TEMPO CONTROL: Oklahoma City likes to run; Memphis prefers to slow the pace.
In the regular season, the Thunder ranked fifth out of 30 teams in scoring (106.2 points per game), sixth in fast-break points (16.6) and eighth in points off turnovers (17.7). Memphis ranked 27th in scoring (96.1), 24th in fast-break points (10.6) and 18th in points off turnovers (10.6). A slower pace favors Memphis, a bigger, more methodical team.
BAD BLOOD? These teams will meet for the third time in four years in the playoffs, and such familiarity often creates tension.
"That's what makes playoff basketball fun, and we're expecting it to be that way," Miller said.
Memphis' Zach Randolph and Oklahoma City's Kendrick Perkins are especially volatile. Both were thrown out of a regular-season game in 2012 after an altercation. The Thunder tend to be volatile anyway -- they led the league with 52 player technicals and were second with 41 team technicals.
Anybody else watching the game? I am really rooting for Memphis. I have perma-bitterness against OKC because they were my beloved Sonics and then left. Also I hate Russell Westbrook.
I love Kevin Durant, but I just don't think OKC is a legit contender. Their coaching is questionable and I don't like their bench. I also think their offense relies too much on hero ball (though I grant they have quite a pair of heroes) and I don't trust Westbrook to make good decisions in a tight game.
Love watching Gasol and Z-Bo go to work. Plus Tony Allen's defense, and Conley's mostly steady hand at PG. Even the occasional Mike Miller sighting is nice to see. If the Grizz didn't have to actually depend on the horrendous Tayshaun Prince, they'd be great to watch all around. I miss Quincy Pondexter; wish he were out there.
That Thunder loss was the perfect Russell Westbrook game. I was watching it with my gf (Mandiraja here on the site; she rarely posts). I was telling her about the various important players and the style of each team. I said something like, "That guy right there is Kevin Durant. He's going to win the MVP award for this season. That basically means he's the best player in the NBA this year. That other guy there? He's Russell Westbrook. He's their point guard. ('He's the one who handles the ball a lot then?' 'Yes. Exactly.') He thinks he's just as good as Kevin Durant and rather than passing it to him and setting him up a lot, he shoots it a lot himself. So even though he's a very good player himself, he actually kind of hurts them with his bad decision-making. And then when Durant DOES finally get the ball, he's so starving that he just hoists up a bad shot, because he knows that if he passes it back to Westbrook, he won't see the ball again that play."
And that was exactly how the game played out. Westbrook had several heaves at the basket that were way off, badly chosen 3-pointers to try to save the game. They all missed. Durant had several ridiculous 3s that he MADE, including that insane 4-point play. He's just clearly so much better and should not have to put up with a moron at PG like Westbrook. They'll never win a title with the current incarnation of Westbrook running the show.
I think Russell Westbrook's destiny is to be the #1 guy on a crappy team that misses the playoffs every year (or squeaks into the 8 seed in the East or something) while he puts up 25-28 points a game on 40% FG shooting and hogs the ball. Think early Allen Iverson, Melo, Steve Francis, Brandon Jennings, etc. I know he's better than some of those guys but I'm just describing a situation.
Mori Chu wrote:I think Russell Westbrook's destiny is to be the #1 guy on a crappy team that misses the playoffs every year (or squeaks into the 8 seed in the East or something) while he puts up 25-28 points a game on 40% FG shooting and hogs the ball. Think early Allen Iverson, Melo, Steve Francis, Brandon Jennings, etc. I know he's better than some of those guys but I'm just describing a situation.
Is that the annual "Kenny Anderson" award?
"When we all think alike, nobody is thinking" - Walter Lippmann "Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have the exact measure of the injustice and wrong which will be imposed on them." ~ Frederick Douglass
TheOriginalOriginal wrote:I'd try to trade him to Sacramento for Thomas, McLemore, and change.
So you'd exchange Westbrook for an even bigger chucker who plays no D in Thomas? If they're going to lose him, they need a PG who can play tough D, hit the wide open 3 and run the offense. No idea who that might be though.
I do think you guys are selling Westbrook a bit short, though I agree with everyone's main point - he is hurting the team by not giving the ball to Durant. BUT he is still an elite guy at getting to the rim and finishing. One of the best - if not the best - at it in the league right now. Maybe he should go to SG for a different team. Maybe the days of the 6-7 SGs are over.
Calling Thomas a chucker who plays no D is ridiculous. Dude is as underrated as they come. His only knock is size. 45/36/86 career shooting percentages, competes on D, even rebounds well for his size. Just silly.
Dude is as underrated as they come. His only knock is size. 45/36/86 career shooting percentages, competes on D, even rebounds well for his size. Just silly.