In this podcast, we discuss and debate how to balance each player’s needs with what’s best for the team in the immediate and long term.

In this episode, the Thunder Troika discuss the situation, explain what really happened during the last lockout in 1995, and pose a couple of questions regarding the lockout’s impact on the Thunder.

Here is Julie Davis’s letter to the NBRA that Brent mentions in the show. It is a worthwhile read for all fans of the game.

PS – This is who fans of Rubio thought they were chanting for.

Photo courtesy of hearly on photobucket.

The guys discuss the Thunder’s lack of a perimeter game and defense, and give a unique ThunderClap!

The Thunder Troika discuss All-Star Weekend, the upcoming mascot, and rumors leading up to the trading deadline.

Dear Diary –

What a crazy dream last night! I just had to write it down before I forgot it. There I was having a normal, quiet evening home doing some laundry and working on my collection of homemade Thunder bobble heads. It’s amazing what you can accomplish with parts from an old walkman, some old GI Joes, and a little creativity. The Thunder probably don’t appreciate how much time every personnel move they make costs me. But hey, it’s a business, and if it means spending a few extra nights repainting jerseys, tensioning springs, and performing head transplants, then I do it to make the team better.

Anyway, I was just putting the finishing touches on Ron Adams’ glasses when I realized that the game was about to start. So I got my trusty foam finger, hastily brewed hot chamomile chai tea, and plopped down in my favorite bean bag chair to watch the Nuggets take on the Thunder in OKC for the last time this season.

Well I guess that chai must have calmed me down a little too much because I think I fell asleep somewhere in the third quarter. I began to have the strangest dream. I was in the Ford Center on January 2nd , the first time the Nuggets came to OKC, and my brain was reliving the entire game play by play. I said to my brain, “Stop it! You already know how this is going to turn out! Why can’t you ever dream about normal things like screwing in light bulbs or crossword puzzles?” But my brain just kept on dreaming, like the knob on my mental TV was broken or something.

So there was the game coming down to the wire. KD made a great shot to give the Thunder a lead late in the 4th! I whooped and hollered my raucous applause, jumping and gyrating wildly. Then an unbelievable heart-breaking shot from Carmello Anthony to give the Nuggets the lead brought all that crushing down to earth. I railed at the sky. I cursed the fates. I swore I would never eat another Caramello! (I considered swearing off nuggets in general but felt this would be too sweeping.) I seriously don’t know why my brain got so into this dream since it already knew the ending. I guess it’s like watching ESPN classic or “The Never Ending Story” again (btw – that movie totally ends. Big disappointment.)

For all I knew, I could have been reliving the first game but for one small difference: In this dream, Anthony’s shot wasn’t the last one, we had one more. So my hopes revived, and I thought maybe this dream didn’t have to be just like the memory. The crowd and I rose as one. The ball moved swiftly from player to player. Suddenly, Durant was streaking off a screen. The ball is in his hands, he’s gliding gracefully away from the basket as he releases a high, arcing rainbow of a 3-point shot. The shot that will win the game. The shot that will swish through the net and send us out on the streets celebrating an amazing Thunder victory! And as the ball reached the basket… I woke up.

It was already morning. I guess I had been right there in my beanbag all night, foam finger and everything. I’m pretty sure that was the first time I’ve slept with it on. So I got up and made a bowl of honey buzzers (yum!) and started to write in you, my Dear Diary. Ha! I just realized that I still haven’t taken off my foam finger! Let me tell you it does not do any favors for your penmanship. It sort of feels like an extension of my body. But seeing it again reminds me that I should get online and see how the Thunder game finished last night…

Michael predicted that the Thunder would score 400 points this week. So far he’s on pace for clairvoyance as the Thunder have so far scored 208 points (helped by an extra 5 minutes of play last night). The Thunder still have to go on the road against Utah, so we’ll see where they stand after the last game of January on Friday night. Brent and Blayne both disagreed with this prediction.

Blayne predicted a 3-1 record this week, and is also looking pretty smart right now. The Thunder are 2-0 so far (welcome back win streak!) and the most likely outcome of any two games is to split them. Playing a very tough Utah team on the road and a very weak Sacramento team makes this outcome seem even more likely. Michael and I both disagreed with this prediction (for the record, I think they’re going 4-0!)

For me, I predicted that the Thunder would not finish the week with the worst record in the NBA, and that’s looking pretty solid as well, as Washington is stuck at 9 wins while Sacramento and the Clippers have 10. They will all have to do well and the Thunder will have to under-perform to derail the prediction at this point. Blayne is on board with this one; Michael conservatively disagreed.

You can hear our predictions every week at the end of the show. We always have a good time inventing games and making competitions out of just about anything. Be on the lookout for some new games we are currently cooking up not just for us but also for you to play. We will try them on the air, then post the official rules here on our site so you can play them at home.

Do you have a prediction of your own you’d like to make? Just click the “Leave a Comment” link below! Happy prognostication!

No, “Nenad” is not the name for the ambivalent gesture where you simultaneously shake and nod your head. Nenad Krstic (pronounced, we believe, Nay-Nod Cur-Stitch) is a 7-foot 260-lb Center from Serbia who has played 6 professional years of basketball in the NBA and European leagues. He was the 24th overall draft pick in 2002 by the New Jersey Nets but didn’t play for them until the 2004-2005 season. He started to pay immediate dividends for the Nets and was named All-Rookie second team. He also averaged 18.3 points and 7.5 rebounds a game in New Jersey’s first round playoff match-up with Miami.

Krstic continued his torrid pace of improvement until the fateful day of December 22, 2006 when he tore his ACL. The remainder of the season was spent in rehab, and Nenad even kept a blog going during his rehab. When he returned for the 07-08 season, however, he just didn’t show the same prowess or athleticism he had before the injury. When his playing time with the Nets was all-but eliminated, he signed a contract before this season with a Russian team. In the NBA, he was still a restricted free agent with the Nets, and that’s why they had the right to match the contract.

So that’s Krstic’s career in a nutshell, but what does that mean for the Thunder? Due to his absence from the league, the largest questions loom around his physical and mental conditioning. He came into the league as a rookie brimming with confidence and ability and continued to move up. But his injury dealt a blow to his psyche. We believe he has the ability, but the larger question is does he believe it? We should also consider the process of not only relocation, but immigration. He will be making many adjustments off the court, not the least of which is a new country.

We agree with Thunder GM Sam Presti here that the Thunder are getting too little nor expecting too much. Presti spoke at the signing press conference about Krstic’s need to get back into basketball shape. The fact that we signed him after only seven games, and he’s apparently not fully in shape, tells me that the Thunder aren’t expecting miracles. Look for him to come into some games off the bench for a few minutes at a time.

So now we have two big men whose careers have been radically shaped by injury, Krstic and Robert Swift. When they are both healthy, Brooks will have another weapon in his arsenal. It doesn’t mean we’re going to start constantly pounding the ball inside, but it’s useful to keep teams honest. The greatest benefit may yet be the freeing up of Collison, Wilcox, and Joe Smith to play in the forward positions where they feel most comfortable and can help on defense rather than be the last line of defense. But mark our words, there will likely be vast stretches of time where only Krstic or Swift is available to play. When this is the case, we’ll be much the same team we are now: scrappy but sub-par.

The most positive byline here is that the Thunder ownership sees room for improvement and wants to improve where it can without sacrificing future position. We can agree we look great in 2 years, but that doesn’t mean this year has to be a race to the bottom. Also on the upside, Krstic is young (25) and has a lot to prove. He may yet turn out to be part of the Thunder’s long-term strategy, but he’s certainly no hindrance in the short term. We credit the Presti and the front office for the “heads up play” of nabbing Krstic off the below-the-radar market for a low-risk, high-return deal.

Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nenad_Krsti%C4%87

• We will develop a mascot with a creative name and theme.

With this season firmly in the rebuilding category, the total game experience represents much of the attraction for fans, especially for those with kids. A mascot will provide a lasting, consistent point of connection between the Thunder and fans of all generations.

• We will stick with a plan.

The players should resolve to stick with a game plan, and strive to return to it when off track. No more games where we find a successful strategy in the first quarter, but then spend a fourth quarter trying to use something else to succeed.

• We will not implore the fans to chant “DEFENSE” every time the opposition has possession.

Let’s just chant defense at the pivotal times, when the players really need us. Chanting defense is fun and engaging, but when overused becomes tedious.

• We will limit our turnovers to 17 per night.

We understand that turnovers happen–you didn’t see that defender lurking or your man spins when you thought he would cut. No big deal. Just focus on limiting them to this threshold, and when the last 5 minutes roll around, we have a much better chance of being in the game.

• We will keep our hearts in the game.

The team should work hard to avoid accusations of playing without heart and hustle.

• We will pass the ball at least once before taking a shot.

A player dribbling the ball will occasionally be faster than an unencumbered defender, but a thrown ball should always be faster. We’ll get more opportunities if we work as a team.

• We will work fundamentals.

The Thunder will benefit from keeping a mental thread on the basics: free-throw shooting, ball handling, passing, and rebounding.

• We will score an average of five more points in the first 6:00 of the 3rd quarter.

This segment of the game really plagued us in the early going of the season, and it will rear its ugly head from time to time with today’s team. Making this resolution means putting our foot down on this achilles heel.

• We will succeed at the easy stuff.

When we have a fast-break with a two-on-one or three-on-two advantage, it can never result in a turnover again. We must score more layups than we bounce too hard off the glass. We must knock down open jump shots. We must take steals to our end of the floor, not lose them right away at half-court. Much of this game is incredibly difficult. But when it comes to the comparatively easy stuff, we should resolve to succeed more often than not.

• We will not high-five our teammates when we miss the first of two free-throws.

How about after you make that free throw?

• We will start over.

Don’t focus on either the losses or wins from the past. Just think about the next game, and give maximum effort for that 48 minutes.

• We will keep inviting the fans

Keep working to mature the game environment and presentation. Keep coming up with promotions and rewards for one of the best fan bases in the league.

So there are our thoughts. What about you? If you have resolutions you would like to see added to the list, send us an email. Auld lang syne, everyone.

In case you missed it, I can only say that the team we’ve been watching play tough games on the road finally came home on Friday, getting a big advantage in the 1st quarter and maintaining it until the 4th. They let a 9-point lead slip away in the final quarter, but through aggressive and persistent defense, the Thunder kept the ballgame tied until Durant untied it with a picturesque 3-pointer. He hopped back down the court pounding his chest as though his were not the only heart inside. And from there our play makers sealed the deal. Hit-the-deck hustle from Collison. Fatal free throws from Westbrook. And an electrifying Jeff Green dunk that immediately sent the crowd into a raucous frenzy.

Yes, the game was incredible, and we all hope for many more home wins like that one. But even more encouraging was the great rebounding and defense the Thunder played throughout the night. Not falling to their traditional weakness to a scoring big man, the Thunder kept Chris Bosh in check and managed to out-rebound the Raptors late in the game to end with a 6-board advantage. We saw more blocked shots, double-teams, and guys coming over to help on defense. It just seemed like there was a fire in the team’s belly to not let the opposition score. Even the crazy-haired, off the bench three-point shooting guy (every other team has one, right?) couldn’t stop us this time!

If we continue to play defense like we did that night, then we won’t be the kind of team to challenge the 76er’s dubious record. We are going to start winning a lot more ball games. We won’t need the amazing 4th quarter comeback that falls short. Instead those late points become untying points and nails in the coffin.

So not only is this a feeling to savor at this moment, we can also be encouraged by the other signs of life the Thunder showed on Friday. That level of play would at least allow us to be competitive against the Cavaliers on Sunday, even if another Christmas miracle may be too much to ask. Naw, I’ll still ask. Go Thunder!

Brent, Blayne, and Michael discuss the continuing struggles of the Thunder and reveal the three ways to lose a basketball game.

Notes:  Michael, Blayne, and Brent review their observations of the Thunder from the games in Charlotte, Orlando, and Miami.  We discuss how the Thunder’s style differs from teams with a superstar and clear up the confusion at center.  We also introduce a new predictions segment in which the Thunder Troika pit their clairvoyance one against the other.

Notes: The Thunder Troika review this week’s amazing games, which included a valiant effort, a heart-breaker, and the Thunder’s second win.

Losing is always tough, but losing at the buzzer seems to be even tougher.  I asked Michael if he thought it was better to lose by 2 or 20.  His response:  winning by 2.  And he’s right. It’s difficult to watch losing at all much less at this 5-win pace. It takes on a strange feeling of permanence.

However, we have to realize that losing by 2 is progress over losing by 20. Our point differentials in the last 4 games under coach Brooks have shown vast improvement. Yeah, it’s more painful to watch, but think about why that is. The answer is hope. It’s what we’ve lacked for this first month, and I certainly feel a little more alive every time that fleeting feeling appears.

We Thunder fans have a lot to be thankful for this holiday season, including the fact that this isn’t permanent. Every day is a new day in the NBA and there’s a lot of season left to play. November’s almost over and we still have the opportunity to end on a high note tonight in Memphis.

Consider the old investment adage:  buy low and sell high. If you’re like me, you’ve bought into this team on the high of the excitement generated by the team’s relocation and rebranding. But you’ve since watched the market value of this investment plummet to near junk status. This can happen, and many of you have seen it happen with more than just emotional invesments. But the sage investment advice applies here as well. Be patient, don’t pull out now.  It’s the short-sighted investor who sells out of fear or shame.  We may think this is a testing time for the team, but it’s also for the fans. You don’t have to skip around whistling and smillng giddily. But you were there for our first last-second loss. Stick around and be there for our first buzzer-beating win.

Notes: The Thunder Threesome discusses the Hornets’ return to OKC, as well as the departure of PJ Carlisemo, the promotion of Scott Brooks, and more fan expectations.

Notes:  Brent and Blayne riff on the players’ new sound effects, and some of the positive contributions we’ve received coming of the bench, and look ahead to the Thunder’s home-and-away with the Hornets.

The first thing striking me from the lofty perch of Cloud City is that the Thunder seem to be playing not only against their opponents, but also themselves.  It’s true that many teams have outplayed us, and I’ll even concede that the majority of teams in the league have an advantage over us in either skill, physicality, or experience.  But in many of the Thunder losses, most notably in our most recent loss to the Rockets, the difficulty lies in determining which team we lost to, us or them.  And I’m forced to conclude we beat ourselves.

Petro and Westbrook combined to miss four consecutive free throws in the 4th quarter (Rockets shot 93% from the line).  Westbrook made some beautiful steals, but then gave the ball away trying to set the perfect alleyoop for Durant.   We had the ability and the opportunities to climb back into contention, but we would lose concentration by getting ahead of ourselves.  It’s not the mark of a bad team, just a young team with plenty of talent and very little confidence.

Let’s conclude by taking a look at a few of those “silver linings” (this name is so rich, I can hardly stand it).  Here’s a few things we can take comfort and courage in while we cheer this team on to their full potential:

1. Durant is not the only scorer on the team. Green can offer some serious help.  He sank two of his three 3-point attempts, and if he continues to stay aggressive, he will force defenses to respect his presence on the perimeter.
2. Westbrook is as good a defender as advertised.  Anyone who can nab 3 consecutive steals in the 4th quarter of an NBA game certainly garners that respect.  Steals are going to be a very interesting stat to keep an eye on as he matures.  He’s only going to get better, and as his defense improves, the offense of the entire team will follow suit.
3. Swift can play the big man inside.  Yeah, he’s not the dominating center, or the silky smooth passer every team would love to have.  But he can block a little and shoot a little, and he makes us better.  Plus he’s just downright fun to watch.
4. The Thunder can move the ball around effectively.  We see flashes of this crisp passing, and it was there in the first half of Monday’s game.  When they move without the ball and get open, and work to get their teammates open, they’re the team we expect to see.
5. We the Fans — I commend the fans who stayed and cheered even to the final seconds of the game.  The stalwart remnant who can stay and cheer even when the game is effectively over show the kind of determination we rightly expect to see from our team.

So let’s set the tone for the team, and, as Coldplay would say, Don’t Panic!

But you can find some decent half-popped kernels in the burned popcorn bag, and you can find some positives here.  Despite the double-teams, Jeff Green is looking sharp – 10 of 15 for 21 points against the Sixers tonight.  If he keeps this up, he’s going to start freeing up Durant to rule from the other side.  It may sound like a reach at this point, but another positive we can hang onto is that this can’t last forever.  Even last year’s Sonics team, which by many accounts was worse off than this crew, won 20 games. That used to seem like a small number to me.  But it’s getting bigger the longer we sit on win number 1.

We need some home wins to keep the coals hot under this thing.  Coincidentally, we’ve got a home stand coming up next week.  The bad news – it involves the Rockets and the Hornets.  I always wondered if the Hornets’ sort-of-homecoming would be a fun occasion.  “Hey Hornets, we remember you.  Hey look, we have a team now too!  We can lose our voices double tonight!”  But if we lose to the Rockets and the Clippers, I for one am not greeting the Hornets so warmly.  We’re starved for a win.  We might have to beat up on our cousin to get it.  Unfortunately, our cousin is bigger than we are.

Hang in there people.  Hang in there team.  I have no doubt changes are coming.  If Green can keep hitting 3-pointers, if one of the centers can begin to stand out, if we could stop throwing passes to the opposition, any one of several different things could change the dynamic.  It’s going to get better.  Heck, it has to.

Notes: Michael, Brent, and Blayne discuss the games of the first 2 weeks and the gaping hole in our hearts where there ought to be a mascot.

As a sneak peek, this blog will also be the home of a podcast. We plan to begin releasing within the next month, so please keep an eye on the blog for this new feature. We believe it will be the first and only podcast dedicated to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Until then, please enjoy reading the insights and viewpoints you find here, and keep your eye on the sky!

Michael, Brent, and Blayne discuss fan expectations for the Thunder’s inaugural season in Oklahoma City, and provide an introduction to themselves and the OKC ThunderCast podcast.  Note: Not for the faint of ear.