Thoughts on the Thunder

[Vinny78]

So I'm not a major fan but watching the game 7 tonight. First they have to learn to play better D if they want to win the title. Second they have to use their other players. Of course you are playing a team who set the record for wins Ever.

Here is my other take on the refs, Dean Blevins said in the Animal today that he thought the Warriors were getting a lot more of the calls. Tonight I counted about 15 calls where I swear Durant and Westbrook got fouled and no call where they normally always get the call. Touch Curry or Thompson and the whistle blows. NOW I'M NOT SAYING THAT WIULD HAVE ALLOWED THE THUNDER TO WIN but wow it was biased IMO.

Just my thoughts but the Warriors are fantastic and the Thunder should have taken care of business in OKC

 

[usedtobe1]

Refs let both teams play. GS only shot 8 FTs. OKC shot only 17. Not many touch fouls.

 

[MsProudSooner]

From what I've read, when the Thunder plays good defense, they are extremely difficult to beat. If that's true, it's hard to understand why they don't play good defense consistently. Having said that, I'm only a casual Thunder fan because i find the NBA nearly impossible to watch.

 

[Vinny78]

Well I will agree with Deanno on this one - just to much hitting and slapping allowed in my opinion- don't know if the score would have changed but just call the fouls that happen

 

[MsProudSooner]

Refs let both teams play. GS only shot 8 FTs. OKC shot only 17. Not many touch fouls.

'Refs let both teams play' is a euphemism for Refs don't do their jobs.

 

[hoopsaustin]

Great season. We over achieved. Donovan is light years ahead of space cadet brooks. Adams really impressed making the harden trade look very savvy and again a vote of confidence to our draft strategy and development.

Not much you can do when the best shooting duo in history goes off like that.... crushing how we had an enormous opportunity but GS came and Took it. Kudos to them.

I hate draymond green. Sooo overrated. Flexing after his 1/5 from 3 performance gtfo. Dirty classless player

 

[BCSooners]

Okc outplayed GSW in games 2-7. GSW just shot too well.

 

[Max Power]

Come on now, Warriors were called for 5 more fouls, the Thunder took more than double the free throws, yet its the refs fault? Maybe if The thunder stop jacking threes while going 7-27 they don't lose.

 

[bgrch1350]

Until Sam Presti stops playing shooting guards that can't shoot, the results are going to continue to be the same.

 

[Max Power]

Until Sam Presti stops playing shooting guards that can't shoot, the results are going to continue to be the same.

This right here, Waiters and Roberson combine 4-20 from the field, 0-9 from 3, and 1-2 from the free throw line

 

[SoonerBounce13]

So I'm not a major fan but watching the game 7 tonight. First they have to learn to play better D if they want to win the title. Second they have to use their other players. Of course you are playing a team who set the record for wins Ever.

Here is my other take on the refs, Dean Blevins said in the Animal today that he thought the Warriors were getting a lot more of the calls. Tonight I counted about 15 calls where I swear Durant and Westbrook got fouled and no call where they normally always get the call. Touch Curry or Thompson and the whistle blows. NOW I'M NOT SAYING THAT WIULD HAVE ALLOWED THE THUNDER TO WIN but wow it was biased IMO.

Just my thoughts but the Warriors are fantastic and the Thunder should have taken care of business in OKC

They actually played about as good of defense as you could imo vs the warriors. They just got gassed. And then its natural to start to sulk when they are hitting tough shots and you are missing wide open shots.

KD gets a lot of crap for his tunrovers, rightfully so, but he was continually hacked in this game leading to him losing the ball. I thought the refs were OK last night given the circumstances. We just went cold. I thought we moved the ball well. We crapped the bed in game 6 when it mattered. KD and russ reverted back to hero ball which they had gotten away from for the playoffs.

They need to trade ibaka for a shooter like danny green.

My dream though is that we can somehow get Wade to come over here.

I think KD stays atleast one more year

 

[SoonerBounce13]

Come on now, Warriors were called for 5 more fouls, the Thunder took more than double the free throws, yet its the refs fault? Maybe if The thunder stop jacking threes while going 7-27 they don't lose.

they do need to stop jacking threes BUT the thunder are in the paint a lot more than golden state and attack a lot more. Thats the reason for the foul separation.

They still definitely let them play though. I think thats fine but it was called different than every other game this series.

 

[p230]

'Refs let both teams play' is a euphemism for Refs don't do their jobs.

+1, The refs don't even bother to call lane violations on free throws. I don't enjoy watching the NBA. They showed a replay last night to show why GS though they were fouled and it started with a KD turnover. On the replay it clearly showed where KD was hacked across both arms and lost the ball and then GS started a run out. Another thing that really bothers me is the holding on screens. That is part of how they got so many good look at the 3 line.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

Thunder just had too many 5 minute lapses. They won 16 of the 12 quarters vs the warriors

 

[campbest]

"I don't watch much NBA but..." is usually followed by insightful analysis.

If GSW hits shots like they were last night, it doesn't matter. You can't expect OKC to win 2+ games on the road, that's why they had to get Game 6. That was the major letdown.

 

[sdcloud9]

Thunder played well enough to win and would have beaten any other team in the NBA in that series.....Warriors just played better.

Warriors made tough shot after tough shot. Amazing.

 

[sheepdogs1]

They don't handle pressure well for when the tide changes it does so in a precipitous manner.

Lots of finger pointing and complaining which leads to a loss of focus.

Not enough pure shooters from the outside.

Basketball IQ exhibited by certain players has room for improvement such as Serge.

 

[Mr.B!!!]

I could make an argument for Game 6 being on the refs but it had no bearing on Game 7. Sometimes you just have to give the other team credit, as Durant said earlier in the series GSW makes "bad shots" consistently. They've been historic.

If you are a Thunder fan you had an up and down season and yet still won 55 games, took out a historic SA team and pushed the all-time season record holder to the brink and at times dominated them. Hard to complain, particularly with a first year coach that clearly showed his skill level in these playoffs can match up with the best.

I'm guardedly optimistic that if KD comes back OKC will be the favorite next season even if they stay "as-is". Durant and Westbrook are both just starting their prime years at 27, Ibaka is I think 26, Adams is 22, Kanter is 24. Roberson and Waiters are both right around 24 as well. That's a solid core, with Adams really looking elite at this point.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

I actually thought the thunder did great at keeping their composure. How many times did the warriors go on a run and everybody had to be thinking, well this is over. Then the thunder respond and fight back?

I'm kind of hoping we package cam payne and serge or kantor to pick up a starting two guard.

If not that, let Waiters go and see if Dwayne wade would sign here. He's a closer. Not a great shooter but a savvy vet

 

[WTSooner]

Wade would be a terrible fit for the Thunder.

Playing as a team, and staying the course were the biggest differences (outside of 3 point shooting) in the two teams. OKC got out of rhythm and tried to play hero ball way more often than GS did.

Be interesting to see what Durant does. I think he probably returns on a short contract, but I wonder if he is tired of the constant bickering too, even though he plays a role in that? Wonder if he is tired of playing with a ball dominant pg?