Oklahoma Thunderballs

Happy Saturday. Thank you for your support of Daily Thunder. Oklahoma. I know I just wrote about all this, but this video is pretty tremendous. I just want to reiterate how well the Thunder have handled all this. They’ve been wonderful. One of of my favorite things about this video though is how the players listen. They let the people tell their story, talk about how it is for them and what they’re doing next. That’s one of the best things they can do. Because this is an unbelievable experience for everyone, something that’s life-changing and that they’ll remember forever. And for them to be able to tell Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook and Scott Brooks and Thabo Sefolosha and Sam Presti all about it has to feel really good. I found that outstanding.

Here’s what Kevin Durant has done since a tornado shredded a portion of his city: He gave $1 million less than 16 hours after it happened. And didn’t make a peep he was doing it. He immediately traveled back to Oklahoma to tour the area and meet with survivors and those affected. He reached out to Nike to get them to donate $1 million worth of stuff to relief, as well as the money made from the sell of KD Vs on Nike.com for the next couple weeks. And he says he wants to do more. Probably is, too. We just don’t know about it, because you know, that’s how KD operates. Short of flying around Earth Superman II style to prevent this from ever happening, there’s not a whole lot more this guy can do. Kevin Durant is a genuine hero. Not just because he swishes jumpers and wins basketball games. He gets it. I’m not typically the kind of person that gets emotional over every little thing, but any time think about KD immediately making that donation or signing pictures for people that had their house blown away, I pretty much lose it. (When he tells that guy “Sorry man” … I’m gonna need a minute.) It’s not just Durant, of course. A day after, Scott Brooks, Hasheem Thabeet, Jeremy Lamb, Daniel Orton and Russell Westbrook were visiting hospitals, high-fiving adorable little children. While Thabo Sefolosha and Kendrick Perkins were taking donations at a local TV station. The next day, they made it into the affected areas and did what KD did. Said they’re sorry, took pictures, said they’re sorry some more and most importantly, were just there. Heroes on the court, and off. (This picture of Russ, man. It just says so much to me. There’s Westbrook, standing on crutches, a broken basketball player. We all thought him being hurt was the biggest, most horrible thing in the world. But there Westbrook is, head slightly down, shoulders slouched, looking at a house that is truly broken, lives that are truly shattered. Perspective, it’s heavy.) They wear those shirts that say “Thunder Cares” and they have the commercials. But they care. The really do. They don’t just preach it for good PR. They don’t just read books at elementary schools for photo ops. When they were really needed, when they were called into action, the Thunder were right there. This city and state have been through a lot of horrible things before. The dust bowl, the 1995 bombing, the 1999 tornado. But we’ve never had the Thunder here to go through it with it. It makes a difference. It just feels like there’s more hope than ever. There’s a catch to all that “community” talk, though. It means we Okies are close to each other. We might not know each other, but we’re not strangers. We’re Oklahomans. When you hurt, I hurt. It’s the way we are, it’s part of our fabric. And the team gets that. They hurt because we hurt. This isn’t just a city they play basketball in. This is their community. It’s one thing to say you’re part of the community and print t-shirts with the word blasted across it. And organizationally, I’ve never doubted the Thunder’s good intentions. They’re owned by Oklahomans, so they get it. And Sam Presti is an extremely genuine, kind, honest and thoughtful person. It’s another thing though for your players to get it. There’s no scouting report for who KD is as a person. There’s no way to really know that he’d be such a perfect fit for this city. You can tell players they have to do their mandatory community service projects where they read and high-five little kids at a school assembly. But Durant did this on his own. He stepped up, on his own. No one prompted him, no one told him he needed to do it. He saw his city was hurting and he showed up. That Kevin Durant, he’s clutch. It’s never about the image, because KD’s smar

Nike released this statement: “Nike will donate footwear and apparel valued at approximately $1 million to assist those communities most in need via Good360, a nonprofit organization that will distribute the product to prequalified charities. In partnership with Kevin Durant, we will also donate all profits from the sale of his signature shoe, the KD V Elite, sold on nike.com (gonike.me/OKC ) between May 23 and June 15 in equal amounts to Kaboom, a national non-profit that rebuilds playgrounds, and the Moore Public School Foundation, an Oklahoma organization that supports the Moore Public School District.” Darnell Mayberry: “For the first time in his career, Durant didn’t, taking a step back this season. The Thunder was eliminated in the second round, as a knee injury to Russell Westbrook derailed what potentially could have been a championship season. Most would agree that the 24-year-old Durant has plenty of time to cement his place among the all-time greats with a championship. But the fact remains that, regardless of the reasons, this is the third straight season that a championship-caliber Thunder team has fallen short. In no way is that an indictment on the franchise or the strides that have been made. But rather it’s an acknowledgment of just how difficult it is to reach the pinnacle of success, which raises the question of how repeated shortcomings might fuel Durant this summer.” The Thunder are Sports Business Journal’s team of the year: “In five years, the Thunder has become a small-market sensation, known as much for its community involvement as its on-court success. A powerhouse at the turnstile, the Thunder rank among the top teams in the NBA in attendance and season-ticket renewals, despite its small market. The team boasts an aggressive use of social media and leads the league in local television ratings. It has become the gold standard for team business practices, whether it’s innovative approaches to sponsorship or fan engagement strategies.” Berry Tramel: “Oklahoma cheers on the Thunder. Now the Thunder is cheering on Oklahoma. Oh, cheer’s not the right word. Cheering up is more like it. When Kevin Durant walked through neighborhoods with the American Red Cross, and Presti, Thabo Sefolosha, Scotty Brooks, Daniel Orton, Hasheem Thabeet and Russell Westbrook, crutches and all, toured the ravaged areas, I’d say it was the best moment of Oklahoma City’s seven NBA seasons. Affinity for the Thunder is indisputable. Thunder gear made up maybe 10 percent of the wardrobe I saw worn by the displaced people milling around what once was their homes.” Our friends at The Lost Ogle are organizing some tornado benefit things, like a concert on Saturday. Check it out. Cool piece by Matt Norlander of CBSSports.com on what players each team drafts: “The Thunder’s 11 foreign draft picks are bested only by two other teams. Oklahoma City is one of four teams to allot 35 percent or more of its draft picks to one group. You can also see the local love for Big 12.” David Ramsey of Reggie Jackson’s hometown paper: “When Grantz first saw Jackson, he sensed Reggie could become the best high school player in the Springs. He did not see a journey to the NBA. Jackson transformed himself through tireless labor. During the school year, he followed a ruthless routine, arising at 5 a.m. for an hour of lifting at the downtown YMCA, followed by 500 jump shots in the Palmer gym. He finished this routine before his first class. He enjoyed the benefit of blossoming late. He didn’t start as a sophomore at Palmer, and college coaches failed to chase him until the summer after his junior year. He finally became a teen celebrity during his senior season. Jackson averaged 29.6 points and carried the Terrors to 24 wins in 27 games.” Wayne Coyne writing for the Daily Beast: “I think the people of Oklahoma City are resilient, but I think it always ha

It’s not often you see a powerhouse team with a top fifteen pick, but that’s the exact position the Oklahoma City Thunder are in right now. The Thunder acquired pick number twelve in the trade involving James Harden and Kevin Martin. Many people are wondering what we should do with the pick. Some analysts are saying they should trade up, considering they have two first round picks (12 and 29) and a second round pick. Or, they could just use the three picks they have. Starting off, trading up wouldn’t be a horrible idea. Targeting a player like Cody Zeller or Alex Len, tall, powerful centers would be ideal. Is a center the position of need for the Thunder, though? Yes, Kendrick Perkins hasn’t exactly been locked in as the center of the future for OKC. Also, what about shooting guard? There are a couple directions the Thunder could go if they trade up. If Ben McLemore (SG, Kansas) is available, that could be a clear pick. If Alex Len (C, Maryland) or Cody Zeller (PF/C, Indiana) are available and McLemore isn’t, that’s a likely drafting scenario. Now, breaking down all the positions, they are holes that players have the capability of filling. At Point Guard, Russell Westbrook, Reggie Jackson, and point-forward Kevin Durant will continue man the position next season if Derek Fisher doesn’t come back. They don’t need much help there. At shooting guard, Thabo Sefolosha will be back, but Kevin Martin is an unrestricted free agent. As of his exit interview, it sounded like Martin was interested in coming back, but given his salary requirements his future in OKC is uncertain. Also, Ronnie Brewer would contribute off the bench, but he is also an nrestricted free agent and given his lack of playing time in OKC, it is difficult to say what Brewer's place in the rotation is. At small forward, the great Kevin Durant is the lone ranger, meaning he could use a solid backup. The thing is, if the Thunder draft a small forward at pick twelve, there’s no starting potential there for a rookie. Therefore, they can’t play behind Durant, but they could possibly move down to PF and have Serge Ibaka move to center. There’s a lot of possibilities. At power forward, Serge Ibaka, Perry Jones III, and Nick Collison are all looking for quality minutes this upcoming season. Ibaka will take the starting job, Collison will play the sixth man role, and Perry Jones will look for an upgraded role in his sophomore season. If the Thunder adapt to more of a small-ball game, Jones at the 4 could make the bench radically more dynamic than in the past. Finally, at center, Kendrick Perkins will man it with some help from Hasheem Thabeet and Daniel Orton from time-to-time. I’m very big on Alex Len, so I would like to trade up and draft him in the top five. Is it possible? Yes, it is. There is a rumor that the Cavaliers are open to trade their first pick, where the number one prospect, Nerlens Noel is open (obviously). Noel is a Center from Kentucky who tore his ACL, but is an intense athlete, and a great player. It will be very interesting to see what the Thunder do in the draft. Will they trade up? Will they trade down? Will they stay where they are? All these questions will be answered Thursday, June 27th on ESPN.

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