2017-2018 OKC Thunder Regular Season Thread part one: The Fellowship for A Ring

Post #161 » by **ThunderBolt** » Fri Oct 27, 2017 2:44 am

Im sure most heard about this but I just got around to reading it.

http://www.normantranscript.com/news/how-an--year-old-s-letter-changed-the-beginning/article_63b38a72-b9ad-11e7-a67d-074d92a35cb1.html

jambalaya · Post #162 » by **jambalaya** » Fri Oct 27, 2017 3:22 pm

Strength of schedule estimate at BRef has Thunder with 2nd easiest schedule so far, way easier than average.

Post #163 » by **bondom34** » Fri Oct 27, 2017 3:27 pm

I'm all for looking at the data but the Clippers have a 17 srs right now and Golden State wouldn't even qualify as a good opponent based on record.

Pillendreher · Post #164 » by **Pillendreher** » Fri Oct 27, 2017 8:01 pm

https://www.sbnation.com/2017/10/26/16555088/carmelo-anthony-paul-george-fit-around-russell-westbrook-thunder

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/21178004/nba-russell-westbrook-next-step-thunder

Pillendreher · Post #165 » by **Pillendreher** » Fri Oct 27, 2017 8:10 pm

From Royce's article:

"We'll do a great job of fitting in around him," Anthony said of Westbrook. "I think he's taken that advice, and as you see the last couple games, he's been playing like the Russ that you guys are used to."

Over the last two games, Russ-George-Anthony had an ORtG of 112.2 and a DRtG of 94.8. That's up from a 101.1 ORtG over the first two games.

Sample size and all that, but I think the difference to our game with Russ being the driving force has bene obvious.

Post #166 » by **bondom34** » Fri Oct 27, 2017 8:28 pm

Just words but it is nice to hear them say this stuff about Russ. Lets you know the regard hes held in.

Post #167 » by **ThunderBolt** » Fri Oct 27, 2017 8:38 pm

bondom34 wrote:Just words but it is nice to hear them say this stuff about Russ. Lets you know the regard hes held in.

Some in the national media are already suggesting that Russ is back to “his old ways” because he got a triple double against the pacers. I’ll never understand how Lebron, Giannis, ben Simmons and others can be praised for getting s triple-double but Russ gets bashed for doing it.

Post #168 » by **bondom34** » Fri Oct 27, 2017 8:39 pm

Knrstz wrote:
bondom34 wrote:Just words but it is nice to hear them say this stuff about Russ. Lets you know the regard hes held in.

Some in the national media are already suggesting that Russ is back to “his old ways” because he got a triple double against the pacers. I’ll never understand how Lebron, Giannis, ben Simmons and others can be praised for getting s triple-double but Russ gets bashed for doing it.

Lol really? Hes dropped usage like 10 or 15 percent. Glad I haven't heard these people.

Post #169 » by **ThunderBolt** » Fri Oct 27, 2017 8:40 pm

bondom34 wrote:
Knrstz wrote:
bondom34 wrote:Just words but it is nice to hear them say this stuff about Russ. Lets you know the regard hes held in.

Some in the national media are already suggesting that Russ is back to “his old ways” because he got a triple double against the pacers. I’ll never understand how Lebron, Giannis, ben Simmons and others can be praised for getting s triple-double but Russ gets bashed for doing it.

Lol really? Hes dropped usage like 10 or 15 percent. Glad I haven't heard these people.

Cowherd said that. Dan Patrick said we are like an AAU team because we have talent that looks good on paper, that’s it.

Post #170 » by **bondom34** » Fri Oct 27, 2017 8:42 pm

Knrstz wrote:
bondom34 wrote:
Knrstz wrote:
Some in the national media are already suggesting that Russ is back to “his old ways” because he got a triple double against the pacers. I’ll never understand how Lebron, Giannis, ben Simmons and others can be praised for getting s triple-double but Russ gets bashed for doing it.

Lol really? Hes dropped usage like 10 or 15 percent. Glad I haven't heard these people.

Cowherd said that. Dan Patrick said we are like an AAU team because we have talent that looks good on paper, that’s it.

I don't know how Cowherd still has a job. Hes a racist Skip Bayless. I see what DP means but thats more a function of fit.

Jheat23 · Post #171 » by **Jheat23** » Sat Oct 28, 2017 3:00 am

Our style of play is just not cohesive in this era with type of talent that we have on this team right now. We should be a lot better than we are right now even with the chemistry issues.

Post #172 » by **Dadouv47** » Sat Oct 28, 2017 3:22 am

So far we are better than I expected on the offensive end but we are WAY worse on defense.

Old Man Game · Post #173 » by **Old Man Game** » Sat Oct 28, 2017 12:13 pm

So have we seen the last of Terrance Ferguson for a while? He came into the game last night picked up three fouls in like a minute and a half or something. I don't think there's much point in wasting a whole lot of additional playing time on him at this juncture.

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Old Man Game · Post #174 » by **Old Man Game** » Sat Oct 28, 2017 12:17 pm

Also, all of our "Alex abrines is going to have a breakout year" from summer are not aging well so far. Even when he's in the game the other players generally don't look for him. He has to literally be left wide open before anyone even notices.

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Post #175 » by **ThunderBolt** » Sat Oct 28, 2017 12:27 pm

Old Man Game wrote:Also, all of our "Alex abrines is going to have a breakout year" from summer are not aging well so far. Even when he's in the game the other players generally don't look for him. He has to literally be left wide open before anyone even notices.

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That isn’t alex’ fault. The fact that his defense hasnt improved is his fault though.

Post #176 » by **ThunderBolt** » Sat Oct 28, 2017 12:34 pm

Russ is leading the league in turnovers and shooting 61% on free throws. His defense last night wasn’t good at all.

Old Man Game · Post #177 » by **Old Man Game** » Sat Oct 28, 2017 12:37 pm

Knrstz wrote:
Old Man Game wrote:Also, all of our "Alex abrines is going to have a breakout year" from summer are not aging well so far. Even when he's in the game the other players generally don't look for him. He has to literally be left wide open before anyone even notices.

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That isn’t alex’ fault. The fact that his defense hasnt improved is his fault though.

No, it isn't. But fact remains he won't be breaking out when he's getting like 1 shot a game.

Bergmaniac · Post #178 » by **Bergmaniac** » Sat Oct 28, 2017 3:37 pm

Knrstz wrote:Russ is leading the league in turnovers and shooting 61% on free throws. His defense last night wasn’t good at all.

And a lot of his turnovers are just weird ones where he's not under pressure at all and just mishandles the dribbles and sent a pass 3 meters away from the nearest Thunder player, he's been very careless with the ball, it almost seems like he's still in preseason mode.

Atomic Punk · Post #179 » by **Atomic Punk** » Sat Oct 28, 2017 4:27 pm

Bergmaniac wrote:
Knrstz wrote:Russ is leading the league in turnovers and shooting 61% on free throws. His defense last night wasn’t good at all.

And a lot of his turnovers are just weird ones where he's not under pressure at all and just mishandles the dribbles and sent a pass 3 meters away from the nearest Thunder player, he's been very careless with the ball, it almost seems like he's still in preseason mode.

It seems like half the damn league is in preseason mode. And its probably because they are. As I mentioned in another post, this shortened preseason/training camp seems to be having a negative impact, at least at the outset.

Post #180 » by **Dadouv47** » Sat Oct 28, 2017 4:39 pm

Atomic Punk wrote:
Bergmaniac wrote:
Knrstz wrote:Russ is leading the league in turnovers and shooting 61% on free throws. His defense last night wasn’t good at all.

And a lot of his turnovers are just weird ones where he's not under pressure at all and just mishandles the dribbles and sent a pass 3 meters away from the nearest Thunder player, he's been very careless with the ball, it almost seems like he's still in preseason mode.

It seems like half the damn league is in preseason mode. And its probably because they are. As I mentioned in another post, this shortened preseason/training camp seems to be having a negative impact, at least at the outset.

Not so sure about this. We lost against the rockets in April. We are in the end of October. There are no excuses for healthy players not be in shape. We had injuries issues during offseason so clearly that's an excuse for them, not for the others. Adams looks like he's in middle regular season form. I only agree with lack of chemistry being an issue by shortening training camp, but that was already in issue with many teams even with longer training camps. We need real games to see what is working and what is not.

Physically, I don't see half of the league in preseason mode. I only see teams having chemistry issues.