Thunder vs. Blazers

Post #16 » by **slick_watts** » Wed Jan 4, 2012 3:23 am

Scott Brooks inserted Kevin Durant for Nazr Mohammed with about 10 minutes left in the fourth and OKC down two points.

It should be noted that Durant had struggled all game to that point, especially on defense where he looked a bit lax with his shot not falling.

Portland went on to go on a 17-7 run, getting open 3pt looks on help to Durant's man Kurt Thomas, seeing Gerald Wallace slice into a defense with no paint protection, etc.

I thought the Thunder traded Jeff Green for Kendrick Perkins to match up against the bigger teams in the West and play tougher in the paint? What's the point of it if we're going to go small against one of the best paint teams and rebounding teams in the NBA and erase any advantage we might have? What's the advantage of playing small ball with Kevin Durant at PF if he still has Gerald Wallace defending him and there's no cross match up?

Our coach is out coached.

Clangus · Post #17 » by **Clangus** » Wed Jan 4, 2012 3:38 am

slick_watts wrote:Scott Brooks inserted Kevin Durant for Nazr Mohammed with about 10 minutes left in the fourth and OKC down two points.

It should be noted that Durant had struggled all game to that point, especially on defense where he looked a bit lax with his shot not falling.

Portland went on to go on a 17-7 run, getting open 3pt looks on help to Durant's man Kurt Thomas, seeing Gerald Wallace slice into a defense with no paint protection, etc.

I thought the Thunder traded Jeff Green for Kendrick Perkins to match up against the bigger teams in the West and play tougher in the paint? What's the point of it if we're going to go small against one of the best paint teams and rebounding teams in the NBA and erase any advantage we might have? What's the advantage of playing small ball with Kevin Durant at PF if he still has Gerald Wallace defending him and there's no cross match up?

Our coach is out coached.

Going to happen quite a bit this year i fear. My gosh that was poor. He'd been better going big with Harden, Durant, Ibaka, Collison, Perk - would have been just as "effective"
Stupid Brooks.

Credit to Blazers defense, though, KD usually makes a tonne of those shots (Except against Portland, where he often struggles)

Next up San Antonio. which is no gimme even with Manu out. If Manu was playing i think we'd be in very real danger of losing 3 in a row.

Post #18 » by **slick_watts** » Wed Jan 4, 2012 3:40 am

I'm certain he went 'small' to try and jump start the offense, but when Nate subbed Wallace in for Thomas he should have abandoned that idea since the favorable matchup created by going small was erased. Brooks made an adjustment, Nate countered, and that was that. Brooks played small the whole rest of the way. Makes no sense.

CKRT · Post #19 » by **CKRT** » Wed Jan 4, 2012 5:00 am

Hopefully Brooks sees how good Harden is when he gets 35+ minutes a game.

Pipe dream, I know.

Phailadelphia · Post #20 » by **Phailadelphia** » Wed Jan 4, 2012 5:06 am

I think its two fold: 1) everything Slick was said in here, and 2) they're not showing that increased maturity we expected from them this year. Still making mistakes, turning the ball over.

dream_catcher_9 · Post #21 » by **dream_catcher_9** » Wed Jan 4, 2012 7:00 am

We just aren't playing very good basketball. The defense is lacking, the rebounding is lacking, the offense is lacking ball movement.

Clangus · Post #22 » by **Clangus** » Wed Jan 4, 2012 7:08 am

lucky to be 5-2 to be honest
Could have easily lost Minny and Dallas #1

I dont think we're a true contender yet.

OzThunder · Post #23 » by **OzThunder** » Wed Jan 4, 2012 2:37 pm

We just struggle to get any thing high percentage in the half court. When we make buckets its Harden/ Durant hitting long buckets over defenders, or Harden/ Westbrook splitting defenders. Then you go down the other end and Gerald Wallace gets a catch on the low block, on pretty much exactly the same offensive set that KD catches it with his feet on the 3pt line. It's just poor execution. If KD got the same catches he would score just as easy as Wallace was, instead of launching a pull up fade away.

dweezy · Post #24 » by **dweezy** » Wed Jan 4, 2012 2:40 pm

Came in to say .. you guys are a good team.. HAPPY to beat ya'll.. and we shoulda drafted durant lol.. it took me 4 years to admit that even tho it was obvious..

Jeff23 · Post #25 » by **Jeff23** » Wed Jan 4, 2012 8:16 pm

dream_catcher_9 wrote: The defense is lacking,

Thabo!

the rebounding is lacking,

THABO!

the offense is lacking ball movement.

Thabo Sefolosha!!!!!

he's been moving around being active this season.

bbms · Post #26 » by **bbms** » Wed Jan 4, 2012 11:22 pm

Durant was horrible. He took like seven straight bad jumpshots first quarter only.