Around the League: Week of 3/10-3/16

[carey]

Too lazy to write a big post, but I'm curious on what you guys think the Thunder's problems are. Is it all on Sefalosha's absence? Is it Westbrook's fault? Why can't Durant seem to take charge of these guys? A combination of all of these things?

[TOO]

Too lazy to write a big post, but I'm curious on what you guys think the Thunder's problems are. Is it all on Sefalosha's absence? Is it Westbrook's fault? Why can't Durant seem to take charge of these guys? A combination of all of these things?

Scott Brooks.

[Superbone]

Hey, I feel gypped! What did you do with carey?!

[Culburn369]

Durant isn't a lightening rod. Westbrook should be the Number 1 there. Of course it will never happen. Media & Stern 2 would never allow it. Perhaps the old NBA would, but, this is the new NBA so the answer is "no."

Durant gets sideways the deeper into the playoffs he finds himself. Westbrook is a north/south type with a vile streak that serves a team well, a team that is Hell bent. I don't see that much on OKC cept for Westbrook & Fish, maybe Collison, but, he's a follower. You don't ring having fun, posing at the arc and being nice to your fellow man, example::: Beverly.

[INFORMER]

Bill Simmons of ESPN reported on Sunday that Steve Kerr would be a leading candidate to become head coach if Jackson is hired. Frank Isola of the New York Daily News also reports Kerr could be strongly considered.

http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/23 ... kson-Hired

[Superbone]

Bill Simmons of ESPN reported on Sunday that Steve Kerr would be a leading candidate to become head coach if Jackson is hired. Frank Isola of the New York Daily News also reports Kerr could be strongly considered.

http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/23 ... kson-Hired

Very interesting.

[carey]

In the 'careful what you wish for' department: Marcin Gortat wants hockey style fights in the NBA.

[Superbone]

In the 'careful what you wish for' department: Marcin Gortat wants hockey style fights in the NBA.

There is a dichotomy here: hockey players fighting is "part of the game," but NBA players fighting creates a wave of scandal. Which is why the NBA would never, ever, ever allow this to happen. We're chortling at Gortat being honest, because if you've ever watched Gortat play, you know he would love the opportunity to deck somebody getting into his face.

Wait..., what?

[Mori Chu]

I enjoyed this article arguing that the NBA season should be 3/4 as long. More accurately it should have 3/4 of the games, spread out more to avoid back-to-backs. I am just sick of everybody being injured and banged up. I'm sick of watching the Suns run on fumes and lose to the Clippers the night after chasing the Warriors up and down the court for 48 minutes. I know it would mess with stats because we'd have fewer games, but I don't care. 82 is just too many games and packed into too few days. The NBA will make more money in the long-term if every game has more potential to be great, matters more, and is more likely to have the big stars healthy and able to play in it. Then we probably also won't have to endure Pop sitting 3/5 of the Spurs lineup in a national TV game any more, either.

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/writer/ken ... -stop-here

[Mori Chu]

Here's an interesting article by Grantland's Zack Lowe about things he's noticing as we enter the stretch run of the NBA season. Topics include OKC, Pacers, Eastern playoff teams, tanking, which teams should be considered contenders, the Spurs, and the bottom-half of the West playoff race.

http://grantland.com/features/sprinting ... nish-line/

[Bruiser]

Too lazy to write a big post, but I'm curious on what you guys think the Thunder's problems are. Is it all on Sefalosha's absence? Is it Westbrook's fault? Why can't Durant seem to take charge of these guys? A combination of all of these things?

Scott Brooks.

This.

I cannot say much about his theoretical qualification but I have always been afraid that he simply does not have the greatest personality to be an NBA Head-Coach. And to me it feels that he has proven to be inapt more than a couple of times now. But let's hope he and the Thunder will make me eat crow come June...

[INFORMER]

The NBA will make more money in the long-term if every game has more potential to be great, matters more, and is more likely to have the big stars healthy and able to play in it.

That's simply not true.

[Mori Chu]

I'm watching Rockets vs. Thunder right now. Recall that Patrick Beverley injured Russell Westbrook last year by lunging at the ball and crashing into his knee, causing Westbrook to miss the playoffs. They're playing again, and there was just a timeout situation where Westbrook was dribbling past center court and about to call the timeout. Beverley lunged at him just like before and kind of tripped Westbrook up, got under his foot and ankle or something. Russell got furious and started barking at him, and the refs and teammates had to separate them.

I am not at all okay with a player who goes out of his way to hurt or injure other players. I think Beverley should get suspended for that shit. There is no place for that in the game.

[Mori Chu]

Wow, Beverley just fell on Westbrook again. There is a real tension in the air in this Houston/OKC game. These two teams would be crazy in a playoff series together.

[Superbone]

I'm glad you reminded me of the game. Still at work but I set up to record the end of the game.

[TOO]

Grizz won

[Superbone]

Grizz won

They've been doing a lot of that lately. They're going to be awful hard to keep out of the playoffs.

[Wally_West]

I think we should get used to the idea that Memphis will probably make the playoffs. I think it will ultimately come down to Mavs and us.

[carey]

I'm finding this Phil Jackson situation in NY to be ludicrous. Isola is reporting that Jackson is looking for $15Mil a year and that he wants to live in California during the season. Isn't that basically stealing money?

[In2ition]

Jackson seems like another of the NBA's version of the Manchurian candidate.