern Conference. They are a defense-heavy team that can also score. The Wizards, along with the Chicago Bulls, are probably the two most balanced teams in the Eastern Conference. Leading the charge is point guard John Wall, who has turned into one of the better floor generals in the league. He leads the Wizards in scoring (17.4), assists (10.3), and steals (2.1). His backcourt mate, Bradley Beal, is developing into one of the better shooting guards in the game. On the wing, Paul Pierce provides shooting and a calming veteran presence. Up front, Nene and Marcin Gortat are the East’s version of Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol. Nene is the bull strong power forward with a soft touch around the rim and Gortat is the skilled center with nimble feet. Off the bench, veteran Rasual Butler provides the Wizards with sharpshooter, while Kris Humphries is the energetic big man that can gobble up offensive boards.

Probable Starting Line-up

Washington Wizards

  • PG – John Wall
  • SG – Bradley Beal
  • SF – Paul Pierce
  • PF – Nene
  • C – Marcin Gortat

Oklahoma City Thunder

  • PG – Russell Westbrook
  • SG – Andre Roberson
  • SF – Kevin Durant
  • PF – Serge Ibaka
  • C – Steven Adams

3 Keys to the Game

1. Perimeter Defense – John Wall does a great job of breaking down the first line of defense and getting into the paint to cause havoc. It will be up to Russell Westbrook to stay in front of Wall. Also, the Wizards have 5 players that shoot over 36.3% from 3-point territory.

2. Rebounding – Though not a huge part of their game, the Wizards are one of those teams that you don’t want getting 2nd chances. The amount of space their bigs take up help them in getting offensive rebounds.

nene perkins thunder wizards

3. Limit Turnovers – The Wizards aren’t knowing for getting up and down, but they do have one of the more athletic backcourts in the league. If you cough up live ball turnovers, the Wizards will get out and turn defense into offense quickly.

Five New Year’s Resolutions for the Oklahoma City Thunder

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westbrook durant thunder

It’s that time of year again. Time to look back on the year that was and look forward to the year that will be. As people look towards the year that will be, they look at ways to improve upon themselves. Whether it’s losing weight, eating healthier, committing more time to family, etc, it’s a time for reflection and introspection. It’s similar to when the season ends for sports team and the front office and coaches (if they don’t get fired) focus on what they need to do to get better.

As the Oklahoma City Thunder turn the page on 2014 (of the 2014-15 season), they will head into the New Year with a losing record for the first time since their inagural season in 2008-09. Yeah, the 3-29 season. Now, are there reasons (excuses) for the Thunder’s current state of affairs? Of course. Injuries to key players, line-up inconsistencies due to the injuries, tough schedule/conference, so on and so forth. But those are all external factors. For the most part, you can’t help those. Internally, though, there are some New Year’s Resolutions that can occur to make the Thunder better for the second half of the season.

1. Russell Westbrook’s New Year’s Resolution – Inhale, pause, then exhale

In case you haven’t noticed, Russell Westbrook has this new thing when he goes to the free throw line this season. When he receives the ball, he holds it on his left hip with his left hand. Then he raises his right hand towards his chest, like he’s about to do The Pledge of Alligience. As he raises the right hand, he inhales deeply. After about a second, he exhales profoundly, takes a couple dribbles, and shoots his free throw. I don’t know what this does for him or why he started doing it. The change in his free percentage has been infinitesimal when compared to his career average. So why do it?

westbrook thunder len dragic suns

Just for a minute think about the way Westbrook plays. It’s go, go, and GO! There is no slow down to Westbrook’s game. It’s what makes him successful and a terror to opposing defenses. It’s also what makes him turnover prone and questionable when it comes to shot selection. So it would only make sense, when he has to slow down (i.e. free throws), he would take some time to focus through breath control. It like Yao Fei on Arrow teaching Oliver Queen how to shoot arrows.

“Breathe”

Westbrook would be wise to apply that same concept to end of game situations. For the first 43 minutes of games, Westbrook plays like the best point guard (and sometimes, the best player) on the planet. But in those final 5 minutes of close games, Westbrook can run the gamut on how he plays. He can pick apart a defense, like he did against San Antonio on Christmas day, and execute perfectly in end of game situations. Or he can completely unravel (bad shots, turnovers, questionable decisions on defense) as seen in the following recent examples:

  • Dec. 21 – vs. New Orleans – At the 5:33 mark of the 4th quarter, the Thunder led 97-91. From there on in, Westbrook proceeded to go 1-8 from the field (0-3 from 3-point territory) with 2 turnovers. In that span, he did not pass the ball to any of his teammates. The Thunder went on to lose the game 99-101. Before the meltdown, he was 9-19 from the field for 27 points, 5 rebounds, 8 assists, and 3 steals.
  • Dec. 23 – vs. Portland – At the 2:49 mark of the 4th quarter, the Thunder led 93-84. From there, Westbrook went 1-3 from the field in regulation and 1-2 from the FT line. His offense wasn’t necessarily an issue in closing out this game, but his inability to guard Damien Lillard was. In addition, Westbrook got T’d up arguing a foul call late in the 4th quarter which led to a free throw by Lillard. Lillard scored 9 points in the final 2 minutes to bring the Trailblazers back to force the game to overtime. In overtime, Westbrook started hot, 3-3 FG, but eventually fouled out. The Thunder ended up losing 111-115.
  • Dec. 28 – at Dallas – At the 9:23 mark of the 4th quarter, the Thunder led 90-87. From there, Westbrook went 2-6 from the field in a back and forth affair. Westbrook turned the ball over twice in that span and made some questionable decisions that probably cost the Thunder the game. At one point, Westbrook turned the ball over and immediately fouled Dirk Nowitzki in frustration. Unfortunately, the Thunder were over the foul limit, and Nowitzki, one of the best FT shooters in the league, sank both of them. A couple plays later, he allowed Rajon Rondo to slip through on a back door cut for a lay-up. The Thunder ended up losing 107-112.
  • Dec. 31 – vs. Phoenix – Not in the 4th quarter, but Westbrook’s antics get him ejected in a “playoff-like” game late in the 2nd quarter. Luckily, the Thunder won the game 137-134 in overtime as Kevin Durant went all Slim Reaper on the Suns in his first game back.

It’s these times where Westbrook would be best to close his eyes, inhale deeply, focus, and then exhale profoundly. A lot of the late game problems have to do with Kevin Durant not being available. But a lot of it is a result of Westbrook’s demons rearing their heads when the lights are the brightest. The return of Durant should quell some of these issues. But if they ever do threaten to arise again, close your eyes and listen:

“Breathe, Russell. FOCUS. And release. Now go out there and do what you do best.”

Kevin Durant’s New Year’s Resolution – Wear high tops

For your New Year’s resolution, learn how to play basketball in high tops. The KD shoe line is very aesthetically pleasing. But lows on basketball courts have always bothered me. I don’t care what the studies say or what 4 out of 5 doctors recommend. In a game where that much stress and torque is placed on the ankles, having an exterior support system should be helpful in preventing injuries.

Are ankle injuries a part of basketball? Of course. But seeing how injuries have become a common theme in the story of the Thunder’s last few seasons, anything that can alleviate what we are seeing this season would help. I’m down for whatever:

  • Giving max money to the Phoenix Suns’ training staff: Check
  • Having the players soak in holy water before and after games: Check
  • Hiring the scientists from SkyNet that infused robitics with human flesh: Check

In the end, just don’t get injured anymore.

Perry Jones’ New Year’s Resolution – Be more consistent and more aggressive

jones ibaka westbrook adams thunder

The curious case of Perry Jones. Someone with the physical toolbox this man has should be consistently dominating the game of basketball. Guys that are 6’10” with freakish hops and guard-like handles are what mad scientists think about when they dream about the perfect basketball player. The problem is there is more to the game of basketball than just the physical.

For three seasons now, Thunder fans have wondered, “What would happen if Perry Jones actually tried his hardest out there?” And it honestly has nothing to do with effort. Perry Jones has never struck as a lazy player. But he has struck me as a guy that is happy just being out there. When Durant, Westbrook, and Reggie Jackson were out at the beginning of the season, we finally got to see what Jones could do. In 3 games before he, himself, suffered a knee contusion which sidelined him for a month, Jones averaged 22.7 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists on 52.2% shooting from the field (which included 41.2% from 3-point territory).

The think was that once Jones got back, he would be an integral part of the bench and would be an offensive aggressor with the reserve unit. Instead, the Thunder got more of Jones floating around the perimeter and never forcing the issue. When Durant went out with the sprained ankle, Jones was tabbed as the starting SF in his absence. In that first game as a starter, Jones put up a dud, going scoreless on 0-2 shooting in 12 minutes. After the game, Coach Scott Brooks implored Jones to be more aggressive. After three seasons in the league, your coach shouldn’t have to implore you to be more aggressive. It’s a league of do-ers.  If you ain’t doing, you won’t be employed for long.

Since Brooks’ plea, Jones has been a lot more aggressive in looking for his own shot. He’s averaging 8.3 points and 2.7 rebounds on 48.8% shooting from the field. Not necessarily what he was putting up in that great 3 game span, but probably the most consistent 6-game effort in his career. Jones adds a dynamic to the bench that we’ve never had: a match-up nightmare. He’s too big for most wings and too fast for most post players. And I think he’s starting to realize that he is a match-up nightmare. Embrace this thought Perry, and be what we always wanted you to be.

Steven Adam’s and Andre Roberson’s New Year’s Resolution – Higher FT percentages

The Thunder always had a big problem when they started games the last few seasons. It was almost like they started the game 3 on 5 on the offensive end. It was not strange for the Thunder to start games in a deficit because of the offensive inefficiencies of Kendrick Perkins and Thabo Sefolosha. The supposed plus those two players gave on the defensive end was usually overshadowed by a bigger minus on the offensive end. With that information in tow, the Thunder moved towards a younger, more dynamic starting line-up. Out were Perkins and Sefolosha, and in were Adams and Roberson.

When the Thunder have been healthy this season, the starting line-up of Westbrook-Roberson-Durant-Ibaka-Adams has been one of the top starting 5’s in the league. Roberson is already on par, if not better, than Sefolosha defensively and Adams has steadily improved on both ends of the court as the season has progressed. While Roberson is still a work in progress on the offensive end, the major difference offensively has been that Adams, when given the opportunity, can do things that Perkins just couldn’t do consistently (namely catch the ball and score over people). With every passing game, each of these young players gains more and more confidence in their abilities and in their place within the starting 5.

roberson durant adams thunder

The only issue, other than Roberson’s inconsistencies on the perimeter, has been the free throw shooting of the two second year players. Adams is currently shooting 52.6% from the free throw line on nearly 3 FT attempts per game. Roberson is shooting 50% on 1.4 FT attempts per game. While those FT attempt numbers may not seem that significantly, they are over 50% more than what both players attempted last season. Meaning that as their playing time has increased, so has their propensity in getting the to charity stripe. When you have players like Durant, Westbrook, and Reggie Jackson setting you up, you’re bound to get some looks that will cause the defense to foul you.

The free throw shooting has been so inconsistent that some teams have elected to use the Hack-an-Adams or Hack-a-Roberson technique at some points throughout the season. As this season progresses, teams may employ that more often, which may cause the Thunder to either sit those players in critical situations or roll the dice with their free throw shooting.

Kevin Durant’s and Russell Westbrook’s New Year’s Resolutions – Wonder Twins Unite

Please try your hardest to stay healthy the rest of the season. Nothing is more important to the Thunder’s title hope than the health of their two superstars. It doesn’t matter what seed the Thunder are or who the draw is. If the Thunder have both Westbrook and Durant healthy come the middle of April through (hopefully) the middle of June, the Thunder will have a chance.

Phoenix Suns vs. Oklahoma City Thunder preview (Game 33 of 82)

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  • When: Wednesday, 31 December 2014 at 7:00 PM CST
  • Where: Chesapeake Energy Arena, Oklahoma City, OK

It’s the last game of the calendar year and it finally feels like the Oklahoma City Thunder are starting to shed some of the bad luck that has hounded them these last few months. Everyone is healthy as Kevin Durant returns from a “mild” sprained ankle that kept him out for 6 games. When healthy, the Thunder are one of the best teams in the league, boasting a top 5 rated defense and a starting lineup that is pumping out some pluses on the offensive/defensive rating. It’s the staying healthy part of the equation that has been difficult. Hopefully, with the change in the year, maybe that part of the year will be behind us.

This is the 2nd of 4 meetings between these two teams. The Thunder completely dominated the Suns 112-88 in their first meeting. Of note, the Suns were without Goran Dragic in that game. The Suns are the current 8th seed in the Western Conference and sit 2.5 games ahead of the 10th-seeded Thunder.

The Opponent

dragic tucker green suns

The Suns currently have an 18-15 record, and have been the model of consistent inconsistency. Their last 30 games have gone as follows: W1, L2, W2, L2, W4, L1, W1, L2, W2, L6, W6, L1. Lately though, they seem to have found a formula that works. The 3 guard line-up of Eric Bledsoe, Goran Dragic, and Isaiah Thomas has been decimating opponents to close out games. To begin games, the Suns switched out Mason Plumlee for Alex Len, and the move has paid dividends not only in the development of Len, but in boosting the bench with Plumlee, who is more suited as an energy guy off the bench. Markieff Morris and PJ Tucker provide defense and perimeter shooting for the starting line-up. Off the bench, the aforementioned Thomas and Plumlee, along with Gerald Green and Marcus Morris, keep the pressure on defenses and can heat up at any time in the game.

Probable Starting Line-ups

Phoenix Suns

  • PG – Goran Dragic
  • SG – Eric Bledsoe
  • SF – PJ Tucker
  • PF – Markieff Morris
  • C – Alex Len

Oklahoma City Thunder

  • PG – Russell Westbrook
  • SG – Andre Roberson
  • SF – Kevin Durant
  • PF – Serge Ibaka
  • C – Steven Adams

3 Keys to the Game

1. Small Line-up – Much like the Dallas Mavericks without Tyson Chandler, the Phoenix Suns will likely try to force a mismatch with their small ball line-up of Dragic, Bledsoe, Thomas, and two bigs (usually Morris and Len). And if they really want to get fancy, they may throw Green or Tucker out there for an extremely small line-up. The Thunder have the appropriate counters defensively (Westbrook, Reggie Jackson, Roberson, and even Ish Smith, if necessary), but some of those defensive counters are offensive liabilities for the Thunder. If it becomes a back and forth affair, the Thunder could be in trouble.

2. Alex Len vs. Steven Adams – Finally! We get to see the match-up from the 2013 NBA Draft that everyone has been waiting for. I may be exaggerating a bit, but with how these two have been developing this season, it is not outside the realm of possibility that this may be a premier center match-up in a season or two.

NBA: Phoenix Suns at Oklahoma City Thunder

3. Kevin Durant – Welcome back Kevin. The last time we saw him in action, he was lighting the Golden State Warriors up for 30 points in 18 minutes in one half. Don’t get hurt anymore.

Oklahoma City Thunder at Dallas Mavericks preview (Game 32 of 82)

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When: Sunday, 28 December 2014 at 6:30 PM CST

Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX

To a point guard, the Western Conference has to feel like a field littered with land mines. At the end of that field, is a championship trophy. But, at every step, you are bound to encounter a detonation. All the land mines come in different sizes with different modes of exploding. And if it wasn’t bad enough, the Dallas Mavericks, who had some of the dullest land mines on the field, went and added another shiny land mine to the field. If this was David Stern’s vision of a handcheck-less NBA, well then, mission accomplished.

This is the first of four meetings between these two teams. The Mavericks won the season series last year 2-1. The first two games weren’t very close, but the third was an overtime game that Dallas eventually won. Because of locale, these games carry a little more meaning than most NBA games around here. It’s almost like the Red River Rivalry of basketball.

The Opponent

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The Dallas Mavericks currently have a 21-10 record, good for 5th in the Western Conference. They sport the best scoring offense in the league at 109.4 points per game and the 2nd best offense in terms of offensive rating. Their current starting line-up is considered to be one of the best, if not the best, in the NBA. The defense, though, is in the bottom third of the league in terms of defensive rating and points allowed. They score a lot, but they also allowed a lot. Leading the Dallas attack is the newly acquired Rajon Rondo. After showing that he had recovered sufficiently enough from an ACL tear from two seasons ago and a hand injury at the beginning of this season, the Mavericks made the move to obtain Rondo from the Celtics. In his first 4 games with Dallas, Rondo is averaging 13.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 8.8 assists, and 1.8 steals, whiling helping the Mavericks to a 2-2 record in that span. At the other guard, Monta Ellis’ production has seemed to wane since the arrival of Ronda. Ellis was used to being a high-usage guard that could work with the ball in his hands. Now, he’s truly an off-guard playing off the ball. It’ll be interesting to see how that dynamics works itself out. At the forward spot, Chandler Parsons is giving the Mavericks basically the same thing he gave the Houston Rockets in his first 3 seasons there: good perimeter shooting and the ability to drive when covered closely on the perimeter. At the other forward spot, Dirk Nowitzki is a lot like another ageless power forward, Tim Duncan. You think they are going to eventually slow down, but they continue performing at the same level they have for the past 5 seasons, except more efficiently. In the middle, Tyson Chandler provides shot blocking and a great target for the pick and roll. While the Rondo trade may have strengthened the starting unit, it also weakened the bench. Gone are Brandan Wright, Jameer Nelson, and Jae Crowder. The bench now consists mainly of veterans near the end of their careers: Charlie Villanueva, Devin Harris, and Richard Jefferson.

Probable Starting Line-ups

Dallas Mavericks

PG – Rajon Rondo
SG – Monta Ellis
SF – Chandler Parsons
PF – Dirk Nowitzki
C – Tyson Chandler

Oklahoma City Thunder

PG – Russell Westbrook
SG – Andre Roberson
SF – Perry Jones
PF – Serge Ibaka
C – Steven Adams

3 Keys to the Game

1. Perimeter Defense – The dribble drive ability of Rondo and Ellis will open up opportunities for Chandler off of pick and rolls and for the bevy of shooters on the perimeter. It will be extremely important for Westbrook, Roberson, and Reggie Jackson to stay in front of their man and prevent any penetration.

2. Transition Opportunities – With the long ball comes long rebounds and transition opportunities. Dallas isn’t necessarily a quick team with stellar athletes, so this may be a phase of the game where the Thunder can take advantage.

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3. Bench – The Thunder bench has taken a bit of a hit lately due to its inconsistent play. With Dallas’ weakened bench, look for the Thunder reserves to assert themselves early in this game.