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.

As they say on Twitter: Let Westbrook Be Westbrook.

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.

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.

May 18, 2012; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Boston Celtics forward Kevin Garnett (5) gives the ball to the official after a foul call during the fourth quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers in game four of the Eastern Conference semifinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at Wells Fargo Arena. The Sixers defeated the Celtics 92-83. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-US PRESSWIRE

• Stat: In Philadelphia’s 92-83 game 4 win over Boston, they out-rebounded the Celtics 52 to 38 and collected 17 offensive boards.
• Take: Getting pounded on the glass like this is something the Celtics are used to.  They had one of the lowest offensive rebounding rates of all time during the regular season and ranked as the 28th best overall rebounding team in the league.  Philly, while far from worldbeaters on the glass before the playoffs, fared better then Boston in both categories, finishing 25th and 19th.  So coming into this matchup the Celtics had little reason to worry that their rebounding deficiencies could swing a series against a similarly challenged team like the Sixers; if Boston could at least come close to hanging with Philly here, rebounding wouldn’t be a series-deciding factor.  And through games 1, 2, and 3 that was exactly the case, as the Celtics played Philly to an even stalemate with regard to overall rebounds and were just -8 on the offensive glass.  That’s not the most telling part of how influential rebounds are to each team’s success, though.  In the two Boston wins, they’ve out-rebounded the Sixers by seven and four, respectively.  Philly? In their game 2 and game 4 victories, they crushed the Celtics by 11 and 14 on the glass.  Obviously, there’s no way to truly know whether or not the rebounding victor will be in position to win each remaining game of this series.  But the results of the first four games point to that aspect of this matchup as being one the series’ most important, something the Celtics no doubt expected if they got dominated on the glass the way they often did during the regular season.

LA Lakers at Oklahoma City Thunder (9:30 ET on TNT): Thunder lead series 3-1

May 19, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook (0) reacts after a basket and foul in the second half of game four of the Western Conference semi finals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs against the Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center. Thunder won 103-100. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-US PRESSWIRE

• Stat: The Los Angeles Lakers’ +/- per 48 minutes in this series with Russell Westbrook on the floor is -15.2.  When OKC’s point guard is on the bench, LAL’s +/- jumps 27 points to +11.8.
• Take: The obligatory “small sample size” thing with regard to the Lakers’ performance concerning Westbrook merits mention, as he’s sat for 53 total minutes through the first four games of this series and has played a surprisingly low 34.8 minutes per game thus far.  Some of that has to do with the nature of OKC’s blowout game 1 win when he played just 27 minutes, but Westbrook was on the court for just 34 and 35 minutes in games 2 and 3, each of which was decided by a single possession in the final moments.  So the margin for statistical variance here is actually smaller than you’d initially expect considering considering Westbrook played a whopping 42.7 minutes per game during the teams’ three regular season outings, a number well above his season-long average of 35.3 minutes a night.  This and LA’s woeful performance when Westbrook has been on the floor stands to reason that if Scott Brooks had played his star point guard more in OKC’s 99-96 game 3 loss, this series might already be over.  But he didn’t and it’s not, so examining Westbrook’s major, major influence on either end of the floor in this series is still worth examining.  Let’s bullet for emphasis and proficiency:
• LAL defensive rating (DRtg) with Russ on floor – 122.0
• LAL DRtg with Russ on bench – 87.3
• LAL offensive rating (ORtg) with Russ on floor – 104.1
• LAL ORtg with Russ on bench – 94.3
• So the Lakers allow 35.3 fewer points per 100 possessions when Westbrook’s on the bench compared to when he’s on the floor, and score 9.8 points more when he’s on the floor compared to when he’s on the bench.  This particular Catch-22 for the Lakers, then, is hardly as simple as “we’re better offensively when Westbrook is playing and and worse defensively when Westbrook is playing.”  The numbers, clearly, tell us that his individual impact – with respect to both teams – on the game is much bigger on offense than defense, and for that reason and the team’s incurable struggles defensively, the Lakers need to somehow find a way to get him on the bench.  Of course that’s easier said than done, considering Westbrook covers point guards and Ramon Sessions and Steve Blake hardly strike fear in the heart or put much pressure on the heart of opposing defenses.  Sessions, though, can be a playmaker off the dribble in the pick and roll game that Blake can’t, and attacking – yielding Westbrook fouls most hopefully, but energy and enthusiasm, too – is his and the Lakers’ best bet at limiting Westbrook’s playing time and effectiveness.

After the conclusion of last year’s Mavs-Thunder series – where the Mavericks dispensed the Thunder with relative ease in five games – Russell Westbrook pulled a LeBron and stormed off the court without exchanging handshakes with the Mavericks players and coaches.  Afterwards, he was heavily criticized not just for his lack of sportsmanship at the moment, but also his play.  His shot selection and apparent reluctance to let Kevin Durant be the go-to scorer was much maligned – even up to this day.   Subsequently, many were persistently questioning the ability of Westbrook to coexist with Durant.

In this year’s playoffs, it appears that questioning has halted – at least for the moment.  While Kevin Durant has struggled with his jump shot over the first two games – albeit lifting the Thunder in the waning seconds of Game 1 – it was his co-pilot Westbrook who led the charge this time around with 29 points and leading the Thunder to a Game 2 victory.  In these last two games, he’s been the steady scorer that OKC expects Durant to be.  With Dallas having only Jason Kidd – who has 17 years worth of mileage on his legs – and Roddy Beaubois –who has yet to provide the same spark as a backup point guard as JJ Barea used to – to guard him, Westbrook is the single worst matchup for the Mavericks.  A huge reason why Kevin Durant is struggling to find a rhythm is because Rick Carlisle has Shawn Marion to make Durant’s life difficult.  But they have no such answer for Westbrook, and they should take full advantage of that.

Still, the game was very much within reach for Dallas.  Had Dirk Nowitzki not missed a WIDE open three-pointer (which I’m quite shocked that he missed) and a 12-foot fadeaway in the closing minutes, the series could very well be tied.

Should Dallas be worried?

Yes.  For the second straight game, Dallas threatened to steal home court advantage from the Thunder.  But also for the second straight game, they failed to execute down the stretch.  One has to believe that Dirk will not keep missing clutch shots – particularly in Dallas over the next two games.  But they should also be worried about their lack of production from their bench.  Roddy Beaubois and Brandan Wright did not see much time on the floor (5 minutes each), chiefly due to their overall nervous play so far.  Vince Carter has logged 30+ minutes in each of the first two games, but only scored 5 points on 2-9 shooting and only attempted 2 free throws.  He did have some nice moments in these first two games, but for a guy of Carter’s caliber (and with plenty of playoff experience), he needs to play better.

What to expect in Game 3

If you’re Dallas, you have to take some positives from losing two road games by only a combined four points against a heavily favored team.  Quite reasonably, this series could easily be 2-0 in favor of Dallas.  Still, their inability to execute in crunch time in two straight close games is troubling.

If you’re OKC, you’re hoping that KD finds his shot again.  If not, you have to ride Westbrook and let him be “The Man” again, despite seemingly everyone’s preconceived notion that he shouldn’t be more than a second fiddle.

I may be just desperately clinging on to my pre-series prediction at this point, but I just can’t see Dallas going away this easily.  Being at home, I think one of Dallas’s role players – who, outside of Jason Terry, have been fairly nonexistent up to this point – will put his imprint on the series.  I also don’t think Dirk – a proven playoff performer – can choke in three straight games when the game is close.  Therefore, without feeling comfortable with the prediction at all, I say Dallas wins Game 3 fairly handily.

Apr 28, 2012; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder small forward Kevin Durant (35) shoots the game winning shot against the Dallas Mavericks during the fourth quarter in game one of the Western Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at the Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Richard Rowe-US PRESSWIRE

MVP candidate Kevin Durant struggled with his jump shot all night long.  But did that stop him from taking the last shot in the final seconds when Oklahoma City was down by one?

Not a chance.

Durant’s difficult, contested floater from the foul line barely dropped in before the clock struck zero, and  the Thunder escaped with a 99-98 victory against the Dallas Mavericks in Game 1 of the First Round.

Should Dallas be encouraged or discouraged?

After Dirk Nowitzki’s and-one play with 2:20 left in the fourth quarter, the Mavs were up by a comfortable seven points and had this game won.  But some costly turnovers and giving up back-to-back three point plays in the final minutes became their undoing.  Rick Carlisle and Nowitzki blamed the loss on not only these crucial mistakes in the final minutes, but also their inability to get the ball to red-hot Jason Terry (who had 20 points in the first 3 quarters, but none thereafter).  Terry’s explosion in the first half made up for a relatively so-so overall game for Dirk, who put the Mavs in a position to win when he scored 11 of his 25 points in the last 5 minutes.

Still, the Mavs should be encouraged despite the loss.  Not many expected them to be in a position to steal home court advantage, yet they really dictated play for all but the final two minutes of this game.

Apr 26, 2012; Atlanta, GA, USA; Dallas Mavericks shooting guard Jason Terry (31) looks on against the Atlanta Hawks during the second half at Philips Arena. The Hawks won 106-89. Mandatory Credit: Paul Abell-US PRESSWIRE

Should Oklahoma City be encouraged or discouraged?

Durant may have provided the last-second heroics, but it was really James Harden who kept OKC in the game.  In his first game since suffering a concussion from Ron Artest’s vicious elbow, Harden scored 19 points and made several timely baskets to keep the Thunder within striking distance.

In the end, I’m not sure if the Thunder should be too high on this win.  Many of the issues that made OKC a mediocre team for the month of April aren’t going away like most expected, perhaps chief among them that Durant still can’t find consistency with his jumper.  One saving grace is that Russell Westbrook seemed to have found his shot, days after going a miserable 3-22 against the Lakers earlier last week.  Still, if not for Harden and an above-average scoring performance by Serge Ibaka (22 points), Dallas could very well have dominated this game.  Durant and Westbrook need to find ways to penetrate Dallas’s zone defense and not settle for outside jumpers,  a trend that has really hurt them all month long.

What should we expect in Game 2?

As I said in my series prediction, Dallas has no fear of the Thunder – a team they made relatively quick work of in last year’s Conference Finals.  Durant, Westbrook, and Harden all have to be playing well in order to knock off Dallas in this series.  For Dallas, as long as they can out-rebound the Thunder and get to the foul line as well as they did in Game 1, I expect Rick Carlisle to rally his guys and come out with the same effort and steal home court advantage. Either way, this is shaping up to be the best first-round series in the playoffs.

I join Thunderous Intentions editor Andrew Kennedy on Fansided’s NBA Podcast to discuss the Thunder’s late game offense, the league’s best crunch time player, and my choices for regular season awards.

You can also download the podcast here.

Take: Largely lost amid Kevin Durant’s almost MVP-worthy year, James Harden’s jump to stardom, and Serge Ibaka leading the league in blocks this year for the Oklahoma City Thunder has been the vast improvement Westbrook has made as a shooter.

Mar, 13, 2012; Oklahoma City OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook (0) shoots the ball against Houston Rockets forward Chandler Parsons (25) during the first quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena Mandatory Credit: Richard Rowe-US PRESSWIRE

Chided league-wide last Spring and even early this season for his questionable shot-selection and score-first mentality as a point guard, Westbrook has blown away the efficiency numbers of his first three years as a pro in 2012, setting career marks in PER (24.27), field goal percentage (47.7), three point percentage (33.6), and points per shot (.79).  And – perhaps fittingly – his game has been helped most by his proficiency on long twos from 16′-23′, the very shots that got him ridiculous labels like “selfish” and “tradeable” over the last nine months.

What’s so remarkable about Westbrook’s stark efficiency improvements this season is that he’s made them despite taking more of those supposedly questionable and game-losing shots than ever.  He’s attempting 10.7 shots per game outside 10 feet this season compared to just eight in 2011, shooting an additional long two and more than double the amount of three pointers.  While shooting accuracy was the obvious next step in Westbrook’s development as a player, that he’s improved by so much from every area on the floor despite drastically upping the amount of jumpers he takes is one of the more overlooked aspects of Oklahoma City’s offensive success this season.

That’s not to say Westbrook’s been cured of what the public overreacted to last postseason and in late December – a tendency to take tough shots early in the clock before letting offense develop – but the difference between now and then is that he’s making those confounding attempts at a much greater clip.  While one wishes he could combine his sublime athleticism and unrivaled power with the court sense and mindset of a Nash or Rubio, it’s clearer than ever Westbrook will never be that player (we still haven’t seen one, actually) and the Thunder can thrive offensively nonetheless – they rank first in the league in offensive efficiency by a healthy margin.

Raise your hand if you picked Portland to beat Dallas in the first round. Own it.

There was little reason to believe the Mavericks could get here. They had an impressive regular season, but they were saddled with an aging supporting cast and a star who may or may not have seen his best days in 2006. Beyond that, the Mavericks found themselves facing a particularly tough path to the Finals. All the Mavericks had to do in order to reach the Finals was to take down fan darling Portland, the defending NBA Champions and the best young team in the game.

(more…)

Image from Hoops Collective

There has been much to love about the Western Conference Second Round series between the Thunder and the Grizzles.

And now we get a Game Seven.

Heading into the playoffs, the Thunder was known as the young, fierce team that could catch fire and shock their opponents into a deep playoff run.

Then the Grizzles caught fire. Zach Randolph started playing the best basketball of his life, the ‘other Gasol’ (who I currently refer to as ‘the Gasol still playing’) stepped up on defense and Mike Conley got hot. The Grizzles caught the Spurs off guard in Game 1 and dispatched them five games later.

It was an impressive run, but questions remained as this series begun. How long could they stay hot? How could they deal with Westbrook and Durant? What will they do to counter the Thunder’s bench, the Thunder’s shooters, the Thunder’s interior defense (newly fortified by chiseled defensive vet Kendrick Perkins).

Through the first round, the Grizzles had been playing like a team who had already exceeded expectations, but surely they wouldn’t be able to take out the Thunder, right?

(more…)

The 2011 are right around the corner, and are sure to be the most competitive NBA Playoffs we’ve seen in years.  While the 2^nd round and beyond, are the rounds everyone’s anticipating, there are a few things we need to be on the look-out for.  Here are 10 of them…

1^st Round Upsets

1.  The New York Knicks vs. The Boston Celtics

How can this happen, you ask?  Simply put, Youth and Hunger.  The Knicks are considerably younger, and faster than their Boston Counterparts.  The running style that they live by, is the exact opposite type of game that the C’s want to get in to.  Yes the Knicks have had their struggles versus the Celtics this season, but have also had their moments.  When their backs were against the wall, their closer showed up. Carmelo Anthony put the team on his back on multiple occasions, and performed like the star that he is.  These are the leadership qualities that I spoke of before, that are there, just inconsistent.  If Melo can maintain that drive, and killer instinct throughout the series; The Celtics are in Trouble.  Now the likelihood of an upset isn’t in the Knicks’ favor.  However, the Celtics haven’t been the same team since the Perkins trade, and are injured across the board.  The funny thing about this series is that the Knicks lack that “Inside Toughness,” but then again, so do the Celtics.  Yes of course KG is still the backbone of the team, but then what?  You have an old and injured Shaq, who’s paired with another old and injured Jermaine O’neal.  Either way, the Knicks will make a series vs. ANYONE they play this year; you can put money on that! (more…)

(Source: Yardbarker.com)

The game that was ranked number one on yesterday’s NBA schedule ended up being the most lopsided of the bunch. The Lakers, behind Pau Gasol‘s perfection, blew out the Warriors at Staples Center, and once again proved why they are the defending champions. Elsewhere, the Celtics lost in Toronto, the Hornets won again (check out James Grayson’s post-game thoughts as well), and the Pistons beat the Wizards in overtime. (more…)

• Point guards have been threats in losing efforts so far.

1. 1. When the Thunder were in striking distance of the Lakers, it was all thanks to Russell Westbrook. He repeatedly make the Lakers’ otherwise-solid defense look silly, diving into the lane and finishing with ease at the rim. I’ve said it all season: L.A. can’t handle the quick point guards. If Westbrook can recreate that production for the rest of the series, and Kevin Durant gets back on track, Oklahoma City has a serious chance to make some noise.
   2. In the Cleveland-Chicago series, Derrick Rose was the only semblance of offensive production for the Bulls, and although he shot a low percentage, he played decent ball against a stingy Cavaliers defense.
   3. Jameer Nelson absolutely lit up the Bobcats in the first half of their contest.

• The underdogs are finding a way to stick around.

1. 1. Chicago, despite trailing to Cleveland big, made the game somewhat interesting at times.
   2. Oklahoma City gave L.A. a run for its money even into the fourth quarter.
   3. The Heat were in striking distance after Kevin Garnett’s eruption on the sidelines.
   4. Charlotte, too, was able to stay in the picture by drawing well-timed fouls on Vince Carter and Dwight Howard.

• There probably won’t be any upsets in the first round, although San Antonio has an outside chance.

• The stars aren’t going to be the only factors. Carmelo Anthony’s the exception for now.

1. 1. Kevin Durant and Kobe Bryant shot for poor percentages in their first game.
   2. Dwight Howard, although a beast on defense, was shut down completely on the offensive end.

As the NBA’s regular season winds down, there are still many playoff positions up for grabs, especially in the tightly contested Western conference. Monday’s best game features two of the teams jockeying for advantage.

These two teams also boast some of the league’s finest young talent: the Thunder with Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and Jeff Green, among others, and the Trailblazers with Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge.

Both of these teams will be playing the second half of a back-to-back. On Sunday the Thunder lost a barn burner 120-117 to the Warriors. The Blazers defeated the first-place Lakers 91-88, and Roy didn’t even play in the second half.

Obviously whether Roy plays could be a deciding factor in the outcome, but it’s not yet clear whether he’ll suit up. If he doesn’t, Portland will have to make due with players like Nicolas Batum and Martell Webster to fill in for him.

Westbrook should be effective against point guard Andre Miller, who has lost a step over the years and can’t defend quick guards as well anymore.

The Blazers have won two of the three games played against the Thunder this season, but in the one they lost, Durant dropped 33 points and 11 rebounds. Portland will have to be cognizant of stopping Oklahoma City’s star, and the addition of Marcus Camby up front should help to limit No. 35′s production. In their last matchup (the first since the Camby deal with the Clippers), Durant shot just 7-18 from the field.

The winner of this game should hinge upon Roy’s status. If he plays, he’ll have a tough defender in Thabo Sefolosha, but he should be able to overcome that for a solid line. If he’s inactive, I can’t see that Portland will be able to put up enough offense to contend with Oklahoma City’s youngsters.

Did you enjoy your day off from the NBA? As much as people may despise me for it, I was happy Duke won the tournament. Any claim that Butler “deserved” it is a little bit questionable to me. Duke won all six of its tournament games. What else should it have done?

Anyway, the NBA comes back with a bang with this West intraconference matchup. The Jazz are part of the four-team scuffle for second place in the frontier, and the Thunder are close on their heels, just one-and-a-half games back. But this game is about a lot more than the standings implications.

Oklahoma City has that Durant guy, but he’s going to play well no matter what. The point-guard square-off is what I’m really interested in. Deron Williams and Russell Westbrook are two of the finest court generals in the league. Certainly, Williams is more established than his counterpart, but Westbrook has the potential to be just as good — he just needs to improve his atrocious shooting. Furthermore, Williams has, since the outset, had a top-of-the-line power forward in Carlos Boozer to help develop his game — particularly in the pick-and-roll scenario. While the Thunder have Jeff Green at the 4, he’s more of an isolation player who can obviously finish off a well-timed pass from Westbrook but doesn’t make him all that much better.

Utah will be down a primary defender for Kevin Durant in Andrei Kirilenko, who has been listed as out for the game because of his strained calf. His length and height allow him to match up physically with Durant, but we won’t get to witness that assignment.

The Thunder have gone undefeated against the Jazz this season, winning all three of their previous battles. Most recently, on March 14, Westbrook torched the Jazz for 30 points and 11 assists. Durant added a cool 35 points, including 13-13 from the free-throw line. Kirilenko did not play in that game.

As I see it, the Thunder pull off the season sweep here. The Jazz are incredibly hot right now, and there’s something to be said for streaks, but Oklahoma City evidently poses some sort of unstoppable threat for them. With Kirilenko out, Durant should run buck wild. And look for increased minutes for Oklahoma City’s bench standout Serge Ibaka to try and neutralize Boozer’s post damage.

The Celtics are struggling, and the Thunder are surging in the Western Conference. Coming off an absolute shellacking at the hands of the San Antonio Spurs (who went on to then lose to the New Jersey Nets), Boston looks to bounce back and maintain at least a share of the third-place seed in the Eastern Conference. They’ll have to beat a superbly talented Oklahoma City squad to do so, though.

The West’s young guns beat the Lakers last week and have one of the best scorers in the game in Kevin Durant. Complementing him are standout point guard Russell Westbrook, powerful forward Jeff Green, and rookie James Harden.

The Celtics boast a loaded roster of their own, with the big three and co. I’m excited to see the point-guard matchup in this game, as Westbrook and Rajon Rondo are two indications of the league’s bright, bright future at the 1. I expect Rondo will be able to keep Westbrook in check on the offensive end, but that doesn’t mean he won’t distribute the ball well.

In the end, I give this game to the Thunder. The Celtics are definitely lacking something, and they don’t have the same mystique on the parquet floor of the TD Garden as they have in the past. Kevin Durant should put on a show, and I expect Sefolosha to keep Ray Allen’s offensive production to a minimum. I wouldn’t be surprised, though, if Kevin Garnett outplays Jeff Green, given his advantages in both height and experience.