Do people agree with ESPN analysis of the thunder?

[Heat fan06]

On how no matter what they will be the west favourites next season with a healthly Westbrook? And how they would of made the finals again if not for his injury?

http://espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/2013/st ... early-exit

[and1GS]

I think they would have lost to the Spurs, who have a very well built team of interchangeable 3pt/defense specialists. They gambled on the Harden change and really lost. Westbrook wouldn't make Perkins suck any less.

[Scottg247]

I understand why OKC management made a trade because they knew they didn't have the money to keep Harden, Ibaka, Durant and Westbrook. I think they still had a solid team this year but not as good as least year if you look at them in a playoff setting. Kevin Martin isn't a hard nosed tough player who leaves it all out on the court like Harden is. I would have liked to see OKC keep Harden and take the gamble moving Ibaka or possibly even Westbrook. I think Ibaka would be the first one I would have liked to see go. ITs an extremely tough call though. All of them have great talent and are young. But Harden was special above and beyond Ibaka. Maybe OKC knew something we don't. But losing him made them much more vulnerable.

If Ibaka gets injured instead of Westbrook I think they could have still possibly advanced. Durant had waaay to much to carry. Especially with Kevin Martin not stepping up!

[Gideon]

I don't agree with ESPN. I think OKC was probably not getting past Memphis this year even with Westbrook. The post-Gay Grizzlies are just a really solid, tough team throughout their entire rotaton, and they have both Conley and Marc Gasol really emerging as elite players. OKC lost a lot by giving up Harden, and starting Perkins at C is tough against a frontcourt on the level of Zeebo/Gasol.

[jamesnamida]

I don't think having harden would have helped much,
He'd get stuffed at the rim, and would only get some calls. He wouldn't be getting his superstar calls if he stayed in okc, the league really tried to sell him this year.
Else he would be bricking at the 3, .364 or something.... or passing the ball to the grizz.
Jackson has way better handles even if he's a dummy getting offensive fouls all the time. Dead all turnovers better than live ball.
Bad match up, though I'm sure he would have one good game.
The thunder needs a better center above all else. Westbrook is fine with Martin off the bench or lamb or a Danny green/ Lenard type.
They shouldve gone after McGee or sanders or blatche

[Gideon]

I don't think having harden would have helped much,
He'd get stuffed at the rim, and would only get some calls. He wouldn't be getting his superstar calls if he stayed in okc, the league really tried to sell him this year.
Else he would be bricking at the 3, .364 or something.... or passing the ball to the grizz.
Jackson has way better handles even if he's a dummy getting offensive fouls all the time. Dead all turnovers better than live ball.
Bad match up, though I'm sure he would have one good game.
The thunder needs a better center above all else. Westbrook is fine with Martin off the bench or lamb or a Danny green/ Lenard type.
They shouldve gone after McGee or sanders or blatche

I disagree with you about Harden not making a difference. I think he's an elite player... 26-5-6-2 on .600 TS% is pretty awesome no matter how you slice it. Last season on OKC, he obviously produced less in raw stats, but he was exceptionally efficient with a .660 TS%. Also, shooting .368 (Harden's 3P% this season) is the equivalent of shooting .552 on two-pointers, so it's plenty good enough to be effective.

I do completely agree that it was a bad match up and that OKC needs a good starting center more than anything else. I think their optimal strategy this offseason would have been to have kept Harden, traded Westbrook for a really good big-man (plus another asset or two) and rolled with a line-up of Reggie/Harden/Durant/Ibaka/Big acquired in Westbrook trade... however, that ship has sailed and despite trading Harden, they still really need that big man.

[MilesTeg]

I had them lose in the second round before the playoffs started, so I don't agree. I think they got incredibly hot in the WCF last year, but are a bit overrated in general. They lack discipline, especially on defense, and rely on contested jumpers to succeed. Worse, they lost Harden for a guy who turned out to just not be a great player.

I think a coaching change might be in order if they want to be contenders.

[Joao Saraiva]

OKC had Ibaka, KD, Westbrook and Harden. 3 guys of the top 15/20 of the league, and a DPOY. And people said things about Miami being a superteam...

Anyway, they had a really tough series against San Antonio. Down 2-0, every game close...

They lose Harden. I had already bet they would lose vs San Antonio. Of course with Wesbrook they might have a chance to go to the finals, but they're weaker than last year.

People talking that Harden wouldn't make a difference, well he got FTs when he was in OKC. Maybe he could have gotten Gasol or Randolph in foul trouble. He also was the playmaker at the end of games for OKC, since Westbrook is really explosive and still has trouble when it comes to controlling the pace of games.

[msg4k90]

nope. we wont kno who will come out of the wcf finals. the okc aren't the number 1 favorites anymore. the west has gotten tougher, rockets, gsw, and be on the lookout for portland..

okc would've still had trouble with memphis regardless if westbrook was still healthy. mike conley is a top 5 pg defender and last time i checked he was a top 10 perimeter defender.

[nyc6]

OKC had Ibaka, KD, Westbrook and Harden. 3 guys of the top 15/20 of the league, and a DPOY. And people said things about Miami being a superteam...

Anyway, they had a really tough series against San Antonio. Down 2-0, every game close...

They lose Harden. I had already bet they would lose vs San Antonio. Of course with Wesbrook they might have a chance to go to the finals, but they're weaker than last year.

People talking that Harden wouldn't make a difference, well he got FTs when he was in OKC. Maybe he could have gotten Gasol or Randolph in foul trouble. He also was the playmaker at the end of games for OKC, since Westbrook is really explosive and still has trouble when it comes to controlling the pace of games.

People need to stop confusing "superteam" with "forming a superteam."

[justin12140]

I expect them to seed as part of the top 3 in the west, but in no way are they locked for a finals appearance. I expect Houston and Golden State to be better teams next year so I'll just see how it pans out

[dho4ever]

OKC had Ibaka, KD, Westbrook and Harden. 3 guys of the top 15/20 of the league, and a DPOY. And people said things about Miami being a superteam...

Anyway, they had a really tough series against San Antonio. Down 2-0, every game close...

They lose Harden. I had already bet they would lose vs San Antonio. Of course with Wesbrook they might have a chance to go to the finals, but they're weaker than last year.

People talking that Harden wouldn't make a difference, well he got FTs when he was in OKC. Maybe he could have gotten Gasol or Randolph in foul trouble. He also was the playmaker at the end of games for OKC, since Westbrook is really explosive and still has trouble when it comes to controlling the pace of games.

People need to stop confusing "superteam" with "forming a superteam."

Ibaka is not a DPOY nor is he even close to deserving of one...

[Heat fan06]

I expect them to seed as part of the top 3 in the west, but in no way are they locked for a finals appearance. I expect Houston and Golden State to be better teams next year so I'll just see how it pans out

True and guess it depends who Houston adds with that max money.

[NYK_89]

They obviously are the heavy favorites out West, look at how close this series was had they had Westbrook they would have walked over them. They can't beat the heat but IMO they would beat the pulp out of any other team in the NBA in a series.

I see people saying Golden State and Houston, but lets be real they are just looking to elevate into that top 3-4 status with a huge signing or progression. In reality the Thunder are a better team then they can just become.

[Blast Tyrant]

They obviously are the heavy favorites out West, look at how close this series was had they had Westbrook they would have walked over them. They can't beat the heat but IMO they would beat the pulp out of any other team in the NBA in a series.

I see people saying Golden State and Houston, but lets be real they are just looking to elevate into that top 3-4 status with a huge signing or progression. In reality the Thunder are a better team then they can just become.

This series wasn't close though. Memphis wiped the floor with them down the stretch of every game and it was evident to me as a viewer who was in control.

[inquisitive]

they would've made it to the finals...if the other guy hadn't gotten injured.

[GeneralNbaFan]

They are the favorites to make it to the finals in the WC.

[Spanish_Laker]

The Harden trade doomed OKC for the present and specially for the future.

[RunOKC]

They obviously are the heavy favorites out West, look at how close this series was had they had Westbrook they would have walked over them. They can't beat the heat but IMO they would beat the pulp out of any other team in the NBA in a series.

I see people saying Golden State and Houston, but lets be real they are just looking to elevate into that top 3-4 status with a huge signing or progression. In reality the Thunder are a better team then they can just become.

This series wasn't close though. Memphis wiped the floor with them down the stretch of every game and it was evident to me as a viewer who was in control.

So losses of 6,6,6,4 isn't close. Could you define close please?

[Beethoven]

They are not going to get back to the finals anytime soon. And that makes a lot of people happy.