Durant, Green and Smith all Notably Absent Tonight

Kevin Durant went down with a severely sprained ankle Friday night against the Mavericks. He'll be out a while even though he says he'll be back in a couple days. It would be foolish to rush the franchise back. Jeff Green is has a sore back. I can sympathize as I'm going through this myself. It sucks. It's painful putting on socks and shoes much less dunking and running up and down a hard court. Lastly, Joe Smith was released/bought out, allowing him to go find the greener pasture of his choosing.

I'd like to bid a sincere and fond farewell to Ol' Joe. He is clearly a class act and the type of professional every team covets. He'll have no problems finding a place to land. He's been rumoured to be going to a contender all season. I don't know whether he liked it here but up until Saturday night he was saying the right things and having a good time on the bench.

He was the Thunder's version of the Hornet's P.J. Brown when they were here. Brown and Smith were both respected, savvy veterans who clearly had the ear of younger teammates. Brown went on to win a championship with Boston last year. Here's hoping Smith goes and gets his.

Player's who have paid their dues and who are professionals are given the professional courtesy of freedom. It may not seem like it but this is the Thunder's way of saying thanks.

Now the Thunder have an open roster spot. They could sign a free agent or a D-League prospect to a 10-day contract. I'm wondering if they might activate D.J. White. I hadn't thought of him in a while and he might be done for the year but it'd be interesting to see what he brings if he's ready.

KD Shines at All-Star Weekend, NBA Trade Deadline and the Thunder Unveil a Mascot

Kevin Durant set the record for most points in any All-Star event with 46 on Friday in the Rookie-Sophomore Challenge. He proved why he was the most glaring omission from the big boys roster and made everyone outside of the Thunder fan base jealous. He also took away MVP honors.

He wasn't finished. He then went on to win the H-O-R-S-E (dba G-E-I-C-O) contest. He defeated Joe Johnson and O.J. Mayo en route to capturing the worst looking trophy of all time.

The NBA All-Star Weekend is ultimately a convention for front-office types to meet face-to-face in advance of the Trade Deadline. The Thunder are looking to be active and the juiciest rumor to come out of the weekend is the Thunder's interest in Tyson Chandler.

ESPN's Chad Ford lists the possible trade as one of his "five trades that need to happen". He speculates that the Thunder would receive Tyson Chandler and give up Joe Smith, Chris Wilcox, Mo Sene and a first round pick the Thunder received from the Spurs.

This seems like a lot to give up on the surface but it really would be a good deal for the Thunder. Joe Smith has been on the trading block all season long and will most likely be gone by Thursday as part of this deal or some other. Chris Wilcox, by virtue of his sporadic playing time, is clearly not part of the long term plan. Mo Sene has never been part of the plan. He's played 23 minutes this season and he was last spotted on the court November 26th. Plus, the Thunder have DeVon Hardin playing overseas who represents the next Center project. The draft pick is not nearly as big as the Phoenix Suns unprotected draft choice that the Thunder still possess.

It makes less sense for the Hornets from a basketball perspective. A quality big man is always helpful come playoff time. However, Andrew Bynum is out for the season for the Lakers which leaves Yao and Shaq as the best true centers in the West that the Hornets could face in the playoffs. It's a salary dump for the Hornets.

The Big Unveil

It's a big night at the Ford Center tonight. OKC's favorite non-Thunder basketball team, the Hornets, are in town. But even bigger, if possible, is the unveil of the new mascot. A teaser is available on thunder.nba.com.

I'm a little more excited for this than I think I should be.

Blazers 106, Thunder 92

Durant-Oden II. Thunder-Sonics return to the Pacific Northwest. Young Guns vs. Younger Guns.

Add it all up and rather than cruise into the All-Star Break we had a game that featured all the playoff-type intensity you would hope for from division rivals.

Oden outplayed Durant. He unloaded angst-filled dunks and let out some of the frustration that evidently collected after last week's disappointing performance in OKC. KD played well but when you put up 30+ in five straight games anything less is a dropoff.

A contingent of Seattle supporters were in person to voice their displeasure. You know nobody throws a protest like Seattle. According to an Oklahoman report, one guy booed a kid wearing a Durant OKC jersey. On TV it sounded like two or three (at best) voices joined in unison at the beginning of the game. (Interesting Blazers fans observations here)

The game ultimately took center stage. The Thunder gave the Trail Blazers all they wanted. The Blazers eventually pulled away in the 4th but both teams left the floor knowing they were in a scrap.

These inter-division games are quickly becoming the highlight of my blossoming Thunder fandom. Portland represents a two-to-three year's ahead version of the Thunder. The Thunder are a few pieces away from matching Portland's talent level. These two teams could provide the most anticipated matchup in the division for the next several years easily, if not in the NBA. It's within the realm of possibility that you'll have to go through OKC or Portland to win the division. Of course Denver will have something to say about that. Denver is turning into a great rival itself.

The Thunder have to be pleased heading into the break. They gave the best team in the NBA and a playoff team all they could handle on the road, back to back. The kicker is the Thunder didn't play their best basketball in either game. They shot under 40% in both games, they got worked in the paint and got into foul trouble. But they were in the games.

H.O.R.S.E dba G.E.I.C.O, Lakers 105, Thunder 98

In case you haven't heard, Kevin Durant will be one of three participant's in All-Star Weekend's H.O.R.S.E. Contest. The other participants are O.J. Mayo and Joe Johnson. I'm excited about the event and that participant's. It's great exposure for KD and the Thunder. Plus, I think he has a real shot at winning.

Thoughts on Thunder v. Lakers

It was a really great effort by the Thunder all game long. The time for moral victories is over but this was not a bad loss. The Lakers are the best team I've seen the Thunder face all year.

The Lakers are the best because their entire lineup rebounds well on both ends of the floor, is the most disciplined team I've seen and they are big. Kobe Bryant is a nice asset as well.

In a hypothetical world which includes the Thunder in the playoffs, the Lakers are the team I'd want to face the least. It's not even close.

Pau Gasol is both a beast and First Team All Goofy.

Nick Collison had a rough first half. See above.

Jeff Green is quickly running out of places to wear pads.

The "MVP" chant for Kobe has become as cliche as "Everybody Clap Your Hands" at Thunder games. It's even more annoying.

The Lakers were so physical inside it seemed like a good chance for Chris Wilcox to get some minutes but he didn't play.

It's pretty clear that there are "Have's" and "Have Not's" on this team. The "Have's" will be on the roster next year and they are KD, Jeff Green, Russell Westbrook, Kyle Weaver, Nenad Krstic and Nick Collison. Everyone else is likely gone except for maybe Dez Mason. D.J. White will be here too but he doesn't really count because he's inactive.

KD, Green, Westbrook, Weaver and Collison/Krstic are going to be playing A LOT together the rest of the year. I couldn't be more pleased about it.

Nuggets 114, Thunder 113

Here's how it went down. 22 seconds left on the clock and Denver is up by 1, 112-111. OKC has the ball and surely I thought, surely, one of the babies gets the ball, works the clock and creates a shot or drives and dishes as time expires. Well, KD got the ball and promptly drives to the basket and lays it in. OKC up 113-112 now with 15 seconds left on the clock.

Why? Why in the world concede the last shot to Denver and Melo and J.R. Smith who had been lighting it up? I suppose it's more important to take a basket than wait to make sure Denver has no shot. But I wasn't celebrating. I felt impending doom. 15 seconds was way too long for Denver to get something cooking.

As it turns out Carmelo did make a basket, heavily contested though it was, with 5 seconds left. 114-113 Denver.

Now there's five seconds left. OKC draws up a play that's well defended and KD puts up a hopeless shot. Ballgame.

I just don't understand why Denver had any time at all. The ball in your hands with the play clock turned off is gold. Don't give it up. It's like in football when a team is driving at the end of a half and you work the clock so that the opposing team has as little time as possible to do anything. 15 seconds in basketball is like giving the other team two-and-a-half minutes in football.

I'd like to offer up a conspiracy theory. I don't want to believe it and based on my personal observations of the game I don't think it's true. However, my inner cynic forces me to bring it up.

What if the Thunder tanked? You have a wildly entertaining game so the crowd is none the wiser. The effort is there, Melo just made a shot. But Denver had the opportunity handed to them in the first place. 15 seconds. I'm just saying.

There's no way Denver should have had anything longer than two seconds to try and score to win. The Thunder were lucky to have five seconds of their own after the Melo make.

There's probably nothing to it. I doubt there is. It's way too early in the season and I'd hat to think it even crossed anyone's mind. The Thunder are young, they're learning. So on and so forth. Just something to throw out there. The ending was so bizarre.

This is Great

The tone that writers use to describe the Thunder is beginning to change. It was once all the rage to mock Oklahoma City, Clay Bennet, David Stern, et al about the move from Seattle. I can understand that sentiment. Once the season started the scornful eye moved from "the move" to the joke of a product on the court. Everything was fair game; the name of the team, the logo, the colors, the city. A terrible record was fuel to the fire.



What's happening now is really interesting. People still have a hard time with the name, logo and uniforms. Most everyone is quick to dismiss Oklahoma City as the new wasteland of the NBA and they appear to care even less about coming here to form a first-hand opinion.



But people are starting to become a little freaked out about what we (OKC and the Thunder) have cooking. The Thunder are on many analyst's and fan's must watch lists. It's an entertaining team with an entertaining crowd and a bright future. It makes people gulp, maybe throw-up in their mouth a bit or question their sanity. But people are coming around.



Take this excerpt from an article on Freedarko.com:



"I'd like to say a few words about the Oklahoma City Thunder. I know that as a resident of Seattle, I should hate this team. Then again, I refuse to hate David Stern, who is far more to blame than, say, Kevin Durant. But along with Denver, LeBron with a healthy team, and presumably now Golden State, they're one of the only squads I can now reliably count on to be entertaining. Yes, Durant's maturation, Westbrook's crash-and-burn progress, and Jeff Green Jeff Green-ing his way to Jeff Green-ness are all rad. However, it's the packaging, the location, and the irrepressible obscurity around them that makes them so compelling. This is an NBA team that, for all intents and purposes, might as well not exist. They play in a city that matters only to the people who live there. Their uniforms are unrelentingly generic, like the plain white can, black type BEER they sell some places. The name of the team seems like a placeholder, unless you bother to acquaint yourself with life in Oklahoma. I kind of admire Clay Bennett for crafting such an utterly blank brand, so strong is his faith in OKC's appetite for NBA ball, plain and simple.



The more this team grows, the more all this seems mysterious, sneaky, or hermetic, rather than simply laughable. When I sleep, I dream of making a shirt that puts Durant on the cover of Everybody Knows This is Nowhere, and I even think the music serves as a decent soundtrack. By contrast, Hawks/Bobcats were red carpet regulars. This team is living in caves, stockpiling arms, camping out on the Big Love compound. I don't know what their purpose is, but the bare bones image and total lack of exposure makes them seem so much more severe, even unsettling, than if they had a cartoon horse on their unis. Durant's good enough now to reclaim that "assassin" epithet; on this team, it's as haunting as it should be. They may practice an hour's drive from any number of campy militias, but mark my words, the Thunder will be the first NBA team to catch on with Waziristan hobbyists."



I had to look up Waziristan but this more or less encapsulates the new tone I see people having with this team.



If you want a more sterilized journalistic version of this attitude just go to the hometown newspaper of any team the Thunder defeats.

And now there is this article from Yahoo! which furthers the point and begins thus:

"Kevin Durant knows what you think about Oklahoma City. Minor-league town, major-league wannabe. Great place if you like college football, a cheap steak and slow nights. Want to watch a high-level NBA game? Head three hours south on I-35 to Dallas. Better yet, don’t exit until you get to San Antonio.

Kevin Durant also knows what you think about his Oklahoma City Thunder, provided you even realize they exist. Bad uniforms, bad team. Their carpet-bagging Okie owner stole them from Seattle. For Durant, this has to be basketball purgatory. A place to get his shots up, collect his millions and wait until the big markets come calling in 2011 or ’12. For the love of the Big 12, he’s a Texas Longhorn sentenced to work in OU country.

No wonder someone started a web site, iwantoutofokc.com, that counts down the seconds until Durant becomes a restricted free agent. Tick … tick … tick … tick… Guaranteed salvation is just a few short seasons away.

So, yes, Kevin Durant knows what you’re thinking. He also wants you to understand this:
“Hopefully,” he says, “I’ll spend my whole career here.”

It's catching on.

Encouraging Interview

Check out this video from The Oklahoman today. It's the first practice with interim head coach Scott Brooks, dba Scotty.



Am I being overly optimistic or does there sound like there's some pep and rejuvination in KD's voice? This is what I talked about yesterday when players are willing to go to war for coaches. KD says that Scotty helps him on and off the court and that they tell each other they love each other. Apart from blatent homoeroticism doesn't that sound like KD, if not anyone else, is going to play hard for the guy? Wouldn't it be ideal if KD plays hard then everyone else might follow since, at least today, KD is the de facto Alpha Dog on this team?

It just seems like the effort was there against the Hornets on Saturday night, even in a losing cause. Now you hear KD talking with some energy in his voice and you can see the beginnings of what hopefully is improvement.

I watched a recording of the Hornets game on Sunday and the difference between Friday night and Saturday was staggering. The Thunder passing was markedly improved. The shooting was better. There were no long scoring droughts.

Could it be a one-game anomoly? Sure it could. But it could also be that PJ and this team were just a terrible fit and the 25 point loss at home to the Hornets was the Thunder hitting bottom and now the rebound is on.

Thunder v. Celtics- Drag Racing Gone Bad

The 1st quarter of the Thunder's 96-83 loss to the Celtics on Wednesday seemed like magic hour. The Thunder played their most inspired ball of the season. They got to the basket, hit shots, played solid D. They looked like a team. They sprinted to an 8-point lead to the delight of a crowd who was very into it.

And then, after scoring 29 points in that 1st quarter, the Thunder did their best impersonation of a Top Fuel Dragster crash, skidding to 26 total points in the 2nd and 3rd quarters combined. The Celtics, conversely, put the hammer down.

The Celtics not only got back into the game but took the lead for good with beautiful passing and tenacious rebounding and by forcing the Thunder to settle for jump shots which they did not often make.

The Celtics passing was awesome to watch. They whipped the ball around the perimeter in a blink with picks set up to give Ray Allen or Paul Pierce or whomever else an open look at the basket. Unlike the Thunder they hit many of these shots with deflating regularity.

No one believed the Thunder would win this game. No one certainly expected it so let's look and try to take some positives away.

• The Thunder did play absolutely beautifully in the 1st quarter. If they can replicate that for 4 quarters, in the same game, they can hang with anyone. It's great to see that a high level of play is possible for this team.
• Jeff Green played one of his best games probably. He definitely showed his range in scoring both inside and out. He finished with 14 points and 6 boards.
• After attempting only 10 3-pointers through the first 3 games combined, the Thunder connected on 6 of 13. Buyer beware; part of the reason for this is the Celtics defense forcing the Thunder into taking jumpers. Nonetheless, maybe these guys do know what that semi-circular line means after all.
• The babies, Kevin Durant, Jeff Green and Russell Westbrook led the team in points and were the only three players in double figures. Glass half-full they played well. Glass half-empty, nobody else scored.
• While I was hoping the Thunder could narrow the losing deficit to less than 10, 13 isn't embarassing considering the competition. The line, I heard, was 23. Also, Doc Rivers played his starting lineup in crunch time to stave off the Thunder who did not quit.

Other notes:

• I didn't think I would miss the loud-asses who have sat behind us in each game thus far. However, when the Celtics started coming back it was as though the team and crowd were content watching them go to work. The loud-asses in 309 would have been an asset and I intend to tell them as much when they come back.
• Way way way too much Celtic green in the Thunderdome. I can understand people rooting for other teams when the Hornets were here but this is our team. I honestly don't know how you can live with yourself if you are from OKC and don't support the Thunder. There are very few excuses for this. So few, that I'll have to approve each of them in writing and consider them on a case by case basis. Submit excuses here. This has to be the worst it will be save maybe for the Lakers. I think I'm just sick of Boston sports and their bandwagon fans that literally canvas the entire country.
• The sportglasses I purchased were probably the best $25 I've ever spent and easily paid for themselves the first time the Thunder Girls took center court for a dance routine. Thank you Hans Lippershey.

KD Speaks

This is The Oklahoman's Darnell Mayberry speaking to Kevin Durant at practice. I can hardly understand what they are saying. Evidently, Mr. Mayberry makes these videos himself. I appreciate his efforts nonetheless but think it's hilarious the difference in size between these two guys.

Enjoy.

Not Just Any Victory

The Thunder's 88-85 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday night was more than just the franchise's first victory. It marked an important step in developing synergy between the team and its new fans.

I think it's fair to say that many season ticket holders are either bigger fans of OKC than NBA basketball or bigger fans of the "Hornets Circus" than basketball. That's fine, especially in the case of wanting to support OKC.

That said, the crowd, along with the team, learned just how much they are going to mean to each other this season. As the second half began and Minnesota went on a 10-0 run, it was the effort of the players who got the crowd going. Then it was the players,now feeding off the crowd, who held the TWolves to 12 4th quarter points and a huge first victory.

I think the crowd began to realize that, more than just blindly throwing themselves behind whatever cast of characters we got from the move, this is a team of hard working players who dislike losing as much as anyone else.

Everyone got into it. Kevin Durant had some ferocious dunks, Jeff Green got it going, Desmond Mason hit a big time shot to end the 3rd quarter. Nick Collison kept doing the little things that has him on the fast track to becoming a fan favorite. Russell Westbrook continue to gets better and better. Chris Wilcox and Joe Smith played solidly and even Earl Watson played in control.

The important thing for the players to know is that as long as they can keep it close the crowd will always be there to help push them over the top.

What was really cool to see was the players getting more and more involved as the fans got louder and louder. Then to see Joe Smith, the oldest player on the team, start waving his arms asking for more crowd noise. They all had smiles on their faces that you could even see from Section 309. The entire team stood along with the fans. And, collectively, everyone realized how much fun winning is.

What a Difference a Day Makes

On opening night the Thunder showed just how far they had to go. On Saturday night against Houston, a team with lofty expectations, the Thunder showed glimpses of growth.

Kevin Durant put on a display going for 26 points and five boards. The Thunder held their own and led the Rockets in most categories yet still lost by 12.

The Thunder shot 40% from the field versus 36% for Rockets, had fewer turnovers 14 to 16 and beat the Rockets 21-7 on the fast break. Moreover, even facing Yao the Thunder dominated in the paint 48 to 32.

So what happened? Two keys. The Rockets were 6 for 21 from 3 point range and the Thunder were 0-4. Also, the Rockets made three times as many free throws as the Thunder, 27 to 9. Ball game.

Most discouraging has to be the three point shooting. The Thunder are just 1-10 through two games. Ten attempts. Conversely their opponents have 39 total attempts and have hit on 13.

Look at this starting lineup. Kevin Durant, Earl Watson, Jeff Green, Nick Collison and Johan Petro. Watson is the obvious 3 point "threat" but he's not a very good shooter (a team low 28%). Durant can shoot it but it's not his primary option (he's 0-3 from 3 so far).

Westbrook is the only guy who's made a 3 pointer and he's made one. Absolutely crazy.

So, while the Thunder looked downright proficient at times against Houston the lack of a 3 point threat absolutely killed them and will continue to do so. If the Thunder continue to lose by 8-15 points this will probably be the reason.

So what of the Basketball?

Indeed, lost amidst all the hoopla which included Commissioner Stern, Mayor Mick and, lest we forget, a pregame concert from C+C Music Factory (Yes they are still alive and, surprisingly, available) and the National Anthem and halftime performance from OKC's very own Graham Colton there was a basketball game.

It wasn't pretty but there was one. Rather than give a recap the likes of which you can read at such notable places as here, here and here I'll just break it down Halloween list style with what I liked and what I disliked. We'll start with what I liked because I'm trying to stay positive as much as possible.

Treats (besides the Thunder Girls):

• Nick Collison's hustle. He grabbed some offensive boards, chased down loose balls and pretty well scrapped and clawed any time he was on the floor. More than anyone else he did the little things to help the team that don't show up on the stat sheet.



• The energy of Chris Wilcox, Desmond Mason, Russell Westbrook and Collison. Interestingly, all but Collison came off the bench. Wilcox led the team in points and boards with 15 and 7 respectively. Mason had some really nice plays and knocked down some shots. Westbrook continues to improve and will get more minutes sooner than later (please, hopefully).



• The 4th quarter comeback which was sparked by a humongous Mason dunk (not the "Wave" as some blockhead caller on KREF intimated).

Tricks (deep breath):

• The shooting or lack thereof. The first quarter was particularly atrocious. It's possible that it was just nerves. Wilcox seems to think this might have been partially to blame. One three-pointer the whole game. What?



• The rebounding or lack thereof. On one possession the Bucks had three offensive boards before getting an easy layup. It hurts, it stings and is unacceptable on virtually all levels of basketball.



• Kevin Durant's 0-point 3-personal foul first half. I can definitely see some of the nerves coming into play here and I seriously doubt we ever see this again. But you have to admit, it stunk like a stale fart.



• Getting lit up by Andrew Bogut. "Lit up" and "Andrew Bogut" go together like turds and punchbowls.



• The lack of a floor general. More than anything I believe this will be the most difficult to remedy. Who is going to set other guys up for this team? I hope Earl Watson. Because as much as I like Westbrook he's a shoot first point guard at this point. KD also desperately needs someone to set him up as well.

It would be foolish to think that one game will define this season. But the Thunder have plenty to work on obviously. After watching the Rockets depants the Mavericks in Dallas last night it will be interesting to see if there are any improvements come Saturday night in Houston.

Welcome to the NBA

Great great night for Oklahoma and Oklahoma City. Everything was over the top and beyond the loftiest of expectations. I snapped some photos and recorded the player introductions and will post those shortly.

There has been all this negative talk (I would link but it would probably crash the Internet) about how this city and market can't or won't support a team three years from now or how losing will dull the enjoyment and, hence, undercut fan support. One of the things that struck me last night was that this is really our 3rd season. We aren't NBA rookies. When the Hornets came to town we were awestruck by the effort that goes into the fan experience. This time around we expect it.

Not only were the fans not let down but I think it surpassed in some ways. I love the addition of a live band for instance. Or having a group of drummers (although it'd be cool if they replaced the piped in "defense" drum). The Thunder Girls are hotter and better than the Honeybees. My wife couldn't even make fun of them and that's one of the joys of going to the games for her. The lighting seems to be darker during the action, more like the Lakers at Staples. I personally like that. The intro was awesome and vastly exceeded anything the Hornets did.

There are some differences to be sure though and they are striking and have more to do with the basketball.

It is now obvious to even the most casual of OKC Hornets fans that Chris Paul is something special. He is going to be a first ballot Hall of Famer. When the Hornets were relocated and Paul was a rookie you could sense that he was special. He has court vision that absolutely flabbergasted me at the time. I would be sitting in the club level and he would see things at court level that weren't even there until his passes created it. I once saw him make a bounce pass from the left elbow of the 3-point line diagonally to the right elbow of the 3 point line at the opposite end of the court, through a defender and hit his target (can't remember who it was- probably Mason) in stride for a dunk. That's probably not in his career top 10 highlights. We got spoiled rotten without realizing it.

The Thunder will be lucky to ever have a point guard half as talented as CP3. That's no disrespect to Russell Westbrook who is easily one of the best players on the team today. But he's not really a point guard. Not in the CP3 sense. And this team will struggle for it. This team has no one who can create shots for other people. Kevin Durant would go lights out if somebody set him to abuse his man. You can just tell. Honestly, Westbrook could do the same thing. But I digress.

The other notable difference is the personalities of the two teams. CP3 not only is one of the top players in the game but his personality lights up the whole arena. You just want to like him, you can't help it. Those Hornets had PJ Brown also who is one of the most likable people in the NBA. In their second year they got Marc Jackson who owns horses and dreamt of being a cowboy.

The Thunder players and the OKC fans haven't quite connected on a personal level yet. The players, to their credit, are saying all the right things and they are getting active in the community. They do seem accessible and they all come across as really good guys. They are just soft spoken and it takes time.

The good news is we have the time now. They are here for good no matter what anyone says and this team is not on loan the way the Hornets were.

Welcome to Thunderdome!

Clippers 90, Thunder 88


Last night marked the first appearance of the Thunder at the Ford Center. It's the only appearance the team will make in the preseason. All phases, from gameplay to announcing to the crowd, looked and felt like preseason.

But that's okay.

The team was, at times, sluggish and sloppy but there were some highlights. Johan Petro did a wonderful impersonation of a true center. That was great to see. Nick Collison looked like the closest thing to consistently dependable that the Thunder might have (uh oh). KD finished strong again. When he gets his shot to drop more reliably he will prove to the OKC fanbase that he is truly a superstar.

Lowlights included sloppy play from the backcourt. Lots of turnovers (7 between Earl Watson, Russell Westbrook and John Lucas III) and another 10 from Durant and Damien Wilkins. Free throws were missed late that accounted for the difference in the final score.

The nagging question that's on my mind is how will the Thunder fare when opposing team's best players are on the court for the majority of the game? Last night the Thunder had KD, Collison, Westbrook, Wilkins and Lucas on the court in crunch time. Aside from Lucas that's probably not a stretch for the real show. Meanwhile, the Clippers had no Baron Davis for the entire game, no Marcus Camby the entire game and yet the Thunder scratched and clawed their way to a two point loss. Yes they played 5 games in 7 days. Yes, with injuries and lack of practice time (PJ and KD both said less than half of the offense has been installed) PJ hasn't been able to properly evaluate personnel options. Hopefully, after an 8 day layoff betwixt games the Thunder will be able to offer a more proper showing of what they can do.

From an organizational standpoint I feel like the Thunder have plenty of room for improvement in terms of a "game experience". Regrettably, all the OKC fans have to compare it to is the Hornets and I got the sense that for at least the first half most people in the arena were comparing everything to the Hornets. This will probably be even worse on Opening Night when the place is packed and more seat owners are in attendance.

What people need to remember is that when the Hornets were relocated their entire organzation was uprooted. They basically took everything and everyone associated with the game from New Orleans Arena and recreated it in the Ford Center. In the case of the Thunder, fans need to realize this is much more like an expansion than a relocation. I doubt as many people moved with the team from Seattle as did from New Orleans. Likewise, the team name didn't move, the colors didn't move, the mascot didn't move. All of this is being added piece meal. And frankly, nuances such as sound effects are not as important to have nailed down for the first preseason game as, say, things related to the actual game. The court isn't even finished.

I don't really care either that the Thunder Dance Team is going to be called the Thunder Girls but I do imagine that Marketing probably lost some sleep kicking around ideas before they came up with the moniker. What's more important is this. Now that's Major League.

Also, what's the rush? Why not let the character of the team and the city have some time to marinate together? I think the result will be better than a rubber stamp copy of what the Hornets do. It might actually result in a more unique atmosphere over the long haul. So patience, at least for a season. We are all starting new here.

That said, 16,000 plus is not too shab for a preseason game and in the second half the crowd started getting more and more into things. By the end, it was raucous and I think the players got a good taste of what they can expect if they can play hard enough to keep things close.

Here's a picture of what it looks like in Section 309

Rough Weekend

After a weekend which saw the Oklahoma Sooners fall to Texas and the Thunder lose to Sacramento and Golden State it was nice to see the a Thunder victory Monday night.

Kevin Durant scored 20 in the 4th and played incredible defense and did what he had not done up to this point in the preseason; carry his team.

Hopefully it's the start of great things. Durant looked phenomenal, Chris Wilcox had a ton of energy and Nick Collison played really well also.

The thing that keeps gnawing at me with this team though is will they be able to keep up when the opposing team's firepower goes on a run? The Thunder scratched and clawed last night against a Houston team that put a bunch of riff-raff on the floor in crunch time. In crunch time their go-to-guy was D.J. Strawberry. Tracy McGrady didn't play and Yao didn't play in the 4th.

Who cares. A win is a win and even though it's only preseason it's huge to get the first one under their belt.

Now it's on to the OKC debut, the home debut and I can't wait. I'll try to get some pictures and post them. I'm very excited and interested to see the crowd. It would be awesome if the OKC fans can truly make the Ford Center (dba Thunderdome) a home court advantage.