Bryant leads the league in scoring at 28 points per game, and in his 17th season he is shooting a career-high 49 percent from the field. Durant has continued to improve in his sixth season, also shooting a career-high 51 percent.
Dec 072012
Dec 052012
Kendrick Perkins is spending a lot of time this season policing OKC’s roster, tempering any friction aimed at Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.
Dec 042012
The Nets had a furious second-half rally but could not catch up with the hot-handed Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant and the Thunder. Despite a season-high in points from star point guard Deron Williams, the Nets fell short to the Thunder, 117-111.
Dec 032012
The Oklahoma City Thunder are tied for the most wins in the NBA, and not surprisingly Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook have led the charge – especially during their current winning streak.
Dec 032012
On Monday, the NBA announced Carmelo Anthony as the Eastern Conference Player of the Week. His Olympic buddy, Kevin Durant, was recognized for the honor in the Western Conference.
Anthony led the Knicks to a 3-1 record, averaging a league-best 29.5 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks. Anthony scored more than 30 points in two of those contests. In New York’s 106-99 home victory over Phoenix on Dec. 2, Anthony scored a game-high 34 points, and added six rebounds, two assists, two blocks and a steal.
Dec 032012
The Brooklyn Nets have played some fine basketball all season long, and they will face their next test in the form of the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night. Oklahoma City has won five straight, and is in first place in the Northwest Division.
Similarly, the Nets have won five of six and trail the New York Knicks by just one game in the Atlantic Division. Both Brooklyn and Oklahoma City like to play a fast-paced game, not to mention some tough defense, and that will make for an epic showdown at the Barclays Center.
It’s still going to be an uphill battle for Brooklyn. Center Brook Lopez will likely miss his third straight game, thus leaving the Nets without substantial size in the paint, and Deron Williams’ shooting struggles remain an issue.
The Thunder will definitely take advantage of short-handed Brooklyn, using their depth and balanced attack to show the young Nets just how to play with the NBA‘s big boys.
Sure, the team has played well thus far, but it still has a lot to learn about what it takes to play together as a winning team and go far in the playoffs. Granted, the postseason is a long way off, but it’s definitely something to consider given how much Oklahoma City has improved over the past three seasons.
The stage is thus set for this game to be unpredictable and close. Both teams want the victory badly, and for different reasons. Brooklyn wants to further assert itself as a top team in the Eastern Conference, and Oklahoma City wants to extend its streak to six.
Thus, fasten your seat belts, fans. This game has the makings of a bumpy ride!
Time: Tuesday, Dec. 4, 7:30 p.m. EST
TV: NBATV, YES, Fox Sports Oklahoma
Records: Oklahoma City Thunder (14-4) vs. Brooklyn Nets (11-5)
Betting Lines: Not available as of Monday, Dec. 3 at 10:06 a.m. EST
Injuries: Brook Lopez (foot, doubtful)
Key Storyline: Are the Brooklyn Nets For Real?
The Nets may have a solid record right now, but it is important to note that they haven’t truly been tested yet. Of their 11 wins, only seven have come against teams that made the playoffs last season. Factor in that the Orlando Magic are now without Dwight Howard and basically a lottery team, and that total shrinks to four.
Regarding losses, Brooklyn has lost to the Miami Heat twice and the Los Angeles Lakers once. Their other two have come against the young and feisty Minnesota Timberwolves and Golden State Warriors, so it’s pretty telling as to how inexperienced Brooklyn really is against experienced, championship-caliber teams, not to mention younger ones with passion.
Facing the Oklahoma City Thunder will thus be the Nets’ ultimate test. Brooklyn will be at a great disadvantage on defense without Brook Lopez, and the Thunder are the highest-scoring team in the league with 105.1 points per contest. If the Nets really want to prove themselves, they’ll need to slow this game down and force the Thunder to play at their pace.
So long as the game can be kept close and not get out of hand quickly, then the Nets will have earned the right of being taken seriously. If they lose by a wide margin, it’s only going to add to the case that they cannot keep up with elite teams.
Key Matchup: Gerald Wallace vs. Kevin Durant
The key to slowing down the Thunder is to slow down Kevin Durant, which is no easy task. The three-time scoring champion is currently third in the league with 26.2 points per game, and has also shown improvement on defense this season. He is averaging 8.7 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game, doing all he can to be a more complete player and help the Thunder get back to the NBA Finals.
He’s going to be in for a long night against the Nets. Brooklyn forward Gerald Wallace is one of the league’s best athletes and pests, and he’s going to be on Durant like a moth to the flame.
The man known as “Crash” is averaging 1.9 steals on the season, and is slowly starting to regain his scoring touch. Over his last five games, he is averaging 11.2 points per game.
Durant has a height advantage at 6’9″, compared to the 6’7″ Wallace, and also outweighs his opponent by 10 pounds, at 235. Still, this will matter little once the game is underway. Wallace has proven that he can and will play beyond his size, which may not bode well for the Thunder if he takes Durant out of the game.
Yes, Oklahoma City is deeply talented, but Durant having a bad scoring night could spell doom for the Thunder in Brooklyn. Russell Westbrook is going to have his hands full with Deron Williams all night long, so he won’t be able to turn on the savior switch in a heartbeat should his teammate struggle.
Durant just needs to do what he always does and fake Wallace out as best he can. He needs to create off the dribble and not be afraid to dish the ball off if need be.
By sticking to his guns and not being afraid of Wallace, Durant will be able to get past the pesky defense and once again lead Oklahoma City to victory.
X-Factor: Joe Johnson
Without Lopez manning the paint and Deron Williams continuing to struggle with his shooting, it’s going to be up to Joe Johnson to help the Nets win this game. The natural scorer has only shot 41 percent from the field for the season, but is slowly starting to regain his touch. He is shooting 45 percent over his last five games, and is averaging 15.6 points per game for the season.
Under normal circumstances, Johnson would be working in tandem with Williams as the team’s one-two punch in the backcourt, with Lopez contributing as necessary. This has yet to come to fruition. Williams is averaging 15.4 points and 8.9 assists per game, but is shooting just 38 percent from the field.
The team as a whole has struggled to score points, and ranks 20th in points per game at 95.3.
It is thus all the more important that Johnson be fully locked in against Oklahoma City. With Williams struggling and Lopez out, he needs to carry the load and pick his shots wisely. He is a fine scorer to begin with and this shouldn’t be a problem, but he cannot just throw up shots willy-nilly and expect them to fall.
Johnson needs to be willing to take risks against a tough Thunder defense that will be trying to do all it can to shut him and his teammates down. This means driving the lane to draw a foul. It means creating off the dribble and not being afraid to pass the ball to an open teammate.
Most important of all, it means staying focused and not being afraid of a seemingly superior team. So long as Johnson maintains that type of attitude, he will set himself up for a great game and, potentially, a key victory for his Nets.
Depth Charts
Thunder
Nets
Prediction
The Nets will do a great job of keeping this game close, but their efforts will fall short in the end. Oklahoma City is just too deep and talented, and the odds of them having a bad game against a Nets team that is sans Brook Lopez are slim to none. The former Stanford Cardinal is just too big a loss, and Andray Blatche is not the same type of impact player despite playing some fine basketball in Brooklyn.
It will be a hard-fought battle, but Oklahoma City will walk away with the victory in this one. Kevin Durant will fight and claw his way past the tough defense of Gerald Wallace, and Russell Westbrook will defend Deron Williams to the point where the point man’s shooting struggles continue for yet another night.
Joe Johnson will do a fine job of keeping the Nets in the game, but will run out of gas in the fourth quarter. In just one short moment, he’ll go from being the team’s seeming savior to ice cold.
The Thunder will just be too much for this Brooklyn lineup, from flashy scoring to tough defense. At the last buzzer, their winning streak will be at six games and the Nets will be left wondering just how they can go about facing elite teams.
Oklahoma City Thunder 108, Brooklyn Nets 101
Read more Brooklyn Nets news on BleacherReport.com
Nov 222012
The Oklahoma City Thunder won’t have time for a Thanksgiving hangover this year. After a key overtime victory against the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night, they are right back in action when they take on the Boston Celtics in Beantown on Friday.
The team is currently in first place in the Northwest Division and riding a three-game winning streak. They’ll look to extend that against the Celtics, who have lost two straight and sit three games behind the New York Knicks in the Atlantic Division.
This is still going to be a great game; however, as it will be a fine showcase of youth against experience.
As good as the Thunder are, they are a young team still learning what it takes to be a championship caliber team. They made the NBA Finals last year, but their inexperience showed as the Miami Heat won in five games.
Boston, on the other hand, has regularly contended for a championship every year since 2008. After winning a title that year, they made the NBA Finals again in 2010 (losing to the Los Angeles Lakers) and the Conference Finals in 2012, where they lost to Miami in seven games. This team may be old, but they still know how to win.
These skills will be in full swing against the Thunder, and should make for one great game.
Time: Friday, November 23rd, 8:30 p.m. EST
TV: NBATV
Records: Oklahoma City Thunder (9-3) vs. Boston Celtics (6-6)
Betting Lines: Not available as of Thursday, November 22nd, 8:33 a.m. EST
Injuries: None
Key Storyline: Young Thunder Look to Extend Winning Streak Against Aging Celtics
As great as the Boston Celtics are to watch, they’re one old team. Of their five starters, three are 35 years of age or older. Still, experience counts for something and age should not be written off immediately.
Oklahoma City’s lineup, on the other hand, is one of the youngest in the NBA. Everybody is under 30 and likes to play the athletic, sometimes fast-paced system of coach Scott Brooks.
The difference in ages is going to play a key role in the game, with the old-school Celtics and their tough defense going toe-to-toe with the young, plucky Thunder. Oklahoma City will want to extend their streak to four, but there’s always the chance that they’ll get overexcited and make mistakes.
Boston, however, just wants to get back above .500. They know that they are a better team than their record indicates, and will stop at nothing to prove it.
Win or lose, one thing is certain: The Celtics are not going to give up this game easily.
Key Matchup: Rajon Rondo vs. Russell Westbrook
The defensive duel between veteran Paul Pierce and three-time scoring champ Kevin Durant is sure to be a fun one, but both will surely manage to put their fair share of points on the board. Rather, the battle at the point will be the one to watch as Russell Westbrook becomes the latest man who tries to slow down Rajon Rondo.
After being very shoot-first last year and averaging just 5.5 assists per game compared to 23.6 points, Westbrook appears to have found the balance again this year. Through a dozen games, he is averaging 20.8 points and 8.4 assists per contest.
Westbrook has still been a bit impulsive with his shooting, making just 40 percent of his field goal attempts. He is playing some good basketball this season, but needs to be willing to take a step back on offense every so often. He is a phenomenal passer and has a great go-to guy in Durant, so it’s just a matter of remembering that.
Fellow point guard Rajon Rondo has been having a career season thus far. Through Boston’s first 12 games, he is averaging 14 points, 13.3 assists and 1.9 steals per game. His scoring accuracy has improved mightily, as he has shot 53 percent from the field.
If the Thunder are to win this game and extend their streak, then Westbrook needs to undertake the Herculean task of completely shutting down Rondo. If the Celtics’ dynamic point guard can be taken out of the game, their odds of winning shrink.
Westbrook is 6’3″ and has two inches on Rondo, but both men weigh the same. Rondo is also a freak athlete, so he’s going to make life hell for Westbrook on both sides of the hardwood.
In the end, only one man can win this battle. Whoever does will be on the winning team.
X-Factor: Kevin Durant
Durant is only 24 years old, but has led the league in scoring for each of the past three seasons. He is currently averaging 25.4 points per game, second in the league behind Kobe Bryant.
The former Texas Longhorn has also added a refined defensive game to his arsenal this season. On top of his scoring, Durant is also averaging 10.1 rebounds per game.
He appears committed to living up to his full potential on both sides of the court.
This makes it all the more important for Durant to have a big game against the Celtics. Teammate Russell Westbrook is going to have his hands full with Rondo all night, so Durant needs to make an even greater effort in the event that his point guard is shut down offensively.
That’s not going to be easy with Paul Pierce guarding him, but he is a good enough athlete that he can get past the veteran’s tough defense and put the team on his back. If he can find a way to take control of the scoring while also keeping up the defensive effort, and without Westbrook helping to shoulder the load, then Oklahoma City will easily extend its streak.
Depth Charts
Thunder
Celtics
Prediction
This game will certainly be close at some points, as both teams will rely on a balanced defensive attack to come away with the victory. Unfortunately for Boston, theirs just won’t be enough. The younger and faster Thunder will eventually pull away in the second half and extend their winning streak to four games.
Durant will have a double-double and sink some key shots. Westbrook will score his fair share of points, albeit with a low field-goal percentage due to Rondo’s tough defense. The Celtics’ point man will have a fine game of his own, coming close to a triple-double, but it won’t be able to stop Oklahoma City’s onslaught.
Look for Serge Ibaka to have a fine defensive game, absolutely taking Brandon Bass to school in the paint. Watch for Kevin Martin coming off the bench and providing some phenomenal scoring.
The Celtics will do everything in their power to slow the game down and play it their way, but their core players’ collective age will show. No matter how hard they try, they’ll just be outplayed from start to finish, and leave the game with a sub-.500 record.
Oklahoma City Thunder 103, Boston Celtics 91
Read more Boston Celtics news on BleacherReport.com
Nov 212012
Layne Murdoch/NBAE/Getty Images
The Thunder point guard calls his own number even when Kevin Durant is wide open.
Maybe you have heard about Kobe Bryant’s past habit of ballhogging late in games, passing up wide open looks for his teammates, dragging down his team’s offensive efficiency.
Something like that applies to Thunder guard Russell Westbrook, too.
That conclusion about Bryant’s crunch time game was drawn from clear statistical evidence.
Nov 182012
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Three-time NBA scoring champion Kevin Durant is determined to become known as more than a one-dimensional player.
Nov 122012
Russell Westbrook banked in a half-court shot during a rough-and-tumble 27-point outing, Kevin Durant added 26 points and the Thunder beat the Cavaliers 106-91 on Sunday night.