May 15, 2013; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) attempts a shot against Memphis Grizzlies guard Tony Allen (9) and Grizzlies center Marc Gasol (33) during the second half in game five of the second round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at Chesapeake Energy Arena. The Grizzlies defeated the Thunder 88-84. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

Without their point guard Russell Westbrook, the series against the tough Grizzlies was always going to be difficult for the Thunder.

After winning Game 1 thanks to some late game heroics from Kevin Durant, the Thunder lost four straight to fall out of the playoffs. In the end, the well-rounded Grizzlies were too much for the short-handed Thunder. Mike Conley played a fantastic series, leading the way from point guard, Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph were too much down low, and Tony Allen was able to frustrate the Thunder defensively.

It was a disappointing end to what had been a phenomenal regular season in Oklahoma City. But despite the loss, Durant was trying to think positively following the loss. After the game, he had this to say,

“I gave all I have for my team. I left it all out there on the floor. I missed 16 shots, but I kept fighting, kept being aggressive, and that’s all I could ask for. It is what it is. It’s tough to swallow right now, but I’m sure we’re going to look back on this down the line and really appreciate this tough time. It’s something we’ve got to embrace and get better from. It’s tough to lose your last game in the playoffs so you’ve just got to move on.”

He added,

“Every one of these games came down to the last few minutes. It’s unfortunate we didn’t come out on the winning side except for once. Like I said, down the line we are going to look back on this and really appreciate it. Sometimes you’ve got to right out some storms to get to sunshine.”

“I have peace because this is when we really had to come together. You really seen us grow as a group. The only way I’d be frustrated is if we came in here with attitude because Russ is out or we missed shots or we lost the game, and nobody did that. We kept our spirits up. We were always positive and that was the best part about it. No matter how you lose, you couldn’t ask for nothing else man.”

“These guys, I love playing with them. Some days you come in and you get upset with each other, that’s just life. But at the end of the day I love all those guys, we all love each other and it was a joy fighting with each other, this playoff run, this whole season. So it wasn’t frustrating. Of course it was a little tougher than usual, but we made the best out of it.”

Durant has become the league’s second best player, and at just 24, is still improving, as scary as that sounds. Westbrook, also 24, will be healthy for next season and ready to lead the offense in his ferocious, full-speed ahead style. And the big man Serge Ibaka; a very good interior defender with room to grow both offensively and defensively is only 23 years old.

As good as the Thunder have been the last few years, they are still incredibly young and have room to grow. They’ve been to two Conference Finals and an NBA Finals and come up short both times, but Westbrook’s injury was the first real adversity the team had faced.

The team will be back again next year to fight for the Western Conference crown, and with a healthy roster, they should once again be favorites to come away with it.

His struggles continued early on in Game 3 this afternoon. Ibaka looked like he had an easy basket, but couldn’t get the dunk to go down.

(Thanks to @SBNationNBA for the .gif)

UPDATE: Ibaka went and missed another dunk later in the first half.

(Thanks to @HPBasketball for the video)

He scored 10 points in the final 6 minutes, including the go ahead basket with 11 seconds remaining.

(Thanks to @HPBasketball for the video)

Apr 24, 2013; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) reacts to a play in action against the Houston Rockets in the second half during game two of the first round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

Crushing news for the Oklahoma City Thunder, and the NBA in general today, as it was announced that Russell Westbrook has suffered a torn meniscus in his right knee.

Russell Westbrook will undergo surgery for a meniscus tear in his right knee. No timetable announced.

— Royce Young (@dailythunder) April 26, 2013

Westbrook has never missed a game, regular season or playoffs, in his career. With no timetable set, it is unclear how long he will be out, but it is sure to be a fair amount of time.

Whatever the timetable may be, hopefully Westbrook comes back fully healed and ready to be the explosive player we all love to watch.

Apr 15, 2013; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) puts up a defensive front against the Sacramento Kings during the first half at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

Biggest strength for the Thunder: Everything.

Given that the Thunder finished with the second best record in basketball, there’s about five things I could write about here. They’re just a very good overall team. With two top five players in Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, the Thunder were the second most efficient offense in basketball. Durant is pretty much impossible to defend one-on-one, while Westbrook is probably the most athletic guard in the league and made significant strides running the offense this year. The Thunder finished 29th in field goals attempted because they finished 2nd in free throws attempted and first in free throw percentage. It’s hard to stop a team when they have two elite scorers and get to the free throw line about as much as anyone. In addition to their ridiculous offense, the Thunder also boast a very capable defense. Oklahoma City quietly finished with the league’s fourth ranked defense, directly ahead of Chicago, Boston, and Miami.

Apr 17, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) celebrates during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center. The Lakers defeated the Rockets 99-95 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Biggest strength for the Rockets: Analytical offense.

The Rockets aren’t fancy offensively, featuring a heavy amount of isolation and spread pick and roll, but they’re super effective in what they do. Houston was the 6th most efficient offense in basketball behind ex-Thunder star James Harden. GM Daryl Morey is considered one of the premier analytical minds in basketball and has built the Rockets offense in the mold of a computer simulation of how offense should be run. The Rockets took the second most threes in basketball, the third most shots less than 5 ft away from the rim, and the fourth most free throws. In Jeremy Lin and Harden, Houston has two ball handlers who excel in both getting to the rim and kicking the ball out to the corners for open threes. They’ve also got a plethora of shooters who are more than capable of raining in threes.

Biggest Weakness for the Thunder: Scott Brooks.

I don’t think the Thunder have one glaring weakness that will hur them in this series, but in general it’s probably the head coach. I’ve never been a huge fan of Scott Brooks. I’m not enamored with his vanilla isolation-heavy offense or his lineup management. I get the idea behind giving your best players the ball and letting them go to work, but the Thunder are painfully vanilla offensively, running basic pin downs that result in high elbow iso’s for Durant or a plethora of high pick and rolls for Westbrook. Though Oklahoma City destroys teams when playing small with Durant at the 4 and Ibaka at the 5, Brooks insists on using these lineups sparingly. In this series, Oklahoma City should employ this type of offense quite often against a Rockets team that plays small-ball most the time itself. Is Brooks going to kill them in this series? Absolutely not. Moving forward, I think he’s probably the biggest weakness the Thunder have.

Biggest Weakness for the Rockets: Defense

Houston’s two best defensive players are Chandler Parsons and Omer Asik, but overall the Rockets are a below average defensive team. They ranked as the 17th best defense in basketball, allowing 103.5 points per 100 possessions. For as great as he is offensively, Harden is just a terrible defender. Lin can match up with most point guards, but struggles with exceptionally quick ones. I imagine he’ll struggle greatly trying to keep Westbrook in front of him. I like Patrick Beverley defensively as a third guard coming off the bench and he might take minutes from Lin, but that hurts the Rockets offensively. Apart from Asik, the Rockets aren’t nearly strong enough in their defensive front court. They don’t have the depth to keep teams from scoring when Asik sits, which causes them major problems considering he played just 30 minutes a game this season.

Prediction: Thunder in 4

While these should be enjoyable fast paced games with high point totals, the Thunder will take care of business handily. Houston’s a young team on the rise and just making the playoffs was a great accomplishment for them, but they have about a 0.00005% chance to win this series. I don’t think the Thunder are going to blow them out every game, but the Rockets just aren’t talented enough at this point and time to win. Houston would have to shoot lights out and Russell Westbrook would have to absolutely implode, neither of which I see happening. Harden returning to Oklahoma City to play the Thunder will make for a fun media narrative, but he won’t get the best of his former team. Not this season at least.

While the Clippers were in the midst of a furious comeback, Ibaka and Griffin were battling under the basket. As Matt Barnes put up a three that ended up going in, Ibaka swung his arm and hit Griffin below the waist.

Ibaka received just a flagrant 1, but should have been ejected for the dirty move.

Check out the .gif below. (H/T to @MattMooreCBS)

Jun 21, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Derek Fisher (37) shoots over Miami Heat point guard Mario Chalmers (15) during the fourth quarter in game five in the 2012 NBA Finals at the American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

After playing 9 games earlier this season with the Dallas Mavericks before a nagging knee injury led to the two sides agreeing to part ways, it seems that veteran point guard Derek Fisher is making his way back to the NBA.

According to Yahoo! Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski, Fisher and the Oklahoma City Thunder have agreed on a deal for the rest of the season.

Derek Fisher has reached agreement with Oklahoma City on a contract for rest of season, league sources tell Y! Sports.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) February 25, 2013

The 38 year-old Fisher also finished out last season with the Thunder. In 20 playoff games, he averaged 6 points and 1.3 assists.

After trading Eric Maynor to the Portland Trail Blazers on deadline day, it seems that the Thunder would like a security blanket for their young back-up point guard Reggie Jackson. With an extra roster spot to fill, picking up Fisher makes sense, because of his experience with the team last year and his veteran leadership.

At this point in his career, not much can be expected from Fisher. With Jackson getting most of the minutes at the back-up point guard spot, Fisher will probably see minimal minutes. He does have championship experience however, and will be a good addition to a young roster.

As they say on Twitter: Let Westbrook Be Westbrook.

Jan 6, 2013; Toronto, ON, Canada; Oklahoma City Thunder center Kendrick Perkins (5) against the Toronto Raptors at the Air Canada Centre. The Thunder beat the Raptors 104-92. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports

The Oklahoma City Thunder and Phoenix Suns are discussing a deal that would bring Marcin Gortat and P.J. Tucker to OKC in exchange for Kendrick Perkins, rookie Jeremy Lamb and a first-round pick.

For Phoenix, it’s now easier to talk about who hasn’t been mentioned in trade rumors. They have everyone on the block. I would love this deal for the Thunder, not so much for the Suns, but I get what they’re trying to do in Phoenix.

The Thunder get a major upgrade at center over Perkins, who doesn’t even play crunch time minutes for them anymore. Gortat fits perfectly along side Ibaka in the frontcourt, bringing necessary scoring to the 5-position, as well as the same shot-blocking ability as Perkins did. The only thing they really lose is that Perkins “toughness” quotient, but really, has anbody ever called Gortat soft? The offensive upgrade alone makes this deal a win for OKC. He’s also cheaper than Perkins. And with more minutes in Phoenix, P.J. Tucker has shown that he’s capable of handling tough defensive assignments, which may be utilized come playoff time or should anything happen to Sefolosha. The loss of Jeremy Lamb, now being tossed around as a constant trade chip, as well as the pick, won’t set the Thunder back at all.

The acquisition of Lamb will mean more for the Suns, as they can find minutes for him coming off the bench. At this point, he’s approaching the path of wasted lottery pick, so this may be his chance to show his value. Perkins will simply replace Gortat in the starting lineup, look disinterested and angry at every glance, and eventually leave when free agency starts up again for him in 2015-16 or demand a trade out of a “bad situation.” Perk should be motivated to raise his value and somewhat stand out while playing with this collection of players.

Report courtesy of Paul Coro, Arizona Republic. Article can be found here.

Stay with us at SavingtheSkyhook.com as we continue to report more on the highly anticipated NBA trading deadline. We will be getting news out as soon as we hear about it.

Durant writhed in pain on the ground, and it looked as if he had suffered a serious injury. After a few minutes however, Durant was able to shake it off and remain in the game.

Durant (who picked up another technical) and the Thunder have been frustrated all night, as the Heat have outplayed them from the tip. As of this posting (5 minutes left in the second quarter), the Heat are leading 44-29.

(H/T to @HPBasketball for the video)

Dec 26, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Houston Rockets shooting guard James Harden (13) dribbles against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the first quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Greg Smith-USA TODAY Sports

The Miami Heat might be the best team in the NBA, but concerns about their inability to rebound seem valid (they are the league’s second worst rebounding team according to ESPN.com). Hey, that’ll happen when you’re undersized. Has an NBA club ever been more infatuated with players of 6-feet-8-inches? The bottom line is that when you jack up hasty shots and don’t, well, rebound, poor stats follow. Forward Chris Bosh said the team needed to figure out a way to fix the problem. Here’s a suggestion Chris – try rebounding.

Houston Rockets superstar, James Harden, no longer second fiddle in Oklahoma, has taken the league by storm since his relocation. Harden top scored for the Rockets in most of their December games and also dropped 20-plus points in a 14 straight contests (at the time of writing). His beard, too, continues to be the benchmark for NBA facial hair, and has moved past Bill Walton’s werewolf era fuzz on the all-time list.

Like Washington’s politicos, the city’s Wizards face an unnerving precipice, one which could see its entire future fall into disarray. Okay, let’s be honest: the Wiz haven’t cast a good spell since Harry Potter sought the Philosopher’s Stone. And yet, amid all the turmoil, the ineptitude and disgrace, rookie Bradley Beal has been a beacon of hope on The Hill. Beal led all Eastern Conference rookies in scoring (13.4 ppg) and total assists with (41) in December. He also had six games with 15-plus points during the month.

It took an unlikely opponent in the Brooklyn Nets to upend Oklahoma City’s 12-game home winning streak with a recent 110-93 victory. This was, in part, helped by the ejection of a rather conversational Kevin Durant. The other part was a combination of Joe Johnson scoring 33 points, and Deron Williams taking charge with 19 points and 13 assists. Amazing how quickly he’s adjusted to his new coach, isn’t it?

Don’t look now but the Detroit Pistons are motoring, winning five of six en route to a 12-22 overall record (as of January 4). Sure, their record is still woeful, but we’re talking about the Eastern Conference here folks, where a sub-500 record is fashionable, and making consecutive free-throws is cause for All-Star consideration.

Meanwhile, the Boston Celtics are flat out of luck, losing four straight and dropping below .500. Most alarmingly, the Cs have lost each of these game by an average mark of 20 points. Things haven’t been this bad in Beantown since the Celtics 15-win season of 1996-97 on the back of Antoine Walker’s 33% from three-point land. Good times.

Portland Trail Blazers point guard, Damian Lillard, has fast become Rookie of the Year favorite. With the Blazers playing mid-tier ball, it was surprising to see them rattle the New York Knicks at home, let alone beat them. But Lillard is a big reason for that. He’s fearless, and plays an all-around game—scoring, rebounding, passing, you name it. For the Knicks, Amare Stoudemire returned to a standing ovation. He then proceeded to light up Madison Square Garden with 6 points, one rebound and two turnovers. Spike Lee was beside himself.

No round-up would be complete without something about Kobe Bryant. In recent days, the league’s best scorer has called his Los Angeles Laker team “old” and “slow”, and admitted that their Staples Center roomies, the once lowly Clippers, are in the mix for the NBA crown. Kobe even called the Clips, currently among the Western Conference’s elite, “one of the top contenders”. Presumably L.A. reporters are now seeking Bryant’s view on Daniel Day Lewis as an Oscar favorite, and his take on other outrageousness circling the internet.

Oct 19, 2012; Tulsa, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard James Harden (13) warms up before a game against the Phoenix Suns at the BOK Center. Thunder defeated the Suns 107-97. Mandatory Credit: Beth Hall-US PRESSWIRE

I was not expecting this at all. After reportedly turning down a 4-year, 55-million dollar deal, the Oklahoma City Thunder traded 2012 Sixth Man of the Year and Gold Medalist James Harden to the Houston Rockets along with Daequan Cook, Cole Aldrich and Lazar Hayward in exchange for Kevin Martin, Jeremy Lamb, 2 first-round picks and a 2013 second-rounder. NBA players took to twitter to express their shock with this blockbuster deal. After all, it was almost a foregone conclusion that James Harden was going to be a integral part of a potential Thunder dynasty alongside Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and newly resigned Serge Ibaka, right?

There are many ways to look at this trade but I will start off by saying I think this is as rational a blockbuster move as I have seen since Deron Williams was traded to the then New Jersey Nets in February 2011. I give kudos to both teams as I think both the Rockets and Thunder made out very well in this trade. How the Thunder arguably got more in return for James Harden than the Orlando Magic received for Dwight Howard still boggles the mind but I digress. Harden chose long-term financial security and a chance at being “the guy” on his own team over being third on the food chain on a squad that was three games away from winning a championship.  I will break down what this deal means for James Harden, the Houston Rockets and the Oklahoma City Thunder.

James Harden

I can’t knock a man for looking out for his long-term financial security and I applaud James for getting the max deal he feels he deserves. Much like Joe Johnson when he asked the Phoenix Suns not to match the 70-million dollar contract the Atlanta Hawks signed him to in the summer of 2005, Harden wanted a bigger role elsewhere. With that being said I believe unless the Houston Rockets have other big moves planned going forward, Harden will realize that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. It will be very different for James being the focus of opponents on a nightly basis and I absolutely expect Harden’s shooting percentages (49.1 percent from the field, 39.0 from downtown) to take a dip.

However there is some hope for Rockets fans that Harden can shoulder the bigger load. In the 526 minute sample where James Harden played without Kevin Durant on the court, he averaged an insane 34.7 points per 40 minutes. Harden became much more aggressive off the dribble with Durant out, with his free throw attempts leaping from five per 40 minutes to more than 13 (Bradford Doolittle/ESPN).

James Harden intends on signing a max contract with the Rockets and though I expect his percentages and efficiency to drop, with more minutes he should score more and should build on an impressive 2011-2012 campaign where he averaged 16.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 31.4 minutes. A 20, 5 and 5 stat line should be attainable for “The Bearded One” as the Rockets will need him to perform at an All-Star level if they want to contend for a playoff spot.

Houston Rockets

Feb 15, 2012; Houston, TX, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard James Harden (13) dribbles against the Houston Rockets during the second quarter at the Toyota Center. The Rockets won 96-95. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Campbell-US Presswire

After years of accumulating assets only to be turned down in numerous overtures for star talent, GM Daryl Morey finally found his guy. Morey was fed up of being in the NBA’s middle class and knows that in this day and age you need stud talent to win in this league. With acquiring Harden, him and Jeremy Lin will surely form one of the most intriguing back courts in the game. Will they be a hype machine that doesn’t produce at all? Will they propel to Rockets to the playoffs? Who knows? if nothing else the Rockets faithful have much reason to be excited for the 2012-13 season and beyond.

I was talking with my brother about it last night and I still don’t understand why the Rockets haven’t been able to get a big-name superstar in recent years. Houston isn’t like Salt Lake City or Cleveland where athletes rarely play there by choice (though money does talk). Its the fourth biggest city in the country so there is plenty to do in terms of nightlife, the women are beautiful by all accounts, there is warm weather year round and no state tax. Add to that a now promising core of Harden, Lin, and Omer Asik along with other young pieces that could turn out to be solid players such as Terrence Jones, Royce White, Donatas Motiejunas, Patrick Patterson, and Marcus Morris the Rockets should be a player in a loaded 2013 free agent class.

I truly respect Daryl Morey’s aggressive nature when it comes to making moves and I believe the Harden acquisition should pay huge dividends, particularly in the long-term. I doubt Morey is done in his quest to add another star talent and when he does, they will be a force in the Western Conference sooner than later.

Grade: A-

Oklahoma City Thunder

Oct 17, 2012; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets guard Kevin Martin (12) rests against the Memphis Grizzlies during the second quarter at the Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Campbell-US PRESSWIRE

I would like to squash one myth before talking about how this trade affects the Oklahoma City Thunder. This is not a sob story about how the Thunder couldn’t “afford” Harden, because if OKC really wanted to they could have signed Harden to a max extension but chose not to. Its debatable whether Harden is worth that money but that is why the games are played and he will have his chance to prove his worth. The Thunder are a marketable and likable team that has made significant money over the past three seasons and have yet to pay the luxury tax. There is a 0 percent chance that owner Clay Bennett will sell this team any time soon because of the revenue they have brought in and will continue to bring in so long as they are a championship contender. The Thunder have a great home court with their fan base that has sold out every game for the past four seasons and have an equally strong bandwagon following. Does that sound like a team that is struggling financially?

While it may be sad to see James Harden leave all of a sudden, the Oklahoma City Thunder fared about as well as they could if they didn’t intend on keeping him after this season. The Thunder elected to maintain financial flexibility, acquiring Kevin Martin who is in the last year of his contract paying him more than 12 million this season and a potential heir apparent at shooting guard in Jeremy Lamb. They also acquired two first-round draft picks and a second-round pick so they can continue to restock their team with young talent. This trade while it may not be received great by the Thunder faithful is a micrcosm of what makes Sam Presti such an excellent general manager.

People forget that Kevin Martin has been one of the most prolific scorers in the league over the past seven seasons. He has averaged 18.4 points over his career and this total is skewed due to limited playing time in his first two seasons. Much like Harden, Martin does a great job getting to the foul line and is a career 86.5 percent foul shooter so he makes defenses pay for fouling him. While he is a sieve defensively and isn’t as proficient initiating the offense, Kevin Martin should be able to match much of Harden’s scoring production and be a welcome addition to the Thunder bench.

Oct 15, 2012; Dallas, TX, USA; Houston Rockets guard Jeremy Lamb (1) during the game against the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center. The Mavericks defeated the Rockets 123-104. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-US PRESSWIRE

The piece that I’d be most excited about as a Thunder fan however is Jeremy Lamb. I liked him a lot coming out of UConn and  the guy can flat out score. He has plus athleticism and has a ridiculous 6’11” wingspan which should be helpful defensively. Lamb shot 47.8 percent from the field last season and scored 17.7 points a night as a sophomore. While I don’t believe he will ever be a first option on a team, he won’t have to playing alongside Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. Lamb’s ability to move without the ball should make things easier for the Thunder offense.

OKC made this deal with an eye towards the future and were able to save money while not dropping off significantly in talent. Depending on how well Sam Presti uses the three draft picks he acquired in the deal and I wouldn’t bet against him finding another gem, the Thunder may have made themselves an even more dangerous team in the long term.

Grade: A

October 12, 2012; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) dribbles up court during the first half against the Utah Jazz at EnergySolutions Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-US PRESSWIRE

Kevin Durant
Resume: 28.0 points (1st in league), 8.0 rebounds (career best), 3.5 assists, 1.3 steals, 1.2 blocks (career best), 38.6 minutes (3rd in league), 133 threes made (3rd in league), 431 free throws made (1st in league), 501 free throw attempts (3rd in league), 50% FG (career best), 39% 3PT (career best), and 86% FT… Team record in games played: 47-19… Playoffs: 28.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists (career best), 1.5 steals (career best), 1.2 blocks, 41.9 minutes, 52% FG (career best), 37% 3PT (career best), 86% FT, 13-7 record… All-Star, All-Star Game MVP, 2nd in MVP Voting, 1st Team All-NBA

It’s really, really difficult to try to pick nits with Kevin Durant. Ever since he was a freshman at the University of Texas I’ve been enamored with the guy who had the silky smooth jump shot, a ridiculous wingspan (straight out of the Jay Bilas dictionary), and the very visible desire to be the best basketball player in the world. Had I only been writing back in 2007 I would’ve looked very smart as I gushed about how great Durant was going to be in the NBA, and subsequently ripped apart Portland for taking Greg Oden ahead of him. In my opinion, Durant was the biggest “sure thing” in the NBA Draft since LeBron James. In the five seasons since Durant was drafted, he has only reinforced any and all of the beliefs I had about him when he was in the process of winning every NCAA Player of the Year Award.

After another stellar regular season and a third straight scoring title (only George Gervin and Michael have led the league in scoring three straight seasons since the NBA-ABA merger), Durant and the Thunder entered the playoffs with title expectations for the first time. To say that Durant and the Thunder came up short in the postseason probably isn’t the perfect way to put it. Oklahoma City didn’t win the title, but along the way to the NBA Finals they proved that they have the best home crowd in the league, a great young nucleus (which has since changed since Oklahoma City panic traded James Harden)… actually, before I finish that thought, let me go on a quick tangent.

I’ve been thinking about this trade for the last 24 hours and I have gone back and forth quite a few times. Ultimately, I’ve decided that Oklahoma City did indeed panic trade Harden, but what they managed to get for him—Kevin Martin, Jeremy Lamb, two 1^st round picks, one second round pick— was an absolute steal. Think of it in these terms: Oklahoma City got more for James Harden than Orlando got for Dwight Howard. Ultimately, I have to trust in Sam Presti and the rest of the Oklahoma City brain trust. Even if losing Harden puts a dent into the Thunder’s chances of returning to the Finals this year, they might have somehow managed to improve long term, which is incredibly hard to believe considering five months ago as the Thunder came back from a 2-0 deficit against the Spurs in the Western Conference Finals, I was ready to give Oklahoma City the next eight NBA Titles.

Alright, tangent over. Where was I? Oh yeah, that’s right; the best home crowd, a great young nucleus, and a 24 year old super star who established himself as the 2^nd best basketball player in the entire world as he was ripping through the playoffs more impressively than anyone except his Eastern Conference counterpart. What was lost in the shuffle after the 2012 Playoffs and LeBron winning his first NBA Title was how un-effing-believable Kevin Durant was. Right from jump street Durant was making it a habit to nail game winners at the buzzer, hit dagger after dagger in big moments, and lead furious late game rallies that got everyone thinking maybe we weren’t just watching a great player at work; maybe this was something of a Jordanesque transformation where Kevin Durant would run the NBA for the next decade or so.

Durant may have fallen short of that imaginary Jordanesque level that so many desire to get to and so few reach, but he did establish himself as the present and future of the NBA. In reality, and in defense of Durant, he didn’t even fall short of that level we love to try to measure every current player by. He was simply out done by someone who may have shattered that “Jordanesque” label and created something totally different in measuring basketball success in the process. But that is a different story for a different day.

Jun 21, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook (0) shoots over Miami Heat shooting guard Dwyane Wade (3) during the first quarter of game five in the 2012 NBA Finals at the American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

Russell Westbrook
Resume: 23.6 points (5th in league), 4.6 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1.7 steals (8th in league), 35.3 minutes, 340 free throws made (5th in league), 413 free throws attempts (7th in league), 46% FG, 32% 3PT, and 82% FT… Team record in games played: 47-19… Playoffs: 23.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 1.6 steals, 44% FG, 80% FT, 13-7 record… All-Star, 12th in MVP Voting, 2nd Team All-NBA

As the NBA is evolving into a league where concrete positions are becoming a thing of the past, I believe my opinion of Russell Westbrook will be drastically improved. I’m not the biggest advocate of Russell Westbrook “the point guard”, but I’m a big time supporter of Russell Westbrook “the basketball player.” Westbrook as a point guard is a sometimes shaky decision maker and shoots a little too much. Westbrook as a basketball player is a fearless, hard-nosed, athletic freak whose explosiveness pushing the ball up the court and his burst when he leaves the floor to attack the rim is equaled by maybe two or three other guys in the league. Additionally, he can very easily handle the scoring burden for Oklahoma City and do just about anything else you could possibly need a player to do.

Some might not see the difference between “point guard” and “basketball player”. To me, and I’m sure a lot of other basketball fans would agree with me, there is a blatant difference between the two. I love Westbrook’s competitive spirit. He firmly believes he is the best player on the floor at all times; that’s a great mentality to have. Kevin Durant is his teammate. Kevin Durant has a greater reason to believe he is the best player on the floor than Russell Westbrook does. See the problem? Obviously there are times when Russell Westbrook stepping up, taking the conch and saying, “I don’t care if Jesus Christ himself was on my team, I’m taking this effing game over” is a great thing. In the 2011 playoffs Westbrook was heavily criticized for shooting too much. He was even benched at times late in games for back-up point guard Eric Maynor. I placed some of the blame on Kevin Durant, who didn’t look nearly as eager or cold-blooded in 2011 as he did in 2012. Westbrook stepped up and took the initiative to be the man. Can you blame him? In game 4 of the NBA Finals (From here on out known as “The Cramp Game”) Westbrook went off for 43 points on 20-32 shooting. Did I have a problem with that? Not necessarily. In retrospect, I have a problem with the way the media covered it. The three biggest talking points after that game were:
1: LeBron James’ cramps
2: Russell Westbrook committing an unnecessary foul and dribbling the ball of his own foot
3: Russell Westbrook taking 32 shots, and Durant taking just 19.

LeBron’s cramps were rightfully so number one. But where was the love for Westbrook’s performance? He was knocking down every pull up jumper he took and attacking the rim relentlessly, getting no help from the refs who sent him to the line just three times the entire game. Three weeks earlier Rajon Rondo delivered a better, yet very similar performance in a losing effort, and analysts were calling it one of the best in postseason history. Westbrook didn’t even crack the top 3 talking points.

In a roundabout way Russell Westbrook is the LeBron James of the western conference, only on a much, MUCH smaller scale since in reality he is the 2^nd best player on his own team. At times does Westbrook push the issue a little too much? Yes, but what point guard doesn’t do that on occasion? What people need to remember is that without a point guard—or player playing the point guard position—as great as Russell Westbrook, the Thunder are not a finals team.

May 19, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers power forward Pau Gasol (16) blocks a shot by Oklahoma City Thunder guard James Harden (13) in the first half of game four in the Western Conference semi finals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at the Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-US PRESSWIRE

James Harden
Resume: 16.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.0 steals, 31.4 minutes, 312 free throws made (8th in league), 369 free throw attempts (10th in league), 49% FG, 39% 3PT, and 85% FT… Team record in games played: 44-18 (3-1 without)… Playoffs: 16.3 points (career best), 5.1 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.6 steals (career best), 44% FG, 41% 3PT (career best), 86% FT (career best), 13-7 record… Sixth Man of the Year

I mentioned two days ago that Manu Ginobili serves as the model for James Harden, “a lefty sixth man who can come in and change the course of any game no matter how many stars are on the floor.” From a legacy standpoint Harden won’t come close to Ginobili just because of the fact Ginobili is one of the best and most accomplished international players in basketball history. Plus Ginobili killed a damn bat. Unless Harden has a few living in his beard right now, that just isn’t happening.

It’s not unrealistic to think that if James Harden really is Manu Ginobili 2.0, that version could be better than the prototype. Besides the fact that their games are incredibly alike (herky jerky, left handed, plenty of flopping, very capable of facilitating the offense or taking over the scoring burden, and the unique ability to be loved by his team’s fans, hated by opposing fans and appreciated by basketball fans), statistically they are on track with each other. If you look at the regular season numbers of Ginobili in year three (16.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.6 steals, 47% FG, 38%3 PT, 80% FT) compared to Harden’s (his numbers at the top of the page), you’ll see they are very similar. Ginobili has the edge in postseason play to this point, but Harden’s had his share of moments this past spring too.

Sure, James Harden dropped a mini stink bomb in the Finals, but does Oklahoma City even get to the NBA Finals without the Beard? As great as Durant and Westbrook are and were in the 2012 postseason, I say no. Harden is the factor that puts them over the top. When Durant and Westbrook couldn’t get it going, Harden was the guy getting it done. He closed out game 4 of the 1^st round, carried Oklahoma City in stretches during the 2^nd round series vs. Los Angeles (and got to the free throw line plenty, enough that I got more than a few outraged text messages from my cousin/Lakers fan Pauley), and delivered a dagger three in San Antonio in game 5. Let me put it this way… even with the injuries to Wade, Rose, Howard and Bosh, Harden doesn’t get a spot on Team USA without a great playoff run. Everyone claiming Harden choked during the playoffs, simmer down.

A few times on this countdown I’ve talked about a player being forced into a role he isn’t quite qualified for. For the first time I might be ranking a player who is capable of jumping a role. Could Harden handle the burden of being the 2^nd best guy on a great team? I would argue yes. I look at the body of work Harden put forth in the regular season and postseason up to the Finals rather than just the Finals. Assuming the Oklahoma City trio stays together Harden is likely never better than the third best guy on his own team. Harden surpassing Durant… not happening ever. Harden surpassing Westbrook… you might be able to talk me into that one, but it’s still unlikely.

Now the debate becomes how high James Harden’s ceiling is. Harden is only 23 years old and is already a top 25 player in my eyes. Coming up in the rankings, there are still four Lakers, three Celtics, and three Heat. In today’s superpower/big three era of basketball it’s not out of the question to think that when Harden is in his prime he couldn’t be a top 15 player. As for now, Harden will have to settle for being the most overqualified sixth man in the league and rocking the most bad ass beard in professional sports.

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  April 9, 2012; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets center JaVale McGee (34) reacts to his basket and foul against the Golden State Warriors during the fourth quarter at the Pepsi Center. The Nuggets defeated the Warriors 123-84. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-US PRESSWIRE

  JAVALE MCGEE, C, Denver Nuggets
  Last season: 25.2 MPG, 11.3 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 19.90 PER
  McGee is on just about everyone’s radar to gain most improved player recognition this season. A big reason is because of his well-publicized workout sessions with the great Hakeem Olajuwon in the offseason, leading us to believe that he’s going to have endless post moves this season. Personally, I’m looking forward to seeing these “tweaks” in game action to see if there’s a noticeable difference. Whether McGee’s offensive game is truly more polished or not, it’s his defense that the Nuggets will be depending on. We know this team will be able to score the ball (1st overall in points and assists last season), but they’ll need McGee to continue with his dominant shot blocking in the middle. You’d like to think McGee will take the young Kenneth Faried under his wing defensively and improve the Nuggets interior. McGee’s development may just be that crucial factor in the Nuggets contending the the LA’s and OK’s in the West or being just another middle-tier playoff team.

• 

  March 30, 2011; New Orleans, LA, USA; Portland Trail Blazers shooting guard Brandon Roy (7) against the New Orleans Hornets during the third quarter at the New Orleans Arena. The Hornets defeated the Trail Blazers 95-91. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-US PRESSWIRE

  BRANDON ROY, SG, Minnesota Timberwolves
  Last season: Did not play.
  Since he had the Wolves winning ball games last year, the X-Factor here could easily be Ricky Rubio, but let’s look past a certain degree of obvious here. Rubio won’t be ready to start the season, so only his absence will be a factor right away. The return of Brandon Roy on the other hand, will be huge for this team. The knee questions will be abundant in the beginning stages of the season and with the Wolves being extremely thin at shooting guard (Alexey Shved (rookie) and Malcolm Lee currently listed on the depth chart), they’ll need big minutes from Roy. Can he handle it? We’ll see. But Minnesota’s playoff shot depends on it. If Roy can return to even 80% of his peak form, he’ll be an excellent second option to Kevin Love. A season away, a fresh start, a new team… will the ‘Return of Brandon Roy’ be enough to propel the Timberwolves into postseason? Certainly an intriguing storyline.

• 

  June 4, 2012; San Antonio, TX, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center Kendrick Perkins (5) reacts against the San Antonio Spurs during the second half in game five of the Western Conference finals of the 2012 NBA playoffs at the AT

  KENDRICK PERKINS, C, Oklahoma City Thunder
  Last season: 26.8 MPG, 5.1 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 8.69 PER
  Everyone’s an X-Factor on this Thunder team. I need not label Durant, Westbrook, Harden and Ibaka as merely important, but rather they are collectively expected to produce. Perkins is that wild card. Even though he’s now a league veteran, he needs to become more than just the guy who leads in the league in Technical Fouls-to-Smiles ratio. The team needs defense and rebounding out of their 5-spot, certainly not scoring, with all the other All-NBA talent on the team. But doesn’t it seem like a starting NBA center that averages 27 minutes per game should have a higher PER than 8.69? If Perkins is so strong and solid defensively, why does he only average 6.6 rebounds per game? Part of the reason is foul trouble, he has to stay on the floor. Obviously the Thunder won’t have trouble competing in the West, but when it comes time to face the Dwight Howard’s in meaningful games, will Perkins be the X-Factor?

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  July 19, 2012; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) drives in the first half of the game against the Atlanta Hawks at the Cox Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-US PRESSWIRE

  DAMIAN LILLARD, PG, Portland Trail Blazers
  Last season (at Weber St, 32 games): 34.5 MPG, 24.5 PPG, 4.0 APG
  Boy has this team flipped it’s roster upside down over the past season. It seems there will be plenty of opportunity for some new faces, as well as rookies… including the co-MVP of the Vegas Summer League, Damian Lillard. After a stellar NBA summer and incredible college career at Weber St., Lillard should be featured immediately in the Blazers starting lineup. On top of that, after LaMarcus Aldridge and likely Nicolas Batum, Lillard could figure to be the third scoring option on this team, considering he averaged 24.5 ppg in college last year. Combine that with a lot of Rookie of the Year talk, and that’s a ton of pressure. Fortunately, expectations for the Blazers are not very high in this “transition” season.

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  October 1, 2012; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Jazz small forward Marvin Williams (2) poses for a portrait during media day at the Zions Bank Basketball Center. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-US PRESSWIRE

  MARVIN WILLIAMS, SF, Utah Jazz
  Last season: 26.3 MPG, 10.2 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 15.87 PER
  This is beginning to feel like Groundhog’s Day. We’ve been waiting for the Marvin Williams “breakout season” for about 5 years now… let’s just face reality, it’s not happening. As I look up and down the Jazz roster, they are the weakest at the small forward position, where Marvin currently occupies the starting spot. Right now, the Jazz are a borderline playoff team with most of their offense coming from the Jefferson/Millsap combination. If Marvin doesn’t adjust well to his new team and he’s deemed “limited” offensively, we could see a Derrick Favors or Enes Kanter spike in minutes or take over the starting spot. Who knows, maybe Marvin will adapt better to a new situation and a switching of conferences? For the Jazz to have an overachieving (think mid-low playoff seed) campaign, Marvin Williams will have to be worth every penny of the $8,287,500 he’s owed in 2013.

Apr 18, 2012; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks power forward Dirk Nowitzki (41) comes off the court during the game against the Houston Rockets at the American Airlines Center. The Mavericks defeated the Rockets 117-110. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-US PRESSWIRE

11. Dirk Nowitzki, F, Dallas Mavericks: One of the league’s poster children for returning from the work stoppage out of shape (and to his credit, admitting it), Nowitzki struggled early as a result last season.  There were times in January that it was apt to wonder whether he would ever regain his form as one of the league’s best players; that’s what happens when a shot-making veteran like Dirk averages 15 points per game, looks a step-and-a-half slower than he ever has, and is coming off a championship season.  But then the light came on just as we should have always known it would, and Nowitzki was his normally awesome self in February, March, and for the most part even a humbling first-round playoff loss to the Thunder.

So the narrative of Nowitzki’s decline for the first few weeks of 2012 are long gone, but so is the thought that he’s among basketball’s top few players.  That’s hardly a knock, but it is something that the Mavericks must recognize if they want to squeeze another legitimate title run in while Dirk can still be a team’s first banana.  Like friend and former teammate Steve Nash, Nowitzki’s game revolves so much around skill and craft that he’s likely to play near his 2012 level for the next couple seasons.  That beautiful jumper and the multiple fakes, kicks, and such that set it up won’t be going anywhere, just as Nowitzki is likely to retain his height of seven-feet, too.  He’ll remain a devastating offensive player for the foreseeable future even if he relies more than ever on long jumpers – he’s scary-accurate on long twos by the way, ranking second in the NBA last season – and loses some semblance of the dribble-drive game that made him so dominant in the 2011 playoffs.  Nowitzki is just that talented a shooter.

In analyzing these rankings, it’s become obvious how difficult it is to assemble a list of the league’s best power forwards (or PFs masquerading as centers in the small-ball era).  Kevin Love is the only one yet to be named and that deserves more scrutiny, but in the last 10 spots alone Garnett, Aldridge, Bosh, Gasol, Griffin, and finally Nowitzki have come off the board.  The difference between those guys – with the possible exception of Aldridge – is razor thin, and a case could be made for each that they deserve consideration as that group’s best.  It’s truly splitting hairs at this point, though, and memories of June 2011 alone make Nowitzki as worthy or more than the rest.

10. Deron Williams, PG, Brooklyn Nets: Considered by many to be the NBA’s best point-guard just two or three seasons ago, a slew of new lead guard stars and Williams’ trade to the Nets made him a blip on the league’s recent radar.  That changed after last season when he was the most courted free agent available, and will change even more once this one kicks off and he’s officially the face of the Brooklyn Nets.

One of the game’s most well-rounded players, Williams struggles in nary an area.  He can play the role of scorer, distributor, and defender as well as most depending on the need of his team, and with the depleted Nets in 2011 and 2012 it was the former.  So while his shooting and assist numbers dipped considerably last season, it’s not necessarily indicative of any sustained decline; more so that he was surrounded by the last ragtag group New Jersey fans ever had the “pleasure” of watching.  That’s hardly the case in 2012, as Mikhail Prokhorov and Billy King were the offseason’s biggest aggressors is resigning Gerald Wallace and Brook Lopez and making a shocking trade for Joe Johnson.  So Williams has help this season, and it will be a welcome sight to see him play the way he was meant to as more of an overall creator.

The “problem” with Williams – and it’s a relative one, obviously – is that he lacks the singular trait(s) that makes the league’s other top point-guards so great: Nash’s shooting, Rondo’s vision, Westbrook’s explosiveness, Paul’s genius.  Williams doesn’t have that truly elite skill but that hardly matters.  His game isn’t always flashy (though he does this on occasion) but it’s always effective, and enough to warrant his inclusion among the NBA’s 10 best players.

9. Russell Westbrook, PG, Oklahoma City Thunder: The league’s most divisive talent deserves better than this, and it doesn’t take more than this to realize that.  With the slightest hint of projection in mind, it’s easy to imagine Westbrook will merit an unmovable place among basketball’s top quartet of James, Durant, Paul, and Howard.  It’s a small injustice he’s ranked below players like Bryant, Love, and Rose, and there’s a case to be made he’s already better than Wade, too.

The basketball world’s infatuation with the length and shot-making of his more heralded teammate has more than anything to do with the narrative that Wesbtrook can’t seem to shake: he’s not a point-guard, takes too many shots, and can’t coexist with Durant.  As little as several months ago there were many clamors for Oklahoma City to trade him, and before that consternation at his well-earned extension worth the maximum.  With a bit of improvement Westbrook will firmly hush those same critics; he’s clearly still developing the mental side of his game, and even at this cocooned stage he’s one of its most brilliant and effective players.

Imagine if Westbrook – 23 and in his fifth year ever playing point-guard, mind you – hones his three-pointer, learns the finer points of defense, or gains patience and overall understanding on the other end.  Just how much better will he be than he is now? Considering those are glaring deficiencies in his current game, warts just as or more visible than those of any other player similarly ranked, the answer is much, much better.  As in top three player in the league better.  Westbrook isn’t quite there yet, but he’s already better than two players ranked ahead of him (Bryant and Love), healthier than his closest contemporary (Rose), and perhaps already another’s equal (Wade).  And by this time next year, the rankings will show it.

Jun 19, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder power forward Serge Ibaka (9) rebounds against Miami Heat power forward Udonis Haslem (40) during the second quarter in game four in the 2012 NBA Finals at the American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-US PRESSWIRE

Serge Ibaka
Resume: 9.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.7 blocks (1st in league), 27.2 minutes, 54% FG (8th in league), and 66% FT… Team record in games played: 47-19… Playoffs: 9.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.0 blocks, 53% FG, 72% FT, 13-7 record… 1st Team All-Defense

What a summer for Serge Ibaka! First Oklahoma City made the NBA Finals, then Spain made the Gold Medal game at the Olympics, he just recently signed a contract extension for nearly 50 million dollars, and now he has climbed from outside the top 100 in last year’s #nbarank on ESPN to 49^th on this much more prestigious list. For most men this would be enough to leave them permanently giddy and like myself, call the Summer of 2012 one of the greatest of all time; but Serge wasn’t done. Ibaka’s most impressive accomplishment of the summer was cementing his status as the top “Serge” of all-time. Actually, that wasn’t too difficult. Prior to writing this I didn’t know of one other real life Serge, so I did some research…

Top 5 Serge’s of All-Time

5: Serge Gainsbourg- Best known for being a singer, songwriter, poet, composer, artist, actor, director, fortune teller, baseball umpire and train conductor. Okay, the last three I made up. In reality, Gainsbourg would probably be higher than fifth considering Wikipedia says “he is often regarded as one of the world’s most influential popular musicians.” It’s my made up list though, and I can do what I want.

4: Serge Blanco- Best known for being a Rugby Hall of Famer, and currently owning three hotels, a brand of sportswear and 8 Bengal tigers. Okay, he doesn’t have any tigers, but in all seriousness he does own the record for most tries scored for France (38). Don’t ask me what a “try” is.

3: Serge Nubret- Best known for being Arnold Schwarzenegger’s biggest competition in the 1975 Mr. Olympia Competition. Like Arnold, Nubret also starred in a number of films both before and after his body building career.

2: Serge from Beverly Hills Cop: Best known for being a scene stealer in one of the best Action-Comedy movies ever.  I implore you to watch the movie if you haven’t seen it.

1: Serge Ibaka: Best known for being the Oklahoma City Thunder’s starting power forward, averaging more blocks (3.65 per game) than anyone since the 2000-01 season (Theo Ratliff, 3.74 per game), racking up 3 double digit block games this past season, being the perfect complement to Thunder center Kendrick Perkins and for going a perfect 11 for 11 shooting in game four of the Western Conference Finals against the Spurs, which would be one of the flukiest performances of all-time if announcers weren’t always gushing about how at Thunder practices Ibaka is the only teammate of Kevin Durant who can come close to winning a shooting competition.

So the question becomes why does the greatest Serge of all-time, who also happens to be the NBA’s most devastating shot blocker, only come in at 49^th on the list? Well, he still has a long way to go in his offensive development. It’s evident that Ibaka has a nice outside touch, but his offensive game is far from polished. The good news for Thunder fans is that Ibaka is only 22 years old. Over time as he is continuing to build on his resume as the Greatest Serge of All-Time, he’ll most likely develop a more extensive offensive repertoire too.