Thoughts on the Thunder

[chuckb]

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

Maybe, but you can't very well make the argument that the refs favored the Warriors. Well, some will, but it's hardly cogent.

 

[Mr.B!!!]

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.

I don't disagree with your point, but does GSW not play hero ball with Curry and Thompson? They just make them. Ugh, I have to admit I'm more than a little annoyed with the "Curry Smirk" and Green is lucky that he signed that extension, because his overall game is off the charts dirty and I think that this series really exposed him. He'll be getting called a bunch, and I'd be surprised if he plays all of the games in the Finals. End of rant.

 

[MsProudSooner]

Maybe, but you can't very well make the argument that the refs favored the Warriors. Well, some will, but it's hardly cogent.

I didn't watch enough of the game to know if one team was favored or the other. I just hate games that are officiated that way. If I wanted to see that kind of game, I would go to a playground somewhere.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

Wade would be a terrible fit for the Thunder.

not imo

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.

I don't think you really watched the series then. Golden state almost soley relied on curry or thompson hitting contested shots. OKC played a much more balanced and team series. Yes, the end of game 6, they reverted back to hero ball. Besides that, the series came down to who shot better

GS had an assist for every 1.7 shots and OKC had one for 1 every 1.8 shots

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?

what bickering? That is so overblown

And where is he going to go where he has a shot to win a title that isn't going to have another ball dominant player.

KD isn't a PG and needs somebody to run the offense. People forget westbrook lead the league in assists this year by a wide margin.

 

[Big Old Booger]

not imo

I don't think you really watched the series then. Golden state almost soley relied on curry or thompson hitting contested shots. OKC played a much more balanced and team series. Yes, the end of game 6, they reverted back to hero ball. Besides that, the series came down to who shot better

GS had an assist for every 1.7 shots and OKC had one for 1 every 1.8 shots


what bickering? That is so overblown

And where is he going to go where he has a shot to win a title that isn't going to have another ball dominant player.

KD isn't a PG and needs somebody to run the offense. People forget westbrook lead the league in assists this year by a wide margin.

Westbrook still shoots too much and is not really a shooter. He gets lucky sometimes but the guy shoots less than 30%. He has to have a lot of shots to score points. Curry and Thompson are volume scorers, and that's what the Thunder needs is a player like that. It's one reason I think they should make a deal to get Hield. He would fit in nicely in that rotation with RW, KD, Adams and one other (Kanter/Roberson/etc.).

 

[Big Old Booger]

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

I agree 100%.

 

[campbest]

The past few years have curbed OKC's development a bit, be interesting to see what they can do building around a healthy nucleus and integrating pieces. It seems either Russell or KD have been out the past two years.

People say "well they need a shooter", etc etc. Problem is, there is a huge void of two-way wings in the league, especially guys that can shoot 40% consistently...and the guys that are, you have to pay real $ for.

Steph Curry was the 9th highest paid player on the court last night...to say again...9th highest! GSW lucked into their roster flexibility and the ability to add personnel. If not for Steph's ankle issues, GSW isn't near the same team.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

Westbrook still shoots too much and is not really a shooter. He gets lucky sometimes but the guy shoots less than 30%. He has to have a lot of shots to score points. Curry and Thompson are volume scorers, and that's what the Thunder needs is a player like that. It's one reason I think they should make a deal to get Hield. He would fit in nicely in that rotation with RW, KD, Adams and one other (Kanter/Roberson/etc.).

he does shoot a tad too much but he still scores at a high clip while getting others involved. I bet he works hard on his shot this off season. Its the one thing really holding him back imo from being considered the top player in the league. If he could hit 35% watch out

Curry is on a different planet, but Thomspon and Russ are pretty similar. Russ scores 1 more ppg and shoots 1 more shot per game.

KD is a volume scorer like curry and thompson

 

[Big Old Booger]

he does shoot a tad too much but he still scores at a high clip while getting others involved. I bet he works hard on his shot this off season. Its the one thing really holding him back imo from being considered the top player in the league. If he could hit 35% watch out

Curry is on a different planet, but Thomspon and Russ are pretty similar. Russ scores 1 more ppg and shoots 1 more shot per game.

KD is a volume scorer like curry and thompson

KD wasn't a volume scorer like Curry/Thompson the last few games. KD was a huge liability when he tried to drive to the bucket. How many TO's did he have driving the last 2 games? How many missed 3's? His best shots were when he got the ball in the 10-15 foot range from the bucket and made a quick dribble to get a shot off. When he has to dribble more, he's so tall it's a TO waiting to happen against a good defender like Iguodala.

I say Russ and Thompson are different like night and day. Thompson is a much better shooter and it's really not close. Thompson doesn't drive much but RW's best shots are his driving layups.

Westbrook is as good as he's going to get. He's hit his ceiling. He will never be a good shooter. He cares more about his clothing line than he does his jumper. To me, the law of diminishing returns is about to rear it's head with RW. If they pay more to keep him they are throwing money away, JMO.

 

[SilliSooner]

The past few years have curbed OKC's development a bit, be interesting to see what they can do building around a healthy nucleus and integrating pieces. It seems either Russell or KD have been out the past two years.

People say "well they need a shooter", etc etc. Problem is, there is a huge void of two-way wings in the league, especially guys that can shoot 40% consistently...and the guys that are, you have to pay real $ for.

Steph Curry was the 9th highest paid player on the court last night...to say again...9th highest! GSW lucked into their roster flexibility and the ability to add personnel. If not for Steph's ankle issues, GSW isn't near the same team.

If I were Presti I'd target Doug McDermott from the Bulls. With Meratic and some of the others n the Bulls, McDermott is expendable and he's a top ten three point shooter in the NBA. I'd package Mitch McGary and Anthony Morrow to get him. I wouldn't trade Serge. He went through some personal problems this year but he was valuable and effecient in the playoffs. Among the starters he is still our highest percentage 2 and 3 point shooter.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

KD wasn't a volume scorer like Curry/Thompson the last few games.

a couple games don't make a player.

KD was a huge liability when he tried to drive to the bucket. How many TO's did he have driving the last 2 games? How many missed 3's? His best shots were when he got the ball in the 10-15 foot range from the bucket and made a quick dribble to get a shot off. When he has to dribble more, he's so tall it's a TO waiting to happen against a good defender like Iguodala.

He was hacked a lot driving to the rim. He shot poorly at the end of games this series. I don't know if it was putting so much energy into defense or what. And he only had 2 turnovers in game 7 and 3 the previous game. He didn't play terrible. Just wasn't clutch.

But he is a legit 50/40/90 player.

I say Russ and Thompson are different like night and day. Thompson is a much better shooter and it's really not close. Thompson doesn't drive much but RW's best shots are his driving layups.

wasn't comparing them as players...just comparing their number or shots vs points stats.

Westbrook is as good as he's going to get. He's hit his ceiling. He will never be a good shooter. He cares more about his clothing line than he does his jumper. To me, the law of diminishing returns is about to rear it's head with RW. If they pay more to keep him they are throwing money away, JMO.

disagree whole heartily. and I don't think it is fair to say he cares more about off the court stuff than his game. He is the most intense player in the league. Losing kills him. He has improved his weaknesses every year he has been in the league. He has gotten better just about every year. He is putting up hall of fame numbers. And when players do start the downhill slide, they generally start to focus more on shooting. I think he can and will improve his 3 point shot

 

[Sooner04]

Unloading Ibaka is the very definition of addition by subtraction.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

Unloading Ibaka is the very definition of addition by subtraction.

i think i agree...unless ibaka would take a pay cut. The dude has some value as he has shown he can hit the three but he just is a dumb player and I don't think he is a great teammate. You have to atleast get a good player for him though

 

[Big Old Booger]

Unloading Ibaka is the very definition of addition by subtraction.

Yes, mainly because he is very underutilized. Russell and Durant take the majority of the shots so Ibaka hardly gets to shoot (but makes them more times than not when he does shoot).

Russ is the Will Rogers of basketball...he's never met a shot he didn't like. :ez-laugh:

 

[sperry]

Russell Westbrook is the best player on the Thunder. No, he's not a good shooter. But the dude just averaged 26 pts, 11 ast, 7 reb, 2.6 stls per game in the playoffs.

This team just took what is the greatest team in the history of the NBA by record to the 4th quarter of the 7th game of the WCF. That's after dominating a top 10 best team in NBA history coached by a top 3 coach of all time in the Western semis.

 

[campbest]

50/40/90 is not a "volume scorer"

 

[SoonerBounce13]

50/40/90 is not a "volume scorer"

it can be...and it cannot be

I think this started when he said OKC needs a volume scorer like curry and thompson. I think it is fair to say that durant is a volume scorer like those two.

 

[campbest]

If you average 50/40/90, you are one of the most efficient players in the game.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

I guess it's a matter of definition. I would assume generally when people say volume scorer they mean someone like carmelo or westbrook. they score a lot but they take a lot of shots to do it.

That isn't KD but the poster was saying OKC needed a volume scorer like curry and thompson. So I assumed he had a different definition of volume scorer

 

[Sooner04]

Now that Vinny has stated his informed opinion, shall we move this thread to its proper place.......the NBA forum?