Oklahoma City Thunder Regular Season 2015-2016 Part 2

[bondom34]

So we need to make a move. Waiters for Evan Turner pls. Turner on Iguodala and Morrow on Livingston

Boston wouldn't. And Turner isn't good anyway . They'd need a 2 way wing or better backup PG or both, and don't have the assets with no firsts tradeable (Waiters trade.....).

Turner is an upgrade over Waiters though. Any trade we do will most definitely be a three-team trade to make things work.

Any potential trade targets?

Realistic? Nah. McGary is the only guy on the roster who'd maybe be dealt, and he doesn't have a ton of value. Unless they trade Cam, which I'd be against. Unless Chicago wants DJ back and willing to give a wing.

[bondom34]

Actually forgot: PJ Tucker

[getrichordie]

Actually forgot: PJ Tucker

What would you offer for Tucker that PHX would be interested in?

[Cuban_Linx]

Yeah, we're probably never gonna see the ball movement other teams call ball movement, but KD and Russ passing up reckless drives and random 3s to find open guys is huge for us. That's pretty much the only way we're gonna get more people involved. Spurs-like ball movement is a pipe dream anyway with Robes and especially Serge's court vision.

[KD35Brah]

We get a Gobert-less Utah for the next 2 games.

1 @ home and 1 @ Utah, hopefully we come out 2-0.

[Pillendreher]

I don't know why everyone is so caught up on ball movement anyway.

The thing people are caught up on is not the amount of passes per se, but the amount of passes that lead to better shots. I don't care at all if they pass the pall 500x per game if that just leads to bad shots. But I do care about the extra pass to an open player instead of forcing the contested jumper. That has always been the problem with the Thunder's offense: It becomes too stagnant and everything relies upon Durant and Westbrook. Now I'm not saying getting them the ball is bad, but it's bad when the other teammates just stand around and watch them shoot.

Concerning Waiters: He needs to stop with those bad, bad shots. We have one of the best, if not the best offensive Center in the league and Waiters is taking way more shots than Kanter while being really inefficient. The only thing he's got going for him is his improved 3pt-shooting, but his 2pt-shooting has gotten worse. We need to get Kanter more shots to make up for his defensive lapses.

Kevin Durant's return watch:

Record: 6-2
ORtG: 107.7 (3rd); 107.6 overall (2nd)
DRtG: 96.5 (4th); 100.00 overall (10th)
NetRtG: 11.2 (3rd); 7.6 overall (3rd)

Was Durant's injury our "LeBron took some time off"? I think we're getting to the point of being able to contend. This feels like a Thunder team again - playing good defense that powers the offense.

[spearsy23]

I don't know why everyone is so caught up on ball movement anyway.

The thing people are caught up on is not the amount of passes per se, but the amount of passes that lead to better shots. I don't care at all if they pass the pall 500x per game if that just leads to bad shots. But I do care about the extra pass to an open player instead of forcing the contested jumper. That has always been the problem with the Thunder's offense: It becomes too stagnant and everything relies upon Durant and Westbrook. Now I'm not saying getting them the ball is bad, but it's bad when the other teammates just stand around and watch them shoot.

Concerning Waiters: He needs to stop with those bad, bad shots. We have one of the best, if not the best offensive Center in the league and Waiters is taking way more shots than Kanter while being really inefficient. The only thing he's got going for him is his improved 3pt-shooting, but his 2pt-shooting has gotten worse. We need to get Kanter more shots to make up for his defensive lapses.

Kevin Durant's return watch:

Record: 6-2
ORtG: 107.7 (3rd); 107.6 overall (2nd)
DRtG: 96.5 (4th); 100.00 overall (10th)
NetRtG: 11.2 (3rd); 7.6 overall (3rd)

Was Durant's injury our "LeBron took some time off"? I think we're getting to the point of being able to contend. This feels like a Thunder team again - playing good defense that powers the offense.

Everything still relies on Russ and KD. In fact, I'd say it relies on Russ more than ever before. The only difference is that, instead of putting them in positions to score, Donovan's offense is trying to force the defense to make a decision and have Russ/KD react to that decision. It isn't even leading to better offense than Brooks was, but it should make guys like Morrow, Serge and Steven somewhat viable offensive options by getting them more open looks. In my eyes it's increased responsibility on the stars, not decreased.

[Pillendreher]

I didn't say the offense doesn't still rely on Westbrook and KD, but I see a difference in execution. We need KD und Russ to make plays, but we are better as a team if they make the unselfish play and pass up bad shots insteand of taking them.
The main difference to me is that we become less predictable as a team. How do defenses react if they know "Russ is gonna shoot it, no matter what"? They focus on him and on him alone, which makes it much more difficult to score. There was a play last night where Russ normally goes up and shoots, no matter what. In this instance, he passed up the shot and got his teammate a good shot which went in.

You know we're always talking about playing smallball and having other productive offensive players. That only matters if those other players are part of the offense and not just useless decoys. This is what KD and Russ have to understand and appreciate.

[bondom34]

KD postgame (again note the second sentence):

“It’s a make or miss league. We did get the ball moving pretty well,” Durant said. “We got it on the second side and shifted their defense a little bit. We didn’t play total ISO ball, but I like when we play ISO ball because we’ve got two of the best ISO guys in the league in myself and Russell.

[bondom34]

Actually forgot: PJ Tucker

What would you offer for Tucker that PHX would be interested in?

Any combo of McGary/Waiters/Novak/DJ/seconds it would take. Don't know if its enough, and if DJ is going out they'd need a PG back, but I'd try.

Edit: Tried a thread on it, one guy was OK with Novak/Huestis/McGary for Tucker and a small contract.
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1416978#start_here

[NaturalThunder]

Where's the logic behind these next two games? Not because we're playing the same team two games in a row, because I know that's fairly common. But why did the schedule makers decide to put the first of these two games in Utah when we just played in OKC last night and the Jazz didn't play? Why not do the first game in OKC and Sunday's game in Utah?

Not that it really matters, it just seems like an odd scheduling quirk to me.

[Zagor]

Wtf is going on with Kanter? Basically Thunder doesn't have any use from him. Team don't call actions for him, he is just offensive rebound guy with very bad defense.
Could Presti trade him for something in return? With Mitch as "bait". I don't see how Kanter fits in this team.
It is clear intention of Donovan to get bench offense from guards and threes.

I would love if Presti could snap stretch four or something like that. Every our serious opponent is using small ball, and we can match them....but with one more guy, we could be the best small ball team.

[bondom34]

Kanter has a no trade clause, and I don't think anyone wants him on that contract. He can still be useful, but the team's playing well. He's no concern for me.

[KD35Brah]

Kanter needs to be used with Russ more, Donovan isn't putting them on the floor together enough.

He's barely on the floor with Durant and Russ at the same time. No plays are being ran for him either, except for last resort postups when Dion and DJ are bricking everything. He's been getting his points by rebounding, in the short amount of time he shares the floor with Russ he is getting to the FT line every time in PnRs.

Donovan can't be serious letting Augustin and Dion shoot more than the 12ppg 56% FG scorer off the bench.

[KD35Brah]

Credit to Billy and 3 pt defense: 7th lowest in opponent 3PA. Last 2 years Brooks gave up 3PA (3rd and 4th worst in the league). (via Reddit)

http://stats.nba.com/league/team/#!/opponent/?sort=OPP_FG3A&dir=-1&Season=2015-16&SeasonType=Regular%20Season

[bondom34]

Dion really really needs less minutes. I know I'm harping on it, but he does. As for the 3 point shooting, they're giving up fewer but at a higher percentage, so its kinda give and take. Brooks gave up more attempts but lower percentages.

[Pillendreher]

Kanter needs to be used with Russ more, Donovan isn't putting them on the floor together enough.

He's barely on the floor with Durant and Russ at the same time. No plays are being ran for him either, except for last resort postups when Dion and DJ are bricking everything. He's been getting his points by rebounding, in the short amount of time he shares the floor with Russ he is getting to the FT line every time in PnRs.

Donovan can't be serious letting Augustin and Dion shoot more than the 12ppg 56% FG scorer off the bench.

Dion really really needs less minutes. I know I'm harping on it, but he does. As for the 3 point shooting, they're giving up fewer but at a higher percentage, so its kinda give and take. Brooks gave up more attempts but lower percentages.

This. Two things have to change:

1) Dion has to cut it out. He has to stop with those stupid shots and be more of a facilitator and disher. The only thing Waiters has somewhat going for him offensively is his 3pt-shot. He's taking even more long 2s and hitting them at a ridiculously low percentage - 26 % (almost 40% last year). While I appreciate his ability to penetrate and get to the hoop, it's not worth anything without it leading to points.

2) Kanters needs more minutes with the starters. Westbrook-KD-Ibaka-Kanter is +35 in 66 minutes. For me Kanter should be the first guy to come off the bench and KD should start the 2nd quarter in order to elevate our bench play.
Something like this:

1. Kanter for Adams
2. Morrow for Roberson
3. Waiters for Durant
4. Collison for Ibaka
5. Augustin for Westbrook
6. Durant for Morrow or Waiters

We ensure that at least one of our best players is on the floor the whole time and we take some pressure of the bench both offensively and defensively.

[Soonerule]

Yeah, the overall ball movement isn't really up, just the assists.

and yet the new FoxSports Oklahoma new analyst, Antonio Daniels' rave about the "hockey assists" being up. You don't get hockey assists without ball movement and we are seeing more and more of it. The sun is shining, the Thunder have won impressively twice in a row and Kanter is even playing some defense. All is going as planned. KD said the team is playing "Beautiful Basketball" and it doesn't get much better than that.

[bondom34]

Yeah, the overall ball movement isn't really up, just the assists.

and yet the new FoxSports Oklahoma new analyst, Antonio Daniels' rave about the "hockey assists" being up. You don't get hockey assists without ball movement and we are seeing more and more of it. The sun is shining, the Thunder have won impressively twice in a row and Kanter is even playing some defense. All is going as planned. KD said the team is playing "Beautiful Basketball" and it doesn't get much better than that.

The offense is still about the same O rating as 2 years ago overall, so the results thus far have been basically the same, with a roster sporting 2 guys in Morrow and Kanter who are offensively better than guys on the roster that year.

And they're only averaging 4.5 "hockey assists" per game. Only 7 teams have fewer.

[Soonerule]

Dion really really needs less minutes. I know I'm harping on it, but he does. As for the 3 point shooting, they're giving up fewer but at a higher percentage, so its kinda give and take. Brooks gave up more attempts but lower percentages.

Actually, Dion needs to take some of the rainbow out of that jump shot to get his shooting percentage up and make better decisions on defense. Plus, If I am trading some minutes it is some of DJ's minutes to Payne. Get Payne more involved and Kanter's scoring will increase. DJ dribbles too much and Waiter's hasn't got the hang of the PnR.