Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Los Angeles Lakers 03/26/10

[slick_watts]

Yuck. Eric Maynor is best described as average. Can't even get going against the scrubs.

[Jimmy76]

Yuck. Eric Maynor is best described as average. Can't even get going against the scrubs.

shhh dont tell anyone

[slick_watts]

Oh well, great win nonetheless despite our bench getting destroyed in the fourth quarter.

[BIG EDDIE]

How nice is it to beat LA by 16, even after totally relaxing in the 4th Q and loosing it by 17
Haha 80-47 after 3 Qs, best 3 Qs of the season for the Thunder. Real playoff athmosphere in the Ford Center.
Would be really nice not hving to face the Lakers or the Nuggets in the 1st round.
Best would be 4th place and play the Jazz, but Im not sure thats gonna happen.
Ok, 5thplace would also probably do it, just need to somwhoe surpass those nifty Suns.

[laka4life]

kobe:
11 points on 11 shots and 9 turnovers in 30 minutes

thats thabo for you

For real, good game and impressive showing against us. But I really hope you don't believe ^

[slick_watts]

kobe:
11 points on 11 shots and 9 turnovers in 30 minutes

thats thabo for you

For real, good game and impressive showing against us. But I really hope you don't believe ^

That Thabo is a good defender and tends to hold opposing players below their accustomed production levels?

[LakerZombie]

We. Got. Worked.

Well done. Effin a your teams gonna be fun to watch in the playoffs!

[laka4life]

kobe:
11 points on 11 shots and 9 turnovers in 30 minutes

thats thabo for you

For real, good game and impressive showing against us. But I really hope you don't believe ^

That Thabo is a good defender and tends to hold opposing players below their accustomed production levels?

I think you're overvaluing him a bit if you think he's going to hold Kobe to 11 points 9 TO's consistently. My point being I wouldn't get too excited about this. Deep down, biases aside, I think we both know what would happen when this game actually means something to the Lakers. Thabo ain't any different from any defender that has supposedly "shut down Kobe" or been the "Kobe stopper". Bunch of hype after one performance, embarassment to follow. That's all I'm saying. Congrats on one nice performance, no sarchasm there. You guys truly came to play. But Thabo is the last of Kobe's worries right now. Trust me

[laka4life]

:oops:

We. Got. Worked.

Well done. Effin a your teams gonna be fun to watch in the playoffs!

Worked is an understatement. We looked like 3rd grade girls with 2x4's up our asses all night, coupled with the fact it was a playoff type game for OKC. Recipe for Blowout.

[slick_watts]

I think you're overvaluing him a bit if you think he's going to hold Kobe to 11 points 9 TO's consistently. My point being I wouldn't get too excited about this. Deep down, biases aside, I think we both know what would happen when this game actually means something to the Lakers. Thabo ain't any different from any defender that has supposedly "shut down Kobe" or been the "Kobe stopper". Bunch of hype after one performance, embarassment to follow. That's all I'm saying. Congrats on one nice performance, no sarchasm there. You guys truly came to play. But Thabo is the last of Kobe's worries right now. Trust me

I'm not sure what you're trying to say. That Los Angeles is a better team than OKC..?

Thabo played great defense on Kobe and made him work, as he tends to do against most players he matches up against. He's a great defender. Nobody is suggesting Kobe is going to put up 11 points the next time these teams meet. But we're still psyched that our best perimeter defender was able to hound Kobe into one of his worst games of the season. And we clobbered the Lakers in a game that meant a whole lot to the Thunder in terms of playoff seeding, and confidence building; every game is important.

It's nice for you that the Lakers are in a position where they can lose games on purpose and not care about their outcome. Whatever happens in the future between the two teams, I just hope the Thunder never cop that attitude..

[laka4life]

As I agree. It's a **** attitude we have some times, but it happens with most modern day great teams. It's a generational thing I think. In the past, those Bulls, Celtics, Lakers teams of the 80's 90's came to play every night, but now a days it's a night to night thing with some of these teams. It's a legitimate thing to worry about. Just wait for the big money contracts and success. That's when you'll find out what you really have. It's why I'll always say basketball isn't nearly as enjoyable as it used to be.

And no, not trying to get at LAL>OKC because that's not worth arguing. The "That's Thabo for you" part is what i'm getting at. Kobe's performance tonight was just as much about him as it was Thabo. My point being this: yes, thabo is a good young defender, but no different than many in the league. Kobe wasn't Kobe last night. That's my point. Is Thabo gonna let him go off for 40 a night? Most likely not, unless KB gets KB type hot. But my argument is that last night's performance was just as much about Kobe and the Lakers' overall "we could care less about this game" attitude as it was about Thabo's D. That's NO knock on Thabo, just being real about it.

[slick_watts]

As I agree. It's a **** attitude we have some times, but it happens with most modern day great teams. It's a generational thing I think. In the past, those Bulls, Celtics, Lakers teams of the 80's 90's came to play every night, but now a days it's a night to night thing with some of these teams. It's a legitimate thing to worry about. Just wait for the big money contracts and success. That's when you'll find out what you really have. It's why I'll always say basketball isn't nearly as enjoyable as it used to be.

It's true. And I seriously hope it's not something that happens with OKC if we become successful. The personalities on this team seem different to me, though. Maybe I'm being naive, but I can't see Kevin Durant mailing in a game late in the season.

And no, not trying to get at LAL>OKC because that's not worth arguing. The "That's Thabo for you" part is what i'm getting at. Kobe's performance tonight was just as much about him as it was Thabo. My point being this: yes, thabo is a good young defender, but no different than many in the league. Kobe wasn't Kobe last night. That's my point. Is Thabo gonna let him go off for 40 a night? Most likely not, unless KB gets KB type hot. But my argument is that last night's performance was just as much about Kobe and the Lakers' overall "we could care less about this game" attitude as it was about Thabo's D. That's NO knock on Thabo, just being real about it.

You're entitled to your opinion, and really, if I were a Laker fan I'd probably want to feel the same way. But I'm not, and watching Kobe play hot potato in the third quarter was very entertaining. Maybe he comes out next time and torches us, he is Kobe after all. For now, we'll take our victories and be glad that we have a defender capable of at least making Kobe work, and at best goading him into his worst game of the season. I'm not going to argue with you about how much it had to do with Thabo and how much had to do with Kobe's ambivalence (pointless, no way to prove either); I'll just leave you to your position, and hopefully you'll leave us to ours.

[dream_catcher_9]

One thing I have noticed about KD is when he faces a tough physical defender it throws his game off completely. Basically all perimeter jumpers and not much else to help impact the game. For example the last 2 games Spurs and Rockets KD was super aggressive and looked like a superstar, but last night he looked pretty average IMO(for him anyways).

I think once he gets stronger that wont happen as much, but i hope its not something in his head.

[laka4life]

As I agree. It's a **** attitude we have some times, but it happens with most modern day great teams. It's a generational thing I think. In the past, those Bulls, Celtics, Lakers teams of the 80's 90's came to play every night, but now a days it's a night to night thing with some of these teams. It's a legitimate thing to worry about. Just wait for the big money contracts and success. That's when you'll find out what you really have. It's why I'll always say basketball isn't nearly as enjoyable as it used to be.

It's true. And I seriously hope it's not something that happens with OKC if we become successful. The personalities on this team seem different to me, though. Maybe I'm being naive, but I can't see Kevin Durant mailing in a game late in the season.

And no, not trying to get at LAL>OKC because that's not worth arguing. The "That's Thabo for you" part is what i'm getting at. Kobe's performance tonight was just as much about him as it was Thabo. My point being this: yes, thabo is a good young defender, but no different than many in the league. Kobe wasn't Kobe last night. That's my point. Is Thabo gonna let him go off for 40 a night? Most likely not, unless KB gets KB type hot. But my argument is that last night's performance was just as much about Kobe and the Lakers' overall "we could care less about this game" attitude as it was about Thabo's D. That's NO knock on Thabo, just being real about it.

You're entitled to your opinion, and really, if I were a Laker fan I'd probably want to feel the same way. But I'm not, and watching Kobe play hot potato in the third quarter was very entertaining. Maybe he comes out next time and torches us, he is Kobe after all. For now, we'll take our victories and be glad that we have a defender capable of at least making Kobe work, and at best goading him into his worst game of the season. I'm not going to argue with you about how much it had to do with Thabo and how much had to do with Kobe's ambivalence (pointless, no way to prove either); I'll just leave you to your position, and hopefully you'll leave us to ours.

I see your point on your personalities, but there comes a time that once you've played so many games, games start to lose a little relevance and you develop the "it's March, we'll be ready when it matters attitude". You have SOO many young, talented, not even near their prime players that they just love these 82 game regular seasons because they have young legs, fresh attitudes, and it's fun to watch. But they will age eventually too, and their legs won't be there night in night out. I'd say enjoy it now, because it inevitably happens to even the great ones.

Oh you absolutely have a defender that can make Kobe work, no debate there. And true, no way to prove it either way except come playoff time.

[slick_watts]

One thing I have noticed about KD is when he faces a tough physical defender it throws his game off completely. Basically all perimeter jumpers and not much else to help impact the game. For example the last 2 games Spurs and Rockets KD was super aggressive and looked like a superstar, but last night he looked pretty average IMO(for him anyways).

I think once he gets stronger that wont happen as much, but i hope its not something in his head.

Yes, it's most notable against Artest and Shawn Marion. Luc Ricard Mbah a Moute is another one. I thought Nic Batum did a decent job most of the game on him last time too.

KD's bread and butter is at the rim, and the foul line..

[TS2MC13]

Great win. We just killed them.

[wiff]

Actually I think Thabo kind of has Kobe's number. I believe when he was in Chicago he got Kobe to foul out in a critical moment by taking a charge.

And sure Kobe will have his nights. But typical Thabo gives Kobe fits.