Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Sacramento Kings 03/02/10

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Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Sacramento Kings 03/02/10 

Post#1 » by slick_watts » Tue Mar 2, 2010 8:18 pm

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Russell Westbrook / Thabo Sefolosha / Kevin Durant / Jeff Green / Nenad Krstic

VS

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Tyreke Evans / Donte Green / Omri Casspi / Carl Landry / Spencer Hawes

Matchup

We haven't played these guys since November and both teams look significantly different. Our bench is completely overhauled, and Sacramento of course has a drastically different lineup with no Kevin Martin (and no Jason Thompson now either).

I can't figure out who is starting for SAC at SG so I just put Donte Green, who ESPN is assuming will get the start. But Ime Udoka started a game recently, and they still have Beno Udrih. And Francisco Garcia is healthy, too. So who knows what kind of lineup they'll use.

Thabo will likely get the assignment on Evans. Evans has not fared well against Thabo, shooting sub 40% in our two meetings. Evans is the exact type of player Thabo does well against.. bigger guard without elite explosiveness. While not an entirely favorable matchup, it's not so bad either.

Carl Landry always kills us but SAC doesn't really scare me on the boards with their front court, Hawes isn't a nightmare matchup for Krstic. Their bench has some good versatile defenders (Garcia, Udoka).

Some Numbers

With 24 games left and a murderer's row to end the year, we have to take these games at home.

A Question

In the last Sacramento game thread we were hoping Russ would get to 2:1 A:TO. He's now at 2.5:1 and rising. KD gets a lot of credit for our recent surge, how much do you think is actually Russ' doing?
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Re: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Sacramento Kings 03/02/10 

Post#2 » by Joel Embust » Wed Mar 3, 2010 12:17 am

Thunder win, 112-103
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Re: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Sacramento Kings 03/02/10 

Post#3 » by slick_watts » Wed Mar 3, 2010 12:23 am

Thunder win, 99-91.
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Re: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Sacramento Kings 03/02/10 

Post#4 » by dream_catcher_9 » Wed Mar 3, 2010 12:31 am

Thunder win, 96-92
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Re: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Sacramento Kings 03/02/10 

Post#5 » by Jimmy76 » Wed Mar 3, 2010 1:13 am

thunder win 102-83
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Re: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Sacramento Kings 03/02/10 

Post#6 » by theokie » Wed Mar 3, 2010 1:29 am

I love how the announcer just called Durant using the rip move before he did it
spearsy23 wrote: Kevin Durant could save a dozen orphans from a fire and realgm would point out that Lebron would have just put the fire out.
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Re: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Sacramento Kings 03/02/10 

Post#7 » by Jimmy76 » Wed Mar 3, 2010 1:32 am

lame streams no good today

im just gonna hafta stalk this on play by play
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Re: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Sacramento Kings 03/02/10 

Post#8 » by Jimmy76 » Wed Mar 3, 2010 1:45 am

harden needs to learn to be smarter about driving into traffic and really needs to develop that mid range game

if he comes back improved in those areas next year ill be more than happy with him
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Re: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Sacramento Kings 03/02/10 

Post#9 » by slick_watts » Wed Mar 3, 2010 2:20 am

Harden looked like a joke on both ends. Maynor has one good game out of 10.. Ibaka made some nice plays but really showed how green he is with some ticky tack mistakes.

We're lucky to be up in this game, Russ has saved us and we're slicing them up, too many turnovers. The Kings are shooting 50%+ that is unacceptable.

Very disappointed in our bench..
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Re: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Sacramento Kings 03/02/10 

Post#10 » by Jimmy76 » Wed Mar 3, 2010 2:24 am

slick_watts wrote:Harden looked like a joke on both ends. Maynor has one good game out of 10.. Ibaka made some nice plays but really showed how green he is with some ticky tack mistakes.

We're lucky to be up in this game, Russ has saved us and we're slicing them up, too many turnovers. The Kings are shooting 50%+ that is unacceptable.

Very disappointed in our bench..


we're a young team this is a year to relax and enjoy the ride
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Re: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Sacramento Kings 03/02/10 

Post#11 » by Joel Embust » Wed Mar 3, 2010 2:26 am

Harden has been terrible the past six games. We might get away with it against teams as the Kings, Wolves and Bosh-less Raptors, but we need a spark from the bench during the 3-game road trip to win at least two of them.

We have some tough opponents coming up this month and James is needed.
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Re: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Sacramento Kings 03/02/10 

Post#12 » by slick_watts » Wed Mar 3, 2010 2:27 am

Jimmy76 wrote:we're a young team this is a year to relax and enjoy the ride


I'm sure that's what Scott Brooks tells the guys in the lockerroom. :wink:

Just because we're young doesn't mean you don't strive to get better.. the ride is enjoyable, but the team can definitely get better.
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Re: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Sacramento Kings 03/02/10 

Post#13 » by slick_watts » Wed Mar 3, 2010 2:29 am

Harden isn't looking to pass at all on his dribble drives.. watch Evans play and he always has his head up, aware of where his teammates are. Harden's just going to barrell in and try to get contact and a foul. Might have worked in the Pac 10 but not in the big leauges.

He has to get his act together and realize that stuff doesn't fly..
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Re: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Sacramento Kings 03/02/10 

Post#14 » by Jimmy76 » Wed Mar 3, 2010 2:30 am

slick_watts wrote:
Jimmy76 wrote:we're a young team this is a year to relax and enjoy the ride


I'm sure that's what Scott Brooks tells the guys in the lockerroom. :wink:

Just because we're young doesn't mean you don't strive to get better.. the ride is enjoyable, but the team can definitely get better.

we're the fans not the coach

we can start stressing and having heart attacks next year

and I think we wait to judge Harden and Ibaka until next year rookies are rookies
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Re: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Sacramento Kings 03/02/10 

Post#15 » by slick_watts » Wed Mar 3, 2010 2:40 am

Jimmy76 wrote:we're the fans not the coach

we can start stressing and having heart attacks next year

and I think we wait to judge Harden and Ibaka until next year rookies are rookies


Look buddy.. you can follow the team however you'd like, and everyone else can have their own opinions too. Nobody's having heart attacks, I don't think you could argue the fact that Harden and the bench aren't playing very poorl right now.

Rookies are rookies? A player's rookie year speaks a lot about who the player is going to become. James Harden's had a very rough week or two, playing poorly on offense with some intermittent defense. It's a completely fair IMO to feel that Harden isn't playing well enough in this game, especially for a 3rd overall pick.
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Re: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Sacramento Kings 03/02/10 

Post#16 » by Jimmy76 » Wed Mar 3, 2010 2:45 am

slick_watts wrote:
Jimmy76 wrote:we're the fans not the coach

we can start stressing and having heart attacks next year

and I think we wait to judge Harden and Ibaka until next year rookies are rookies


Look buddy.. you can follow the team however you'd like, and everyone else can have their own opinions too. Nobody's having heart attacks, I don't think you could argue the fact that Harden and the bench aren't playing very poorl right now.

Rookies are rookies? A player's rookie year speaks a lot about who the player is going to become. James Harden's had a very rough week or two, playing poorly on offense with some intermittent defense. It's a completely fair IMO to feel that Harden isn't playing well enough in this game, especially for a 3rd overall pick.

not saying you cant have your own opinion

just think patience is probably the way to go right now
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Re: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Sacramento Kings 03/02/10 

Post#17 » by slick_watts » Wed Mar 3, 2010 2:55 am

I'm patient.. you saw the Garnett trade thread, right? :wink:

James Harden's development and the bench's general malaise in this game is worrisome, though, isn't it? This is about when a lot of rooks turn a corner a bit and start figuring the game out on this level. Harden's kind of gone backwards, except on defense (this is his first poor defensive game in awhile).
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Re: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Sacramento Kings 03/02/10 

Post#18 » by Jimmy76 » Wed Mar 3, 2010 3:00 am

slick_watts wrote:I'm patient.. you saw the Garnett trade thread, right? :wink:

James Harden's development and the bench's general malaise in this game is worrisome, though, isn't it? This is about when a lot of rooks turn a corner a bit and start figuring the game out on this level. Harden's kind of gone backwards, except on defense (this is his first poor defensive game in awhile).

yea Harden is starting to worry me a little as well

maybe its a rookie wall type thing, he isnt making those pretty passes inside like he was earlier in the season

I think his tendency to make bad drives is something that experience will weed out

the most important changes come during offseasons more than during the season though and Ill be seriously concerned if he comes back next year without any kind of improvement

and finally just hit a shot :lol:
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Re: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Sacramento Kings 03/02/10 

Post#19 » by Jimmy76 » Wed Mar 3, 2010 3:06 am

4th quarter scoring remains elusive
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Re: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Sacramento Kings 03/02/10 

Post#20 » by Yoshi2kx » Wed Mar 3, 2010 3:26 am

damn Westbrook w/ a huge rebound
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