2017-2018 OKC Thunder Regular Season Thread Part Deux: Follow the Melo Brick Road

[hardenASG13]

can clearly see there are only 2 teams okc should be worried about, one if which is without their mvp and the other led by 2 choke artists, 1 who usually is hurt during the playoffs. I don't think okc wins the title, but do think they could. I'm happy with that

Are you blind or unable to count past two? Houston, GS, SA, Minny, Denver, Portland and Utah would all beat OKC in 5 games or less.

Let's not get into a 'Who can claim we're trash' contest. It's not like every west team has been setting the world on fire.

Exactly, only houston looks great at the moment.

[Pillendreher]

Read on Twitter

?s=19

What could have been...

[Pillendreher]

Read on Twitter

He knew something had to change, and he knew it needed to be him.

After falling to the New York Knicks on Dec. 16 in his return to Madison Square Garden, Anthony addressed the team, talking roles and acceptance following a 15-point loss to his former team. He wanted to assure them, namely the Thunder's two other stars, that he was OK with this.

From the moment the trade was made, the Thunder envisioned Anthony as a stretch option to complement Westbrook and Paul George, but with egos and pride at play, that determination needed to come organically, and from within.

A few questions into his media day availability, fresh off a physical hours earlier that had him officially joining the Thunder, Anthony was casually asked about how he'd feel about coming off the bench.

"Who, me?" Anthony said with a chuckle and the perfect amount of sarcasm while George was walking by the room.

"Hey P," Anthony said. "They say I gotta come off the bench!"

Earlier in the season, the three stars implored each other on "you be you," the idea that everybody was cool, the chemistry was great and no one was going to be stepping on toes.

None of it worked. Westbrook was noticeably uncomfortable, George couldn't find a rhythm and Anthony's jab-stepping isos were the record scratches on a star-studded offense.

Before Anthony's change, the Thunder were 25th leaguewide in offensive efficiency. Since then, they're sixth. It's what unlocked the Thunder from their awkward, "your turn, his turn, my turn" stalemate.

As tensions eased, the offense flowed, with Westbrook re-establishing himself as the driving force, George playing off him, Steven Adams emerging and Anthony accepting what was left over.

[Osirus89]

Best case scenario at this point:
We miss the postseason and keep pick.
George and Melo leave.
Thunder FO finds some way of acquiring Mikal Bridges.
Andre is able to come back to form.
Keep Jerami Grant.
Flip some expirings to help out the bench.
Profit.

[InTheSabonus]

If we go 3-0 we're in the playoffs for sure.

If we go 2-1, and Denver goes 4-0, we don't make them.

If we go 1-2 and Denver goes 3-1, we don't make them.

If we go 0-3 and Denver goes 2-2, we don't make them.

We see Houston, Miami and Memphis. Denver plays Minnesota twice, Portland and the Clippers.

Are we gonna make it?

[ThunderBolt]

If we go 3-0 we're in the playoffs for sure.

If we go 2-1, and Denver goes 4-0, we don't make them.

If we go 1-2 and Denver goes 3-1, we don't make them.

If we go 0-3 and Denver goes 2-2, we don't make them.

We see Houston, Miami and Memphis. Denver plays Minnesota twice, Portland and the Clippers.

Are we gonna make it?

Probably because this isn’t the kind of season that will give us a silver lining.

[bondom34]

If they win out they also giveMIN 2 losses. Though I dont care too much

[slick_watts]

the thunder signing corey brewer, one of the worst volume three point shooters in nba history, i thought that was hilarious. he was shooting sub-20% when he got here. brewer has since recorded a career high in three point attempt rate since arriving; even higher than his houston days.

once in awhile the universe provides breathtaking, crystalline moments of synchronicity. this is one of those.

[Kizz Fastfists]

If we go 3-0 we're in the playoffs for sure.

If we go 2-1, and Denver goes 4-0, we don't make them.

If we go 1-2 and Denver goes 3-1, we don't make them.

If we go 0-3 and Denver goes 2-2, we don't make them.

We see Houston, Miami and Memphis. Denver plays Minnesota twice, Portland and the Clippers.

Are we gonna make it?

You are ignoring the NOLA variable. NOLA has GS, Houston and SA left and could lose 3 games which means OKC could go 1-2 and still make it. I believe because of the Denver/Minny games and NOLA's schedule that OKC will make it as long as they beat Memphis. If OKC beats Houston or Miami, along with Memphis, they are easily in. OKC still has a chance to get into the playoffs losing out due to remaining games.

[Dadouv47]

If we go 3-0 we're in the playoffs for sure.

If we go 2-1, and Denver goes 4-0, we don't make them.

If we go 1-2 and Denver goes 3-1, we don't make them.

If we go 0-3 and Denver goes 2-2, we don't make them.

We see Houston, Miami and Memphis. Denver plays Minnesota twice, Portland and the Clippers.

Are we gonna make it?

You are ignoring the NOLA variable. NOLA has GS, Houston and SA left and could lose 3 games which means OKC could go 1-2 and still make it. I believe because of the Denver/Minny games and NOLA's schedule that OKC will make it as long as they beat Memphis. If OKC beats Houston or Miami, along with Memphis, they are easily in. OKC still has a chance to get into the playoffs losing out due to remaining games.

Only spurs and Gs. Spurs on their last game (and spurs may be resting their players depending on previous results if they are a lock for 4th or 5th). They will win easily against Memphis, Suns (and Clippers are giving up their playoff chances). At best (for us) they will go 3-2 in my opinion.

I think it's between us/Wolves and Denver. Tie breaker could be key

[Pillendreher]

This is another one of those Donovan classics:

There are 5 total lineups without Westbrook on the floor with at least 100 possessions played. That's 3x George+bench and the bench mob with either Abrines or Ferguson. Each of the George+bench lineups has a -20 something NetRtG. The only lineup with a positive NetRtG is

Felton-Abrines-Huestis-Grant-Patterson

at +3.8 NetRtG. That's magnificent given how bad our bench has been these last couple of years.

Since the Brewer signing, that lineup has played a total of 12 minutes. Instead, Donovan has played George+bench (-18 NetRtG in 107 minutes) and a ton of Ferguson with the bench.

Since the Brewer signing, the team has been outscored by 11 points per 100 possessions in those 173 minutes without Westbrook on the floor.

This guy is just so in over his head, it's unreal. He prefers doing things that don't and have never worked (the George+bench lineups have been beyond horrible all season long; just as a comparison: Russ OFF, Durant ON in 15/16: +8 NetRtG in close to 1000 possessions; Russ OFF, Kanter ON in 16/17: -8 NetRtG in close to 1500 possessions; Russ OFF, George ON: -13 NetRtG in over 1000 possessions) and ignores things that have worked because whatever the hell is going on inside that head of his.

[ThunderBolt]

The local sports talk radio is unreal. They are talking about a sign and trade of George for “kyrie Leonard”.

[Kizz Fastfists]

The local sports talk radio is unreal. They are talking about a sign and trade of George for “kyrie Leonard”.

I stopped listening to that crap years ago. They lack even a basic understand of sports and when it comes to matters of salary cap, CBA, etc they are down right ignorant. The sad part is most of their audience is just as uninformed and uneducated as they are.

[ThunderBolt]

The local sports talk radio is unreal. They are talking about a sign and trade of George for “kyrie Leonard”.

I stopped listening to that crap years ago. They lack even a basic understand of sports and when it comes to matters of salary cap, CBA, etc they are down right ignorant. The sad part is most of their audience is just as uninformed and uneducated as they are.

Part of it is there aren’t many options for thunder talk radio. I like to tune in when Royce is coming on but some of the other stuff in between is painful.

[Kinglee]

OKC better find a way to grab 6th so they can play Portland. Idc what the season results were, Blazers aren't beating OKC in a series.

[ThunderBolt]

OKC better find a way to grab 6th so they can play Portland. Idc what the season results were, Blazers aren't beating OKC in a series.

I think that’s the mentality the team has going in to each game.

[bondom34]

You know its bad when BBB sticks up for Russ.

Read on Twitter

[Pillendreher]

You know its bad when BBB sticks up for Russ.

Read on Twitter

The Paul George bench lineups should have stopped a long, long time ago.

Russ OFF, Adams OFF, George ON has a -18.4 NetRtG in close to 400 minutes per stats.nba.com. If you just look at Felton-George-Grant-Patterson (without both Russ and Adams on the floor), you get -20.1 NetRtG in 300 minutes.

There isn't a single 4-man-lineup with at least 300 minutes that has been that terrible:



They are literally the worst 4-man-lineup in the league. And they are still thrown out there, game after game after game.

This is not that difficult. Unless of course, if you ignore what has worked and what has not.



The Donovan Way.

[hardenASG13]

can clearly see there are only 2 teams okc should be worried about, one if which is without their mvp and the other led by 2 choke artists, 1 who usually is hurt during the playoffs. I don't think okc wins the title, but do think they could. I'm happy with that

Are you blind or unable to count past two? Houston, GS, SA, Minny, Denver, Portland and Utah would all beat OKC in 5 games or less.

Yeah those spurs, who just blew a 19 point lead to LAC, then lost to LAL to finish the LA trip are so good. Portland too, it's not like they've cooled off. Do you follow the rest of the league, at all. Teams lose games that aren't houston and golden State.

[hardenASG13]

You know its bad when BBB sticks up for Russ.

Read on Twitter

The Paul George bench lineups should have stopped a long, long time ago.

Russ OFF, Adams OFF, George ON has a -18.4 NetRtG in close to 400 minutes per stats.nba.com. If you just look at Felton-George-Grant-Patterson (without both Russ and Adams on the floor), you get -20.1 NetRtG in 300 minutes.

There isn't a single 4-man-lineup with at least 300 minutes that has been that terrible:



They are literally the worst 4-man-lineup in the league. And they are still thrown out there, game after game after game.

This is not that difficult. Unless of course, if you ignore what has worked and what has not.



The Donovan Way.

Ok.....that lineup has been terrible, and cost OKC countless games, agree? You must with how much you bash it and how much the stats indicate that is the case.

Here's some honest questions. As a prelude, I hate Donovan, and think very, very, little of him as a coach. Even hate the way he looks. Do you/everyone really think, in the playoffs, that he's going to sit 4 starters at once? He can't be that dumb, can he? In the first round especially, with 2-3 days rest and the obvious importance, won't he play Russ about 42mpg? Won't that help solve this glaringly obvious issue? Won't adams minutes go up, and won't bench players who are playing well in a game (whether it's patterson, grant, Felton, or abrines.....that should be the whole bench) get more minutes, like how it always goes within a playoff series/matchup?

You could counter that other teams stars will play more too, but other teams benches aren't as painfully bad. This is the regular season. The playoffs are a completely different game. Rotations shorten, stars shine, there is tons of rest, minimal travel, and the same opponent/matchups to counter every night.What do you think?