Picture from Yahoo Sports!First Quarter Thoughts:
Etan Thomas was a good pick up. He brings a different type of center that the team was lacking. He won't get 10 – 8 every night, but he will be a solid role-player.
Smart move by Ibaka at the end of the quarter committing an unnecessary foul.
I'm a Kyle Weaver fan, but he has been forgettable this pre-season.
Second Quarter Thoughts:
I don't see Mullens playing in OKC much this season.
Please let these turnovers be a pre-season thing...
I'd like to see Harden get a chance to be the offensive focus. He needs that kind of exposure to get back to what he was doing during the Summer Leagues.
Watching the team talk to Ibaka and help explain things to him is great. Uncle Jeff needs to be with this team for a long, long time.
That three second violation will be a common thing for Ibaka this season. That is just how it is for players like him.
Krstic is a great perimeter shooter. I still don't like my center taking jump shots, though.
Green's three-ball is a great asset.
Durant has four fouls in the first half. I never thought that would happen.
Mullens is a Krstic-esk center. Not sure that we need two.
Most brought up topic this season: Shaun Livingston's knee and how he is recovering. I'm already sick of it.
I'm going to echo the broadcasters, but Thabo is very basketball smart.
Halftime Thoughts:
Oklahoma City is playing very similar to the local weather.
It might just be the pre-season but I hope that the replacement refs learn to swallow their whistles for KD like they do for Kobe or LeBron.
I know our coaches are defensively minded, and I respect that, but we need to focus on offense. Outside of a couple of players, we look lazy. You can keep your opponent to 20 points, but if you can't score 15, you still lose.
With all the focus on Ibaka, I hope that this isn't just extended practice before he sits on the bench for the whole season.
Tre Kelley will be sitting at home when the season starts.
Third Quarter Thoughts:
Jeff Green is a future 6th Man of the Year when we can find a dominate Power Forward. He doesn't defend down low well enough (yet), to convince me that he will always be at the 4.
Having Durant have a lot off fast breaks is totally ok with me.
The team just isn't as motivated as it was in OKC Monday. It's the pre-season, but these games are meant to encourage a larger following in Tulsa. Play like you are at the Thunder Dome.
Will Collison improve our rebounding? He lead our team last season, but will he make the whole unit play better? One can hope.
Mullens is showing a lot of hustle tonight.
+/- KD is an amazing player. Whenever he has the ball, you expect good things.
When did KD score 20 points? His scoring has been so subtle this pre-season. He is getting his points consistently, but it hasn't been a big deal.
Um, I just heard my coined phrase! “Thunder Triumvirate!” I'm almost positive I was the first one to say that on one of my Bleacher Report articles. I first used it in January.
Fourth Quarter Thoughts:
The ThunderTV announces their “Thunder Play of the Game” “Thunder Player of the Game” and other awards way too soon.
This is Jeff Green's game tonight. His play has been more impressive for me than anyone else for OKC.
First Thunder lead at the 3:04 mark.
This has been a statement game for Thomas. He hasn't had a huge impact offensively, but he has changed the game in the paint defensively. This is an element that OKC needs.
Hearing the Tulsa Thunder fans cheer for DEFENSE with 2 minutes left is great.
Durant has been playing with 5 fouls for the majority of the second half. That is impressive.
Westbrook's development this summer has been phenomenal. He plays slower, he makes better decisions, I'm loving this new look Westbrook.
If anyone else took some of the shots KD takes, they would be yanked. Difference is that KD can make the shot.
I know I've said it a lot, but the physicality of Thomas is awesome. He makes other paint players, literally, fight for position. He is quick in transition, too. Getting back to get the rebound after Westbrook's miss with 11 seconds left is a great sign. And he had can shoot free throws when needed.
KD with the big rebound to ice the game. It's great to see the team so excited in a pre-season game. These guys seem to genuinely enjoy the game of basketball.
- Final Score: 96 - 91
Final Thoughts:
Great showing in the fourth quarter to the Tulsa fans. KD 30 points on the game, Jeff Green had 24.
The new media darling, Serge Ibaka, didn't have a great game tonight, but that's ok. He won't always have spectacular nights. He is a young player, it takes time.
OKC was out rebounded 30 – 32.
Westbrook had another good showing, he tallied 7 assists but recorded 4 turnovers.
More importantly, the Thunder caused more turns than they committed.
This game was boring for the first three quarters. Coach Scott Brooks ramped up the intensity in the fourth and forced the Heat to put their starters back in. Great pre-season win.
This Is Thunder Basketball
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