Profiling the NBA Contenders: Thunder

Tweet With less than a quarter of the regular season left, it seems like a perfect time to spend the next few weeks taking a closer look at the contenders for the NBA title. Our first look will be on the Thunder of Oklahoma City.

Overview

Currently, OKC (I hate that this is the only short form nickname for them, it adds to my heavy dislike of this team) sits second in the Western conference with an impressive record of 54-20 (as of this writing). They have an outside shot of catching the Spurs for the one-seed, and are led by the impressive tandem of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. Last season, the Thunder made the NBA finals and are hoping to take that final step to win this year.

Key Players

If it wasn't for Lebron submitting one of the greatest seasons ever, Durant would be the run-away MVP, he is averaging 28.3 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game (all above his career averages) while shooting an astonishing 50% from the field, 40% from 3 and above 90% at the free-throw line. Durant has the ability to dominate playoff series, and take over in big moments, an absolute must for a team hoping to win a title. Although Durant is the best player on his team, his supporting cast is not too shabby. He is flanked by Russell Westbrook, a very dynamic and explosive player that you are not winning against if he is on his "A" game (more on this in a bit). In addition to Westbrook, the Thunder also have Serge Ibaka, one of the best interior defenders and athletes in the league along with Kevin Martin (a 20 ppg player on most other teams, but a role player on the Thunder. If Martin is your fourth best player, you are in good shape).

Strengths

Star power, a great home-court advantage, benefit of every borderline call, can protect leads, can adapt to play slow, fast, quick, or big, RussellWestbrook.

Weaknesses

Questionable coaching (especially when Scottie Brooks insisted on staying with Kendrick Perkins in the finals last year instead of starting James Harden and matching Miami's small-ball approach), poor late game execution; usually its just one guy going one-on-one and forcing a terrible shot (they get away with this because that guy is usually Kevin Durant), and Russell Westbrook.

You may have noticed that Russell Westbrook is featured as both a strength and a weakness. This is because if Westbrook brings that aforementioned "A" game, where he involves his teammates, is an absolute beast defensively, and does not force shots, the Thunder are unbeatable. However, for every "A" game Westbrook provides, he also provides games where he forces too much, shoots a long two with 22 seconds on the shot clock and blows possessions by not running the offense (not giving the ball to Durant) and looking for all the glory. Most often this results in one of those "how did we blow that game" games.

Key Question

How will the second unit and crunch time line-ups function without James Harden once the playoffs start?

Playoff Match-up Casual Fans Would Like To See Most

A duel with James Harden and the high-scoring Houston Rockets. Hands down.

 
Why They Will Win

Westbrook provides more "A" games than "F" games, a third (James harden would have been this) option emerges who relieves some of the burden of the offense that Durant and Westbrook provide, Derek Fisher hits some clutch shots.

Why They Will Lose

A third option does not emerge, Miami meets them in the finals, They get worn out from tough Western conference series, Scottie Brooks and Russell Westbrook blow winnable games with questionable decision making.

Next feature: Miami Heat

Conference Finals Could Determine the Future of the NBA

Tweet You may be wondering where the article I promised in my last edition of playoff awards (the one devoted to San Antonio) is. Simply put: it is on hold. The article is a celebration of how San Antonio has managed to embrace the 'team over the individual' concept (something fans of North American sports always crave and ask for, but hate it when they get it), Tim Duncan and his under-rated career, the brilliance of Popovich, and many other things that have defined the Spurs, but that have also been unappreciated for far too long. Kevin Durant and the Thunder of Oklahoma city do not want me to post that article.
Before you continue reading this, please note that I have nothing against the Thunder winning, I just think that future NBA seasons would be better if San Antonio or Boston capture the NBA title this year.

The ode to the Spurs was going to be my finals preview (obviously, they have to make the finals for this to happen), as well as a hopeful thought that the NBA would now move back to an era where teamwork and individual sacrifice would once again be crucial to success. Where watching beautifully executed plays and sequences that could only come from having an unquestioned trust in your teammates (think Ginobili behind-the-back to Tony Parker) would occur on a nightly basis. Where superstars would forego the chance to break a scoring record, in order to truly elevate their team mates, or as I like to call it: the anti-Kobe. And lastly, an era where you would not watch a guard pound the ball for 22 seconds and then launch an off-balance three with the shot clock expiring (and yes, that one is called a 'Westbrook').

The run that the Dallas Mavericks had last year wasn't just beautiful because they beat the NBA's resident villain, the Miami Heat, it was also beautiful in the way they did it. Jason Kidd did not just dribble up the court and pass it to Dirk Nowitzki; the Mavericks moved the ball (often all five players getting a touch)  looking for the best possible shot. If that shot happened to be a Nowitzki fade-away, then so be it, but the point is that Dallas played as a team and it was a big part of why they won. Another thing that contributed to the Mavs' success was that their role-players knew exactly what their roles were. Watching the thrilling Boston-Miami game last night and seeing Spolestra just throwing line-ups out there hoping that they would work (Norris Cole in after Lebron fouled out) reminded me of just how important role players (and coaching) can be. Rick Carlisle of Dallas made sure that players one through twelve on his roster were ready to play if they were needed. That is why Dallas had great moments in their title run such as Brewer changing the pace of game one against the Lakers, or J.J. Barea changing the complexion of the finals.

I guess that what I am trying to say is that it would be good for the NBA if the formula for winning titles went away from "let's build a super-team" to "let's maximize what we have and win that way". The Spurs and Celtics do not have much in common with a lot of teams in the league (teams such as the Lakers, Clippers, Pacers, Grizzlies etc.) they are not as athletic or as talented (at least in terms of their best players). Yet the Spurs and Celtics outlasted all of those teams and have a good chance to make it to the NBA finals, all because they set individual stats aside for the greater good, in this case winning a title. If the Heat or the Thunder win the title, then the Brooklyn Nets pursuit of teaming up Deron Williams with Dwight Howard (both guys had a hand in the firing/resignation of a coach recently) is justified. More and more stars will take the easy 'non-Duncan' way out and just team up instead of working hard. That is why I am rooting for a Spurs and Celtics finals, one that may not get the ratings of other match-ups, but one that could benefit the league in a way not seen since the early 80's.

Recapping the week in the NBA

Tweet When I decided to start this weekly segment last week, I had no idea that we, the fans, would be treated to such a great week of NBA basketball. The week had a little bit of everything, from playoff races, to MVP races, to complete collapse, I have you covered.

It is only right that I begin by talking about that amazing game between the Miami Heat and OKC Thunder, The game was so good that it had analysts salivating over a potential finals match-up between the two teams. What I think got lost in all of this, is the fact that the game was actually very sloppy and poorly played, Durant had nine turnovers by himself! What made this game good was the officiating (let a lot of things go), the competitiveness, and the hard fouls. You truly got a sense that these two teams did not like each other and they were playing like it. What made the game even better was the match-up of Lebron vs. Durant, with Lebron basically telling everyone that was trying to build hype for the Durant MVP campaign last week, that the MVP trophy is his to lose. He completely shut down Durant in the final minutes and was the entire Heat offence in the fourth quarter, it was nice to see him step up and separate himself from everyone else on the court. He rose to the occasion and did not shrink from it, of course this means nothing until the playoffs start so stay tuned.

Last week I also named a few teams who had very important weeks coming up that would likely determine their fate in regards to making the playoffs, those teams were Memphis, the Knicks, and the Celtics. The Grizzlies took care of business in a very impressive 4-1 week (with the one loss being to Dallas in the third game in a back-to-back-to-back set, and they avenged that loss by beating Dallas three days later) that has given them some breathing room in the crowded Western conference. Memphis could get as high as a 3-seed if they keep playing this well, and continue to be a scary match-up for anyone. The Knicks actually managed to climb to the 7-seed in the East (because Philly is self-com-busting at this point) and beat a Rose-led Bulls team in OT. They are also winning enough games to keep the streaking Bucks at bay, while waiting for the health statuses of Stoudemire and Lin, a solid week for the Knicks. Lastly, the Celtics stumbled a bit with losses to the Bulls and Spurs (although not many teams would beat those two teams) but recovered to beat Indiana and Philadelphia. Boston is really playing some good ball and at this point there really is not much more to say about the team. They did not fold this year, (when they had every chance to do so) they stuck together, and now worst of all (for every other team) they are starting to believe.

But enough about the teams that are actually taking care of business, on to the teams that are doing the exact opposite. Firstly, OKC is no longer the West's number one overall seed having lost three games in a row and only snapping that skid with a win against the lowly Raptors. For a young team that has yet to win a title like OKC, home-court advantage is a must and they have let it slip away. Another team that is doing its best NOT to make the playoffs are the 76ers. I have no idea what happened to this team, but within the span of two weeks the race for the East's 8-seed went from a two-team to a three-team race, and you know what? I think New York and Milwaukee both make it and Doug Collins' early season COY bid becomes a thing of comedy. I will conclude this segment with the obvious: the Orlando Magic. I am actually amazed that SVG still has a job coaching this team. While I am on his side in this (he did get screwed over by Shaq in Miami) there is no way you can keep him around at this point right? Could any other coach get away with completely throwing his star player under the bus? Needless to say, Orlando is in the middle of a funk that could drop them even lower than the 6-seed they find themselves in right now, they need to decide (and soon) if they want to try and actually accomplish something in the playoffs, or fade into obscurity.

That will do it for this week, I am keeping things short only because exams are breathing right down my neck this week. Hope you enjoyed anyways!

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A Look at the Week That Was in the NBA

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Which teams are making noise?

With only four weeks to go in the NBA's regular season, now is the time where teams need to make their move and peak at the right time (which everyone seems to agree is right before the playoffs). The team that did that in a resounding way last week were the Thunder of Oklahoma city. OKC is currently riding a 6-game winning streak in which they went 3-0 against other title contenders (The Lakers, Bulls, and Heat) as well as another quality win over a good opponent who isn't quite as good as the other teams (The Clippers). I have to admit that I was genuinely impressed by Oklahoma's performance, especially the chemistry between Westbrook and Durant. Last season Westbrook took a lot of criticism for not deferring to KD, but as Magic said today "we hated on him last year, but now we have to give him his props", the truth is, if both of those guys can sustain this level of performance (and play with each other unselfishly) in and throughout the playoffs, we could see the birth of a very scary dynasty. However, despite their level of play this year, Oklahoma still has work to do to clinch home court advantage throughout the West thanks to the ageless Spurs.

San Antonio did not really impress me as much as the Thunder this week, but this is largely due to the fact that San Antonio's consistency over the last decade, as well as their refusal to die (figuratively of course) does not phase me anymore.  I could type how under-the-radar they have been, or how they have quietly gotten younger and more athletic, and how they have the best coach in the league, but none of that stuff matters because nobody will be interested in hearing it. San Antonio will get their proper respect after the first round of the playoffs (if they get there), until then, you really wont hear as much about them as you will about some of the other contenders. One last team I will mention, before moving on to other topics, is the Boston Celtics. Following the trade deadline, in which Danny Ainge wisely decided to let this crew have one last run (and if you think anyone will knock this team out easily, you are mistaken) Pierce, Rondo, Garnett, Allen, and Rivers will have this team believing, even if no one else believes in them. They have crept up on Orlando for the 3 seed in the East and are in full out business mode. The blowout they laid on the Heat yesterday signals that these guys are locked in, and the Heat and Bulls wont be happy about it and they definitely will not be happy if they have to face a rejuvenated and motivated Celtics team in the playoffs.

How is the MVP race shaking up after last week?

The NBA: Where We Stand 3/4 of the Way Through

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Here we are! The NBA season is roughly 75% complete, so that means it is time for my quarterly look at the season. If you have read the ¼review and the half-way point post, then you know what to expect; some awards, some opinions, and some observations about all things NBA. The trade deadline, as well as some key injuries, probably changed things quite a bit for some teams and we will get to those points later, but for now let’s hand out the awards that are sure-fire locks.

The Lock-it down Award

This goes to two guys who carry ‘James’ in their names. Of course I am talking about Lebron James being a lock (or at least, he should be) for the NBAs MVP award, and James Harden being a lock for the NBAs 6^th man of the year award. Realistically, these have been decided for a solid month, with Lebron’s season ranking higher (in terms of PER, John Hollinger’s mathematical formula to judge a player) than any other season since, well ever. Harden on the other hand could easily start for most teams, and many argue that he should start next to Westbrook on the Thunder. Coach Brooks however, likes to use him in the ‘Ginobili’ role, where he is the primary creator and is always on the floor in crunch time. It would take a serious collapse for these guys not to win their respective awards, as of now they are the least exciting award ‘races’ that the NBA has.

The “We will make a lot of people mad, but can’t really do anything about it” award, given to the coach of the year so far.

Unlike Lebron and Harden, who are already making space on their shelves for their awards, the race for ‘coach of the year’ is completely up in the air. There are so many worthy candidates this season that it feels unfair to pick just one winner, but that’s what I will try to do anyways. Firstly, the way injuries and playoff races have changed since the all-star break we can remove Rick Adelman, George Karl, Nate McMillan, and Kevin Mchale (last cut) from the race. That leaves us with Byron Scott (who has done a masterful job on the Cavs, they should not be where they are right now), Gregg Popovich (defying everybody’s predictions about San Antonio’s demise for what feels like the 10^th year in a row), Scott Brooks and Tom Thibodeau (number one seeds in their respective conferences), Stan Van Gundy (through all of that idiotic Howard drama, he has this team playing really well), Doug Collins, Lionell Hollins, and Rick Carlisle round out the long shots. I would be fine with any of these worthy candidates winning, and I didn’t even talk about Alvin Gentry, who has done a really good job with Phoenix. Expect a very interesting distribution of votes for this category at seasons’ end.

The “Our criterion for awards needs to be better” award for the NBA’s very vague requirements for winning certain awards goes to the Defensive player of the year award race.

I hate the DPOY award. It almost always goes to a defensive big-man, and nobody really explains why. Is the award meant to be given to the best help defender? The guy who blocks the most shots? The guy who plays the best individual defense? It is 2012! We should be able to figure this out. On that note, a lot of people say that Dwight Howard should win the DPOY award because the quality of big-men in the league is terrible; my counter: perimeter players dominate this league (Lebron, Wade, Kobe, Ellis, Durant, Westbrook, Nash, Paul, Williams, I could go on for another 30 players but you get the idea). So what this means is that on any given night, a guy like Tony Allen will be matched up against a guy who can score, and score a lot, whereas Howard is guarding scrubs that can’t score at all. This enables Dwight to stay close to the rim, and provide a lot of off-the ball help, but when matched up against someone who knows what they’re doing (Bynum) he gets outplayed! What I am trying to say is that if there were more quality big-men in the league, Howards defensive impact would be minimal. The DPOY award should take into account man-to-man defence as well, or have a guard and a big-man category. It goes without say that if I had a say, I would vote for Tony Allen as the defensive player of the year.

The “Dilemma” Award

This goes right back to the vague criteria argument. Do you realize that one of Durant, Lebron, and Kevin Love can’t make the All-NBA first team because they are all forwards? For some reason the NBA insists on making everything about positions, so we get outraged every year when it comes to all-star selections, but almost never when it comes to the all-NBA ones. The All-NBA selections are the most underrated awards each year, but they may finally get the attention they deserve when some significant snubs are made. So for this award, I will dish out my selections for all 3 teams, using my own criteria.

All-NBA first team: Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, Kevin Durant, Kevin Love. I do not care what anyone says, these five guys have had the best seasons in the league, and should also finish the top five in MVP voting.

All-NBA second team: Russell Westbrook, Rajon Rondo, Lamarcus Aldridge, Andrew Bynum, Dwight Howard. Yes, I realize that I have Howard and Bynum on the same team, so what? I can’t fairly pick one over the other in terms of who has had a better year, so I am calling it a tie. If you find yourself questioning the Lamarcus Aldridge selection, watch a Portland game then get back to me.

All-NBA third team: Derrick Rose, Dwyane Wade, Dirk Nowitzki, Blake Griffin, Marc Gasol,

A former regular season MVP, a former Finals MVP, and the reigning finals MVP all grace our third team! I think that it is very safe to say that the NBA is in a very good place at the moment. One thing I should mention is that Marc Gasol has had an amazing season. He was effectively Memphis’s only reliable big man while Zach Randolph was injured and has developed to the point where he may be better than brother Pau. This guy elevates his game in big moments, and plays the game the right way; he absolutely deserves to be recognized for his achievements this year.

That will wrap up this edition, with the final one coming sometime at the end of the regular season. In the mean time, we have some Mad men, some more NBA, and other cool stuff coming at you later this week. Cheers!

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