So after flying around the world solo in a hot air balloon surviving on rain water and ritz peanut butter crackers, joining an eastern European circus as a tiger doctor, and delving deep into South American jungles in search of rare frogs, I have returned to continue my hoops insights.
Today for your cranial pleasure: Why the Thunder are down 3-1 to the Mavs.
Reason 1: Cole Aldrich - Remember when he actually mattered at Kansas? Not so much these days. He's battled injuries through his rookie season but more importantly he's battled mediocrity. And he's badly badly lost. He has contributed to the fall of the thunder not because he hasn't played at all (that actually helps the Thunder) but because he is proof that the Mavericks bench warmers warm that bench way better than their thunder peers. And no tired player wants to sit on a cold bench. Now yes he isn't even part of the playoff roster for the Thunder, so of course he isn't going to play. But the Thunder traded for this guy on draft night. And now he's getting cut off the roster? Enough said.
Reason 2: Nick Collison - He's shown us all in this series what he can do. He's good at getting tip-in's when the Mavs forget to box out (all the time) and he can pass the ball to Durant. Holding it down for white boys everywhere (except that Dirk is in this series) Collison embodies the Thunder identity. So what if I'm not supposed to win? So what if I'm too young? We're going to come out and play hard and catch you off guard. The problem is that he can't back it up with game. He's just good enough to be on the court but not good enough to have major impact. Just like the Thunder are good enough to be in the Conference Finals, but not good enough to survive them.
Reason 3: Daequan Cook - He played five minutes in game three. Not a lot, I know, but its some face time, surely enough to do something? Not only did he score 0 points, he didn't take a shot. Okay so he passed right? No assists. Well he's an energy guy then, he's scrappy, and he disrupts the other team's flow. 0 rebounds, 0 fouls. Well he's a defender then. 0 rebounds, 0 blocks. This guy was a black hole on the court. The Mavs built their roster for efficiency. Everyone has a purpose out there. The Thunder fall short of that.
Reason 4: Kevin Durant - 29 points 15 rebounds 4 assists 48 minutes of game time. This guy might be the best in the game. Most agree he will be one day. How could it be his fault? Half the Thunder possessions he doesn't touch the ball. Look at Jordan's bulls, Kobe's Lakers, heck even Lebron in the 4th quarter of Game 2 against the Bulls. If you're the best on your team, the best on the floor, demand compliance by your teammates. Durant I know you're humble, that you're a good guy. And your one heck of a ball player. But sometimes the two don't mix. Sometimes a winner decides to go ahead and win the game. Durant will learn this. It took Jordan 8 years or so, Kobe four years, and Lebron is still searching. Durant is phenomenal, and his rings will come. But he's not there yet. And that is why the Thunder aren't there yet.
Reason 5: James Harden - Have you ever seen a guy out on the court who was pretty good, but thought he was really good? He would take a contested three and drain it, and you'd think "Well dang, it might be a long day at the Y." Twenty minutes later he's still taking those threes, but they aren't going in any more. James Harden is like this, except that he gets paid millions and hides small children in his beard. He's not a bad six man to be honest, (he occasionally starts) but his counterpart is Jason Terry, who will make those threes all game long. Maybe if he shaved the Thunder would have a chance...
Reason 6: Serge Ibaka - Serge is one of my favorite players in the NBA. He got jipped in the Dunk Contest (Blake Griffin won before it started, are you telling me he actually would have been knocked out of the final round keeping Kia from having that big promotion? please.) Ibaka is a guy who doesn't ask for excuses and doesn't take any prisoners. He just plays ball. I can respect that. I do respect that. But dude can't guard Dirk at all. I mean, it's true that nobody can. But Serge has been getting schooled, especially down on the block. I like is 18 points 10 boards and 5 blocks in game four. But Dirk exploded in the fourth and finished with 40. Not all of those 40 were on Ibaka of course, but they both play the four, and defense starts with the initial match up. Ibaka has not matched up.
Reason 7: Royal Ivey - That sounds like an expensive bad-smelling cologne.
Reason 8: Eric Maynor - I thought it was hilarious when he basically became the starting point guard in the fourth quarter of Game 2 while Westbrook was temporarily in Brooks's dog house. It was hilarious to me because Maynor isn't as good a scorer as Westbrook but he knows how to play point guard. Too bad in Game 4 he laid a huge Thunder egg and had 2 points and 3 assists in 11 minutes. No turnovers though (Westbrook had 6). Typically your back up needs to be consistent. See Barea, J.J. Maynor has been unable to play great in every game, and has hurt his team.
Reason 9: Nazr Mohammad - He's not a Bobcat anymore, but he still plays like one. That explains the DNP.
Reason 10: Kendrick Perkins - Every day he wakes up and hopes that the whole Thunder experience has been a dream and he's back in Boston. He misses Rondo. He misses the city. And he knows that the Celtics needed him and he couldn't be there. This is reflected in his play. To his credit, he's doing exactly what the Thunder knew he would do when they got him. He plays defense, roughs up the other team's center, and occasionally scores. But 3 rebounds and 1 block in game 4? And only two fouls? Fouls are not a bad thing for a center. Too many of course causes issues, but a center needs to be rough on defense and fouls happen as a result. Nick Collison is getting more minutes then him right now, not because Little Nicky is playing way better than anyone expected, but because the Thunder want Jeff Green back, and no one wants to reverse things more than Perkins. How do you play in that situation?
Reason 11: Nate Robinson - Little Kryptonate never asked to be sent to Oklahoma. And he cheers from the bench and shows passion. But not getting to play at all proves he was just trade fodder. Trade fodder doesn't win championships.
Reason 12: Thabo Sefolosha - This guy is a good defender. He got three steals and a block in game four. And he can score at times. He's not a bad guy to have out on the floor. But he's one dimensional. The Mavs are able to double Durant and make him pass, knowing that there often isn't anyone who they can't afford to take a jumper. The Thunder need a cutthroat deep man who will make defenses pay for doubling their star. That's why the Mavs got Stojakovic. Sefo plays great D, but sometimes his team needs some scoring (like overtime last night) and he can't deliver most times.
Reason 13: Russel Westbrook - Fans of his will look at 18 points 8 assists 8 rebounds and 3 steals and look past the 6 turnovers. Here's my problem. He took 22 shots. How many did Durant take? 22. Let me make this clear. This isn't some Great Player 1 and Great Player 2 duo. This isn't James and Wade. This isn't even Jordan and Pippen. Durant is astronomically better than Westbrook. How many times does Westbrook come down the floor with the ball and dive at the rim or throw up a jumper without passing the ball? Sometimes he passes it to others besides Durant and then the ball will come back to him so that he can shoot, all without getting Durant a touch. That tells me that the other players don't feel that Durant necessarily must touch the ball either. That again falls on the point guard. You're the floor general, you lead the troops, set the standard. Westbrook's standard is attack attack attack because I'm the best. Russel Westbrook is not the best. I'll give him second best on his team. He may be a top ten point guard in the league (toward the bottom of that list for sure). But he doesn't play like he's got a superstar on his team. He plays like he's the superstar. He had 8 dimes, how many could he have if he actually focused on passing to the man who's ready to score? He's got potential but he's not living up to it. Which reminds me...
Reason 1-13: Coach Brooks - Somebody needs to get Westbrook on board the Durantula mobile. Somebody needs to motivate Durant to take charge. Somebody needs to get this roster to fit into the championship mold and get them running at peek efficiency. Somehow it isn't happening. I know often times people blame the coach to quickly. But not this time. I thought Brooks was trying to get through to Westbrook with the Game 2 benching. But Games 3 and 4 showed no change in play from Westbrook. Durant is playing great but he doesn't demand the ball enough. There was one beautiful play last night with time running down at the end of the quarter. Durant was on the floor of course, but Brooks had drawn up a play for Harden (James Harden!) instead. The announcers said Durant got the ball because the defense on Harden was too heavy. Please. Durant ran up to inbounder with his arms stretched outward looking at him straight in the eye. He then ran up the floor got fouled and got the Thunder two quick points to close the quarter. That should be every possession. Durant needs to be in control, and it seems Brooks is a hindrance too that. Do you see Phil Jackson drawing plays for Ron Artest to close the quarter? Coach Spol drawing plays for Udonis Haslem? Coach Thib drawing them up for Ronnie Brewer? I didn't think so.
For these reasons, Dallas will be in the finals.
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