Buster's First Round Recap

The first round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs are officially over. Chicago defeated Brooklyn in game 7 to finish out the last game of the first round. Here is a quick recap of the first round and a look at how my predictions turned out.

Eastern Conference:

#1 Miami vs. #8 Milwaukee (Miami 4-0)
This is a series that I really just wanted to stir up some trouble with. I knew in my mind that the Heat would sweep the Bucks with no problems, but my heart told me that Milwaukee would steal one game. This is probably because of my great hatred towards LeBron and the franchise of Miami. Miami blew threw Milwaukee averaging 100 points per game. Perhaps even Bucks fans were smarter than me and knew they couldn't even pull off one win.

#2 New York vs. #7 Boston (New York 4-2)
No team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit, but Boston fooled a lot of people into thinking it was possible. The Knicks took a 3-0 lead and it looked as if my prediction of a sweep was gonna happen. Boston fought back to take the next two games in a row. Just as everyone had jumped on the Celtics bandwagon, New York pulled off the fourth win in what was a close game until the finish. The Knicks averaged 87.6 points per game.

#3 Indiana vs. #6 Atlanta (Indiana 4-2)
I am gonna brag on my self for just a second and take the time to say that I successfully predicted this series at 4-2. I knew that Atlanta could not hang with the Pacers in the long run, but I knew they were good enough to steal two games at home. After all, Indiana is going to beat the Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals! The Pacers averaged 94.5 points per game.

#4 Brooklyn vs. #5 Chicago (Chicago 4-3)
Just as I thought, the Bulls pulled out a win in a very tough series. Nate Robinson played outstanding like he has been and will continue to do so for this team. I did predict a 4-2 Bulls win, but I was not surprised to see this series go to game 7. Chicago is for real, and could pose a possible threat for the Heat in the second round. The Bulls averaged 97.4 points per game.

I would like to take a quick note and say that I predicted every matchup in the East correctly, as did my partner in crime CMan. At the end of this one I stand as 4-0. Now lets take a look at how I did in the West.

Western Conference:
#1 Oklahoma City vs. #8 Houston (Oklahoma City 4-2)
I don't think this series went as anyone planned it to go. With the loss of Russell Westbrook, losing two games in this series was definitely not the biggest loss. After Russ went out in game 2 we all knew this was no longer going to be an easy journey. However, I do not think anyone expected to see some of the worst Thunder basketball of the season. The Thunder did pull it out in the end averaging an amazing 105.8 points per game!

#2 San Antonio vs. #7 LA Lakers (San Antonio 4-0)
I again want to take the time and say that I predicted this series absolutely correct, because it is the only other time I did this. The Lakers had a hard enough time winning with Kobe, without him, no one though they had a chance in this one. San Antonio took care of business in four games and is rested up for their next series against Golden State. The Spurs averaged an outstanding 104 points per game!

#3 Denver vs. #6 Golden State (Golden State 4-2)
I could not have been more wrong in this one as I picked Denver to win 4-2. Golden State was a team that I enjoyed watching very much this season. I knew they were young and explosive, but I had no idea they had the ability to comeback and take over games like they did in this series. Mark my words, Golden State is a team to watch out for in the West! The Warriors averaged more than any other team in the playoffs with 107.2 points per game!

#4 LA Clippers vs. #5 Memphis (Memphis 4-2)
This is just one more series that I was way off on! Maybe I just picked the Clippers to win this series because of my love for Blake Griffin, I don't know! Memphis proved to be way to physical on the inside with Gasol and Randolph. The defense of Marc Gasol and Tony Allen was too much for the Clippers to handle, especially with Blake Griffin playing injured. Memphis averaged 100.2 points per game.

I finished at a sub par level of 2-2 in the West, and an overall record of 6-2. CMan may tell you that we ended up in a tie, but he was clearly our winner. CMan predicted three perfect series to my two perfect series. Keep an our out for our second round predictions to see who wins!

CMan's NBA First Round Recap

The first round play of the 2013 NBA playoffs are history with the Bulls game 7 victory over Brooklyn tonight. Here is a quick recap of the first round series and how my predictions fared.

We'll start in the East:

Miami vs Milwaukee. (Heat 4-0)

As I stated in my preview the Bucks, an under .500 regular season team, had no business in the playoffs and they proved me right by losing in a mostly uncontested sweep to the Heat. Miami hardly broke a sweat in the four games and looks like they are prepared to repeat as NBA Champions.

New York vs Boston. (Knicks 4-2)

The Celtics fought hard and played pretty well all series even managing a win in New York in game 5. However they lost the first 3 games and no team has recovered from a 3-0 first round deficit. The Knicks went on to win game 6 in Boston,  after losing 2 in a row,  to close out the Celtics 4-2.

Indiana vs Atlanta. (Pacers 4-2)

The Hawks were who I thought they were despite winning their first two home games to tie the series at 2-2. The loss in game 5 was to much too handle and they only partially showed up in game 6 in Atlanta. My guess, vacation plans were already in process. Atlanta continues to be a Major league city that plays well in all sports during the regular season but falters when it matters.

Brooklyn vs Chicago. (Bulls 4-3)

This series went as predicted. The Bulls and the Nets played a tough, nail biting series with both teams winning games on the others court. I predicted if the Bulls can get the series to a game 7 they would win, and they did. The 4 vs 5 match up is always a pick-em and this one didn't disappoint. It was the only series to go 7 games in the first round.

With the Bulls victory I go 4-0 in the East. I didn't fare as well in the West. No one saw the Warriors coming or the sudden loss of All-Star Russell Westbrook in OKC.

Now, The unpredictable West:

Oklahoma City vs Houston. (Thunder 4-2)

The loss of Westbrook sent shock waves through the entire NBA family. It's tough enough for the players to adapt to playing without their on court leader, imagine being Thunder Head Coach Scott Brooks. An NBA coach uses the 82 game regular season to fine tune the starting and reserve rotations for the playoffs, all of that preparation is thrown out. The game 3 win by OKC in Houston was an emotional one and put the Thunder up 3-0 in the series. Then reality set in as Houston wins games 4 and 5 with relative ease. It took good coaching and a gut check by the Thunder team to pull out a game 6 win in Houston. It took an entire team effort and that's what the Thunder got. With Westbrook,  this series is a sweep. No rest for the weary, The Grizzlies come calling tomorrow.

San Antonio vs Los Angeles Lakers. (Spurs 4-0)

The loss of Kobe Bryant in the season finale was devastating to the Lakers. Kobe guaranteed they would make the playoffs, and they did, but they were never going to beat the Spurs without him. It would have been an uphill battle with Bryant. In fact, the Lakers were so depleted by the end of the series even their own announcers weren't sure who was on the court. The result, a painfully easy sweep for the Spurs and it came with and extended rest for one of the oldest teams in the playoffs.

Denver vs Golden State. (Warriors 4-2)

I don't think very many people saw this coming with the possible exception of Warrior head coach Mark Jackson. Denver won a tight game 1 at home by 2 and then Golden state reeled off 3 consecutive wins going away. I don't think Denver knew what hit them. Perhaps the loss of Gallinari hurt more than I originally though or the Nuggets were looking past the Warriors. Denver managed to win game 5 at home put it only postponed the inevitable game 6 victory by the Warriors at home.

Los Angeles Clippers vs Memphis. (Grizzlies 4-2)

This series went a lot like my prediction. Tough, hard fought contest with a lot of pushing and shoving. At times it looked as if the Clippers Blake Griffin and the Grizzlies Zach Randolph were involved in an MMA championship fight.  However, I thought the Clippers would pull it out. I thought wrong. No one wants to play Memphis in a series, they are stingy defensively and they are...well...thugs. And, the Clippers were banged up going in. After winning the first two games in LA, holding Memphis to 91 each game, the Clippers looked good for a series win, however, once the Grizzlies got back to Memphis it all changed. Four games later and the Clippers were going on vacation.

So, I ended the Western Conference 2-2. My overall record stands at 6-2, not too bad. I think it just proves that the West is by far the stronger conference. Keep in mind though, it only takes one team to win it all.  Looks like Buster and I will tie in the first round. Stay tuned for my second round picks!


For Buster.

CMan's NBA Playoff First Round Matchups and Predictions

It's Playoff time again in the NBA! Welcome to the longest and most drawn out playoff format in professional sports. But, it's why they play the regular season.

I am going to do a quick breakdown of the first round match ups with predictions. Buster and I will be going head to head throughout the playoffs. May the best (or luckiest) man win.

To keep you interested, I am going to start in the East. This should force you to read all match ups until I get to the one everybody is waiting for, The Oklahoma City Thunder.

Here we go;

THE EASTERN CONFERENCE:

#1 Miami (66-16)  vs #8 Milwaukee (34-44)

 To begin with, any team that can't play .500 basketball during the regular season shouldn't qualify for the playoffs. But, we don't make the rules and they do need 8 teams to be fair. On the other hand, if the Heat were given a bye in this round, the results would be the same. The Bucks are a scrappy team but the Heat will want to take advantage of extra rest by sending the Bucks fishing early. Miami wins in a sweep, 4-0.

#2 New York (54-28) vs #7 Boston (41-40)

The Celtics have an emotional edge in this first round match up. The Boston marathon bombings are fresh in the minds of every American and the loss of Rajon Rondo for the season spurred Boston to pretty decent play in his absence. However, the emotion of recent events will probably only last until the tip-off of game 3 in The Garden, and maybe not even then if the Celtics limp in 0-2. Carmelo Anthony proved in the last half of the season that he can do what he wants if he puts his mind to it. The supporting staff led by Tyson Chandler will have winning on their mind and nothing else. I think emotion will give Boston at least 1 win in the series, maybe 2. The Garden remains one of the toughest home court advantages in the East and the Celtics still have Pierce and Garnett. But, it won't be enough to win the series. Knicks win 4-2.

#3 Indiana (49-32) vs  #6 Atlanta (44-38)

The Pacers are the best bet to unseat the Heat in the East this year. The Pacers won 2 of 3 from Miami this season and played them well. But,  they have to get past the Hawks first. The Atlanta Hawks, much like their NFL counterpart the Falcons, seem to play well in the regular season but falter in the playoffs. The Pacers pose a real threat. They are a complete team with out a real stand out superstar. They play solid team defense and score enough to win more often than lose. They are a tough match up for anyone. The Pacers have their eyes on a trip to Miami in the conference finals and they will see this series as warm up. I'll give the Hawks a game at home but I see the Pacers winning easy in the series. Pacers win 4-1.

#4 Brooklyn (49-33) vs #5 Chicago (45-37)

This series is a tough one to call. The Nets have been up and down this year and the Bulls have been dealt some bad breaks. The Bull's have proven that they can win in the playoffs with out Rose and win big. They went in to the playoffs last year as the team no one wanted to play, they come in this year the same way. I'm not sold on the Nets yet and won't be till they win a series. The Bulls have history and tradition, the Net's have a new name and address. I'm going to call this a back and forth series coming down to a 7th and deciding game. If the Bulls can get it to a game 7,  I say they take the series. Chicago, in a tough series, 4-3.


THE WESTERN CONFERENCE:


#1 Oklahoma City (60-22) vs #8 Houston (45-37)

I'll try not to be a homer here. When you look at this match up from a purely statistical standpoint, it's pretty darn even. Heck,  the Rockets even top the Thunder in several statistical categories. I covered most of Oklahoma City's weaknesses in my previous blog. They seem to have corrected most of them in the last two weeks of the season. This is the first round of the playoffs - statistics are thrown out the window, at least for the first couple of games. The Thunder tasted both sweet success and bitter defeat last year and they want redemption. They are a better team than the Rockets and when they play to their potential, they don't often get beat. They also have recent, valuable playoff experience that the Rockets lack. I'll give the Rockets a home win, just for the Harden factor, but the Thunder win the rest. OKC  wins 4-1.

#2 San Antonio (58-24) vs #7 LA Lakers (45-37)

Once the Spurs realized that the Thunder would likely take the top seed, they promptly secured the #2 seed by losing a couple of their last games. Kobe Bryant predicted that the Lakers would reach the playoffs, and they did, but they will have to go forward with out him. the Lakers did win their last game against the Rockets,  assuring that they wouldn't have to face their nemesis in Oklahoma City. LA has no desire to play the Thunder in a series. They won't fare much better with the Spurs. Popovich doesn't lose many series, especially in the first round. The Lakers can play well without Kobe, but not against quality competition, and not for a 7 game series. Will the Lakers win a game? Maybe. Will they challenge for the series? No. Spurs win, 4-1.

#3 Denver (57-25) vs #6 Golden State (47-35)

This should be a lopsided series in favor of the Nuggets. George Karl knows playoff basketball and Denver plays tough all the time. The loss of Gallinari will be tough to overcome in a 7 game series but Denver should find a way. Golden State is a good team but they don't have the year in year out playoff experience that the Nuggets do. The Warriors will compete but, in the end, the the Nuggets should win the series pretty easily. In fact, Denver in a sweep, 4-0.

#4 LA Clippers (56-26) vs #5 Memphis (56-26)

This series matches two teams that couldn't be any different. The high flying Clippers against the stingy, defensive minded Grizzlies. The Grizzlies are the team that no one wants to play in the West. They are playoff hardened and hungry. The Clippers are coming off a record season for the historically worst team in the West. They do have the best all round point guard in Chris Paul and the ever improving Blake Griffin. The Grizzlies counter with attitude and a simple lack of fear for any opponent. If the Clippers play fast, team ball and Paul controls the environment,  they will win. However, I think this comes down to a game 7 in the City of Angels. Clippers win, in a tough series, 4-3.

There you have it. If you were looking for a stat filled blog with statistical reasons for winners and losers, I apologize but that blog would have been long and boring. Hey, It's the first round. We will get a little deeper in to the numbers in the latter rounds, when they really matter.

I still believe the Oklahoma City Thunder will get through the West and claim their second consecutive Western Conference Championship. I'm not so sure about the Heat. They can't be near as hungry as they were last year. Although, they have proven that they can turn their game on and off at will. The Pacers and Knicks will have something to say about it before the dust settles. If I am wrong, get ready for a rematch of last years NBA finals.

For Buster.

Buster's NBA Playoff First Round Matchups and Predictions

We have made it through all 82 games of the regular season, and it is finally time for the payoff. There is nothing more exciting to watch in the sports world than the NBA Playoffs, unless of course, your team didn’t make it.(Sorry once again Bobcat fans)

Here is a quick breakdown of the first round match ups with predictions. My buddy CGilmartin and I will be going head to head throughout the entire playoffs. The winner of each round will be announced on our Twitter page.


Eastern Conference:

#1 Miami (66-16) vs. #8 Milwaukee (34-44)
Anyone who says that the Eastern Conference is better than the West should just take a look at this matchup to realize that they are wrong. When the eighth seed in your bracket has lost ten more games than they have won, something is seriously wrong. Miami will have no problem winning this series, but will give up one game in Milwaukee. It is bound to happen, its Miami, they always give up one! Miami wins 4-1.

#2 New York (54-28) vs. #7 Boston (41-40)
Wow, so much to say about this one and the city of Boston. Such a tragedy where it is very difficult to find any good out of what happened. The entire city will want to show to the world that they are going to overcome this. There isn't a better chance than to make a run in the playoffs. However, without the leader in assist in the NBA, Rajon Rondo, it will be difficult for this team to find that offensive spark they once had. Carmelo Anthony is showing no signs of slowing down his offensive pace and will run right through Boston. I hate to say it, but New York wins in a sweep 4-0.

#3 Indiana (49-32) vs. #6 Atlanta (44-38)
The Pacers are the team that I predicted to be in the Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder at the beginning of the season. Despite the adversity and injuries this team had to overcome, I am going to stay with that prediction. Josh Smith and Al Horford will give Indiana all they want on the boards and through scoring, but Paul George and Roy Hibbert won't be having any of that as they defeat Atlanta in six games. Indiana wins 4-2.

#4 Brooklyn (49-33) vs. #5 Chicago (45-37)
This series has the potential to be one of the sloppiest series of the entire first round. Chicago has proven to be a team who can win without D Rose, and will have to continue to do so in order to win. Because there is no sign of his return anytime soon. Keep an eye out for Nate Robinson to continue his hot steak off the bench. He will give Chicago that spark they need to make it through this series. Brooklyn will look for their big man Brook Lopez to lead them with his 19.4 points per game. Joakim Noah is listed as doubtful for the first game of this series, however, this will not be enough for Brooklyn to make it through this one. Chicago wins 4-2.

Western Conference:

#1 Oklahoma City (60-22) vs. #8 Houston (45-37)
Isn't it crazy that here we are one year from last year playing against once our very own, James Harden? If you would have told me at the beginning of the season that we would be playing Houston in the first round against James Harden, I would have said you're crazy! I am not a big believer in "Linsanity" but I do think that Harden and Lin are good enough to steal one from the Thunder in Houston. This should be a very easy series for the Thunder to manage, they win 4-1.

#2 San Antonio (58-24) vs. #7 LA Lakers (45-37)
The Lakers had one of the worst starts to a season in a long time. Bringing in Dwight Howard and Steve Nash should have solved all of their problems from last year right? Well it obviously didn't as this team had to win their final games to qualify for the playoffs. The tragic loss of Kobe Bryant due to his torn Achilles, kill all chances of the Lakers even winning a game this year in the playoffs. I wish for a speedy recovery for Kobe Bean, because he will be needed, next season. San Antonio wins in an easy sweep 4-0.

#3 Denver (57-25) vs. #6 Golden State (47-35)
Golden State is one of my favorite teams to watch in the NBA. The Warriors will give Memphis all they want in this one. Stephen Curry and David Lee will provide real problems for Denver. They combine for one of the best duo's in the league. The Nuggets will be led by Ty Lawson and the defense over Kenneth Faried. Denver will barely escape from this one, and win the series 4-2.

#4 LA Clippers (56-26) vs. #5 Memphis (56-26)
These teams having the same record had pretty much an identical season. Both teams looked like they could win the Conference at times, but also had times of being one of the worst teams. The high flying and explosive Clippers will be a great match up for the outstanding defense of Memphis. Memphis will give the Clips some struggles, but Blake Griffin and Chris Paul will take care of this one in six. The Clippers win 4-2.

There you have it, the very simple predictions of the first round. We will get more into detail as the playoffs continue. But right now this is all you get. I really do believe that the Thunder have what it takes to get back to the Finals again. Miami on the other hand, they will have to turn their game up to make it back. The Pacers WILL beat the Heat and make it to the NBA Finals. Make sure you subscribe to our blog for updates throughout the entire playoffs. You won't want to miss anything!

Thunder Update 8: The Season

We made it Thunder fans. We made it an entire season without the beard. Who would have thought? Not only did we make it through, but also we ended up better without him. The Thunder capture the first one seed in history, and the Rockets get the bottom of the barrel with the eighth seed. James Harden left a legacy here in Oklahoma City that will probably never be forgotten, but if you were to ask me who I wanted on the team I would say Kevin Martin every single time.

James Harden put up better numbers than Martin as the Thunder’s sixth man. In Harden’s last year as a Thunder he put up an outstanding 16.8 points per game. That is just 2.8 more points per game than Martin’s 14.0. However, Harden did average almost five more minutes per game than Martin. The reason why Martin is more valuable in my eyes is his unselfish play and his ability to make three’s at any part of the court at any time needed. Harden did have a few clutch moments, but shot an average of 39.0 percent from the three. Which is an outstanding average don’t get me wrong, it just doesn’t match up to Martin’s 43 percent. I honestly believe that if Martin got the minutes that Harden had we would put up better numbers. Martin averaged 31 minutes last year in Houston and put up 17.1 points per game. Both are great basketball players, but one represents what this team and city really is all about better than the other, and his name is Kevin Martin.

This season the Thunder finished the season with a record of 60-22. This is the first time the team has reached 60 wins since being here in Oklahoma City, and the first time in franchise history since 97. Having reached the NBA Playoffs three years in a row, improvement from the last three years seemed a bit unrealistic. But to say that this team just “improved” is an understatement. The Thunder took the number one seed in the Western Conference for the first time since they were the SuperSonics in 1994.

What is the difference between this year’s season, and the previous seasons in Oklahoma City? This year the expectations for greatness were higher than ever. That is the main difference from last year. In the past it has been to get a winning record, and then to make it to the playoffs. Or perhaps for the team to just “do good”. Now fans are wanting so much more (which they absolutely have the right to do so), they want an NBA Title. Even being the number three seed in last year’s playoffs, winning the title wasn’t even thought about until we barely escaped the Spurs. Falling just short of three more wins for the best record in franchise history, I guess you could say the team handled the pressure very well this season. All eyes will be on the Thunder and Miami to see if they will meet again in this year’s NBA Finals.

The Thunder really came together as a team this season. Last year it was all about the “big three” with Durant, Westbrook, and Harden. People have wondered who will step up into the spot of the Harden, but if you ask me, we are better without a “big three”. Russell Westbrook finished the season in seventh place for assist with 7.4 per game, which was also a career high. The “Honey Badger” also finished sixth in the league in scoring with 23.2 points per game. Kevin Durant continued to do what he does best this season, score! Durant gave up the scoring title this season to benefit his team. Durant still finished second in the league in scoring with 28.1 points per game. Durant finished behind Carmelo Anthony who played 14 less games than Durant and shot 55 more times. Serge Ibaka (AKA Air Congo) finished first in the league in blocked shots. Ibaka averaged 3.03 blocks per game, but also with an outstanding 13.2 points per game and 7.7 rebounds per game. One thing is for sure, when we are looking for the Thunder to make a push through the playoffs this year you can count on these guys to lead the team, with the help on the defensive side of the ball from Thabo Sefolosha, and help off the bench from Kevin Martin.


Here are the final standings through the entire season:
*4/18/13 Note Worthy: The Lakers and Rockets squeeze into the playoffs as the seven and eight seeds.
*Playoff qualifiers in bold

Eastern Conference Standings:

Atlantic:
New York(54-28)
Brooklyn(48-33)
Boston(41-40)
Philadelphia(34-48)
Toronto(34-48)

Central:
Indiana(49-32)
Chicago(43-27)
Milwaukee(37-43)
Detroit(28-52)
Cleveland(24-56)

Southeast:
Miami(64-16)
Atlanta(45-37)
Washington(29-53)
Charlotte(21-61)
Orlando(20-62)

Western Conference Standings:

Southwest:
San Antonio(58-24)
Memphis(54-26)
Houston(45-35)
Dallas(40-40)
New Orleans(27-54)

Northwest:
Oklahoma City(59-21)
Denver(56-26)
Utah(43-39)
Portland(33-39)
Minnesota(31-51)

Pacific:
LA Clippers(56-26)
Golden St.(47-35)
LA Lakers(45-37)
Sacramento(28-54)
Phoenix(25-57)

Thunder Update 7: Final Two Games

The Oklahoma City Thunder now has a one game lead over the San Antonio Spurs for the best record in the Western Conference. With a win over the Sacramento Kings tonight the Thunder will clinch the one seed for the first time since moving to Oklahoma City. Getting the one seed in the playoffs is a huge step forward for this organization. It shows that even as good as a season that we had last year, there is still much room for improvement. The Thunder are really coming along as a team and cleaning up the sloppy mistakes they were making a month ago. Oklahoma City has had a solid season of basketball, but they are peaking to their best ability right before playoff time. This is exactly what needs to happen in order for the Thunder to get another shot at the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals.

The Thunder’s last game was against Portland in Oregon. Oklahoma City won by a score of 106-90. The Thunder swept the season series winning all four games, and scoring over 100 points three of the four victories. Russell Westbrook played an outstanding game scoring 33 points, 17 of which came in the third quarter. Oklahoma City clinched their third straight division title after the game when the Mavericks defeated the Nuggets 108-105 in overtime. Durant recorded 16 points and 5 rebounds as he “joked” around through the majority of this game. Reggie Jackson was the second leading scorer on the night with 17 points. Jackson also had 4 rebounds and 2 assists.

There are only two games remaining in the regular season, both are at home for the Thunder. As if it wasn’t important enough to finish out the season on a win streak, now the Thunder need a must win in order to clinch the one seed. The Thunder has played very well this season against the Kings as they lead the season series 2-0. The Kings are still in their normal state of being as they continue to struggle this season. Sacramento has a record of 28-52 and is currently on a two game losing streak. If the Thunder plays a decent game they will come out of this with a win and the number one seed in their pockets. Almost the same situation as the game against the Kings, the Thunder will play the Milwaukee Bucks at home on Wednesday night for the final game of the regular season. Neither of these teams matches up well against Oklahoma City. If the Thunder does not finish the season on a win streak, I think it is safe to say that it will be more than just a disappointment.

If you do not already know that Kevin Durant does not care about the scoring title at all, then I will go ahead and tell you now. Durant bluntly said in a press conference regarding Carmelo Anthony about the scoring title “he can have it!” Durant could care less about winning his fourth scoring title if it means that his team will be better as a direct result of it. Durant is currently in second place in scoring in the league with 28.1 points per game, just .6 behind the leader Carmelo Anthony. It is nearly impossible for Durant to win it at this point, even if he wanted to. Serge Ibaka is currently the leagues leader in blocked shots with 3.06 per game and will most likely stay that way through the remainder of the season. Russell Westbrook is tied for sixth in the league in assists with 7.5 per game. With the ability of Durant to score thirty points on any given night, with Ibaka to defend the paint better than anyone else, and Russell not only scoring but sharing the ball, there is no reason why the Thunder should not be able to make another run for the NBA Title.


Here are the current standings through 80 games:
*4/15/13 Note Worthy: Oklahoma City takes a one game lead over the Spurs for the best record in the West.
Eastern Conference Standings:

Atlantic:
New York(53-27)
Brooklyn(47-33)
Boston(41-39)
Philadelphia(33-47)
Toronto(32-48)

Central:
Indiana(49-31)
Chicago(43-27)
Milwaukee(37-43)
Detroit(28-52)
Cleveland(24-56)

Southeast:
Miami(64-16)
Atlanta(44-36)
Washington(29-51)
Orlando(20-60)
Charlotte(19-61)


Western Conference Standings:

Southwest:
San Antonio(58-22)
Memphis(54-26)
Houston(45-35)
Dallas(40-40)
New Orleans(27-54)

Northwest:
Oklahoma City(59-21)
Denver(55-25)
Utah(42-38)
Portland(33-37)
Minnesota(30-50)

Pacific:
LA Clippers(54-26)
Golden St.(45-35)
LA Lakers(44-37)
Sacramento(28-52)
Phoenix(24-56)

Sunday Biography: Reggie Jackson

Reggie Jackson (or as I like to call him “R Jack”) was born on April 16, 1990, in Pordenone, Italy. Reggie was the youngest of the three sons of Sharon and Saul Jackson. Despite being born in Northeast Italy, Reggie went to high school in Colorado Springs, Colorado at Palmer High School. Jackson lived in Italy, England, North Dakota, Georgia and Florida before settling in Colorado during his sixth grade year. Reggie Jackson currently plays point guard for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Jackson played through his junior year at the University of Boston College, before declaring for the NBA draft in 2011. He was drafted as the 24th overall pick in the draft.

Reggie Jackson played for coach Jim Grantz at Palmer. Reggie served as the team captain for his last two seasons at Palmer. During Jackson’s senior season he was named Gatorade Colorado Player of the Year honors, The Rocky Mountain News All-Colorado Player of the Year, The Gazette's Big Schools Player of the Year and the Denver Post's Class 5A Player of the Year. Jackson was selected to the All-City first team twice during his career at Palmer. Reggie led all Class 5A scorers with a 29.6-point average in the 2007-08 season. He averaged 7.9 rebounds and 7.0 assists per game. Jackson led his team to a 24-3 record and the 5A Metro title in 2007-08 season. The Palmer Terrors advanced to the 5A state semifinals before getting knocked out of the tournament.


When Jackson joined Boston College for the 2008–09 season, there were already stars on the team such as Tyrese Rice and Rakim Sanders. During Jackson’s freshman season Boston College made it to the NCAA tournament with Reggie coming off the bench as an explosive point guard. In his sophomore year Jackson became the starting point guard with Tyrese Rice leaving for the NBA. With Jackson being the starter, the eagles were not able to make it back to the NCAA tournament again. Reggie Jackson led the eagles in scoring during his junior season with 18.2 points per game. Jackson was named to the All-ACC First team for the 2010–11 season. The Eagles made it to the NIT (National Invitational Tournament) that season.

Jackson spent a small part of his rookie season playing in Tulsa for the Thunder’s D-League team. Reggie Jackson played in 45 games his rookie season averaging 11.1 minutes per game. Jackson averaged 3.1 points per game, but only shot 32%. When Reggie shot from beyond the arc his average dropped to 21%.

Reggie Jackson has seen tremendous improvement from last season. Jackson is shooting 45.8% on 5.0 points per game. His free throw percentage has dropped 5.1% from last year, but he is shooting a decent 82.9% for his entire career. Jackson’s assist per game has improved a little from last season as he averages 1.8 assist per game. Reggie Jackson has been able to give the Thunder some solid minutes off the bench at the point guard position this season. When Westbrook gets in foul trouble or needs a breather he has proven to have the ability to keep the same pace as Russell. Jackson is not as fast as Westbrook (is anyone?) but he keeps the same style of play going when he comes into the game. Reggie Jackson has quickly become one of my favorite players on the roster. This young point guard has a bright future in the NBA, hopefully with the Thunder!

The Thunder are a great team.........of players.

During the Thunder/Pacers game the other night an interesting stat was flashed on the screen.The stat illustrated that the Thunder were the fourth worst team in the NBA at assist per field goal made at just over 56%. Oddly enough, the Thunders next opponent, the New York Knicks were the worst. The Spurs lead the NBA at just over 65%.  For the Record the Thunder's ratio in Sunday's loss to the Knicks was 51% to New York's 48%.

Anyone that knows me as a person and a coach will tell you that I am a team guy. If you follow my Thunder tweets,  I constantly mention the number, or lack of, helpers. I'm not just looking at the guards for helpers, they should come from everyone. The Knicks beat the Thunder Sunday, in part, by ball movement. They found the open shooter more often than not. Having said that, It would be unfair to not point out that while they found the open man, the shots didn't always fall. The Knicks put up 93 shots to the Thunder's 78. OKC was certainly more efficient. However, we do have some glaring weaknesses that are not shared by past NBA Champions or other championship contenders. Allow me to break them down.

Team ball....

This is a team sport and, as such, requires the participation of each man on the court. Otherwise, we should just throw Durant and Westbrook out there by themselves and call it a game. Any one up for a little 2 on 5? I didn't think so. To be fair, the Thunder do play a great game of team ball..most of the game. And, when they do, they are almost unbeatable. But, it is my contention, that Champions play team ball for an entire game. The Spurs do,  but their age is catching up to them. The Heat can turn it on and off like a light switch and they do, depending on their mood or opponent. in fact, our reserves often keep or increase a lead by playing really good team ball. A big reason the reserves play solid team ball is that Durant and Westbrook are on the bench and outside of Kevin Martin we don't have a real go to guy on the second or third team. To put it simply, they have to.

Extended isolation....

Our starters, on the other hand, seem to depend to much on isolation plays or taking quick jumpers. When it works its great. When is doesn't, the quick jumper leads to short possession's and almost always a defensive rebound, in part because the rest of our team hasn't had time to get back to the paint and block out. It also typically provides a fast break opportunity for the opponent. The isolation play allows the defense to stack on the player with the ball and freezes the rest of our players as they literally watch the isolation play unfold. This usually leads to a poor shot, a deflection or a steal. If the shot does hit the rim, our players, still frozen, are often not in position to fight for the rebound.

Panic Ball......

Our starters have a tendency to try and speed up the game when they are behind. It's as if they are attempting to take the lead in a series of quick possessions. They seem to forget that an NBA game is a long game and leads are built with a combination of sustained offensive efficiency and defensive stops. This behavior typically leads to quick, contested shots, sloppy passing and turnovers. Panic ball is easily recognizable. It is usually led by Westbrook and is followed by the, now famous, chorus of fans bemoaning the Westbrook groan that can be heard throughout the Thunder nation. The scene unfolds like this; Westbrook receives an outlet pass from a rebound and quickly races to his favorite spot at the top corner of the paint and releases a frantic jumper that, usually misses, and is quickly rebounded by the opponent. On occasion he will pass to a heavily guarded Durant, who either puts up a quick three or turns the ball over. in either case the success rate is probably less than 20% and leads to a Brooks timeout.

The Opponents offensive rebound...

Consider this interesting, but scary pair of stats. The Thunder are #2 in the league at denying opponents a defensive rebound, but are 28th in the league at preventing the opponents offensive rebound.  In most cases we are headed to our offensive end as the opponent shoots in anticipation of a fast break opportunity leaving our opponent by themselves to get the rebound and put back. Translation - Our guys grab our missed shots at a pretty high pace but they also allow the opponent to grab more of their misses. The result is that we are every bit as good on our offensive end as we are bad on our defensive end at getting and giving second chance shots. Unfortunately we are 28th in the league in second chance scoring.

The turnover...

The turnover is probably our biggest Achilles heel. Kevin Durant has increased his rebounding totals and assist numbers this year by  astonishing margins. he has also become a turnover machine as a result. As a team the Thunder rank 28th in turnovers (15.1 per game), 27th in assist to turnover ratio (1.385) and 25th in turnovers per possession (1 every 15.9). Most of our turns are the result of ill advised passes in to the paint. The others are mainly poor ball handling. Turnovers have plagued the Thunder from the beginning of their existence. Too many - too often.

Am I being to hard?......

Look, the Thunder are a championship caliber team. They have won consecutive division titles and are in position for a third. They have a conference championship and played for the NBA title. Fifty wins a season has become common for this team and they win in the toughest conference in the NBA. They have proven themselves to be solid contenders for an NBA title every year. However, the weaknesses in their game are real and not shared by the other top teams in the NBA.

The pass....

I've been a soccer coach for years and the first lesson I teach my teams is that the ball moves faster than a defender. Passing is the best offensive weapon you have and the better you are at passing, the more dangerous the weapon. You end up forcing the defense to chase the ball,  preventing them from solidifying a defensive position. And, it wears them out. The same philosophy applies to basketball. The Knicks proved that on our floor Sunday afternoon.The Spurs and Heat show us every time we play them. Efficient ball movement, coupled with timely and effective picks, opens passing lanes, driving lanes and leaves shooters with mostly uncontested shots.

Rebounding....

This is a no-brainer. Offensive rebounding extends the possession and enhance scoring chances. Most are simple put backs by the rebounder. Perimeter chances are enhanced by the fact that the defense is in the paint and not guarding the perimeter allowing for timely passes out for efficient jumpers. Defensive rebounding simply results in a stop. The more stops we get the better chance we have to win. We can start the fast break but our bigs need to stay back and protect our paint.

The good news...

When we play as a team we are really good. When we play as a team we can beat anyone, and usually do. Our team is still very young despite our success. A lot of our mistakes can be explained by youth and a growing mental toughness. Russell Westbrook is a great example a player whose growth in mental toughness has been experienced by every Thunder fan. Our coach is still young and growing in his profession. Scott Brooks and the team have progressed every year and I am confident that Sam Presti and Clay Bennett will continue to make more good decisions than bad ones. I know we, as fans, want it all now but we must remain patient. Consider that Michael Jordan played 6 years before winning his first championship. LeBron James waited 8 years and played for two teams before he won his first. Patience. Will we win the NBA championship this year? I don't know. But, I am confident that we are doing the little things required each and every day, in games and practice, that will eventually result in one or more Championship rings.

For Buster.

Sunday Biography: Derek Fisher

Derek Fisher

Derek Fisher was drafted in the 1996 NBA draft by the Los Angeles Lakers. Fisher was selected just nine picks behind Kobe Bryant who was by far the more popular rookie that season. After winning three consecutive Championships with the Lakers from 2000-2002 Derek left to play for Golden State. After playing in Golden State for two years Fisher went to the Utah Jazz. After playing in Utah for one year Derek went back to the Lakers where he was reunited with Kobe Bryant. Derek Fisher played in Los Angeles until the 2012 season, when he then went to the Oklahoma City Thunder. After helping the Thunder to the 2012 NBA Finals he was let go as a free agent. Fisher then signed with the Dallas Mavericks where he played the first part of the 2012-2013 season. After the Thunder traded Eric Maynor moments before the 2013 trade deadline to Portland it opened a spot for a third point guard on the team. Sam Presti could think of no one better than veteran point guard Derek Fisher.

Derek Fisher was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, on August 9, 1974. His mother, Annette Fisher, worked at a bank, and his father, John Fisher, was a retired military officer who worked as a post office administrator. Derek gives all the credit to his parents, especially his father, for the drive necessary to be successful in both basketball and in life. Fisher was first exposed to basketball at a young age by his older half-brother, Duane Washington. Duane played for his high school team while Derek sat court side watching because he was too young. His older brother made it all the way to the NBA before getting suspended for substance abuse. Derek Fisher made a vow at that moment to never use any type of drug.

Fisher did not disappoint as he followed in his brothers footsteps as a basketball star. Fisher went to Little Rock's Parkview Arts and Science Magnet High School, where he was known as the star point guard. He led his high school to a state championship, and was nominated as a McDonald's All-American. Derek was also an AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) All-American where he also led his team to a National Championship. Fisher graduated from Parkview High School in 1992. Despite all the success Fisher had at the high school level, no major college offered him a scholarship. Fisher did get a full ride scholarship at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, which wasn't too far from his home as a child. Fisher was one of the greatest basketball players to ever suit up for UALR, as he finished second in all time scoring at UALR. Derek Fisher recorded 1,393 points, 372 assists, and 189 steals. During Fisher's senior year he was awarded the Sun Belt Player of the Year award.

Being listed as one of the better point guards in the 1996 NBA draft, Fisher was selected as the 24th overall pick by the Los Angeles Lakers. He was selected just nine picks after soon to be Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant. Later on that season the Lakers picked up the superstar center, Shaquille O'Neal. This would be the beginning of the team that would go on to win three straight Championships. Kobe Bryant and Shaq were the superstars of the team, but Fisher became known as the guy who would always knock down shots when needed. Fisher left the Lakers in 2004 and signed with the Golden State Warriors as a free agent. His two seasons at Golden State proved to be somewhat of a let down as he was not able to stand out with out a superstar such as Kobe Bryant or Shaquille O'Neal. The team struggled for those two years, although Fisher averaged 13.3 points per game which was the highest of his career. In 2007 Fisher was sent to the Utah Jazz in a trade that sent Keith McLeod, Andre Owens, and Devin Brown to Golden State. During his one season in Utah he played in all 82 games, putting up an average of 10.1 points, 3.3 assists, and 1.01 steals while scoring in double figures 40 times. Also while in Utah Derek was voted in as the President of the National Basketball Players Association. Fisher would return the next year to the Lakers in 2008 where he won his fourth and fifth title.

After the waivers cleared at around 6 P.M. Fisher signed a contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder for the remaining of the 2011-2012 season. Fisher wore number 37, his age at the time, because his number 2 was taken by Thabo Sefolosha. Derek was a big part of the run to the Finals that the Thunder made, not only by his performance on the court, but mainly by his leadership and experience. After the conclusion of the 2012 season he was let go as a free agent where he signed with the Dallas Mavericks. Fisher played nine games before receiving an injury to his patellar tendon on his right knee. Two days later his request to be released was granted. On February 25, 2013, Fisher re-signed with Oklahoma City for the remainder of the 2012–13 season. After looking back at his career in the NBA Fisher decided to pursue an opportunity to win his sixth NBA Title. Perhaps this is the reason he chose to wear number 6 instead of the number 37 that he wore last year. Fisher did not contact the Dallas Mavericks before signing with the Thunder which greatly upset Dallas officials.

Despite your opinion on the ability of Fisher to still play the game, he is still going to go down as one of the greats. Although he has his slumps, he brings some valuable minutes and leadership to this Thunder team, but most importantly he brings not only playoff experience, but NBA Finals experience.

The Trade...

      It's been almost an entire season since the trade that sent Thunder fan favorite James Harden to the Houston Rockets for little known (in these parts) shooting guard/small forward Kevin Martin. Perhaps it's time to do a little evaluation.

We all know the story of "The Beard" James Harden. Selected third overall in the 2009 NBA draft by the Thunder, Harden arrived in Oklahoma City and immediately impacted a team that won only 23 games the previous season. Harden helped the Thunder to a 50-32 season and a spot in the NBA playoffs. In his first year with the Thunder Harden played 76 games averaging 10 pts, 2 assist and 3 rebounds in about 23 minutes per game. This after spending two seasons at Arizona State where he averaged 19 pts, 5.4 rebounds and 3.7 assist while shooting 51% from the field. In OKC, though, he was playing alongside Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. Playing time would be hard to come by and breaking a starting five that featured defensive specialist Thabo Sefalosha at shooting guard wasn't going to happen. The rookie settled in to the second five and developed a quick two man game with thunder big man Nick Collison. Harden also developed a deadly ability to both drive the lane and hit the big three when needed. When he got the opportunity to play with Durant and Westbrook, he made the most of it and by his third year he was widely considered a player at the same level as the two all stars.

By his third NBA season, Harden was averaging 17 pts, 5.4 rebounds, 3.6 assist and hitting 50% of his field goals and 40% from the three point line. He was also deadly at the line getting there often and hitting 85% of his free throws. He was the third leading scorer and the NBA's sixth man on a team that was approaching *50 wins for the third straight season, looking at its second consecutive division title, it's first conference championship and a trip to the NBA finals.

So what happened?

Hardens fourth season was the final season of his first contract. He would be a restricted free agent after the season. That means that he could entertain offers from other clubs but the Thunder would have the right to match the contract and keep him. Thunder GM Sam Presti has proven to be a savvy numbers guy and he knew that signing Harden would be difficult. Harden made little secret  that he believed he was good enough to start in the NBA and that he could be a top scorer. He was right. Anyone that knows the game could see it. Presti had already signed both Durant and Westbrook to long term "max" contracts and the fact was, there just wasn't enough cap space for a third. The only shot at keeping the roster together was to sign Harden to a long term contract for about $20 million shy of the max, and that would stretch the already thin Thunder resources. Presti was also keenly aware that there were several NBA teams that would extend Harden a max offer at the end of the season....and, he knew he couldn't match it.

So, the big question, was Harden in it for the money or, was playing for a championship contender worth a smaller paycheck. Many fans believed that Harden wanted to win and he knew he was on a team that could win a ring or two. The talking heads in sports radio and TV weren't so sure. This time they were right. Presti extended an offer for a four year contract extension worth an estimated $52- $55 million dollars, a lot of money in any sport. Harden turned it down illustrating that this was indeed a business and he believed he was worth more. Presti, faced with the real prospect of not only losing Harden at the end of the season, but getting zero value for a valued asset in the process, decided to trade the man many thought was the final piece of the Thunder's championship puzzle.

Presti brokered a trade between the Thunder and Houston Rockets that sent Harden and three Thunder reserves for Kevin Martin, Jeremy Lamb and some draft picks. Harden immediately signed a five year $80 million dollar contract and was introduced as the foundation of the Rockets rebuilding program. As a starter for the Rockets Harden has averaged 26.2 pts, 4.7 rebounds and 5.9 assist. His FG% has dropped to 45% and he is only hitting 37% from the three point line but he still gets to the FT line often and is still hitting 86% of his free throws.The bottom line is Harden lived up to the hype and is well worth the money.

Kevin Martin came to the Thunder having played seven NBA season with Sacramento and Houston, mostly as a starter and the teams go-to scorer. Kmart faced the same dilemma at OKC that Harden faced; no time in the starting line. Martin brought career averages of 18.4 pts, 2.1 assist and 3.5 rebounds. He shot 44% from the field and 38% from three and, he is always among the league leaders in FT% at 87% for his career. Not bad numbers and certainly comparable to Hardens.

This season KMart is averaging 28 minutes, 14.2 points, 1.4 assist and 2.3 rebounds. He is hitting 45% from the field, 42 % from three point range and a sizzling 89% from the line. Martin has had a mid season slump and does not drive to the basket as well as Harden. However, he has adapted well to his role off the bench and has started to show signs of a similar 2 man game with Nick Collison.

Kevin Martin is no James Harden... but who is?

KMart is a different player. He has that odd shooting motion that half the kids in Oklahoma City are attempting to replicate. He's been asked to come in and replace a beloved player and NBA all Star. A tall task to place on the shoulders of any professional athlete. Martin has done so with grace and professionalism that frankly we didn't often see with Harden. He has embraced the city and the team he now shares with all of us. Would the Thunder have repeated it's magical playoff run of 2011-12 with James Harden? Would we stand a better chance of winning the NBA Championship if Harden had stayed this year? (remember, Harden was a no show against Miami last year) The fact is, we will never know the answer to those questions and frankly, Sam Presti made the only decision he could have. It was the best decision for the Thunder organization long term.

Will Martin sign a new contact? I don't know. I do know this, he is playing for a legitimate contender for the first time in his career and, like all professional athletes, he wants a championship ring. My gut tells me that KMart will place winning over money.

Yes, It would have been nice to have James Harden in a Thunder uniform for one more year. But, it wasn't in the cards. It's no one's fault, least of all Kevin Martin, it's just business. I wish "The Beard" well. I know he will play in the league for a long time. More importantly, I welcome Kevin Martin to our family and I hope he sticks around as long as he wants to.

 

*(For the record, the 2011-12 team finished 47-19 in the strike shortened season but would have easily won 50 with an 82 game schedule)

For Buster.

Kendrick Perkins is just fine.

The Perk "Stare"

Kendrick Perkins gets a lot of grief. He gets knocked for his lack of scoring, his lack of rebounding and his lack of minutes. Perkins, starting center for the Oklahoma City Thunder, came over from the Boston Celtics in a trade that gave Boston the much loved forward,  Jeff Green. He gets grief for that as well. Perkins is so maligned by the local press and sports talk heads that rarely a day goes by that he is not blamed as the "problem" of the day for the Thunder. His name is mentioned after every loss as a contributor or the main reason. And, as the trade deadline approaches every year,  the consensus is that he should be traded. Why all the fuss? Because he doesn't have high enough scoring and rebounding averages.

So, who is Kendrick Perkins and why is he here. For starters,  he was a first round draft pick (27th) in 2003 out of high school. That's right, Perk never played a game in college. He was drafted by Memphis and traded on draft day to Boston. Perk's career stats include 23.0 minutes a game, 6.0 ppg and 6.1 rpg. In his best season (2010) he averaged 10.1 points and 7.3 rebounds. He has never been a scoring threat and has average rebound numbers. Yet, The Oklahoma City Thunder not only traded for him but immediately signed him to a long term deal. Thunder GM Scott Presti obviously knew that Perkins was a necessary part to the long term puzzle that is our team. And, for those of you out there thinking, yea but....you are right. Prior to the trade for Perkins, The Thunder did sign Knicks center Tyson Chandler. And yes, he did lead the Mavericks to an NBA Championship and win the defender of the year award with New York. But, those crazy team doctors told Presti and Clay Bennet that his foot problems were long term and the deal was nixed. Perkins may have not been the team's first choice, but I'm OK with that and I think you should be too.

Does Perkins need to score? We have the NBA's highest scoring duo in Durant and Westbrook and we are the highest scoring team in the NBA. Consider this, Kendrick Perkins is one of the best in the NBA at setting screens and picks. He allows our scorers to get free and do what they are actually paid to do - score. Perk is not a bad passer either. And what about rebounding? Russell Westbrook is among the best rebounding point guards in the league, Ibaka and Durant grab more than their quota and,  though we are 8th in the NBA in total rebounds (43.5) we are only 2 rebounds a game behind the league leader. The important thing to consider with rebounds and Perk is that he is normally boxing out the opponents top rebounder and allowing his team to get in the paint to grab it.

Then there is the question about his minutes per game. Perkins has one primary role. He is responsible for setting the defensive tone for the game. He does that as good as anyone. His secondary role is to plug the lane, control the paint and not let the opponents big man get loose.He does that better than most. The center he replaced, Nenad Kristic, has a better scoring average (10.2) and a similar rebounding average (5.3) but Kristic couldn't stop anyone from scoring. And besides, who among us wants Nenad back? Back to the minutes. Once the tone is set it simply needs to be reinforced and no one questions the effort by Nick Collison or the rejuvenated career of Hasheem Thabeet.

The bottom line is this; Kendrick Perkins is here to defend and enforce. He is really good at both. The proof is in the stats of his opposing big men. In just the last 8 or 9 games opposing centers have been held to 34% shooting averaging only 7 points and 8 rebounds. We're talking about the likes of Dwight Howard, Tyson Chandler and then last week, Kevin Garnett who was 3-19 shooting for 10 points and 11 rebounds.Was it all Perkins? No, but he set the tone. Perk is well respected by his peers in the league and few enjoy playing against him. He is a locker room leader, yet respects the talents and on court leadership of the teams two superstars. The most important stat is this, the team was getting better before Perkins arrived but, when he got there, they started winning a lot more than not. Perk's presence and championship pedigree took them to the next level. It's no surprise that, in addition to being the highest scoring team in the NBA, they also have the largest average margin of victory. Defense wins games and, as they say, championships.

The fact of the matter is high scoring/rebounding centers are few and far between. Those that do it and defend are even more rare. They are also expensive. Chandler makes 6.5 million more a year than Perkins. Kendrick Perkins is a specialist and he knows it. Perk also accepts his role and strives to be a better team mate. We can't ask for much more. As for the complainers and dissenters? Perk is level headed and cares far more what the guys in the paint think than what the guys that write and talk about the paint do.

Kendrick Perkins is just fine. Watch him play next game, watch him work, watch him sweat. Forget scoring and rebounding and I think you will see what I see.

For Buster.

Thunder Update 6

The Oklahoma City Thunder are now on a five game winning streak heading into tomorrows game against the San Antonio Spurs. Oklahoma City now has a record of 47-16, and things are only going to get better this season. Earlier today the Thunder defeated Kendrick Perkins former team the Celtics. The Thunder won 91-79, which is a way better outcome than the last time they played in Boston (Boston won 108-100). Kevin Durant recorded yet another double-double with 23 points and 11 rebounds, which was complimented by Russell Westbrook's 15 points in this double digit victory. The Celtics limited the Thunder's average of 107 points per game (an NBA best) to 91, but the outstanding defensive effort throughout the game made it enough to get a comfortable win.

Monday nights game will be no easy win, but will most likely be the deciding matter to whether or not the Thunder get the first or second seed in the West. The Thunder will come into the game only being behind one game for the number one spot in the West. Winning this game will not only tie up the race for first, but also give the Thunder a huge mental edge heading into the post season. Oklahoma City does have one thing going in their favor as they head into the house of the best home record in the NBA... San Antonio's leading scorer Tony Parker will not be playing due to his ankle injury a few days ago. There is a debate about whether or not having home court advantage effects the Thunder considering they didn't have it last year and defeated the Spurs in six games. When asking Kendrick Perkins about the situation he states "It's important, no matter how guys try to look at it". Tomorrow will be the third matchup between these two teams this season (the fourth will be played on April 4th), the Spurs won the first game 86-84 in San Antonio, and the Thunder took the second one 107-93 in OKC. It is clear that this is a must win for OKC. Kevin Durant is only averaging 21 points per game this season against San Antonio (which is a Western Conference low). Russell Westbrook will have to have a huge game giving lots of helpers (as CGilmartin likes to call them) to the outside shooters, and the trees inside the paint.

Oklahoma City seems to be meshing well with the new comers on the team. Derek Fisher has proven that he can give valuable minutes to the team. Am I saying he is a guy who deserves first half playing time? No, not at all! He brings great experience and leadership to the team, but he is not a guy who needs to be in a tight first half situation. Fisher is averaging 4.6 points per game to go along with 2 rebounds per game and 1.6 assist. Fisher could give us that push that lead us to the finals last year. Ronnie Brewer is only getting 8:30 minutes per game, which is a lot less than I personally expected. Brewer is bringing 1.7 points per game and 1.3 steals per game to the table. Now to our franchise players... Kevin Durant is still doing what he does leading the league in scoring with 28.5 points per game. Durant recently recorded his second career triple-double although it did come as a Thunder loss. Russell Westbrook is still holding his ground at fifth in the league in assist with 7.7 per game. Our defensive player of the year candidate Serge Ibaka remains in second place for blocks per game with 2.95.

Here are the current standings through 63 games:
*3/11/13 Note Worthy: Oklahoma City moves within one game behind the Spurs for best record in the West
Eastern Conference Standings:

Atlantic:
New York(38-22)
Brooklyn(37-26)
Boston(34-28)
Toronto(25-39)
Philadelphia(23-39)

Central:
Indiana(39-24)
Chicago(35-28)
Milwaukee(32-29)
Detroit(23-41)
Cleveland(21-42)

Southeast:
Miami(47-14)
Atlanta(34-28)
Washington(20-41)
Orlando(18-46)
Charlotte(13-50)

Western Conference Standings:

Southwest:
San Antonio(48-15)
Memphis(42-19)
Houston(34-30)
Dallas(29-33)
New Orleans(22-42)

Northwest:
Oklahoma City(47-16)
Denver(42-22)
Utah(32-31)
Portland(29-33)
Minnesota(21-39)

Pacific:
LA Clippers(44-20)
Golden St.(35-29)
LA Lakers(33-31)
Phoenix(22-41)
Sacramento(22-43)

Sunday Biography: Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant was born on September 29, 1988. He was born and raised in Suitland, Maryland, which is just outside of Washington, D.C. He was born “Kevin Wayne Durant” just one of the four children of Wanda and Wayne Pratt. Kevin Durant signed with the university of Texas in Austin at the age of 18. Due to his extreme success, Kevin only played one season before entering the NBA draft in 2007. The Seattle SuperSonics selected Durant as the number two overall pick. During his six-year career so far Durant is a four-time NBA All-Star, and three time scoring champion.

Being born just outside of Washington D.C., Kevin is used to a very busy life, and being on the go all the time. This life pretty much sums up an NBA career. Durant was just one of the four kids in the Pratt family that loved sports. He grew up watching and playing the sport of basketball with his sister, Brianna, and his brothers Anthony and Rayvonne. Kevin’s grandmother, Barbara, was probably one of the most influential people in his life. Durant was always teased as a child in school for his height. His grandmother made him realize that his height was a blessing from God.

Durant started his successful career with the Jaguars, which is an AAU youth basketball team located in Maryland. Believe it or not, Kevin started as a point guard for the Jaguars. During his time with the team, they won two national championships. As you may know, Durant still wears number 35 on the court to this day. He wears the number 35 in honor of his AAU coach Charles Craig, who died at the age of 35.

Durant decided to sign with the Longhorns because of assistant coach Russell Springman. Springman, a Maryland native, had kept in touch with Kevin since his freshman year in high school. Durant started every game his freshman year of college and averaged 25.8 points per game and 11 rebounds per game in the 35 games they played that season. Durant received the Oscar Robertson and the Adolph F. Rupp awards that year, making him the first freshman to ever win both awards. Durant was then drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics (now the Oklahoma City Thunder) in 2007. He was selected to be a member of the NBA’s All-Rookie First Team and was named the Rookie of the Year as well. After the 2008 season the SuperSonics moved to Oklahoma City where he has since been selected as an all-star four times, and has won the NBA scoring title three times in a row. Durant has now led his team to a Western Conference Championship and to the NBA finals in 2012, and has received a gold medal in the 2012 London Olympic Games.

The maturation of Russell Westbrook

Russell Westbrook is growing up before our eyes. If you are not enjoying every minute of it,  then perhaps you should pay closer attention. Sure, Russell still makes some pretty dumb decisions and takes questionable shots but not near as much as he used to. Then again, how many of us could make the dozens of good, snap decisions he makes every game? In fact, not many NBA players can do what Westbrook does game in and game out.

Russell Westbrook came out of college as a defensive minded shooting guard. He was drafted to play point guard. At the time, most sports reporters and fans thought the idea was crazy. Very few thought it would work. Some (Skip Bayless comes to mind) still think playing Westbrook at the point is a bad idea. Many fans cry about his "inconsistency" on the court and frown at his dramatic complaints to the zebra crew after every possession. Some have even stated that Westbrook should have been traded or, at the very least, not signed to a long term contract. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, despite how silly it is. I for one think they are all wrong.

It is my contention that Russell Westbrook is not a point guard or a shooting guard. Russell Westbrook is an athlete. Not a run of the mill, Professional athlete either, he's a freak of nature. A rare athlete that possesses not just the skills that are commensurate with his size, but big man skills as well. I believe that he could also transition to other sports. Would it not be fun to watch Westbrook chasing down wide receivers as an NFL safety, or outrunning fly balls in a Major League ball park? I think he could easily do both. Don't get me started on his potential career in track and Field. I believe Thunder GM Sam Presti and the rest of the staff saw the same thing on draft day. The question they faced was not what position to play Westbrook, but rather how to get him on the court period.

The starting five and the positions they play mean a great deal right up until the tip off. After the first whistle it means a lot less. LeBron James is listed as a forward in the starting lineup. He spends the majority of the game at the point, handling the ball. Russell Westbrook can play any position and, on most nights, he does. Consider the stats for the guards on the top 7 teams in the NBA. Westbrook leads in almost every category. He leads in minutes played (35.69), points (23.63), rebounds (5.25) and is second to the Clippers Chris Paul in assist (9.51 - 7.83) and steals (2.43-1.85). Better than Parker, Ginobili, Crawford, Wade and Ray Allen. In fact, his rebound totals rival those of most starting forwards in the NBA. It wouldn't be fair not to mention the fact that Westbrook also leads in the categories of turn overs (3.52) and personal fouls (2.28) but, those categories speak to his explosive manner of play and his stingy defense. I don't know about you, but I don't want Westbrook to slow down his style of play. I'll take a few turnovers and a scrappy foul every now and then.

Watching Russell Westbrook grow before our eye's is a lot of fun. He is only 24 years old and has proven to be extremely durable. In fact, Russell has never missed a game. Not just in the NBA mind you, it has been reported that he didn't miss a game in college or high school either. And then there is his incredible upside. Compare his season stats above to what he has done since the all star break; 32 points per game, 6 assist and 6 rebounds. And, for good measure, he has 3 double doubles during that span and adds at least one steal a game. He's doing all that while shooting 52% from the field, 42% from 3 point range and a stout 88% at the line. He proves every game that he is no where near finished growing as a player or as a leader.

Russell will always have turnovers because of his style of play and his passion for the game will always be perceived as childish anger by some. But I know this, I want him around as long as he wants to be, and I hope that he plays his entire career as a member of the Thunder. Trust me, I know his teammates don't want to play against him. I promise that in the not to distant future he will be in the discussions for many NBA honors including MVP, all defensive team and perhaps a scoring title or two.

Give the man a break, let him play his style. Ride the emotional roller coaster that he puts us on every time he steps on to the court. It's the way he was made. Who are we to argue with his Creator. My advice, Just sit back and enjoy watching Russell Westbrook grow up, and hopefully grow old, with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

For Buster.

Scoring Champion vs NBA Champion

        Thunder forward Kevin Durant posted his third triple double on Wednesday night in a 119 - 74 win over the New Orleans Hornets (soon to be Pelicans). All three of Durants triple doubles have come in this, his 6th NBA season. Durant has been a scorer his entire career. He has three straight NBA scoring titles and is staring down a rare fourth in a row. Durant is a pure scorer. He has shown the ability to score inside, outside and... well, from anywhere on the court. KD could have a very long and satisfying career just scoring. No one would think any less of him. In fact, there are plenty of fans and sports reporters that would like him to do just that. Many fans cringe when Durant favors passing over scoring. They cry foul when KD puts up blue collar point totals. Sports reporters claim that he is passing up good scoring opportunities in favor of serving up helpers for teammates like Thabo and Perk. Scoring a lot is fun, it's American (see soccer) and it puts fans in the seats. So why would Durant not just keep scoring? Why devote any time to anything else? After all, he is the best pure shooter in the NBA.

      Consider the following. Golden State star Steph Curry scored an NBA league high 54 points on Wednesday night.....in a 109-105 loss to the Knicks. Great individual night but not a great team result. This season, Durant came in committed to improving his rebounding and assist totals. It is my contention that KD is aware of his scoring ability. But, I believe that he also know that while individual  scoring will win games it's not likely a formula for a championship run. In addition, to be considered an elite player, in the same arena as Bird, Jordan, Magic and LeBron James, KD must be a complete player. Larry Bird, Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson all have  multiple League MVP titles and Multiple NBA Championships. LeBron will probably add another Championship to his two  MVP trophies. They also all excelled in scoring, rebounding and assists. Durant wants both trophies and he knows what he has to do to get them.

     Kevin Durant is a consummate team player. He makes those around him better. He is taking the next obvious step in his maturation as a player and a team leader. He is on the right track. KD's high scoring game this year is 52 points. That was the season high until Curry put up 54. Impressive? Yes, but let me do a little math. Durant's line on Wednesday was 18 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. Lets say that each assist was worth 2.1 points (considering a few 3 point baskets) and half of his rebounds resulted in scores, again at 2.1 points. My math tells me that Durant had a hand in 61 of the teams 119 points or, roughly 50 percent of the scoring. And the team won.

     KD is young and smart. His scoring average is 28.5. Given the choice between Durant the scoring Champ or Durant the Triple double threat,  I'll take the triple double any day. Cut the man some slack. His new passion for passing and rebounding may not lead to many more scoring titles, but I believe it will eventually lead to an MVP or two and at least one NBA Championship, if not more.

For Buster.