The NBA Playoffs/Thunder/Blake Thread

[jmizzy4ou]

Thunder are doing exactly what is to be expected of a jump shooting team in the playoffs. Going cold. Anybody acting surprised hasn't watched much NBA basketball.

If you can't initiate your offense and pass out of the post you're days in the NBA playoffs are always numbered.

Jumps shots stop falling. Driving lanes get sealed. More contact is allowed. It's nothing new.

This Thunder team is the Mavs before Dirk developed his post up game . Kendrick Perkins = Shawn Bradley. Different, but just as ineffective.

lol @ the Thunder with the line they are emulating the Spurs. The George Gervin Spurs maybe.

A lot of truth here. The playoffs have always been about defense and 1/2 court grinding. You also MUST have your stars making plays in the clutch. Many people here, including myself absolutely roasted LBJ when he had his playoff struggles, and late game disappearances a few years ago. he regrouped, and now he is money when the money is on the line.


Like Kobe said, I don't give a rip about a guy who buries game winners from Nov-Feb. Give me a Robert Horry who drives nails in an opponents coffin when the pressure is at peak levels. KD has not proven he can do that at championship time. He still needs his defining moment, just as LBJ did, Kobe after Shaq did, MJ did, and others.........

 

[sperry]

A lot of truth here. The playoffs have always been about defense and 1/2 court grinding. You also MUST have your stars making plays in the clutch. Many people here, including myself absolutely roasted LBJ when he had his playoff struggles, and late game disappearances a few years ago. he regrouped, and now he is money when the money is on the line.


Like Kobe said, I don't give a rip about a guy who buries game winners from Nov-Feb. Give me a Robert Horry who drives nails in an opponents coffin when the pressure is at peak levels. KD has not proven he can do that at championship time. He still needs his defining moment, just as LBJ did, Kobe after Shaq did, MJ did, and others.........

I hate this psychological nonsense. LeBron James didn't become a better player in the last two years. His team played for better teams and they won championships. LeBron wouldn't be a worse player today if Ray Allen hadn't hit that miracle 3 in game 6, and the fact that Ray bailed the team out and got LeBron a second ring doesn't make him a better player either. Being too results oriented is a folly.


KD has always been a great player. His playoff record speaks for itself, and he has consistently played at a high level these last 4 or 5 seasons, and that includes October through June, adn minute 1 to minute 53 of every game. He is struggling to hit shots in these playoffs, but arguing that he somehow isn't "clutch" is nonsense. He's just slumping at the absolute worst time.

 

[jmizzy4ou]

I hate this psychological nonsense. LeBron James didn't become a better player in the last two years. His team played for better teams and they won championships. LeBron wouldn't be a worse player today if Ray Allen hadn't hit that miracle 3 in game 6, and the fact that Ray bailed the team out and got LeBron a second ring doesn't make him a better player either. Being too results oriented is a folly.


KD has always been a great player. His playoff record speaks for itself, and he has consistently played at a high level these last 4 or 5 seasons, and that includes October through June, adn minute 1 to minute 53 of every game. He is struggling to hit shots in these playoffs, but arguing that he somehow isn't "clutch" is nonsense. He's just slumping at the absolute worst time.

You call it psychological nonsense, I call it watching NBA hoops for over 40 years. I didn't start analyzing the NBA when OKC Thundered Up!!

You scold other posters for speaking in absolutes, when in fact you yourself have done nothing in this debate but give your opinion, just as I did. You see mine as psychological nonsense, I see yours as nonsense..... agree to disagree.


By the way, if you think there wasn't a difference between late game LBJ the year Dallas kicked their tails, and late game LBJ against OKC & the Spurs, then you weren't watching. If you think Dirk didn't develop a post game and some mental/physical toughness to go along with his deft shooting touch, you weren't watching.

If you think Gasol didn't play tough defense and FINALLY stop getting pushed around by KG in the finals the 1st year LA won it, then you weren't watching. NBA experts talk about it all of the time. Barkley, Shaq, Ernie Johnson, Doug Collins all talked about this week. KD does not have a defining moment in the NBA playoffs. He received passes the 1st 2 times OKC hit the big stage, but as the MVP, he isn't getting one this go around. Hit a free throw, create contact on the last shot, and maybe we aren't discussing it.

Every star player mentioned as one of the top 10 greats, had/has a championship moment. KD is still young, and I'm sure he is still improving. He must add some playoff late game heroics to his list before the EXPERTS will crown him in the same class as MJ, LBJ, and Kobe, to name a few.

Never said he wasn't a great player. He is a great player who has wilted in the moment this year. LBJ took a beating until he decided to quit giving the ball to Chalmers, and Jackie Jones in the clutch, and he went and made plays........

 

[sdcloud9]

This type of scenario/implosion has been two years in the making. The signs were there when they put on one of the more incredible shot-making performances versus SA in the 2012 WCF. Their scheme (or lack thereof) is not sustainable.

I agree, been saying this for three years.

No team can win shooting jumpers against playoff calibre teams night in and night out. Thunder are built on shot making, not defense, rebounding, etc.

 

[sperry]

You call it psychological nonsense, I call it watching NBA hoops for over 40 years. I didn't start analyzing the NBA when OKC Thundered Up!!

You scold other posters for speaking in absolutes, when in fact you yourself have done nothing in this debate but give your opinion, just as I did. You see mine as psychological nonsense, I see yours as nonsense..... agree to disagree.


By the way, if you think there wasn't a difference between late game LBJ the year Dallas kicked their tails, and late game LBJ against OKC & the Spurs, then you weren't watching. If you think Dirk didn't develop a post game and some mental/physical toughness to go along with his deft shooting touch, you weren't watching.

If you think Gasol didn't play tough defense and FINALLY stop getting pushed around by KG in the finals the 1st year LA won it, then you weren't watching. NBA experts talk about it all of the time. Barkley, Shaq, Ernie Johnson, Doug Collins all talked about this week. KD does not have a defining moment in the NBA playoffs. He received passes the 1st 2 times OKC hit the big stage, but as the MVP, he isn't getting one this go around. Hit a free throw, create contact on the last shot, and maybe we aren't discussing it.

Every star player mentioned as one of the top 10 greats, had/has a championship moment. KD is still young, and I'm sure he is still improving. He must add some playoff late game heroics to his list before the EXPERTS will crown him in the same class as MJ, LBJ, and Kobe, to name a few.

Never said he wasn't a great player. He is a great player who has wilted in the moment this year. LBJ took a beating until he decided to quit giving the ball to Chalmers, and Jackie Jones in the clutch, and he went and made plays........

KD has completed a 4 point play in THIS SERIES to send a game to overtime. What would have gone down as one of the most epic plays in NBA history if his team had managed to help him out in overtime. He's hit numerous game winners in the NBA playoffs, and has been the only reason his team has been in other games. Him playing a couple bad games in this series is nothing.

 

[coolm]

Durant has choked in this series. period. It's more than "a couple bad games". He's made bad decisions, missed key shots, played shoddy defense, and whatever else he could flub to give Memphis a leg up. HORRID series.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

I hate this psychological nonsense. LeBron James didn't become a better player in the last two years. His team played for better teams and they won championships. LeBron wouldn't be a worse player today if Ray Allen hadn't hit that miracle 3 in game 6, and the fact that Ray bailed the team out and got LeBron a second ring doesn't make him a better player either. Being too results oriented is a folly.


KD has always been a great player. His playoff record speaks for itself, and he has consistently played at a high level these last 4 or 5 seasons, and that includes October through June, adn minute 1 to minute 53 of every game. He is struggling to hit shots in these playoffs, but arguing that he somehow isn't "clutch" is nonsense. He's just slumping at the absolute worst time.

Yeah I think there is something going on mentally with KD but people are overblowing it. His playoff record and play over his career are pretty good. He is having a horrible series. He still has a chance to put the team on his back and make a run this year.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

I agree, been saying this for three years.

No team can win shooting jumpers against playoff calibre teams night in and night out. Thunder are built on shot making, not defense, rebounding, etc.

I agree that OKC are built on jump shots. But they are capable of playing great defense. They just don't do it for 48 minutes. they turn it on when things get tight which ticks me off. We are a good rebounding team too. That isn't an issue. I know we were top 10 at least this year and in the playoffs we are the top rebounding team. We have out rebounded memphis every game.

The big problem is ball movement.

 

[campbest]

KD has completed a 4 point play in THIS SERIES to send a game to overtime. What would have gone down as one of the most epic plays in NBA history if his team had managed to help him out in overtime. He's hit numerous game winners in the NBA playoffs, and has been the only reason his team has been in other games. Him playing a couple bad games in this series is nothing.

That was a great individual play, however, it didn't win them the game.

Winning is what matters when the chips are on the line, that's what makes the great players great.

 

[campbest]

I agree that OKC are built on jump shots. But they are capable of playing great defense. They just don't do it for 48 minutes. they turn it on when things get tight which ticks me off. We are a good rebounding team too. That isn't an issue. I know we were top 10 at least this year and in the playoffs we are the top rebounding team. We have out rebounded memphis every game.

The big problem is ball movement.

They haven't played championship level defense in almost two months.

 

[OUHoops]

Today's Oklahoman:

 

[campbest]

Today's Oklahoman:

Here comes the new narrative...

We're going to see how mentally tough KD is tonight, and hopefully, Saturday.

 

[AdaSooner]

Today's Oklahoman:

The headline may be a little harsh, but it's also accurate. KD has been anything but "Mr. Reliable" in the last three games. His turnovers (6 in Tuesday night's loss) and his inconsistent shooting from the field is really hurting the Thunder's chances of winning these close OT games. If that doesn't change, the series will be over after tonight's game.

 

[bocabull]

Cant blame Durant. His supporting cast is not very good. Too much is asked of him. He's good enough to come through in the regular season but the playoffs with no back to backs against an elite team best of 7 is a completely different animal.

What a turd Tramel is for that headline. He's a pathetic person.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

Cant blame Durant. His supporting cast is not very good. Too much is asked of him. He's good enough to come through in the regular season but the playoffs with no back to backs against an elite team best of 7 is a completely different animal.

What a turd Tramel is for that headline. He's a pathetic person.

The headline is justified. He hasn't been reliable at all this series. And it is not because of his teammates that he is unreliable...he is simply missing good shots

 

[allday92]

As long as Scott Brooks is the coach, KD as well as the whole team will be unreliable. He just doesn't know what he's doing out there, and its neither KD's nor Russ's fault that they have to play streetball out there. For the future of the organization, it's best if they lose the series so they fire Brooks.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

As long as Scott Brooks is the coach, KD as well as the whole team will be unreliable. He just doesn't know what he's doing out there, and its neither KD's nor Russ's fault that they have to play streetball out there. For the future of the organization, it's best if they lose the series so they fire Brooks.

I'm sure that brooks is smart enough to know that what he is doing isn't working. I mean he played PG in the league. I'm thinking he just isn't agressive enough to make the changes that need to be made. I don't know what it is.

 

[bocabull]

Jump shots are unreliable. Durant is not a miracle worker. If Portland chose Durant over Oden the Thunder would be a pathetic perennial lottery cellar dweller. He is the franchise. Calling him Mr. Unreliable is an unbelievable slight.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

Calling him Mr. Unreliable is an unbelievable slight.

while I agree that he isn't unreliable but in this series he is.

And this is nothing compared to the bad press he would get if he was in LA or miami or any other big market that people think he will go to. This isn't even a quarter as bad as the trashing lebron would get before he won a ring

 

[AdaSooner]

Cant blame Durant. His supporting cast is not very good. Too much is asked of him. He's good enough to come through in the regular season but the playoffs with no back to backs against an elite team best of 7 is a completely different animal.

What a turd Tramel is for that headline. He's a pathetic person.

It may not be fair, and I happen to agree with you about Tramel. But the fact remains that KD has not been up to the challenge of fighting through Tony Allen's physical defense the last three games. The Thunder depends on him to come through in the clutch.

And, you're right, they depend on him too much. I'm not too high on the Thunder's supporting cast either. It begins with Kendrick Perkins, who has yet to commit a foul in his entire career. IMO, he's easily in the bottom fourth of the NBA centers. I have said for three years that the Thunder will never win a NBA championship until they bring in a legitimate title-contending five. Having the best scowl doesn't cut it with me. Perkins is not a defensive stopper anymore, and he is as close to zero on offense as any center in the league.

Mainly, though, the Grizzlies have out-toughed the OKC Thunder. It doesn't help when the toughest guy on the team is a 39 years old guard who is retiring after this season. If the other players don't find some of what Fisher brings to the floor, the trip home from Memphis will be a sad one after tonight's game.