Game 8 Recap: Orlando 109, Oklahoma City 92

NOBODY INSULTS THE TIE!

Yahoo! Box Score

What can I say? It was quite an unforgettable performance by the Thunder, who were the biggest under-dog in the NBA last night and were able to back it up with a sound thrashing. I mean, all you have to know to grasp the beating was 1) Kevin Durant didn't play, 2) Dwight Howard had his first career triple double, and 3) Both Steven Hill and Mouhamed Sene were in the game.

The whole game is kind of a blur to be honest with you. It was all the same, from start to finish really, thorough domination of the Thunder all the way through. Kevin Durant playing would have made no difference at all. Talent-wise, the Magic dominate us and Dwight Howard was playing like a man possessed. Who really has a triple-double on blocks anymore? Ha, well, Dwight Howard apparently. Without Kevin Durant, this really isn't even an NBA team.

Really, the game itself isn't really worth talking about, even. We all know how the Thunder vomit all over themselves night in and night out; and this game is just more than that times 10. However, one positive of KD not playing is that it takes a shadow off the rest of the team's players. Let's see what we've learned about his anonymous team mates...

If any sort of positive can be drawn from this, it's that we now know that Jeff Green is legit. He was the leading Thunder scorer in the game and despite being the team's new number one option was able to continue his efficient shooting. I used to think that KD was the only real "cornerstone" the Thunder had to work with, everyone else being expendable. Now, I think that Jeff Green can be thought of in the same regard.

What did we learn about Desmond Mason as a starter? Well, we learned he was certainly suitable for the role when called upon. His performance was somewhat redeeming for last games Thunder Blunder caliber play. Still, he should stick to the bench, the only starter who needs replacement is Petro.

What did we learn about Russel Westbrook receiving extended minutes. Well, we learned he can do a variety of things on the floor, with 5 rebounds and four assists. He certainly hasn't gotten any better shooting from the field, but this is somewhat misleading as his offensive style is one where he tries to draw the foul. And in that regard, he was finally able to make his free throws, shooting 8-9.

What did we learn about Damien Wilkins, who finally got extended minutes for the first time since the Pre-Season? Well, uh, I guess we found out it wasn't the pre-season anymore. 2 points off 1-6 shooting and 4 boards. All that in a hefty 18 minutes of play.

Robert Swift's new 'do didn't help his offensive game any

And lastly, what did we learn about the useless 7 footers on our roster? Well, we were able to confirm that they suck. Hill, Sene, and Swift combined for about 24 minutes last night, for a combined 6 points, 12 rebounds, 0 assists, and 2 blocks. Even if you throw Johan Petro's 8 points and 2 rebounds in there, that's still combined for far less that one man (Dwight Howard) had for the magic tonight.

So, for tonight's Thunder Wonder, I'm going with the guy I praised earlier, Jeff Green. 25 points of 7-18 shooting, 10 rebounds, 3-6 from downtown, 8-10 free throws. He is clearly the second best offensive option on this team.

Thunder Down Under is...not Joe Smith for once! No, instead tonight we're going with Desmond Mason, getting some sweet redemption. He had 12 points off 5-11 shooting and 2 rebounds. Obviously couldn't fill the void that KD left, but not a bad performance by any stretch.

Thunder Blunder? God, just pick a player at random and you could almost certainly make a case for it. Sadly I'm going to go with Damien Wilkins. He certainly hasn't played up to potential this year, that is, when he plays at all. Like I said earlier, only 2 points and 1-6 field goals.

I'll give you three guesses at tonight's Thunder Plunderer. J.J. Reddick? Nope. Adonal Foyle? Sorry Zorgon, not him either. Dwight Howard? YEAH! Comeon, one of the best games in what is sure to be a fabulous career for the center. 30 points, 19 rebounds, and 10 blocked shots! He was a man among boys last night.

Next Game: Nov. 14 at the Knicks

Game 8 Pregame: Magic at Thunder

The Thunder continue their marathon with tonight's game against the Orlando Magic. It should definitely be a tough test for Oklahoma City, as the Orlando Magic are one of the better teams from the East and probably the best in their division. They'll bring a tad of starpower tonight, with Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis, Jameer Nelson, and last years most improved player Hedo Turkoglu. OKC, on the other hand, will have little to no star power tonight, as Kevin Durant will be a game time decision. Without KD, who's got the best name recognition? Joe Smith? Oh well, names don't win championships. It takes teamwork, defense, and talent. Oh wait, we don't have any of that either...

Backstory: What do the Thunder and Coke cans have in common. The both are crushed under pressure. OKC couldn't keep a lead to save their lives. Fortunately, they shouldn't have to worry about that tonight, because Orlando is far superior, especially without KD. Last I checked, all Orlando starters are averaging over 10 points per game, while the Thunder have yet to find someone to consistently drop over 10, aside from Jeff Green and the Great Longhorned One.

With or without KD, it makes no difference. Aside from last nights insanely good performance, Kevin Durant as been throwing bricks like they were made of tacks. It'll defintiely take some MAGIC, for the Thunder to win tonight (ok, that was bad, I know).

Match-Ups:
Earl Watson vs. Jameer Nelson
Edge: Nelson
I loved this guy back at St. Joe's, and was secretly cheering for him in the Elite 8 while they were playing OSU (I say secretly because my brothers a Cowboy fan). The Hawks dropped that game, but there's no way Jameer loses this one. His assist number are down somewhat, but hey, who doesn't beat Watson?

Kevin Durant? vs. Mickeal Pietrus
Edge: Durant
Well, if he plays, he has the edge. If he doesn't, and Russ Westbrook or Desmond Mason gets the start, Pietrus should handle them defensively and get the edge.

Jeff Green vs. Hedo Turkoglu
Edge: the Turk
He's got such a versatile game. Height, shooting, driving, rebounding. Jeff Green will give him a game, but Turkoglu gets the definite advantage.

Nick Collison vs. Rashard Lewis
Edge: Lewis
Rashard plays all over the court, so he shouldn't be in the power forward slot for too long. Dito everything I said praising Hedo for Rashard, except moreso.

Johan Petro vs. Dwight Howard
Edge: Howard
Let's see...the best center in the NBA or the lowest scoring Thunder starter? I'm noticing a trend of mismatches at this position. Note to Sam Presti: GET A CENTER WHO'S AS TALENTED AS HE IS TALL FOR ONCE!

Battle of the Benches
Edge: Magic
I'll say Orlando. The Thunder have the best bench player of the bunch, but nobody else is doing well. The Magic don't rely on their bench very much, but at least it isn't full of flops like OKC.

Coaching and Intangibles
Edge: Magic
Despite a crowd that's sure to be pumped for the game, Stan Van Gundy is a better coach and the Thunder have no momentum going into the game.

Player to Watch: No KD, eh? Here's a stretch, how about Robert Swift for tonight's player to watch. When facing a player like Dwight Howard, I'm sure P.J. will look to get a center more physical than Petro on the floor.

God of Thunder's Pick: Magic 102 Thunder 87

Robert Swift eats babies

Game 7 Recap: Indiana 107 Oklahoma City 99

The only thing KD needed to do to improve his shooting percentage was adjust his style. Jeff Foster seems to like it.
Yahoo! Box Score

Better late than never, they always say. Yes, I know, I'm not Zorgon, which means I have big shoes to fill (both literally and figuratively). But, hopefully I can live up to his greatness just this once...

So, now you get to hear about yet another epic OKC Thunder collapse! At one point in the first quarter, the Thunder found themselves ahead by 15 points, a lead that had even God of Thunder considering a career change. But did anyone, honestly, expect it to last? I think it would be a valid point that not that many Thunder players even expected it to last. And last...it did not...

After closing that epic first quarter with a decent 34-24 lead, OKC was able to follow up with a 24-17 thumping in the second quarter. Maybe head coach P.J. had just a little too much confidence in this team's lead, as evidenced by the 12 minutes he gave Robert Swift. To his credit, Swift had a fantastic game considering the amount of time he spent on the floor. Why are we so quick to play this guy when Damien Wilkins sees no time at all? Sometimes P.J.'s subs seem a tad erratic, ala last night with Robert Swift, ala the Celtics game with Kyle Weaver. Not that these guys should never see the light of day, just that we don't need to be playing them when the game's close. Trust me, the Thunder will See it's fair share of blow-outs this year.


The talk of Robert Swift reminds me of a Brian Davis moment last night. During the game, Robert Swift had one almost block, ONE, which prompted Brian Davis to say "The Pacers are going to have a hard time getting shots like that when a guy like Robert Swift is on the floor." What? Where the hell did that come from? If Robert Swift was that great at establishing an impregnable defense inside the paint, don't you think he'd be starting over Johan Poopo?

Of course, the Thunder would continue on to not win another quarter, and finish with a decent beat down, not too bad, but it wasn't really close. It wasn't exactly a rockin' crowd, only some 10,000 showed up at Conseco Fieldhouse. I mean comeon, who wouldn't want to see the amazing Thunder-Dults in action?!?! Oh, and as a side note, Johan Petro made his first free throws of the season, in fact, he was 2-2, making him 100% on the year.

So, time for some awards.

Thunder Wonderof the night goes to Kevin Durant, much to the dismay of Zorgon. There's really no denying it though. The guy had 37 points off of 13-27 shooting, 2-3 from three-point land, 9-9 from the charity stripe, and 8 rebounds, by far making his best game of the season.

What should make Zorgon happy though, is Joe Smith coming through as Thunder Down Under. He played the second least minutes, but still had 12 points of 6-8 shooting and 5 rebounds. He has definitely been the Thunder's best option off the bench thus far this season.

Desmond Mason was tonight's clear cut Thunder Blunder. Get this, 2 points with no field goals, 2-4 free throws, 1 technical foul, and a foul out. Somehow I missed the technical, or else I would elaborate upon it. Still, anytime you don't make a shot, you know you're going to have a good shot (no pun intended) at making Thunder Blunder


To conclude the night's awards, I'm giving the Thunder Plunderer title to T.J. Ford. The guard shot 10-19 with 24 points, 10 assists, and was only 3 rebounds short (7) of completing a triple-double. His talents are wasted on a sub-par team, but I still think he's under-rated at point guard.

Next Game: Thunder at Magic

Game 6 Recap: Atlanta 89, Oklahoma City 85

Nick Collison tried some Kung Fu tonight, but he ended up just as stinky as me, with only 2 points and 5 rebounds in 19 minutes.
Yahoo! Box Score

Before I get into the game, I committed a cardinal sin at the Ford Center Today: Being stinky.

Basically, I woke up today around 4 or so, and didn't do much before I went to the game. I didn't even think about how I hadn't showered. Big mistake. I go to the game and two people to the right of me left for better seats I didn't supect anything, until the end of the 1st, when somebody notified me that everybody around me was noticing my stink, and that I shouldn't jump around like that if I stunk so bad. Now, I'm all about letting the fans enjoy their experience, so I promptly left. No hard feelings to everybody around me. Probably the most embarassing moment of my life. But, the guy with the Brick mask was back (and sitting right in front of me) so he made up for me. I'll be back next time though. Yes, I'll be showered. Sorry if that was too much information for some of you folks. But, on to the game.

Man, what a game I missed. The first quarter was really really ugly. The Thunder kept shooting ill-advised midrangers with the Hawks right up in their grill. Luckily, the Hakws were only faring slightly better. Once the Thunder pounded it inside (like I was advising the whole time), things got better. After a slammin 2nd quarter that I didn't see, it was back and forth the whole game.

The end of the 4th saw our hopes crushed. The Hawks jumped out to a quick lead, and we almost free throwed our way back into it....until Earl Watson missed an essential layup that would have had us down by only 2 with a few seconds back. Ben had a good predicting day again, being only 4 points off of the actual score. You go, man!

Lastly, tonight was the debut of Robert Swift, courtesy of the Chris Wilcox injury. I'm glad we have Swift and Sene, becuse they can easily step in capably should one of our bigs get hurt. The same can't be said if our guards are hurt, as the only real backups they have are Kyle Weaver and Damien Wilkins. If our Point Guard is hurt, I smell trouble. But I digress. I hope Weezy is okay, as he was doing pretty well with 2 points and 2 boards before he went down. Swift looked okay, with 2 points and 3 boards. Well, his performace looked okay, but I had a hard time believing that he was the same guy who fouled out at the Hornets-Sonics game 2 years ago. He looked so....different back then.

Sadly, Joe Smith had his best performance of the season while I wasn't there. He almost had a double double with 14 points and 9 rebounds. He only shot 3-10, but he more than made up for it, shooting 8-10 from the free throw line. He really pulled through in the final seconds of this game, getting fouled at crucial times and grabbing critical rebounds. Thus, he gets tonights Thunder Wonder.

The Thunder Down Under award goes to Earl Watson. He would have gotten the Wonder award had he not missed that last layup. Still, he shot 5-11, went 1-2 from 3 point territory, had 11 points, 6 assists, and 3 rebounds, and only had 2 turnovers. These past two games Earl has really pulled through. He has started to create ball movement (rather than just dribbling it at the top of the key) and has had some hustle plays that have really put him over the shadow of Russell Westbrook.

The Thunder Blunder award goes easily to Jeff Green. 37 Minutes, 3-12 Field Goals, 1-4 3 Pointers, 9 Points, 8 Rebounds, 3 Assists, 2 Turnovers, and 1 Steal. He did better than Kevin Durants whopping 6 turnovers, but 25% shooting is just inexusable. A lot of his ill-advised shots just may have killed it for the Thunder early on tonight.

On the Flip (Murray) side, it's hard pinpointing one performance. Everyone was equally bad in their production. Thus, the Thunder Plunderer award goes to Joe Johnson by default. 25 Points, 9-25 Shooting, 3-6 3 Point Shooting, 4-6 Freethrow Shooting, 2 Rebounds, 2 Assists, 4 Turnovers, 4 Steals, and 1 Block round out a full stat sheet for Mr. JJ.

Overall, a par for the course night fo the Thunder.

Next Game: Monday at the Pacers. Prepare for some Murphy Madness.

Ranking the Players Volume II

Sorry for the delay everyone! But, without further ado, here's the next 5 in our Ranking of the Players!!!!

#14. Adrian Griffin, 10th Year Shooting Guard
Best Season: 99-00 with the Celtics, 27 minutes, 7 points, 5 Rebounds, 3 Assists, 2 Steals, 48% FG%, 28% 3PT%, 75% FT%.

Well, I'm not a big fan of Adrian Griffin, but who is? He's just another old NBA shadow that's haunting our team. It's a wonder that he's still in the NBA. His rookie stats were somewhat promising for a rookie, but his PT and stats have steadily decreased. Still, I'm confident he could put up similar numbers to what is above. I mean, he owns Ronald Dupree, who seems to only score points. This guy can grab the rebounds, dish it, and steal. So, he's not all that bad, but I think his production is just too low for the amount of time he gets in a game.

NBA Comparison: Kelenna Azubuike

#13. Robert Swift, 4th Year Center
Best Season: 2005-2006 with the SuperSonics, 21 Minutes, 6 points, 6 Rebounds, 1 Block, 51% FG%, 58% FT%.

Robert Swift is another one of the "indistinguishable SuperSonics big men". He had a solid season in 05-06, and seemed to have a bright future as an ok to solid big man in the NBA. But, after a season-ending injury to his right knee in February of 08, his future was seriously called into question. He had a similar injury to the same knee in the pre-season of 06, which also was season-ending. He'll definately remain on the roster this year, but it remains to be seen if his knee can hold up. Still, if he does recover, he'll definately be a solid big man (which is something we desperately need).

On a personal side note, WHOH! While gone, this dude grew out his hair and got some major tattoos. Hopefully he won't go the way of Brad Miller and get cornrows.... He's the only white player to be drafted straight out of high school. And, one of the few white big men.

NBA Comparison: Sam Bowie

#12. Russell Westbrook, Rookie Shooting Guard
This guy had a great Summer League, usually scoring more effectively than Jeff Green, and being a perfect compliment to Kevin Durant. Then again, Marco Bellinelli looked like the next Peja Stojakovic when he played in the Summer League, but in the NBA he looks like "Mr. Clank". So, I won't hold my breath on his greatness, and for now, he'll remain pretty low on the rankings list.

NBA Comparison: Too Early to Tell.

#11. Francisco Elson, 10th year Center (5th Year in the NBA)

Best Season: 06-07 with San Antonio, 19 Minutes, 5 Points, 4 Rebounds, 1 Assist, 1 Block, 51% FG%, 78% FT%.

You might call this guy "Ol' Reliable". He's most famous for being a plug in behind Tim Duncan on the Spurs. If you need a solid backup center, this guy is ready and willing. Still, I would doubt that he'd want to stay with a team semi-permanently stuck in the NBA cellar, given that he's 32. But, if he does decide to stay, he might be essential to a good season, should we miraculously pull out over 30 wins.

NBA Comparison: P.J. Brown

#10. Johan Petro, 6th Year Center (4th in NBA)
Best Season: 06-07 with the SuperSonics, 19 Minutes, 6 Points, 4 Rebounds, 1 Assist, 1 Steal, 1 Block, 51% FG%, 65% FT%.

This is another one of the "indistingishable big men". He was supposed to have a lot of potential, but if you look at all 3 of his seasons with the SuperSonics, they look essentially the same statistially. At 22, its still very possible that he'll get better, but right now he's looking like an eternal Francisco Elson. Not nessessarily a bad thing, but I'm sure the SuperSonics expected more, and will need more in order to become a force in the West. I will tell you guys that this is the last Center on the list, and if we can't get a good center for a Big Man happy coach like Carlesimo, it could spell disaster. Granted, I could easily imagine us going the small ball trend with Wilcox and Collison at Center, and Durant at Power Forward....but, I have already revealed too much.

NBA Comparison: Francisco Elson

Stay Tuned for Players #9-5!!!!