Thunder Smack

Leaked email exchange between Shaq and Russell Westbrook

2014-10-09T18:37:00.000-05:00

NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal shared some constructive criticism last September directed towards Thunder All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook in an interview with Nola.com, the website for the New Orleans Times Picayune.

Shaq said the Thunder would need to make more sacrifices in order to reach their championship hopes, and in particular, he singled out Westbrook as one of the biggest problems when it comes to sacrificing for the betterment of the team.

"In the history of the game, every one-two punch — the one or the two — has to sacrifice and step back. Russell Westbrook don’t step back enough for me,” O’Neal told the website. “At some point, for the betterment of the team, you’ve got to step back. Until Westbrook learns to step back, it may be hard for them. Kevin Durant is the man, but Westbrook is like, ‘I’m getting mine every time. You can’t do it.'"

Shaq's harsh criticism of Westbrook caught the attention of NBA fans and followers, leading to the article's mass circulation through social media and other various sports news platforms. Westbrook has yet to make a statement on the matter since the quotes were released.

Fearing that he offended Westbrook, Shaq reached out to him via email to explain that he meant nothing personal by the thoughts he shared in the interview.

However, Westbrook was not appeased by the apology, and he shared his own constructive criticism with Shaq which led to an altercation through multiple email exchanges.

Until today, those emails were never shared with the public. But Thunder Smack investigators have finally obtained the emails and are releasing them to the public.

The following part of this story is the email exchange between O'Neal and Westbrook between the days of Oct. 7 and Oct. 9. The content within the emails is explicit in nature. Those that are under the age of 18 should be accompanied by an adult unless they feel they can get away with reading without their parents' permission by thoroughly deleting the browser history.

ShaqAttack@Kazaam.com (Oct. 7, 2:03 A.M.): Hey Russ, I just want to apologize for the media storm that blew up from what I said about you. We still good? I didn't mean anything personal by it. I know ur a great player in this league and I hope you can understand that I only said those things so you can reach your goals. There's nothing wrong with slowing your role and letting Kevin do his thang. You feel me? When I played with the Lakers, I was in a similar situation with Kobe. He understood that I was the No. 1 guy and he was No. 2, so he let me do work and we won titles. You don't have any titles, Russ. But you could win titles if you simply tried doing less. Aight? Hope we straight. ;)

EveryDayImRussellin@AOL.com (Oct. 7, 2:38 A.M.): You serious? Keep them dumbass thoughts to ya dark-skinned, Shrek-lookin' self. Shouldn't u be lickin peanut butter off Barkley's (explicit) instead of talkin to me? How u get my email?

ShaqAttack@Kazaam.com (Oct. 7, 2:45 A.M.): Woah. Once again, slow ya role, Slim. I'm tryin to be civil with u. And don't give me shit about Charles. Everyone brings him up to me when they frontin'. Get some new material. Oh... Wait... I almost forgot u ain't nothin but a hard-headed (explicit). You don't have to listen to me. Go do you, Boo. But after you lose a few more playoff games by throwin up dumbass threes when your team's only down one point, ur gonna realize Shaq Daddy was right. Come talk to me then.

EveryDayImRussellin@AOL.com (Oct. 7, 1:40 P.M.): Kevin give you my damn email??? 20.1 points, 6.9 assists and 4.9 rebounds a game. I'll let dem career numbers speak for me, dawg. Your career peaked when you filmed Kazaam. LMAO!!! Soft ass (explicit). Find somethin better to do with ya time, homie. I got some endorsements i gotta lock up today. PEACE!

ShaqAttack@Kazaam.com (Oct. 7, 10:13 P.M.): Sorry it took me so long to respond. I've been busy polishing my RINGS. That's plural. I got four. Ur stubborn ass ain't ever gonna see one, so I thought I'd let you see mine.

And by the way, it's funny that u call me a "soft ass (explicit)" when u the one who can't take a piss standin up without messin up ya knees. Ur ass is fragile, so u best keep my movie out ya mouth before I use my size-23 foot to snap them toothpick legs. Run back to KD, AKA, Batman. U ain't even worthy of being called Robin. Ur like Cat Woman but with bug eyes and and a tiny head.

EveryDayImRussellin@AOL.com (Oct. 8, 9:26 A.M.): Fly yo fatass to OKC. I'll be here waitin. You can see just how fragile I am. I'll run circles around you til ur mayonnaise-filled ass passes out. I'm not even playin! Square up, (explicit)!

EveryDayImRussellin@AOL.com (Oct. 8, 9:28 A.M.): How u get my email????

ShaqAttack@Kazaam.com (Oct. 8, 9:50 A.M.): Ya, dawg. Let me grab my saddle and I'll make a month-long trip via horseback to that Brokeback Mountain city of urs. You must be clownin. Last time I went to OKC I smelled like horse shit for two weeks. And by the way, ur boy Kevin is gonna leave as soon as his skinny ass hits free agency. So good luck with ur future lottery picks! Maybe ur daddy Sam Presti can figure out a way to not trade Serge. It must be tough convincing brothas to stay in that KKK infested, cousin-lovin town. *Cough Cough, James Harden. LMAO!!!

ShaqAttack@Kazaam.com (Oct. 8, 9:51 A.M.): Kevin gave me ur email.

EveryDayImRussellin@AOL.com (Oct. 8, 11:03 A.M.): I'm done discussing this bull with u. Better get on them knees and pray to the Lord that u don't see me cus im gonna bust that swollen head. Save the bullshit for ur boyfriend Charles, homie.

ShaqAttack@Kazaam.com (Oct. 8, 11:15 A.M.): "My boyfriend Charles..." HAHAHA. Hold on a sec...

Now I think I speak for most ppl when I say this... But when I see a brotha dressed up as feminine as you in these photographs, I assume he plays both ends of the court, if you know wat im sayin. But hey, I got no problems with the way people live their own lives. You do you, Brotha-Lovin Boo. I'll inform Charles that u r curious of his relationship status. Now go back to watchin the Desperate Housewives marathon, homegirl.

ShaqAttack@Kazaam.com (Oct. 9, 8:44 A.M.): Nothin left to say, Sweet thing? I guess you really do buckle under pressure. QUICK! HOIST UP A THREE BEFORE A TEAMMATE GETS OPEN! LMAO!!!

ShaqAttack@Kazaam.com (Oct. 9, 9:37 A.M.): Why you the last (explicit) on Planet Earth usin AOL? 21st century, dawg.

ShaqAttack@Kazaam.com (Oct. 9, 12:17 P.M.): I'm just playin with ya, homie. Feel free to express ur metrosexuality. I'm sure nobody questions the truth behind that recent "engagement" of urs. By the way, what's this lucky fella's name?

ShaqAttack@Kazaam.com (Oct. 9, 3:34 P.M.): Little Bitch.

A Day in the Life of Derek Fisher

2014-03-11T11:37:00.000-05:00

What's happenin' y'all? This is your guy, D-Fish. Jared asked me to take you guys through one of my typical days. I figured it's the least I could do for my Main Man since he once performed the Heimlich maneuver on my son when he was choking on a Wheat Thin.

So, I hope you all enjoy it!

I start my day off waking up precisely five minutes before dawn. To make sure that happens, I keep a book on my nightstand called "Sunrises with Morgan Freeman." On page 256, there is a calendar that reveals the exact time for the sunrise of each day in Oklahoma City.

Once I'm up, I immediately de-clothe myself and walk out on my backyard deck that overlooks Draper Lake. It's true paradise, I must say. Once the first ray of sunlight beams over the horizon, I start my yoga regiment. I pride myself on my bubble butt. It symbolizes all of the work I put in during my yoga sessions. My high, protruding rear end is the result of me performing over 500 squat thrusts each day.

After yoga, I make breakfast: 16 ounces of Fiji water, a 20-ounce protein shake, four scrambled eggs, five NightCrawler gummy worms and a shot of Tequila.

After nourishing my body with all of the nutrients I need, I get in my Prius and head to the Chesapeake Area to get on my daily grind. I'm well aware that I am a gnome compared to most players in the NBA. That's why 90 percent of my workout consists of high arching shots from the three-point line.

There are basically two things I do in basketball games. I either swish deep threes and make the crowd go wild, or I air ball. But don't make the assumption that this is merely coincidental. I'm so in tune with my own body that I know if I'm going to miss a shot attempt by the time my feet leave the floor on a jump shot. I figure that if I'm going to miss, I might as well air ball so that my teammates might make it look like it was a planned alley-oop attempt. Some people don't understand my thought process, but as Oprah once told me in an Alcoholics Anonymous seminar, "Haters are gonna hate."

As soon as I'm done with my workout, I spend precisely 25 minutes flexing in front of a mirror in the locker room. My chiseled body is considered to be the eighth wonder of the world. It's truly the work of God, and I believe I owe it to myself and my faith that I should habitually visualize God's work by studying my own body.

By this point, I've spent about four hours at the arena, and it's time for me to leave. I head over to my favorite restaurant in town, the Olive Garden.

Once I start my feast of bottomless salad and breadsticks, I call up my homie, Kobe. I like to remind him every day of that game winner I hit against the Spurs with just 0.4 seconds on the clock. He tells me to stop living in the past. I think he's jealous of greatness. Everyone knows who the true superstar was on that Lakers team. It certainly wasn't no Black Mamba, or whatever that fool calls himself—LOL.

After finishing my Olive Garden feast, I head home. I spend about an hour polishing my championship rings. That's rings, plural.

Once it's 9:55 at night, I put on my onesie with the clutch butt flap and head to the master bedroom. I watch a highlight film that I made of myself draining threes. I watch the balls fly through the air in slow motion, and try to digest the pure perfection that encompasses the flight pattern of my shots. It's truly extraordinary, the things I can do with a basketball in my hands.

Life is great. I'm truly fortunate to have the opportunity to live my life to the fullest. I will ultimately go down in history as the greatest shooter with a rear end that is more than one foot in diameter.

After all, my life is directly related to my jump shot. I'm either going to swish, or I'm going to air ball. Either way, I'm going to give it my all. When you get down to it, that's all that really matters in this life.

Yours Truly,

Derek "D-Fish" Fisher

Open letter to my dear friend, Kevin Durant

2014-03-09T23:39:00.000-05:00

Dearest Kevin Wayne Durant,

Hey Kev, I just wanted to reach out and get in touch with you. I know times have been tough these past couple weeks. You've lost five of your last eight games, your team is no longer atop the West, the team's defense is non-existent and your chemistry with Russell seems to be a little off since his return.

I guess the real reason I'm writing you is because I'm a little concerned. I want to help you through this because you've helped me in so many ways with your friendship.

We've been best bros since the fourth grade when you were just 6'1. We used to hang out by the jungle gym at recess and pretend we were Power Rangers. You always insisted I should be the White Ranger, even though I thought that was a little stereotypical or racist. But you saw past all that. You're an incredible person man, and I think you deserve the world.

But this recent loss to the Lakers has my heart churning. When the final buzzer went off with our team down four, my toes went numb. I did everything I could to get momentum on our side during the game. At one point I was naked in the fetal position for more than five minutes. I know it's a weird superstition, but it seemed to be working for a while until Russell air-balled that three that would have tied the game with less than two minutes in the game.

I know you, Kev. I know that loss hurt you just as much as it hurt me. I know you want to get the team back on track in time for the playoffs. I know you want the MVP. I know you want that ring.

I'm just here to tell you that I know you can do it. I don't know how much that means coming from me, but I hope you believe it. You SHOULD believe it.

You're the best, and I'm just here to remind you of that. It's the least I can do after everything you've done for me. Remember that time you loaned me some cash to start that moon-bounce business? YOU believed in me, and look at me now! I own 12 different businesses across three states. The moon-bounce business is thriving, and I couldn't have done it without you, man.

It's just like that time in junior high when your mom made you wear those rain boots to school. Those things weighed like 20 pounds! And whenever we played our usual game of pick-up basketball that day, the kids said you couldn't dunk with the shoes you were wearing. I stood in your corner, though. I bet $1.50 (money I typically spend on hot Cheetos) that you could still dunk in those shoes. And guess what? You did it, against all odds.

I hope you take this letter to heart. Keep doin' you, and all the rest will take care of itself.

I won't get the opportunity to see you for the next few months because I'm planning on expanding the moon-bounce business in Iran. Yeah, it sounds a little dumb, I know. After all, it's so hot there! Why would those kids want to bounce up and down on an inflated, scorching-hot bubble? They love it though! Them European kids are crazy!

I want to see that ring the next time I see you. Stay true, bro. Love ya.

Sincerely,

Jared "J-Dawg" Porter

K-Mart has to produce in playoffs

2013-03-18T20:43:00.003-05:00

The Thunder undoubtedly have two go-to scores on the team in Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. Serge Ibaka can contribute as well on a nightly basis.

But in order for a deep playoff run and eventual NBA championship, Kevin Martin will have to find a way to break out of his mini-slump that he has been in since the All-Star break.

Martin's pre All-Star break numbers: 15 ppg on 43 percent shooting.

Post All-Star break numbers: 11 ppg on 36 percent shooting.

The 'slump' that Martin has been in since the All-Star break has not been that devastating. He is still shooting 41 percent on the year, which is a pretty impressive statistic. But once the playoffs begin, Martin's offensive contribution will have to increase.

Westbrook and Durant more than likely will not have great games in every game down the stretch. Bench players for OKC will have to pick up the slack whenever their two premier scorers are not hitting.

Scott Brooks has made clear that Martin will have to be the guy to take over the second team. Which means offensive plays will be set up for him during games.

It will be detrimental that Martin is able to produce whenever those plays are ran. Martin is not the type of player that can make his own shots like James Harden did for OKC last year. But he is just as good of a shooter as Harden, if not better.

Plus, Kevin Martin has been one of the players to stay in the game down the stretch of games. Late in fourth quarters you will see Martin strolling the perimeter waiting for a kick-out three-pointer.

Kevin Durant will likely be doubled late in games due to his reputation of being a clutch player. When he is doubled, it leaves Martin wide open on the three-point line.

Will Kevin Martin be able to produce when the ball is thrown to him in clutch situations? I guess we will find out.

Takeaways from Spurs loss

2013-03-12T18:37:00.002-05:00

I was able to think a little bit last night after the Thunder was man-handled for three straight quarters, and the thinking just brought up more questions in my head.

What is up with the lack of consistency in our bench players? Why is Russell Westbrook doubling Kevin Durant's shot attempts? Are we starting to miss James Harden even more? Is this loss something to concern Thunder fans?

Bench Beatdown

Here is last nights plus/minus statistics for both team's bench players...

Thunder - Nick Collison: -24, Reggie Jackson: -15, Derek Fisher: -21, Kevin Martin: -21

Spurs - Stephen Jackson: +15, Nando de Colo: +20

The inconsistent play of the Thunder's bench is starting to become A THING. This was a question mark from the start of the season once James Harden was traded. Thunder fans have worried if the trade would come back and bite them down the road, and unfortunately that is what we are starting to see.

The Thunder's bench players started off hot last night in the first quarter. But after a coach Popovich timeout at about the eight minute mark in the second quarter with the Thunder up 11, the Thunder's second team squad went cold. The Spurs quickly went on a 9-0 run, changing the entire outlook of the game.

Kevin Martin started off hot firing the deep ball, going 3-3 in the first quarter. But he did not score for the rest of the game after that point. In fact, he only attempted two more shots in the 4th quarter.

The Thunder's bench players just looked slow. They could not defend the Spurs when they moved the ball around the court. Plus there was not a go-to man for offensive scoring. This is troubling because we relied on that bearded guy so much last year, and now we can not find the answer for who will fill in his role to lead the second team.

Martin could be the guy, and Scott Brooks has tried to make him into that guy. But he just has not been able to make big shots in games. At least I can not remember very many...

Russel Westbrook

We can all agree that Westbrook has played great basketball in the past month. He is arguably having the best season in his career. He is becoming a more efficient player and more willing to pass the ball to his teammates, which is why his assist numbers have gone up.

But last night, Westbrook took 27 shots.

Durant took 13.

When I first saw this stat I had to rub my eyes to make sure I was reading correctly. I find it a little odd that the three time scoring champion is getting half the amount of shots as his point guard. Now granted, Durant did go to the line 11 times, but it is still unacceptable.

I am not saying that this is Westbrook's fault. Durant has been passing up too many opportunities. We all know that when Durant is not taking his shots, Westbrook will go haywire to get his attempts.

It is not like Westbrook was taking low percentage shots either. Most of them were at the rim or non-contested jumpers. When those shots fall, we praise Westbrook. When they miss, we criticize his game.

Let me say this. We would not be the high-caliber team we are now if Westbrook was a complacent player. He only looks like the bad guy in this situation because he happens to have the purest scorer in the league on his team. Unfortunately, Durant lacks that 'take over' attitude that Westbrook plays with.

It is mid-March

My twitter feed and Facebook wall has been covered in pessimistic Thunder fans since last night's loss. It seems this sense of panic happens every year around this time.

Yes, last night's loss was not a confidence builder, especially with the Spurs not having Tony Parker on the court. But we have to remember that none of this matters until the playoffs arrive. Last season in the Western Conference Finals, the Spurs took a commanding 2-0 series lead over the Thunder. All of OKC was in peril. We all know what happened the next four games.

Yes, the Thunder will more than likely have to take a road game from the Spurs if they are to reach the WCF. Some people are acting as if this is an impossible task. It will be harder this year without Harden sinking a three-point dagger in the closing seconds. Like I alluded to before, bench players have to step up. Kevin Martin, I am calling you out.

Yes, last night's game was the fourth in five nights for the Thunder. The Spurs were coming off two days rest. No excuse, but it is a variable.

And yes, it is March people. The Thunder still have another game against the Spurs in the beginning of April. We will see how that goes then discuss this again.

Westbrook in MVP conversation?

2013-03-07T10:28:00.000-06:00

Via @NBAstats, over each team's last 10 games, Russell Westbrook leads the league in scoring with 29.3 points per game.

Via @ThunderStats, Rusell Westbrook has recorded 16 career games with at least 25 points, 10 assist, and 5 rebounds. Since 2009, only LeBron has more.

Westbrook’s numbers post-meltdown: 26.0 points, 6.5 assists, 4.0 rebounds, 51.9 percent shooting and 45 percent from 3.

Tony Parker: 21 ppg, 3.1 rpg and 7.6 apg. Wesbrook: 23.4 ppg, 5.2 rpg and 7.9 apg. Parker was in MVP conversation a couple weeks ago.

With all of these numbers brought to attention, is it a good argument to say Westbrook deserves to be in the MVP discussion? It is hard to argue with numbers, since they never lie.

Spoiler Alert: Russell Westbrook will never be in the MVP conversation due to his reputation of being selfish and inconsistent. Which is disappointing, because he is far from selfish and inconsistent this year.

I am not saying that Westbrook should be the leader in the MVP race, that definitely is most deserving for LeBron or Durant. But I do believe that Westbrook's name should be mentioned. He DESERVES at least that.

Where would the Thunder be without the likes of Russell Westbrook? Would they be second in the West? Would they be title contenders? Would they be a deep playoff threat? I would answer all of these questions with a "NO."

Without Westbrook, Reggie Jackson would be the starting point guard. Do not get me wrong, Jackson has developed leaps and bounds this year and has proven to be the go-to guy when Westbrook needs a break. But he can not and will not ever contribute as much as what Westbrook does for the Thunder.

Yet, the media still does whatever it can to criticize Westbrook's game. None more than the likes of Skip Bayless, who seems to be Westbrook's biggest critic.

Is Westbrook selfish? Well, he averages almost 8 assists per game. Seems pretty unselfish to me.

Is Westbrook inconsistent? In the past month, he has averaged 51.9 percent from the field. I will take those numbers.

Is Westbrook's temper something to worry about? Westbrook’s numbers post-meltdown: 26.0 points, 6.5 assists, 4.0 rebounds, 51.9 percent shooting and 45 percent from 3.

Perhaps Westbrook's development this year is the answer to replacing the loss of James Haden's contribution in the playoffs.

When Westbrook is on his game, he is close to unstoppable. He very well might be the catalyst to the Thunder's hopes of winning the NBA championship.

Brooks says Fisher's 'Minutes are going to be had'

2013-02-27T10:59:00.003-06:00

According to Royce Young on dailythunder.com, Fisher is going to have a bigger role on the court than people think.

When asked if Fisher will have much playing time in the second half of the season, Coach Scott Brooks said, "Definitely, he will play."

Brooks was not willing to elaborate on the amount of minutes that Fisher would get, but he was certainly adamant that Fisher will be more than a player collecting splinters on the bench.

So how does this effect the Thunder's rotation? If Fisher does in fact get a bigger role than expected, minutes will have to be taken away from other players, specifically from current backup point guard Reggie Jackson.

Last year the Thunder went after Fisher due to Eric Maynor's ACL injury and the lack of experience that Jackson had as a rookie. But this year was supposed to be different. In coach Brook's eyes, Jackson won the backup point guard role over Maynor earlier this season with his solid play.

If Jackson in fact earned his minutes this year, then why would Brooks make a point that Fisher would play a big role? There is a sense that Brooks does not quite have enough confidence in Jackson yet.

Fisher undoubtedly can knock down the three, but other than that Fisher was less that spectacular for Oklahoma City last season, averaging just 4.9 ppg and 20 mpg.

Fisher says that this year he has a lot more in the tank and thinks he can contribute more to the Thunder.

"My tank is much more full showing up this year than it was last year," Fisher said. "So I plan on being more impactful and more effective than I was for them last year."

When asked why he chose no. 6 for his jersey number this year, Fisher replied, “For sure, kind of symbolizing and serving as motivation for myself that winning at the end of the day, is what this all about. It symbolizes for me in terms of No. 6, but it also symbolizes for me the reason why I’m here to be part of this team and that’s to get No. 1.”

Thunder Cares Donations

2013-02-25T18:46:00.001-06:00

The following is a message from the Thunder HomeCourt Support Group.

Friends and Family,

We need you! Spring is near and it is time to start cleaning out your closets and garages!

Please join us in donating your used clothing and household items to benefit Special Olympics Oklahoma, Make A Wish Foundation of Oklahoma and Children’s Hospital Foundation.

WHO: HomeCourt Support (Family and Friends of Thunder Players, Coaches and Basketball Operations Staff) and The Thunder Cares Foundation

WHAT: Second Hand Sale

WHEN: Friday, March 8th, 2013, noon - 6:00 pm & Saturday, March 9^th, 8:00 am - 2:00 pm

WHERE: Thunder Community Events Center, 14701 N. Lincoln Blvd, Edmond, OK, 73103

WHY: Please join the Home Court Support's first ever second hand sale by donating your clothing and household items to benefit Children’s Hospital Foundation, Make A Wish Foundation of Oklahoma and Special Olympics Oklahoma. All proceeds from the sale will be split evenly among those three charities. Any remaining items will be donated to a local charity.

We are accepting items such as clothing, furniture and home decor. All clothing must clean, in great shape and on hangers ready to fill up our racks.

Tax receipts will be provided by The Thunder Cares Foundation.

We will start accepting donations on February 1st through March 1st. , Drop off times are Monday- Friday, 12 pm-7pm, or Saturday’s 8-10am. Only HomeCurt Support Members or Thunder staff can drop off directly at the event center. For other donations, please contact a member of the Home Court Support or Denoya Crawford at 405-229-5833 to make arrangements for your items to be picked up directly from your home.

Have questions? Please email us at okchomecourtsupport@hotmail.com.

Thank you in advance,

Thunder HomeCourt Support

Thunder Acquire Derek Fisher

2013-02-25T18:24:00.002-06:00

After departing from the Thunder just last season after a deep run to the NBA Finals, Derek Fisher returns to Oklahoma City for what seems to be one last hoorah.

Fisher signed with the Dallas Mavericks at the beginning of the season but quickly parted ways after nine games due to a knee injury. While he was with the Mavericks he averaged a little more than 8 ppg, if that means anything.

A lot of Thunder fans are probably going to get a little more excited than they should over this acquisition. Do not get me wrong, excitement is good. But a so-so 38-year-old point guard probably is not going to lock the Thunder in for a NBA Finals return.

So why did Sam Presti get Fisher?

Well, the Thunder were a little short on point guards since they only had Westbrook and Jackson. Going into the playoffs with only two point guards is a very scary thing since you never know when somebody could go on a cold streak or get hurt.

Fisher is familiar with the offense from his time with them last season, so it was not a bad idea to bring him on for what seems to be his final NBA season. Plus, last year Fisher said he wanted to end his career with an NBA title, and since the Thunder is one of the few teams considered to be title contenders, it just seems to be a perfect fit.

Fisher will more than likely not have as big of a role as he had last year. Last year, Fisher was the guy to come in for Westbrook and lead the second team while the starters got a rest. I do not see that job being taken away from Reggie Jackson this year.

If anything though, Fisher will be a great asset to have leadership wise. His veteran experience is always helpful in keeping a sometimes immature Thunder team on track.

OKC's Lackluster Trade-Deadline Day

2013-02-21T17:25:00.001-06:00

According to multiple reports, the Thunder are acquiring guard/forward Ronnie Brewer from the Knicks. Per Ken Berger of CBSSports.com, OKC’s sending a second-round pick in exchange for Brewer.

Brewer is a 6-foot-7, 225-pound swingman that’s known for strong defense and his offensive slashing and cutting. He’s played with the Jazz, Grizzlies, Bulls and Knicks in his seven-year career.

Brewer, 27, is averaging 3.6 points and 2.2 rebounds in 46 appearances for New York this season.

Via DailyThunder.com

Ronnie Brewer, former Knick, is the newest addition to the Thunder roster. The Thunder gave the Knicks a second-round pick in return. Brewer started this season of strong with the Knicks, but has pummeled as of late, along with his minutes.

In another trade, the Thunder sent PG Eric Maynor to the Portland Trailblazers in exchange for a trade-exception.

For those who do not know what a trade-exception is:

If a team trades away a player with a higher salary than the player they acquire in return , they receive what is called a trade exception. Teams with a trade exception have up to a year in which they can acquire more salary in other trades than they send away, as long as the difference in the deal is no more than what the initial exception was for. Having an exception is often useful in making a player-for-pick swap, since it’s sometimes hard to line up salaries.

Via DailyThunder.com

After talk of a blockbuster Perkins-Gortat trade, today's trade deadline has been less than exciting. Sure, Brewer does provide a defensive presence on the wing, but is that not what Sefolosha is for? I thought Sam Presti would have tried to acquire a scoring big man or a point guard to back up Russell Westbrook. Because let's face it, Reggie Jackson is very young and very green.

Like I have said before, the Thunder organization does a great job of bringing the best out of players in order to fill their specific roles on the team. So maybe Brewer will prove me wrong and become an offensive threat. That sure is something we need going into the playoffs.

Reacting to Westbrook's Temper-Tantrum

2013-02-01T11:24:00.000-06:00

The focus of Thursday night's game between the Thunder and Grizzlies was shifted from a convincing Thunder victory to the temper-tantrum of Russel Westbrook midway in the 3rd quarter. Though we have not seen much of Westbrook's childish side this year, he has been known in the past to have trouble handling his emotions.

The cause of Westbrook's outburst was when Westbrook had his defender posted up in the paint, and Thabo Sefolosha made a cut that brought an extra defender to double-up on Westbrook, ultimately leading to a rare 5-second violation call.

Coach Scott Brooks was forced to bench the ill-tempered Westbrook, which led to him exploding and tossing a chair on his way to the locker room. When he returned to the game he continued to pout on the bench for the remainder of the 3rd quarter.

It seems strange that such a small mistake from Sefolosha would cause such a meltdown from Westbrook, forcing him to head to the locker room to gather his emotions. It leaves many Thunder fans scratching their heads and wondering if this is something that could hurt the Thunder down the stretch.

My initial reaction was to stick up for Westbrook. He is known to play with his emotions on his sleeve so I was not very surprised by the events that unfolded.

Last year the Thunder would rely on James Harden in times like this. He would be able to take over the game in a cool and controlled manner while Westbrook cooled off on the bench.

With the absence of Harden, it is now time for Westbrook to mature. The Thunder need him down the stretch of games, and can not afford this type of outburst during the playoffs.

Westbrook's maturity may need to be pushed by the likes of Kevin Durant and coach Scott Brooks, both of whom down-played the incident last night in post-game interviews.

Possible First Round Opponents

2013-01-29T18:26:00.001-06:00

We are about midway through season and the conference standings are beginning to fall into place. Though I am almost positive the standings will change, we still have a pretty good idea of possible first round opponents for the Thunder. For the sake of conversation, let us assume that the Thunder will be a number 1 seed out of the west, and let's take a closer look at possible teams that could fall into the 8th spot in the west.

Dallas Mavericks

The Mavericks are currently tied for 10th in the Western Conference with a record of 19-25. They are an all too familiar team for the Thunder in the playoffs. We all remember two years ago when the Thunder were absolutely man-handled by the Mavericks, who eventually went on to win the NBA Finals. Last year, the tables turned a bit, and the Thunder were able to get payback by sweeping the Mavericks in four games.

The Mavericks certainly is not a team to be overlooked. Any team that has a player named Dirk Nowitzki on their team has a good shot at making a deep run into the playoffs. They certainly are not the same team they were two years ago when they won an NBA title, with the absence of Tyson Chandler, Jason Terry and Jason Kidd. A Thunder-Mavericks rivalry would be a pretty entertaining first-round to say the least, despite the recent lopsided series advantage the Thunder hold against the Mavericks dating back to last postseason.

Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers season has been well... Surprising, to put it nicely. They are currently tied for 10th in the west with a record of 19-25. With the acquisitions of Dwight Howard and Steve Nash, the Lakers looked like a safe bet for coming out as a top-dog in the west. But, we all have seen and heard the drama that has unfolded in the city of angels this year: The firing of Mike Brown, hiring of Mike D'antoni, Dwight's free-throw struggles, injuries and more.

We all saw just a couple nights ago that the Lakers are not a team to look at and go, "Eh, we shouldn't have any problems." Because they beat the Thunder pretty impressively. If Kobe continues to distribute the ball as much as he has the past couple of games, then be on the lookout for a comeback season. But it is Kobe Bryant, an offensive juggernaut. My gut tells me his ego will not let him throw up less than 25 shots a game the rest of the season.

Houston Rockets

Well... This. Is. Awkward.

The Rockets are currently in the 8th spot in the west with a record of 25-22. I do not think I need to tell you why this would be a very weird first-round for the Thunder. For those of you who live in a cardboard box, James Harden was shockingly traded to the Rockets just two weeks before the season's start. Harden reportedly declined an offer from the Thunder of $56 million, just $4 million short of the max offer. Instead of continuing his career with the city that loved him and a team that had a great shot at winning NBA titles (plural), he chose to get the maximum amount of money he could by signing an $80 million dollar contract with the Houston Rockets. Luckily, the acquisition of Kevin Martin in the trade took away a little bit of the sting from losing Harden.

The Thunder match up pretty well with the Rockets. Jeremy Lin and James Harden are definitely two premier players in the NBA, but the Thunder are too fast and have too much talent for the Rockets to keep up. This series would be more interesting than competitive. So far this season the Thunder have kept Harden in check, keeping him at a shooting percentage below 35%. Maybe the Thunder are pretty familiar with Harden's style of play? I kinda hope that the Thunder have the Rockets in the first round. Mostly because I will not be too worried about the outcome, and I also think it will make good entertainment.

There are obviously other teams that the Thunder could play in the first-round. Anything can happen. But the team I discussed above would be a bit more interesting. Like I said before, there is still a lot of season to play and the Thunder could have virtually anybody, but it is fun to think of the possibilities.

Five Must-Follow Thunder Twitter Accounts

2013-01-21T11:23:00.000-06:00

Twitter has provided a somewhat personal connection with professional athletes over the years. This is a nightmare for some professional organizations due to the possibility of "impulse tweets" that could threaten or hinder positive reputation. But for the fans, Twitter is the best way to stay connected with their favorite players at an almost intimate level.

Luckily for the Thunder organization, twitter hasn't caused any controversial news shedding dim light on their team (knocks on wood). Yet, there are a few twitter accounts that every Thunder fan should follow. So I took the liberty of putting together a top 5 must-follow list for the Thunder.

5. Hasheem Thabeet - @HasheemTheDream

If you like to read tweets that seem as if the person in constantly yelling, then Thabeet's account is one you must follow. His caps lock button must be broken because the 7'2 giant is always tweeting in all caps. NOTHING BRINGS OUT MORE EXCITEMENT IN TEXT THAN ALL CAPS AND ABUNDANT USE OF EXCLAMATION POINTS!!! I like to think that Thabeet uses all caps because it matches his demeanor as a basketball player. I mean the guy is 7'2... Or maybe he uses all caps so his followers will know what it feels like when he is leading a fast break straight at you. HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO TAKE A CHARGE ON THIS DUDE!?!?!?

4. Serge Ibaka - @sergeibaka9

Warning: About half of Ibaka's tweets are in spanish. If you're okay with that, then you will enjoy his twitter account. By following Ibaka, you will get the opportunity to check out his daily wardrobe via Instagram. He loves to show off his stylish clothing, even more than the average professional athlete. He describes all of his outfits as "Avecclasse." If anybody can figure out what that means then please let me know. I got a B- in foreign language in high school.

3. Kendrick Perkins - @Kendrick Perkins

It turns out that Perkins is actually a compassionate human being. Yea, just let that sink in a little. Many of his tweets consist of hanging out with family or missing his children on the road. By the way I would probably be the most obedient child in the world if Kendrick Perkins was my old man. Just out of fear... Perkins often has movie trivia over twitter which results in free Thunder tickets to the quickest correct answer. That itself should be a reason to follow.

2. Kevin Durant - @KDtrey5

If you are not following Kevin Durant already then you might as well pack your belongings and move somewhere south of the border. Kevin Durant is arguably the figure head of the state of Oklahoma (Sorry Will Rogers). Durant's twitter account is exactly what you expect. Humbling, motivating, and the occasional trash talk to his teammates. It was through twitter that Durant found out about a flag football game in Stillwater, WHICH HE SHOWED UP TO! So next time you're holding a recreational sporting event, why not tag Durant in a tweet? Never know, he might show up and make your night. By following Durant you will also quickly discover his love for the Washington Redskins. It is kinda funny, professional athletes being die-hard fans of other professional teams. Almost ironic.

1. Russel Westbrook - @russwest44

Your best chance of getting a retweet or mention from a Thunder Player is definitely Russel Westbrook. Especially if you are tweeting him on a Wednesday. Westbrook holds #whynot Wednesday every week and encourages his followers to tweet him inspiration. He will retweet all of the ones he likes. This isn't a small number either, he retweets up to hundreds. I was lucky enough to get one of my tweets retweeted a while back. I've got to tell you, it made my month. It might take a few weeks to get a mention from Westbrook. But I think it is worth it. After all, #whynot?

Durant Scores Career-High 52

2013-01-19T09:38:00.000-06:00

Last nights overtime victory over the Mavericks (117-114) just goes to show that even on Durant's off games, he is still unbelievable. Durant was a dismal 13-31 from the floor but still scores 52, because he's KD.

A huge chunk of Durant's points came from superb shooting from the free-throw line going 21-21. It was only the fifth game in his career that he took at least 30 shots.

"Down the stretch my teammates just kept telling me to be aggressive," said Durant. "They gave me confidence and I was able to hit a couple shots to give us the edge tonight."

When asked by an ESPN reporter if he knew he had scored 52, Durant replied, "Yea, yea i knew."

Russel Westbrook proved yet again that he is maturing and filling his role down the stretch of games. He unselfishly handed the ball off to Durant time after time in both the 4th quarter and overtime period. Westbrook also contributed 31 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists.

The Westbrook-Durant duo combined for 83 of the Thunder's 117 points, adding more proof to why they are the most dynamic duo in the league.

Last night's victory kicked off the start to a six game road stretch for the Thunder. They travel to Denver on Sunday to play the Nuggets and then head to Los Angeles to play the red-hot Clippers on Tuesday.

What's up with Westbrook's Shot?

2013-01-04T13:44:00.000-06:00

Russell Westbrook hasn’t shot the ball very well this year. It’s become a bit of A Thing. With Westbrook, the mid-range game is off, but he’s also not finishing. And it’s killing his shooting percentage, which is down to 40.4 percent, close to his rookie level of 39.8 percent.

Part of it is that Westbrook lacks consistency. Consider this: Westbrook hasn’t had back-to-back games where he’s shot 50 percent or above from the floor yet this season. In fact, Westbrook has only hit 50 percent of his shots six games out of 30.

On a TrueHoop TV, David Thorpe diagnosed it like this:

“The one area I noticed with his jumpshot is he’s trying to shoot the ball at the height of his jump, which is really what a classy jumpshot is. But most players are shooting the ball on the way up, where they actually can get it off a little bit quicker and the timing is a bit easier. If you’re trying to shoot the ball at the height of your jump, by the very definition, you’re only there for a millisecond, the height, because you’re either on the way up, or the way down. And too often I think he’s shooting the ball on the way down.”

Like Thorpe notes, it’s incredibly difficult to repeat that motion over and over and over. And it leads to inconsistent jumpshooting. Then you add in Westbrook’s tendency to shoot off balance or to shoot with a defender contesting.

I've written about Westbrook's jumper before and there’s no doubt he’s improved a lot in his technique and with his mechanics. But slumps happen to everyone. A little hitch gets in there, you overthink, you try and shoot too perfectly. I think that’s often what happens when Westbrook does the thing where he releases slightly late instead of at the peak. He’s trying to shoot too mechanically sound.

I’d add this too: I’ve noticed that Westbrook tends to shoot the ball with the palm of his hand. The generally accepted shooting technique is to have a little pocket of space between your palm and the ball when you shoot as you have it resting up on your fingers. Westbrook kind of rolls the ball off the palm of his hand, then to the tips of his fingers as he follows through and puts his hand in the cookie jar, so to speak.

Westbrook has worked — and continues to work — extremely hard on his jumpshooting and there’s no doubt he’s come a very long way with it since his rookie year. I think his low percentage mostly stems from him not finishing at the rim (hitting just 53.7 percent there, down from over 60 percent the last two seasons). On long 2s, Westbrook’s hitting a lower percentage this season compared to last — 36 percent this year, 43 percent last season — but if you look at his career, 2011-12 might’ve been an outlier.

The jumpshooting for Westbrook tends to come and go, game to game. Some nights, it’s money, like against Houston. Other nights, it’s off. Where Westbrook used to make up the difference to maintain a solid percentage was by scoring consistently at the rim. Because like Thorpe notes, because of Westbrook’s technique combined with his shot choices, it’s going to be tough for him to be a consistently good jumpshooter.

Bye-Bye Beard

2012-10-27T23:12:00.002-05:00

Oklahoma City has been blind-sided.

Nobody saw it coming. The last thought on Thunder fans' minds was that their Sixth Man of the Year would be traded...

But he was.

After all of the talk from Harden about "sacrifices" for getting a deal done with the head office of the Thunder, it seemed to be just that... Talk.

Reports show that Harden's last offer from the Thunder was a $55.5 million deal extending over four years. An offer that is just $4.5 million short of the maximum offer. Harden must have thought the offer was too much of a sacrifice since he declined.

The multi-player trade included Harden, Daequan Cook, Cole Aldrich and Lazar Hayward going to the Houston Rockets. The Thunder received Kevin Martin, rookie Jeremy Lamb and multiple draft picks.

Kevin Martin is no slouch. He has averaged 18.4 PPG, 2.1 APG and 3.5 RPG throughout his NBA career. Yet, he is no James Harden. On the bright side, the Thunder organization is known for bringing the best out of players. One can only hope that this trade is not a bust.

For those who are not familiar with Jeremy Lamb, he is a guard/forward from UConn. He averaged 14.1 PPG and 5 RPG in his collegiate career.

Sam Presti has worked magic in the past years with the Thunder organization in acquiring great players to fit in specific roles. But this trade seems to have Thunder fans scratching their heads. It just goes to show that small market teams have to make tougher decisions, and James Harden must not be worth the price tag to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Immediately after hearing news of the trade, I went searching for twitter handles for Kevin Martin and Jeremy Lamb. I found on Lamb's page that he has been following Thunder players for quite some time. Maybe somebody knew something was coming? You can follow Lamb at @jlamb. I have yet to find the handle for Kevin Martin, if one exists at all.

Ironically, this trade went final during an Oklahoma Sooners game, a game they lost to Notre Dame. Needless to say, it was a tough night for Oklahoma.

Harden from media day: “Oh yeah, yeah. Sacrifice. I think everybody on this team has sacrificed in their own way just for the better of the team. I think that’s why we’re so close. Like I said, I think everything will work itself out eventually.”

Harden from media day on if he only wanted the max: “No, no. Like I said, I’m not really worried about that.”

Harden after the Finals: “This team is like a family. Like, we’re really brothers. We hang out most of the time every single day. You won’t find any other team like this. I love it here. This is something special here. A dynasty is being built here. So we’re winning, we’re having fun and we’re brothers. The other stuff, you can’t buy it.”

Westbrook back on Twitter

2012-10-17T10:50:00.000-05:00

Russel Westbrook shocked the Twitter world last Thursday when he tweeted for the first time since December 29th! The tweet reads, "Twitter family immmm backkk and Officially #TeamJordan @Jumpman23 Ready to come fly with me?? #whynot http://lockerz.com/s/252234281 ."

Russel joined Team Jordan earlier this month on top of joining with Adidas. Seems he is becoming quite the marketing figure-head. I think that Russ signing with Team Jordan had something to do with his return to Twitter. I wouldn't be surprised if there are more tweets marketing Air Jordan and other various Jordan products.

The return of Russ to Twitter also means the return of "#whynot Wednesdays." This is possibly my favorite day for Twitter. On "#whynot Wednesdays," Russel retweets people who hashtag #whynot and tag him in their tweets. "Why not?" is the question that Russel uses to motivate himself and others, whether they are getting extra reps, studying extra, reaching goals, etc.

I am an avid #whynot Wednesday participant, but I have yet to receive a retweet.

So Russel, if you are reading this, could you help a guy out? We have the same birthday! November 12th! You're my boy! C'MON!!

Questions from Thunder Smack Followers

Mike Ottinger - Can the Thunder handle Lebron James and the Miami Heat this year?

Jared - The Miami Heat have made strong acquisitions during the offseason including Ray Allen. I'm not going to lie, they look scary. Possibly stronger than last year. But to answer your question, yes. The Thunder have the experience of being in the finals. They now know what a finals loss tastes like. The goal for Oklahoma City is the same as it was last year, win an NBA championship. Look for OKC to do whatever it takes to reach that goal no matter WHO is in the way.

Tweet your questions to @JP_Mav_Renegade or email porte1jr@cmich.edu, to have them posted and replied to on Thunder Smack.

1-on-1 Conversation with Casey Womack

2012-10-10T08:00:00.001-05:00

Today's post will mark the first 1-on-1 series where I will bring in a special guest to help me analyze certain aspects of the the Thunder's season, giving differing views and opinions on hot topics concerning your Oklahoma City Thunder.

I've been juggling ideas for the 1-on-1 conversation with Casey Womack, who happens to be the special guest for today's post. Casey is an avid Thunder fan that attends the University of Central Oklahoma and has a knack for Sports Journalism. You can follow him on twitter at @CaseyWomack.

The topic we will be weighing in on is, "Three things to watch for going into the Thunder's preseason." With that said, let's get started...

1. Which player will win the backup role to center Kendrick Perkins?

Casey - With the Thunder acquiring Daniel Orton and Hasheem Thabeet, the backup role to Kendrick Perkins is up for grabs. However, the spot is Cole Aldrich’s to lose. While Aldrich did have a poor showing in the Vegas Summer League, he was still adjusting from going to six-minutes a game up to around 32. Also, many have to remember that Cole Aldrich is no impact scorer. He’s a high-energy player that sets good screens, decent post defense, and runs the floor well. That’s all OKC needs him to do. Finally, if the Thunder has to settle with Thabeet or Orton being a backup, expect to see me covering my eyes six minutes a game.

Jared - The Thunder have parted ways this offseason with center Nazr Mohammed. This sent the Thunder organization on a scramble to find a big man to relieve Perkins in the rotation and ultimately led to the acquisitions of Hasheem Thabeet and Daniel Orton. Thabeet has yet to live up to his 2nd overall draft pick by the Memphis Grizzlies due to a career plagued by injury. If Thabeet can stay healthy, look for him to have a breakout career in a Thunder organization known for developing players to their full potential. It is hard to tell how Orton will play out with the Thunder coming from a less than stellar performance with the Orlando Magic. He seems to be living the dream by playing for the Thunder since he is an Oklahoma native.

Let's not forget about Cole Aldrich. Coach Brooks stated in a few interviews this offseason that it is his spot to lose. It will be interesting to see how Aldrich will fair going from few if any minutes in a game to a full-time backup role. Another thing to consider is Perry Jones III and Nick Collison moving in from the forward position to play center for a few minutes since Coach Brooks is known for a systematic rotation in his game plan.

2. How will Eric Maynor bounce back from ACL surgery?

Casey - All reports that have come out since training camp started has bragged about Maynor’s performance. He has worked his tail off to be back by the start of the season and it has clearly shown. Plus, Maynor is no Russell Westbrook. He’s actually the total opposite of him point guard wise. Maynor has great patience, ball vision, and a solid shot from beyond the arch. All of which a torn-ACL would have a hard time affecting. Expect to see him picking up right where he left off.

Jared - Let's face it, it is impossible for a back-up point guard to come into a game and get Westbrook-like numbers off the bench. Two seasons ago however, Maynor did a spectacular job contributing for the team, especially in the Western Conference Finals against the Mavs. It is easy to question the health of a player coming off of any surgery, but when it comes to a player like Maynor, there really should not be question of a comback season since he is known for his work ethic. Plus, some say that after ACL surgery, players come back stronger than before. Look for Maynor to continue to improve throughout this preseason.

3. What does All-Star point guard Russel Westbrook need to improve in his game going into the season?

Casey - Every year that Russell Westbrook has been in the league, he has added an element to his game that has made him even more dangerous. In 2010, it was the 10-foot pull up jumper. Last year, he added a consistent 3-point shot that made him the All-Star we all know of him today. If it were up to me, I’d love to see Westbrook add a floater in the paint that Tony Parker has mastered. If it were up to Oklahoma City, it would be cutting down on all of the turnovers that comes with Westbrook’s style of play. But if I were a betting man, Westbrook will come into the season with a much better post game. Westbrook would have the advantage in the low-post over 95 percent of all point guards in the league. He showed glimpses of a post game in the playoffs. Expect to see it much improved after this summer.

Jared - Turnovers, turnovers, turnovers...

There are many parts of Westbrook's game that critics love to attack. He's somewhat selfish, he's reckless, he's emotional. Blah blah blah. This is what makes Russel, Russel. I guaruntee you that if Westbrook wasn't a part of the Thunder lineup the past three years, the Thunder wouldn't have made it as far as they did in any of those seasons. The only negative I can possibly take from his game is the turnovers. Although, last postseason the turnover numbers went down tremendously. If that trend carries over into this year, then watch out NBA. It's almost scary imagining what this guy can do knowing that he is still developing his game.

Here's a bold prediction for you. Russ will average 24 a game with 10 assists and less than three turnovers. Boom.

Party Harden: Re-Sign Risk?

2012-10-01T10:32:00.003-05:00

This photo was taken just last month in Miami, revealing a bit of the personal life of James Harden. James was celebrating his 23rd bithday party on a yacht with many women, celebrities, friends and alcohol.

The party life has been a reoccuring thing with Harden. Just a week ago, a video was uploaded on YouTube of Harden partying in a night club.

Many Thunder fans have grown concerned of Harden's personal life, worrying about the affects it will have on his basketball career. After all, it's been proven that some athletes just can't handle the responsibility of being a celebrity (ex. Terrel Owens, Chad Johnson, Dennis Rodman, Tiger Woods).

The main thing that I am concerned about is the affects that Harden's lifestyle will have on the decision making of the Thunder organization re-signing with him. For those who aren't aware, Harden still isn't signed. He is, in fact, a free-agent. Unfortunately, if the Thunder were to sign Harden for the amount of money he is asking, they will be over the luxury tax mark.

This means Harden is looking like a pretty heavy pricetag and a bit of a gamble for somebody who has had a hard time controlling what he does off the court.

Am I implying that the Thunder shouldn't sign Harden? Hell no. The performance he brings off of the bench is immeasuable. I am simply giving you an example of what might be going through the heads of the Thunder organization.

I love Harden. I want him to stay. I feel his presense this year is detrimental for any championship hopes. But in the end it is out of my hands.

Fear the Beard.

Westbrook with Adidas

2012-09-23T17:07:00.001-05:00

While there had been rumors of Russell Westbrook leaving Nike this Summer for another brand, adidas Philippines (an official adidas account) may have just put those rumors to bed as they uploaded this picture to their Instagram account with the caption BOOM! #russellwestbrook. As a background, Westbrook has been what is considered a “sneaker free agent” and has been on the radar of several sneaker brands.

If this is in fact a definitive confirmation of Westbrook joining the Three Stripes family, he joins a stellar group of Summer signings for adidas which already included Ricky Rubio, Austin Rivers, Harrison Barnes, Quincy Acy, Dre Drummond, PJ3, Dame Lillard, Ty Taylor, and Josh Selby. More to come so stay tuned.

Westbrook has a signature Nike shoe as sort of the lead guy for the Hyperfuse line, but he became a sneaker free agent this summer. And Adidas is looking to really make a stamp on the NBA world with Derrick Rose and Dwight Howard, so Westbrook was a natural fit as he’s an exploding superstar.

There’s a good chance too that Westbrook will be one of their featured players, getting his own line and own spots and such. Which will be cool.

Westbrook would join Perry Jones III, Kendrick Perkins, Daequan Cook, Cole Aldrich and Serge Ibaka as Adidas wearers on the Thunder.

Til' Beard Do Us Part

2012-09-16T19:54:00.000-05:00

Last night I was scrolling through my Twitter feed and found a tweet that caught my attention. One of the Thunder reporters that I follow (Royce Young) had retweeted somebody with the Twitter handle of @PlzHelpMeBeard. The tweet read as follows.

"Hello @JHarden13. I am asking you to be in my marriage proposal. You are her fav thunder player. I live in OKC. Would you consider? #Thunder"

This had to be one of my all time favorite proposal ideas ever. It was genius! I mean how could an Oklahoman woman say no to James Harden?

I had to read more so I went to the home page of @PlzHelpMeBeard. Sure enough, I found that this hopeless romantic had been tweeting celebrities of all sorts to help him out with getting Harden to help him with his marriage proposal.

He basically outlines his plan in his About Me section. It reads as follows.

"I'm proposing to my GF in OKC. I want to pull the ring out of James Harden's beard (he's her fav Thunder player). Is that weird? Maybe.... wanna fight about it?"

So far he has tweeted for help to ESPN, Skip Bayless, Ryan Seacrest, Kevin Durant, Alex Kennedy, The Ellen Show, Jalen Rose, local radio stations, and more.

I wish nothing but the best for this guy. I really hope he can get the job done. I'm sure if James Harden hears about his wishes then he'll happily accept. I plan on following him and retweeting all of his tweets to help the poor guy out.

You can view his page at https://twitter.com/PlzHelpMeBeard.

First Take Debate

2012-09-13T08:46:00.002-05:00

In case you missed it, here is a debate on First Take over whether or not KD working out with LeBron is a smart move. (Video Compliments to YouTube)

KD Trains with LeBron.. Again

2012-09-12T13:11:00.001-05:00

For LeBron and KD, their 2012 seasons began and ended together. It started while the league was still locked out as the two teamed up for a one week workout marathon in Akron they dubbed “hell week.”

And of course, it ended with LeBron raising a banner for the Heat and Durant left to hang his head.

So they’re back at it again. Via Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com, LeBron and KD are back working out together for a little pre-training camp training.

Now, I know. It’s a little… icky. But it is what it is: LeBron and KD are buds. But they’re also good for each other. They drive one another, they push, they motivate. Last season’s work week helped both guys reach another level. Of course they want to beat each other. But that’s on the basketball court (or flag football field).

If it makes them better, then awesome. Because a better KD and a better LeBron is good for everyone. And iron sharpens iron, so with those two guys working out, their iron is going to be pretty darn sharp.

Plus, I have no problem whatsoever with KD and LeBron being off-the-court pals. Just because they like each other doesn’t mean they can’t still be rivals. Doesn’t mean they don’t want to beat the other’s brains out. No, Larry and Magic wouldn’t have lifted weights together. No, MJ wouldn’t have helped out his competition. But that was a different time, and those were different players. There’s this weird idealistic view that players have to hate one another to want to beat one another. Obviously inaccurate.

It’s more about being as good as you can possibly be. And clearly, both LeBron and Durant feel like they’re good for each other. It’s probably the type of thing where if LeBron does 245 sit-ups, KD’s going to do everything he can to do 246. Competitive motivation is a powerful weapon.

In the end you have to see if your best can beat the other guy’s best and that’s the bottom line. LeBron’s going to be working out somewhere, so why not have a watchful eye on him. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer, you know?

Simply Amazing

2012-06-07T09:28:00.001-05:00

I'm not going to lie, I was starting to doubt the Thunder after the disastrous first half. I was thinking about a Game 7 in San Antonio. I was thinking about the eulogy-style post I was about to write for a defeated Game 6. I was about to rant and rave about poor defense and poor shot selection.

But... Don't ever give up hope on the Oklahoma City Thunder.

I'm not going to give a game recap for Game 6 because I am certain that every television set in Oklahoma was tuned in to the game last night.

What I will do is just take a moment to sit back and try to soak in what this team has done for its city.

During a Thunder game there is no Bedlam rivalry, there is no other professional team in the state of Oklahoma to distract us, and there is no other care in the world other than the game for 48 minutes of game play.

There is only Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Serge Ibaka, Nick Collison, Thabo Sefolosha, Kendrick Perkins, Derek Fisher, Daequan Cook, Nazr Mohammed, Reggie Jackson, Royal Ivey, Lazar Haywood, and Cole Aldrich.

All players performing their role for the team. A team with a goal in mind. A goal within reach. A reach so close you can almost taste.

An NBA Championship.

Quite simply folks, there is nothing I can write that fully depicts this amazing situation for our city.

It isn't over. Four wins separate the Thunder from reaching a life long dream that will change our great state forever. Six years ago the thought of even having a professional basketball team was non-existent. The Thunder have improved each year since their existence.

Our time is now. Rise Together Oklahoma.

Thunder your life up.

Makings of Something Beautiful

2012-06-05T10:18:00.001-05:00

The Thunder are one win away from the NBA Finals. Just typing that totally freaked me out. I’m thinking about backspacing and starting over because it’s scaring me.

They did what they had to do. They had to win one game in San Antonio. They had to get a seemingly impossible job done. They had to do it.

And they did it.

I’m out of things to say about this team. Which sucks, because there’s a decently remotely possibly potentially good chance that I’m going to be needing to come up with a lot more stuff to say about this team over the next three weeks.

To say Game 5 was a wave of emotions is like saying Mt. Everest is a tall hill. Understatement. The ups and downs experienced in Game 5 zapped five years off all our lives. I’m not joking either. We’re all going to die earlier deaths because of this game. The Spurs’ hot start. The Thunder’s charge. The Thunder missing an opportunity to put some distance between them and the Spurs at halftime. Manu Ginobili’s explosion. OKC’s comeback. Another nine-point lead to start the fourth. Another blown lead. Another run to push it to 13. Another blown lead. A huge jumper by Russell Westbrook. Another push by the Spurs. A dagger by James Harden. Another push by the Spurs. A blown foul call that gave the Spurs a shot at tying down three. A Ginobili 3 that just rimmed out.

After all of it, the Thunder are one game away.

It almost had to be this way. There’s been a whole lot of talk about this team being ready or needing to go through the process of getting over the hump. Last season against Dallas, the Thunder struggled late in games, blowing a 15-point lead with about the same amount of time that was on the clock tonight. They blew the Game 1 lead against the Spurs. If there’s a process, the Thunder are going through it. Just on the fly. Accelerated development.

“We never thought we were supposed to wait our turn,” said Durant. “We always wanted to go and take everything.”

And they had to take Game 5. Deep down, it was true because otherwise it was back to being against a wall, back to fighting to stay alive and back to San Antonio with a must-win scenario. Obviously that’s still in play though. The series didn’t end tonight even though that feeling is in the air. The Thunder have a great advantage taking a 3-2 lead home, but there are no guarantees.

” We don’t want to get too high on this win,” Durant said. “We know that we still have a tough road ahead. But we came here, we wanted to get a win on their home floor. That’s what it took for us to advance or get to where we wanted to get.”

Said Westbrook: “It’s just one game. It’s Game 5, now got to get ready for Game 6. Just one step closer.”

One step, but the final one is big. Closeout games aren’t easy, especially when you’re trying to finish the Spurs, a team that’s really good. A team that doesn’t lose three games in a row very much. A team that loses four games straight about as much as Lazar Hayward plays.

It seems like it’s a little dangerous to think about having to win Game 6. But the opportunity is there. It’s there for the taking and the path has been cleared out for the Thunder. Are they ready? Is it their time, even though it’s so soon? If it’s not, we’ll sure know because this is about as good a chance as you’re going to get.

Game 5 was a summation of the Thunder’s journey wrapped into 48 minutes. Explosive exciting athleticism. Breathtaking basketball. Infuriating carelessness. Defensive lapses. Brilliant playmaking. Incredible resiliency. Frustrating mental mistakes. Big plays, big shots. Kevin Durant. Russell Westbrook. James Harden. Building leads, losing them, coming back, hanging on. If the Thunder are finally set to take that next step, at least they’re doing it right.