Season Preview: OKC Thunder: Seed Prediction....

[mdonnelly1989]

How do you think the Thunder will look comparative to last season, do they get better, worse, why or why not....

And where do you have them finishing...

[Raps2018Champs]

Better. Addition by subtraction.

[bondom34]

4-6. GSW, HOU, Utah, then maybe. If Roberson were healthy I'd say they could be as high as 3 but without him figure a few more losses and that's enough to drop a couple spots. Still a solid playoff team, just down a spot or 2.

[VanWest82]

4-6. GSW, HOU, Utah, then maybe. If Roberson were healthy I'd say they could be as high as 3 but without him figure a few more losses and that's enough to drop a couple spots. Still a solid playoff team, just down a spot or 2.

Tough break with Roberson. It was bad enough he had to have that second procedure, and now he's had another one? Patella injuries are no joke.

[VanWest82]

OKC is really interesting to me. I love that they went out and got another creator in Schroder. 2Pat should be healthier a year removed from surgery, and Jerami Grant is a very underrated defender. Both those guys should be better fits than Melo. Also, Noel might be a difference maker off the bench if he's motivated. Bet they're better than last year.

[bondom34]

4-6. GSW, HOU, Utah, then maybe. If Roberson were healthy I'd say they could be as high as 3 but without him figure a few more losses and that's enough to drop a couple spots. Still a solid playoff team, just down a spot or 2.

Tough break with Roberson. It was bad enough he had to have that second procedure, and now he's had another one? Patella injuries are no joke.

Yeah and he may never be the same too which sucks. I like the new bench guys enough that they look solid, and losing Melo helps a lot imo.

[VanWest82]

4-6. GSW, HOU, Utah, then maybe. If Roberson were healthy I'd say they could be as high as 3 but without him figure a few more losses and that's enough to drop a couple spots. Still a solid playoff team, just down a spot or 2.

Tough break with Roberson. It was bad enough he had to have that second procedure, and now he's had another one? Patella injuries are no joke.

Yeah and he may never be the same too which sucks. I like the new bench guys enough that they look solid, and losing Melo helps a lot imo.

Who are they planning on starting at the 2?

[bondom34]

Tough break with Roberson. It was bad enough he had to have that second procedure, and now he's had another one? Patella injuries are no joke.

Yeah and he may never be the same too which sucks. I like the new bench guys enough that they look solid, and losing Melo helps a lot imo.

Who are they planning on starting at the 2?

Not totally sure but they seem to like Ferguson (I don't). Personally just wrote part of an article for SB Nation about this and I'd start Diallo right away alongside Patterson. So Westbrook/Diallo/George/Patterson/Adams with Grant off the bench. They just need shooting.

[VanWest82]

Yeah and he may never be the same too which sucks. I like the new bench guys enough that they look solid, and losing Melo helps a lot imo.

Who are they planning on starting at the 2?

Not totally sure but they seem to like Ferguson (I don't). Personally just wrote part of an article for SB Nation about this and I'd start Diallo right away alongside Patterson. So Westbrook/Diallo/George/Patterson/Adams with Grant off the bench. They just need shooting.

Interesting. I initially had Abrines in the question. I feel like that's the barometer for how bad you need shooting - are you willing to start Abrines? Lol.

Got a link to the article?

[bondom34]

Who are they planning on starting at the 2?

Not totally sure but they seem to like Ferguson (I don't). Personally just wrote part of an article for SB Nation about this and I'd start Diallo right away alongside Patterson. So Westbrook/Diallo/George/Patterson/Adams with Grant off the bench. They just need shooting.

Interesting. I initially had Abrines in the question. I feel like that's the barometer for how bad you need shooting: are you willing to start Abrines? Lol.

Got a link to the article?

It's not up yet but should be this weekend.

https://www.welcometoloudcity.com/

But my part is gonna be this:

I’m of the belief that the ideal starters given the options at hand for Billy Donovan are Patrick Patterson and Hamidou Diallo. The former seems to be a popular choice by many and for good reason, he’s a heady vet who brings pretty solid defense while being able to stretch the floor for Westbrook and George to function better on offense. We have a pretty small sample to work on, but last year per Cleaning the Glass the three man lineup of Westbrook/George/Adams without Carmelo Anthony but with Grant had a +5.6 net rating in 299 possessions. In 157 possessions with Patterson in for Grant that ballooned to +17.0. That number realistically isn’t sustainable especially without Roberson but the offense can definitely flow a bit better

The starting lineup currently has one locked in plus three point shooting option in George. Westbrook isn’t awful, but certainly not a floor spacer and Steven (though he can light it up in practice!) just doesn’t have that as part of his game at all. It’s incredibly difficult to have an efficient offense in the NBA today without being an at least average and somewhat high volume three point shooting lineup on the court most times (last year only two top 10 offenses ranked below 15th in both three point shooting frequency and percentage, Charlotte and the Clippers). The Thunder simply lack those options. Adding Patterson to the lineup gives a bit more shooting than we’ve seen from Grant and the defensive drop off is minimal (if there at all). In a down year Patterson’s regular season DRAPM was similar to that of Grant in what many thought was Grant’s breakout year.



As for the shooting guard position we’re in essence drawing from whatever we deem is the least flawed of some very flawed options. Alex Abrines offers shooting, but not much else. Terrance Ferguson is the second year pro who flashed some tools but also showed he’s a bit tentative at times. Hamidou Diallo is the raw second round rookie who played well in summer league and preseason but hasn’t seen the bright lights of the NBA yet. Personally I eliminate Abrines right away as the defensive flaws are too much right now and I’d prefer to have one semi-reliable shooter off the bench and he’s all the team has right now.

I may be foolish in believing in games that don’t really matter yet but I’m taking the mystery.

Watch on YouTube

Diallo was taken with the 45th pick in last year’s draft and currently is the same age as Terrance Ferguson. The difference I can see so far between the two is that Diallo shows more assertiveness and confidence while Ferguson shies away more in game. Ferguson is also more slight of build (6’ 7” 184 pounds) than Diallo (6’5” 198 pounds) and it shows in his defense at times.

While Ferguson showed flashes last year right away against the Lakers, it never really developed further and at this point I’d give the nod to the rookie who in my eyes has more promise. From The Ringer’s NBA Draft guide Diallo has been compared to Tony Allen in some ways and his biggest knocks were an inability to be a lead guard (hey, they don’t need or want him to be one!) and his shot mechanics which reportedly are improved. His strengths included being a versatile defender who hustles and rebounds well. Honestly he sounds like a guy Sam Presti would draft.

The combination of Diallo’s physical tools and Patterson’s intelligence and shooting to me make this the duo who should be added to the starting lineup until Andre Roberson returns.

[shi-woo]

The only thing holding the Thunder back is their subpar coaching. Donavan is probably the worst coach of any serious playoff team in the West, and by a fair margin. Even Mike Malone, and Terry Stotts have a leg up on him. So I don't expect too much from them, but do think they have the talent to go far.

Westbrook, George, and Adams is a great core, and they all cover up each others weaknesses. If they start Grant and Abrines, I think they match up well with anyone.

What I'll be looking for from OKC is their pace. Thunder were 16th in the NBA in pace last year, and that is unacceptable with Westbrook as your best player. With Schroeder and Westbrook running the show, Okc needs to be pushing it.


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[VanWest82]

Not totally sure but they seem to like Ferguson (I don't). Personally just wrote part of an article for SB Nation about this and I'd start Diallo right away alongside Patterson. So Westbrook/Diallo/George/Patterson/Adams with Grant off the bench. They just need shooting.

Interesting. I initially had Abrines in the question. I feel like that's the barometer for how bad you need shooting: are you willing to start Abrines? Lol.

Got a link to the article?

It's not up yet but should be this weekend.

https://www.welcometoloudcity.com/

But my part is gonna be this:

Spoiler:

I’m of the belief that the ideal starters given the options at hand for Billy Donovan are Patrick Patterson and Hamidou Diallo. The former seems to be a popular choice by many and for good reason, he’s a heady vet who brings pretty solid defense while being able to stretch the floor for Westbrook and George to function better on offense. We have a pretty small sample to work on, but last year per Cleaning the Glass the three man lineup of Westbrook/George/Adams without Carmelo Anthony but with Grant had a +5.6 net rating in 299 possessions. In 157 possessions with Patterson in for Grant that ballooned to +17.0. That number realistically isn’t sustainable especially without Roberson but the offense can definitely flow a bit better

The starting lineup currently has one locked in plus three point shooting option in George. Westbrook isn’t awful, but certainly not a floor spacer and Steven (though he can light it up in practice!) just doesn’t have that as part of his game at all. It’s incredibly difficult to have an efficient offense in the NBA today without being an at least average and somewhat high volume three point shooting lineup on the court most times (last year only two top 10 offenses ranked below 15th in both three point shooting frequency and percentage, Charlotte and the Clippers). The Thunder simply lack those options. Adding Patterson to the lineup gives a bit more shooting than we’ve seen from Grant and the defensive drop off is minimal (if there at all). In a down year Patterson’s regular season DRAPM was similar to that of Grant in what many thought was Grant’s breakout year.



As for the shooting guard position we’re in essence drawing from whatever we deem is the least flawed of some very flawed options. Alex Abrines offers shooting, but not much else. Terrance Ferguson is the second year pro who flashed some tools but also showed he’s a bit tentative at times. Hamidou Diallo is the raw second round rookie who played well in summer league and preseason but hasn’t seen the bright lights of the NBA yet. Personally I eliminate Abrines right away as the defensive flaws are too much right now and I’d prefer to have one semi-reliable shooter off the bench and he’s all the team has right now.

I may be foolish in believing in games that don’t really matter yet but I’m taking the mystery.

Watch on YouTube

Diallo was taken with the 45th pick in last year’s draft and currently is the same age as Terrance Ferguson. The difference I can see so far between the two is that Diallo shows more assertiveness and confidence while Ferguson shies away more in game. Ferguson is also more slight of build (6’ 7” 184 pounds) than Diallo (6’5” 198 pounds) and it shows in his defense at times.

While Ferguson showed flashes last year right away against the Lakers, it never really developed further and at this point I’d give the nod to the rookie who in my eyes has more promise. From The Ringer’s NBA Draft guide Diallo has been compared to Tony Allen in some ways and his biggest knocks were an inability to be a lead guard (hey, they don’t need or want him to be one!) and his shot mechanics which reportedly are improved. His strengths included being a versatile defender who hustles and rebounds well. Honestly he sounds like a guy Sam Presti would draft.

The combination of Diallo’s physical tools and Patterson’s intelligence and shooting to me make this the duo who should be added to the starting lineup until Andre Roberson returns.

Nice work! That's super funny you had that ready to go.

[bondom34]

Interesting. I initially had Abrines in the question. I feel like that's the barometer for how bad you need shooting: are you willing to start Abrines? Lol.

Got a link to the article?

It's not up yet but should be this weekend.

https://www.welcometoloudcity.com/

But my part is gonna be this:

Spoiler:

I’m of the belief that the ideal starters given the options at hand for Billy Donovan are Patrick Patterson and Hamidou Diallo. The former seems to be a popular choice by many and for good reason, he’s a heady vet who brings pretty solid defense while being able to stretch the floor for Westbrook and George to function better on offense. We have a pretty small sample to work on, but last year per Cleaning the Glass the three man lineup of Westbrook/George/Adams without Carmelo Anthony but with Grant had a +5.6 net rating in 299 possessions. In 157 possessions with Patterson in for Grant that ballooned to +17.0. That number realistically isn’t sustainable especially without Roberson but the offense can definitely flow a bit better

The starting lineup currently has one locked in plus three point shooting option in George. Westbrook isn’t awful, but certainly not a floor spacer and Steven (though he can light it up in practice!) just doesn’t have that as part of his game at all. It’s incredibly difficult to have an efficient offense in the NBA today without being an at least average and somewhat high volume three point shooting lineup on the court most times (last year only two top 10 offenses ranked below 15th in both three point shooting frequency and percentage, Charlotte and the Clippers). The Thunder simply lack those options. Adding Patterson to the lineup gives a bit more shooting than we’ve seen from Grant and the defensive drop off is minimal (if there at all). In a down year Patterson’s regular season DRAPM was similar to that of Grant in what many thought was Grant’s breakout year.



As for the shooting guard position we’re in essence drawing from whatever we deem is the least flawed of some very flawed options. Alex Abrines offers shooting, but not much else. Terrance Ferguson is the second year pro who flashed some tools but also showed he’s a bit tentative at times. Hamidou Diallo is the raw second round rookie who played well in summer league and preseason but hasn’t seen the bright lights of the NBA yet. Personally I eliminate Abrines right away as the defensive flaws are too much right now and I’d prefer to have one semi-reliable shooter off the bench and he’s all the team has right now.

I may be foolish in believing in games that don’t really matter yet but I’m taking the mystery.

Watch on YouTube

Diallo was taken with the 45th pick in last year’s draft and currently is the same age as Terrance Ferguson. The difference I can see so far between the two is that Diallo shows more assertiveness and confidence while Ferguson shies away more in game. Ferguson is also more slight of build (6’ 7” 184 pounds) than Diallo (6’5” 198 pounds) and it shows in his defense at times.

While Ferguson showed flashes last year right away against the Lakers, it never really developed further and at this point I’d give the nod to the rookie who in my eyes has more promise. From The Ringer’s NBA Draft guide Diallo has been compared to Tony Allen in some ways and his biggest knocks were an inability to be a lead guard (hey, they don’t need or want him to be one!) and his shot mechanics which reportedly are improved. His strengths included being a versatile defender who hustles and rebounds well. Honestly he sounds like a guy Sam Presti would draft.

The combination of Diallo’s physical tools and Patterson’s intelligence and shooting to me make this the duo who should be added to the starting lineup until Andre Roberson returns.

Nice work! That's super funny you had that ready to go.

Thanks! Always try to keep it a little lighter.

[FoundANewSlant]

Better. Addition by subtraction.

not really, they're better because of the additions they made. if they didn't have Melo last season, who are you running out on the floor?

Westbrook/PG/Roberson/Grant/Adams? 4 dudes who can't shoot

The only thing holding the Thunder back is their subpar coaching. Donavan is probably the worst coach of any serious playoff team in the West, and by a fair margin. Even Mike Malone, and Terry Stotts have a leg up on him. So I don't expect too much from them, but do think they have the talent to go far.

Westbrook, George, and Adams is a great core, and they all cover up each others weaknesses. If they start Grant and Abrines, I think they match up well with anyone.

What I'll be looking for from OKC is their pace. Thunder were 16th in the NBA in pace last year, and that is unacceptable with Westbrook as your best player. With Schroeder and Westbrook running the show, Okc needs to be pushing it.


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no matter the coach, you can't change much when your star player plays the way he does. Westbrook is the biggest factor propelling OKC, but also the biggest thing holding them back. His play style is great for regular season, but is not conducive to winning playoff basketball

his thing about "shutting Rubio down" last playoffs proved once again the guy just doesn't get it

[bondom34]

Except "the guy" has been further.

[Volcano]

6 or 7

[lebron stopper]

not really, they're better because of the additions they made. if they didn't have Melo last season, who are you running out on the floor?

Westbrook/PG/Roberson/Grant/Adams? 4 dudes who can't shoot

Patrick Patterson. Which was the original plan anyways before they traded for Carmelo Anthony.

no matter the coach, you can't change much when your star player plays the way he does. Westbrook is the biggest factor propelling OKC, but also the biggest thing holding them back. His play style is great for regular season, but is not conducive to winning playoff basketball

his thing about "shutting Rubio down" last playoffs proved once again the guy just doesn't get it

While I agree that Westbrook got too caught up in individual matchups, Billy Donovan gave tons of minutes in the playoffs to Carmelo Anthony, who got utterly destroyed by Derrick Favors, got chewed up alive guarding in space and defending the PnR against the Jazz offense, couldn't hit open shots, and took too many bad contested shots on top of that. Complete and total dead weight on both ends of the floor, and yet he played 32.3 MPG.

[badass316]

4th is about right for them. Westbrook and PG13 should have better chemistry this year, especially now that they know they're both in it for the long haul.

[FoundANewSlant]

not really, they're better because of the additions they made. if they didn't have Melo last season, who are you running out on the floor?

Westbrook/PG/Roberson/Grant/Adams? 4 dudes who can't shoot

Patrick Patterson. Which was the original plan anyways before they traded for Carmelo Anthony.

no matter the coach, you can't change much when your star player plays the way he does. Westbrook is the biggest factor propelling OKC, but also the biggest thing holding them back. His play style is great for regular season, but is not conducive to winning playoff basketball

his thing about "shutting Rubio down" last playoffs proved once again the guy just doesn't get it

While I agree that Westbrook got too caught up in individual matchups, Billy Donovan gave tons of minutes in the playoffs to Carmelo Anthony, who got utterly destroyed by Derrick Favors, got chewed up alive guarding in space and defending the PnR against the Jazz offense, couldn't hit open shots, and took too many bad contested shots on top of that. Complete and total dead weight on both ends of the floor, and yet he played 32.3 MPG.

Patrick Patterson has been garbage in the playoffs for the past few years when they needed him most. Wildly inconsistent and dude looks completely afraid to shoot sometimes. He's probably a better defender than Melo, but still ineffective against perimeter players so it doesn't really matter

and PG/Westbrook got destroyed by Mitchell/Ingles as well. there's plenty of blame to go around. Westbrook shot worse than Melo and PG over the 3 straight games OKC lost to Utah that swung the series

you can go ahead and watch this video of Favors' best game in the OKC series. How many of his points were actually Melo's fault?

Watch on YouTube

0:06 Melo helps on Rubio drive and great closeout/contest on Favors' 3PT which you'd give him all day

0:13 PG turns it over and doesn't get back into the play, Adams covers the 3PT line, leaving Melo defending 2v1 in the post

0:22 Favors seals Westbrook and forces the switch on the PnR and scores on him

1:00 not Melo's problem there

1:18 PG reaches and O'Neale gets by him, Melo forced to contest the layup and Favors cleans up the miss

1:30 Favors outmuscles PPat, who yall love, for the OREB and gets the dime

1:53 Westbrook blows the layup, jogs back on defense and lets Jerebko outrun him, Favors finds Jerebko on the cut

2:15 Westbrook and Adams trapping Rubio at the 3PT line like he's Steph Curry, Gobert slips the pick and leads to Melo defending 2v1 in the paint again

2:29-2:51 Jazz targeting Melo twice in the PnR and Westbrook fighting over the screens for some odd reason, forcing Melo to have to contain the drive and leaving Favors open. Melo still recovers and contests the shot perfectly

2:59 Westbrook blows a wild layup, doesn't get back on defense, Adams runs out to 3PT line, Melo forced to cover 2v1 in the paint

3:14 Adams and Westbrook trapping Rubio again at the 3PT line like he's Steph Curry, forcing Melo to rotate onto Gobert, and Favors gets open yet Melo gets a good contest

you guys want to bash on Melo for defense yet maybe one of Favors' buckets in his best game was Melo's fault. Shoot, Adams and Westbrook deserve the blame for at least 5 of Favors' buckets here

[Dr Spaceman]

4-6. GSW, HOU, Utah, then maybe. If Roberson were healthy I'd say they could be as high as 3 but without him figure a few more losses and that's enough to drop a couple spots. Still a solid playoff team, just down a spot or 2.

Is there an update on Westbrook’s injury? If he misses time to start the RS I honestly don’t know if they’ll make the playoffs. The team jsut brutally sucks without him and the WC is tougher this year.