Oklahoma Thunderballs

The Thunder are down and out until next season, when we hope that the phoenix will once again be reborn and rise from the ashes. For me however, and hopefully for you, that doesn't mean that basketball stops. Basketball never stops. In this space I plan to recount my impressions of the playoffs from here on out. I don't plan on doing any recapping or other such things, we have some amazing sites who are far greater experts on their teams than I will ever be. Rather, I want to continue to keep perspective on why the currently playing teams are in the positions they are, what we can learn about them, and what it tells us about basketball itself. *** GRIZZLIES vs SPURS The series currently stands at 2-0 in favor of the Spurs, just like the Grizzlies faced an 0-2 deficit in the 1st round against the Clippers. I knew that Game 1 would be an anomaly. The Grizzlies' defense is too prideful and tenacious to give up that many open 3-pointers. However, midway through Game 2 the Spurs seemed to be doing it again, up 18 in the 3rd. However, one thing tilted in Memphis' favor - it was a low-scoring affair. Even so, the game should not have been as close as it was in the end, given that the Grizzlies' power forward Zach Randolph was having a horrid game. Near the end though, an amazing 4 point sequence gave Memphis just enough juice to power it into OT, which led to this discussion between myself and Pounding the Rock's head honcho, J.R. Wilco: J.R. Wilco: I need an independent fan's opinion: did you think Manu's foul was worth a flagrant? Sherman: from here: http://www.nba.com/2010/news/features/04/18/flagrant.technical/, the operative word is 'unnecessary.' To me, you can't look at the fall, where Allen clearly overacted. So if the refs were playing by the letter, they only looked at the contact initiated by Manu If that's the case, the only way I see them judging that the contact was 'unnecessary' was that they considered that Manu hung onto Allen's arm for too long, pulling him down. Otherwise, that's a foul we see a dozen times every single game. It's kind of akin to the facemask penalty in football. If you grab it and let go it's 5 yards. If the refs deem that you held on too long, even for a second, it's 15 yards. So the difference in Manu's play is whether he held on too long. And after the refs reviewed it, I'm not really sure how they can make that call, given the momentum of both players. Manu didn't wind up and swing at Allen or anything. He just fouled and possibly grabbed to make sure the shot didn't go up. J.R. Wilco: Which tells me that they were looking at the fall after all! Sherman: Yep. and that's puzzling too, since if you watched Allen fall it's pretty obvious his reaction is not commensurate with the foul. So in a way I think they got it wrong twice. Even after review, they called something 'unnecessary' that wasn't by the letter of the law, and then they looked at the outcome of the foul when they should not have. At least that's what it seems like to me. The only other thing I can think of is that the refs were not just making a call for this play, but for the series. Setting the standard for unnecessary fouls to prevent things from getting out of hand. Which I think is misguided because the best way to keep things from getting out of hand is to call plays accurately and consistently, not be overbearing on a marginal call. PACERS vs HEAT Game 1 was marvelous. I believe that in the Heat's current iteration, the only way that a team is going to have a shot to take them down is by muddying the waters. The Heat simply have too many high skill players on their team, and more importantly, they are working at a high level of synergy and competence. Even if Russell Westbrook hadn't gone down in these playoffs, I think OKC would have had a really hard time matching up against the Heat simply because Miami's collection of talent tends to play at a higher level of consistency than the Thunder's had this

Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook were honored today by the NBA in being selected to the All-NBA teams. For the 4th year in a row, Durant was named to the All-NBA First Team, joining LeBron James, Tim Duncan, Chris Paul, and Kobe Bryant. Russell Westbrook was likewise recognized for the 3rd year in a row, being named a guard on the All-NBA Second Team. Westbrook joins Tony Parker, Marc Gasol, Carmelo Anthony, and Blake Griffin for this distinction. Westbrook is still pursuing that elusive 1st team honor, though with Old Man Kobe still huffing and puffing along Westbrook may yet need to wait a bit longer. The All-NBA 3rd team is comprised of Durant and Westbrook's former teammate James Harden, along with Dwyane Wade, Dwight Howard, David Lee, and Paul George.

Thunder forward Kevin Durant was named to the All-NBA First Team and guard Russell Westbrook was named to the All-NBA Second Team for the 2012-13 season.

Sue Ogrocki/AP Kevin Durant donated $1 million to the Red Cross for tornado relief on Tuesday. He did it quietly. Quieter than when he signed his extension. He didn’t tweet it. He didn’t put out a press release. We only knew about it because the Red Cross told us. He wasn’t on a street corner shouting about it with a megaphone. He gave the way you’re suppose to give: selflessly, with no fanfare, because people needed help. As Royce said, it wasn’t a surprise. This is what he does. Maybe better than any star in the league, he has his finger on the pulse of his city. He knows what it needs and when it needs it. Grantland’s Brian Phillips wrote an incredible piece last week on the end of our season. He was at The Peake on the night we finally got tired and faded into summer vacation. In his write up he mentioned something that Scott Brooks said about Durant’s final shot of the season. “The thing about Kevin is I live with his decisions because he has a pure heart.” Pure heart. Durant has made Brooks look right a lot over the course of these last four seasons. What’s one more time. * * * Russell Westbrook is at a hospital. He’s there with DeAndre Liggins, Hasheem Thabeet, Jeremy Lamb, and Scott Brooks. They’re there because of the tornado. They’re there to try to put smiles on faces. Westbrook meets a young boy while he’s there. The boy’s name is Grayson. On Monday afternoon Grayson was in a day care facility that was destroyed by the tornado. Now he’s okay. Westbrook meets Grayson in a hospital hallway. Westbrook’s in a wheelchair. He has bubbles with him. Grayson has cuts on his face and his ear. After some coaxing, they high five each other. The boy blows the bubbles and they scatter and nurses clap and Westbrook says good job. They give each other three high fives. On the last one Westbrook makes Grayson jump because who knows the joys of jumping better than the man with forever bounce. Grayson smiles wide. He jumps and their hands connect and hopefully for that moment everybody in the hallway thought about something other than the storm. * * * I do not live in Oklahoma City or the surrounding metro area. The closest I’ve ever lived to it is Shawnee. I watched the awfulness from in front of my computer screen at work. I tuned in to Channel 4′s live stream and watched for hours. I spent the afternoon like I’d imagine a lot of Oklahomans did. Eyes glassed over, neglecting work, texting my friends to ask if they were okay, hoping for a positive answer. It’s rough being helpless. It gets hard in those moments where everything is going wrong to remember that there is good in the world. All your screen is ever showing you is the bad. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, though, did that for us Tuesday. They reminded us of the good. At this point it’s old hat to say that we, as a fan base, are lucky to have Durant and Westbrook. That luck, we realized on Tuesday more than ever, extends far beyond the court. As for the state, I don’t know what to say about it that hasn’t already been said by those smarter than me. The resiliency. The care. The love. These are not surprising things either. They have been proven, time and again. 1995. 1999. We are stronger than the things that would try and break us. It’s in these times, the hard, dark ones, that we shine the brightest.

Darnell Mayberry: “A muddied American flag rested atop the metal pole that stood defiantly at the corner. Its peaceful position contradicted perfectly the catastrophic winds that only two days earlier had ripped through town, leaving this block utterly unidentifiable, one of many that have been reduced to rubble. But the still of that flag, which had replaced a street sign that is now God knows where, symbolized the strength, courage and determination of a community. And on a warm Wednesday afternoon, the second day of rebuilding, the people within this Westmoore subdivision of Moore welcomed a much-needed symbol of hope. Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durant. One day after donating his money, Durant traveled back to Oklahoma to give his time. He did anything and everything he could to bring a smile to as many faces as possible. He shook hands and gave hugs. He posed for pictures and signed autographs. Not once did Durant turn down a request, graciously scribbling his signature on anything he was handed. A pair of shoes. A hat. A Thunder mug. A team program.” Berry Tramel: “More low-post scoring is going to be difficult to find. Few low-post threats are coming out of college, the Thunder has little salary cap room to add players and outside of Ibaka and Westbrook, no one on the roster has the skill set to score consistently from the low block. And one of those guys is a point guard.” Perk contributed $25,000 cash yesterday out of his pocket to help build shelters in schools. Small controversy about KD’s back tattoo yesterday. It appeared there was a typo on it, but KD later took another picture to either show it had been fixed or that there wasn’t a mistake at all. Video of Russell Westbrook hanging with kids at the hospital. Kevin Lincoln of BuzzFeed: “For perspective: let’s assume that Durant paid about 40% of his income last year in various federal and state taxes. Someone who makes $50,000 probably pays about 25% of their income in taxes, all-considered. (PLEASE do not argue about taxes in the comments, unless it’s to correct our math.) Durant’s donation, as a portion of the income that Durant actually saw last year, is roughly the equivalent of someone who makes $50,000 up and writing a Red Cross check for about $2,000, of which they’d get $500 back at the end of the year after taking the cost of the donation off their taxable income. ($50,000 is about the median household income in the U.S.) Alternately, our hypothetical $50,000 earner could work to put together $2,000 through fundraising, since it’s possible Durant’s foundation already had the cash on hand from previous efforts — which he would’ve been involved in, of course. Put even simpler, Durant’s donation is just as generous as it first appears — maybe even more so.” Westboro Baptist says the tornadoes are all KD’s fault. Obviously. Powerful story here. Bradford Doolittle of ESPN.com breaking down OKC’s pick: “Dieng has quite a bit less upside than Adams, but if Perkins is sent on his way, the 23-year-old Dieng could be ready to contribute right away. The great thing about him, which Ford often cites, is that not only is he an elite defensive prospect, but he’s also skilled as a passer in the pivot. The Thunder wouldn’t be counting on Dieng to be a franchise player. They just need an 18-20 minute contributor, though they would want him to add some bulk to his 230-pound frame.”

This week's Sports Illustrated features the St. Louis Cardinals. With the way the juxtaposition sets up, the infamous curse taken into account, they're doomed. Just ask 1957 Oklahoma football. Usually I'd delve into a brief overview of the NBA playoffs thus far and get to the alternate covers, but we're doing it a little different this week. With the May 19th and 20th tornados that hit not only Moore and Oklahoma City, but also the towns of Carney, Shawnee, Newcastle, Wellston, Prague, Luther, Little Axe, Bethel Acres, and others, it's far more important to highlight different ways that you can help. This last Monday afternoon, I would normally have been pretty chapped about losing an afternoon of work in the studio, hail damage to my car, and my dog pooping all over the oriental rug in my bedroom. The nice one. But on that day and today, I feel incredibly blessed to have had that kind of afternoon. If you're reading this on your laptop, tablet, or smart phone, you're pretty lucky too. With that in mind, consider offering whatever help you can to the help through volunteering or giving to the charities and organizations included in this week's alternate Sports Illustrated covers. There will be a full list with links at the bottom. Alternate #1: This Dog is Awesome. Alternate #2: Bob Stoops would like you to donate like a champion today. So would KD and Mike Gundy. Also, way to go Love's Travel Stops. Alternate #3: Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and the Thunder have been doing a great job this week. Alternate #4: Kevin Durant is just a great guy. Here's a list of charities, organizations, and links I've compiled since Monday. It's by no means complete, but these are all great charities, local and otherwise. It would be great if you can either donate your time or money to for help in the recovery efforts. Lastly, thanks so much for the wonderful response from all of the SB Nation community following the disaster. You all are awesome. Charities/Organizations: www.americares.org - AmeriCares www.okclostpets.com - OKC Lost Pets www.arcokc.org - Animal Rescue Center www.infantcrisis.org - Infant Crisis Services www.cwsgolbal.org - Church World Service www.unitedwayokc.org - United Way of Okla. City www.architectureforhumanity.org - Architecture for Humanity www.regionalfoodbank.org - Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma www.salvationarmyokcac.org - The Salvation Army Central Oklahoma Command www.redcross.org - The Red Cross www.ok.gov/okstrong - The State of Oklahoma general info http://sunbeamfamilyservices.org/tornado-victim-supper/ - Sunbeam Family Services general info www.okdisasterhelp.com - Southern Baptist Convention Disaster Relief Oklahoma www.okhumane.org - Oklahoma Human Society www.okc.gov/animalwelfare - City of Okla. City Animal Welfare www.okc.gov/animalwelfare/animalwelfaredonationweb - City of Okla. City Animal Welfare donation page www.petfoodpantryokc.org - The Pet Food Pantry of Okla. City, Inc. www.catholiccharitiesok.org - Catholic Charities of Oklahoma

Thunder Visits Moore Neighborhoods

Three options as I see it for the Thunder with the 12th pick that they earned last night: 1) Trade up: The Thunder have three picks in this draft (two first, one second), plus a couple future ones (their own, the protected Dallas pick). They also have intriguing young talent in Jeremy Lamb, Perry Jones III and Reggie Jackson. The pieces are there to cobble together an intriguing trade package and with a lot of executives not sold on the top tier talent in this draft, if the Thunder wanted to move up, it seems the opportunity could be there. There’s growing buzz that the Thunder are going to explore trading up. My guess as to what they’re after would be a player like Ben McLemore, a Bradley Beal-ish smooth shooting guard. The Thunder of course were enthralled with Beal last season, reportedly twice trying to get him. A lot of mocks have Beal going as high as No. 1 overall and as low as No. 4 overall , with most settling at No. 2 to Orlando. That’s quite a leap, especially since the Magic are likely going to be excited about McLemore, a player that fills a need in a lot of ways. The only other player I see OKC having enough interest in to move up would be Victor Oladipo. Thabo Sefolosha’s deal expires after next season and Oladipo is kind of the perfect Thunder prospect. Intelligent, tough, hard working and has lots of room to improve. He’s a heady, gritty defender that has a knack for making plays. His offensive game needs some work, but he’s the kind of player that seems poised to blossom. Maybe they like seven-footer Alex Len, who has risen into the top eight in a lot of projections. Really, those are the only three I can see, unless they feel like Nerlens Noel could slip past No. 1. But again, if the Thunder are moving in to the top six, they’re going to likely have to part ways with Lamb. And probably Jones. Hypothetical scenario, and I realize the Magic probably say no to this deal: OKC deals Lamb (and Jones, maybe), the No. 12 pick and the No. 29 pick to move up for McLemore. They sign Kevin Martin (or J.J. Redick) to a one-year deal for however much money, basically replaying last season but swapping McLemore for Lamb, sending him to Tulsa and developing him on the end of the bench. Sound good? One issue I have with that, though: I kind of think Jeremy Lamb could be really good and dealing him feels a little scary to me. 2) Trade out: It really doesn’t make much sense for the Thunder to trade down, so I’m ruling that option out. But they could trade out completely of the first round. Whether it’s for a potentially lottery pick next season or a quality veteran, the Thunder could move their pick. Maybe in a sign-and-trade situation. I don’t get the sense this scenario is very likely, though. 3) Use it. Of course you have to canvas the league and see what possibilities are out there and if there’s something that makes sense, you go for it. But to move up, you have to give things up. And while the Thunder really don’t need that 29th overall pick or that 32nd overall pick, again, in order to jump a few spots they’d probably have to include a young asset like Lamb, Jones or Jackson. Not worth it to me. But that’s mainly because I think Lamb has a whole bunch of offensive upside and I’d almost place Jackson on the untouchable list. (I think he’s that good.) I kind of look at it this way: If the Thunder are thinking big, and there’s a player in the 12-16 range they like — like possibly Gorgui Dieng or Rudy Gobert — then there’s not a lot of reason to trade up. There’s one apparent big elite talent in Nerlens Noel. After that, there’s not really a top tier big man in this draft that couldn’t potentially fall to 12 anyway. So like I said, it’s either going for a home run Harden replacement in McLemore or Oladipo (or Shabazz Muhammad, if you’re feeling crazy), or you stand pat a

Draft Express has OKC taking Kelly Olynyk: “The Thunder’s season ended in disappointing fashion, in no small part because of an injury to All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook, which put too much pressure on Kevin Durant to carry the load offensively. Fortunately for the Thunder, the James Harden trade returned a pick in the late lottery, which can be used to add an immediate contributor on a cheap salary. With Westbrook back at full strength, what do you give the team that has everything? More offensive firepower is one option, particularly from the frontcourt, which struggled to establish itself as enough of a threat to keep Memphis’ big men honest defensively. With the status of free agent Kevin Martin very much up in the air, the Thunder could look to add more talent at the wing.” Chad Ford of ESPN.com has OKC taking Steven Adams: “Adams might have been the big winner of the draft combine. Physically, he looked the part of a future NBA center and displayed a better than expected touch on his jump shot. He looked in terrific shape, hustled on both ends of the floor and reminded everyone why scouts saw him as a potential top-five pick going into his senior year of high school. He’s raw and won’t find any real minutes on the Thunder. But that’s what the D-League is for.” Jeff Goodman of CBSSports.com has OKC with Olynyk: “The Thunder could use another scoring option — and the big Canadian can put up points in the paint and also from the perimeter.” Chris Mannix of SI.com has OKC taking Dario Saric: “There is increasing chatter among NBA executives that the Thunder — with two first-round picks and young talent in Jeremy Lamb and Perry Jones on the roster — will look to make a major move on draft night. If they keep this pick, Saric, a smooth, mobile big man one executive describes as “the best passing big in the draft” is a nice find. Saric isn’t the bruising back-to-the-basket scorer that Oklahoma City craves, but he is exactly the kind of high potential talent GM Sam Presti loves to develop.” Sean Deveney of Sporting News: “Who knows what the Thunder do with this pick? Gobert is a high-ceiling gamble with a massive wingspan (7-9), who can be stashed in Europe for a year before coming to the NBA.” Jonathan Tjarks of SB Nation: “Dieng is a 23-year-old center who can play defense and knock down a mid-range jumper. Just going to throw this out there, but I suspect he is already a better basketball player than either Kendrick Perkins or Hasheem Thabeet.” Vice President Joe Biden to KD: “You’re not only a great athlete, you’re a great humanitarian. On behalf of all of us, thank you for your generosity.” KD spoke to reporters yesterday about his donation while in Minnesota watching friend Monica Wright play: “As the day went on and I saw the footage and the casualties and the houses being blown away, it was tough to see. I call Oklahoma City my home. I go through Moore all the time. It’s unfortunate. We’re going to come together as a city like we always do and we’re going to bounce back.” Presti talking about the tornado. Why Oklahoma is awesome. No. 31 and 32 forever. Tibor Pleiss isn’t coming over soon: “I am in contact with Thunder GM Sam Presti and I often speak on phone with Jonny Rogers, who lives in Barcelona and he is a scout for the Thunder in Europe,” Pleiss wrote on his blog. “They look at me each game and they are very satisfied for my performances. But I don’t want to be misunderstood: I think to the NBA in the medium term and I don’t want to talk too much about it. After this season I have three more years on my contract with Baskonia and I will stay at least next season. I feel the confidence of coach Zan Tabak. I know I can become a better player in Vitoria, which is crucial for me.” Russell Westbrook and a few other Thu

Amid Tragedy, the Thunder Helps Oklahomans Recover