Oklahoma City Thunder @ Portland Trailblazers 04/12/10

[slick_watts]

Russ and Maynor can learn a lot from each other I think.. Maynor is sometimes too docile for his own good and Russ is sometimes too dynamic.

[slick_watts]

Why are we playing so much one on one offense? Russ and Green have been horrible.

[slick_watts]

I don't know if they're just tired or it's focus but it's obvious this team has not been the same lately. Our offense has basically been 'pass the ball on the perimeter and go one on one' since the first unit came back in. Defensively, the Blazers are more or less getting what they want. It's amazing we're only down one point.

[slick_watts]

I guess bring on the Lakers. What a disappointing effort. Great offensive game plan, spend 15 seconds trying to get Durant the ball then settle for a Westbrook three.

Russ has zero assists.

Horrible execution. Nobody knows what to do in crunch time. The only way we win games like this is to get lucky from long range and Durant catch fire.

[dream_catcher_9]

I agree with everything you said. I think focus and effort are part of it but mostly its just other teams getting better on offense, and exposing us defensively. Russell Westbrook is a bad defender, and Thabo has been playing bad D as well lately. Factor that in along with no center and we will struggle defensively.

Also I think Maynor should have got more minutes. When he was in we had better flow on offense.

man this is a frustrating loss. Lakers in 5

[slick_watts]

I don't think it's the fact that Maynor was better, I think our offense completely changed gears for the worst when Durant came back in. We played like Durant was LeBron, with all the great shooters surrounding him. Durant isn't LeBron, and our team is going to have to show they can score effectively without going through Durant. Russ wastes 12-15 seconds trying to get Durant the ball and then what? He gets a bad look or someone else has to take a rushed shot. We ran nice PnR's with Maynor in to start sets, had second options if that was covered. With Durant in to end games we just waste time and pin ourselves into a corner offensively. This has gone on all season, and the only times we win with this strategy is when we get lucky and Durant hits some impossible shots.

On defense, Serge Ibaka proved why he is not a center, and why we need a real center. Ibaka was just out of position constantly, not boxing out anyone, etc. Collison was overmatched. We missed Krstic in this game. He's not explosive or a great rebounder, but he's very rarely out of position and he has more size than Collison. There were three plays in a row Camby just beat Serge because Serge was over helping, or he was just out of position to box out.

Also our transition defense is just getting wrecked. We're walking down the court lazily on missed shots. Andre Miller had a transition hoop in the fourth quarter where all five Thunder players were just walking along with him in slow motion, let him finish, and also fouled him. The two easy layups the Blazers had at the end of the fourth sealed the game and epitomized our shocking lack of hustle and communication defensively.

These are things that must be worked on in the offseason. We desperately need a second option next to Kevin Durant and an offensive game plan to utilize it. We need a real center to man the middle and Jeff Green has to be benched to play with that second unit where he seems to do a whole lot better.

Hopefully this will be a learning experience against the Lakers. We have no shot at winning this series, especially in light of how we've played recently.

[Moonbeam]

Good game, guys, and good luck in the first round. You have a wonderful young team with capspace, and have become the darlings of the NBA for good reason. I think the OKC/Portland rivalry is starting to blossom, and it should be quite the matchup to behold over the years to come.

[monopoman]

Well I see a lot of what Portland was last year in OKC.

Durant being the key scorer all the time hurts when another team takes him out of his game.

Portland has done a lot to try to put other options around Roy so that he doesn't have to be the hero every single game.

You got some nice guys around Durant but I think your team could use some veteran presence.

[DaVoiceMaster]

Hey Slick... don't get too down on yourself. OKC has a terrific future. It may not be this year and I highly doubt it is, just for the same reasons as Portland last year. Ya gotta make the playoffs before you start to grow and OKC has now done that. Congratulations!!! Heckuva turn around. I would never have guessed OKC would win 50 games this year after last season so you guys had an incredible turnaround. Now, take that money y'all have available and go fill out your roster. You guys definitely need to add some big guys and grow your bench a bit more. It's never a quick fix (unless you go the Boston route, in which your window is 3-4 years), but OKC is building the right way (the same way Portland did) for a long and successful championship window. Depending on what OKC is able to do this summer, you guys are probably looking to challenge for the title within the next 2-3 years. Like Portland, ya gotta go through your growing pains, figure out the playoffs and how they are played, etc. Durant probably moves your timeline up just a bit because he's gonna be a good one, the ref's are gonna give him the superstar calls and that rubs off on his teammates.

Don't hang your head people... life em up and sing to the Gods. Go give the Lakers some hell. They're hurting right now and could actually be ripe for the pickin. If Bynum doesn't make it back for a bit and Kobe continues to play like an old man, you really only need to contend with Gasol and Odom. Unfortunately, that's not your teams strong suit, but they also gotta contend with Durant so anything is possible. Have some fun and enjoy it.

DVM

[Clangus]

Hey Slick... don't get too down on yourself. OKC has a terrific future. It may not be this year and I highly doubt it is, just for the same reasons as Portland last year. Ya gotta make the playoffs before you start to grow and OKC has now done that. Congratulations!!! Heckuva turn around. I would never have guessed OKC would win 50 games this year after last season so you guys had an incredible turnaround. Now, take that money y'all have available and go fill out your roster. You guys definitely need to add some big guys and grow your bench a bit more. It's never a quick fix (unless you go the Boston route, in which your window is 3-4 years), but OKC is building the right way (the same way Portland did) for a long and successful championship window. Depending on what OKC is able to do this summer, you guys are probably looking to challenge for the title within the next 2-3 years. Like Portland, ya gotta go through your growing pains, figure out the playoffs and how they are played, etc. Durant probably moves your timeline up just a bit because he's gonna be a good one, the ref's are gonna give him the superstar calls and that rubs off on his teammates.

Don't hang your head people... life em up and sing to the Gods. Go give the Lakers some hell. They're hurting right now and could actually be ripe for the pickin. If Bynum doesn't make it back for a bit and Kobe continues to play like an old man, you really only need to contend with Gasol and Odom. Unfortunately, that's not your teams strong suit, but they also gotta contend with Durant so anything is possible. Have some fun and enjoy it.

DVM

Great post,
thanks and stay classy.