(2011)-2012 NBA Season

[Dorian Thompson]

He's anything but a basket case. Westbrook gets far too much blame when things go wrong. Those emotions of his which can get in his way are also what make him great. He's emotional but he's not a head case like Rodman or Artest. There's a difference.

That being said, my Thunder are picking one HELL of a time to go into a slump. Road loss tonight to Indiana--103-98. Dug themselves out of a huge hole against an improving Indiana team but couldn't quite make it over the top. Now they've officially lost the #1 seed in the west to San Antonio, whose schedule down the stretch is pretty easy. They could do no wrong last week, and now they can't do anything right. That youth, which I predicted would take them over the top, is now proving a stumbling block. It's in their heads now. Maturity is lacking in some areas.

Perhaps they do better as the pursuer than as the pursued. Some athletes are just like that. I haven't given up by any means and I'm sure they'll find the winning touch again, but these are troubling signs, no doubt. All due respect to Indiana, the Thunder should have won this game. They're the better team. It's bullshit that they lost. No one to blame but themselves.

 

[gblews]

Anyone see Pao get posterized by Griffen...TWICE?

Wow.

In the first dunk, Griffin came over Gasol's back knocking Pau off the court. Usually when a play occurs where one man collides with another from behind under the basket going for a rebound, the man who comes from behind gets called for a foul. On the second dunk, Griffin placed his left hand on Pau, which served to help Griffin elevate which made the dunk look a lot more spectacular than it actually was. Griffin has used this tactic on other dunks this season. It is a move that would make any player's dunk look better. This is also an action that is called a foul in many cases.

The NBA just announced today that Griffin was being assesed a retroactive flagrant 1 foul on another play where he pushed Pau from behind. The league chose not to retroactively penalize him for the two aforementioned plays. In another posthumous review of a Lakers/Clips game, the league announce that a foul should have been called on Griffin for a similar move against another Lakers' player.

The Clippers had a number of other spectacular plays in this same game against the Lakers, but the Lakers won. From what I have seen this season, Blake Griffin is another player who needs to work on maturing his game. He is all about flashy lob dunks but when his team needs a simple back down two point shot from the low block in crunch time, Blake has a hard time delivering.

 

[gblews]

He's emotional but he's not a head case like Rodman or Artest. There's a difference.

Westbrook should be such a head case. Metta World Peace is an NBA champion and so was Rodman.

That being said, my Thunder are picking one HELL of a time to go into a slump. Road loss tonight to Indiana--103-98. Dug themselves out of a huge hole against an improving Indiana team but couldn't quite make it over the top. Now they've officially lost the #1 seed in the west to San Antonio, whose schedule down the stretch is pretty easy.

Comparing the way other NBA fans react to the ups and downs of the NBA season to the Lakers fans react is quite interesting to me. It's not the biggest shock in the world that the Thunder have hit that point in the season where, due to the grind of the season, wins are harder to come by and, for the time being, have fallen out of first place in the conference. Even a 66 game season is a "long" season.

If the Lakers had had a season like the Thunder this season, fans would be anticipating a championship even after hitting "the wall". As I have been telling you, even when your team was flying high -- and there is no reason right now to think they won't again -- it is ALL about the playoffs.

As a side note, the Spurs play the Lakers 3 times this month, and although I could be wrong, I don't think the Spurs will sweep those games. So if finishing as the No. 1 seed in the west is that important to you, I think your team still has at least a shot at it.

 

[Borgminister]

Anyone see Pao get posterized by Griffen...TWICE?

Wow.

In the first dunk, Griffin came over Gasol's back knocking Pau off the court. Usually when a play occurs where one man collides with another from behind under the basket going for a rebound, the man who comes from behind gets called for a foul. On the second dunk, Griffin placed his left hand on Pau, which served to help Griffin elevate which made the dunk look a lot more spectacular than it actually was. Griffin has used this tactic on other dunks this season. It is a move that would make any player's dunk look better. This is also an action that is called a foul in many cases.

The NBA just announced today that Griffin was being assesed a retroactive flagrant 1 foul on another play where he pushed Pau from behind. The league chose not to retroactively penalize him for the two aforementioned plays. In another posthumous review of a Lakers/Clips game, the league announce that a foul should have been called on Griffin for a similar move against another Lakers' player.

The Clippers had a number of other spectacular plays in this same game against the Lakers, but the Lakers won. From what I have seen this season, Blake Griffin is another player who needs to work on maturing his game. He is all about flashy lob dunks but when his team needs a simple back down two point shot from the low block in crunch time, Blake has a hard time delivering.

The second dunk, Pao had nothing to complain about. He made a feeble attempt at blocking the ball, then collapsed like a house of cards. At least Perkins rose up and stood his ground. And frankly, Griffen doesn't need any help elevating...

Your other points about pushing, etc., are well-taken. But Pao should stop belly-aching and like you said, step aside. Shit or get off the pot. But don't go whining to the refs.

(And I like Pao! Uniquely talented big man!)

 

[Borgminister]

Cocoon 2012: Starring The Boston Celtics.

 

[Dorian Thompson]

Good Lord, did they beat Miami tonight? How'd they manage that? They're 100 years old.

Now if only LA could do the same to San Antonio I'd be a happy camper again. But, of course, Kobe has an "inflamed shin" and he won't be playing against SA.

Dammit. SA will systematically tear them to ribbons without Kobe in the lineup. I was counting on the Lakers to narrow the deficit.

 

[gblews]

Good Lord, did they beat Miami tonight? How'd they manage that? They're 100 years old.

Now if only LA could do the same to San Antonio I'd be a happy camper again. But, of course, Kobe has an "inflamed shin" and he won't be playing against SA.

Dammit. SA will systematically tear them to ribbons without Kobe in the lineup. I was counting on the Lakers to narrow the deficit.

Didn't want to jinx us when I read your post earlier today, so I didn't post that the Lakers have a history of beating the Spurs without Kobe. The Spurs aren't nearly the defensive team they used to be so if you can D them up properly, chances are they won't be able to lock down their opponent's offense sufficiently enough to get the win like in the old days.

The Lakers, on the other hand, are one of the best defensive teams in the league when they put their minds to it.

But keep in mind, these two teams play each other twice more in the next 9-10 days.

Edited to add:
Whoops -- almost didn't matter.

 

[Dorian Thompson]

Dammit, boys, you cannot let Chris Paul get away from you and get that shot off with 8.8 seconds left in the game. Paul was all over them fourth quarter. Clippers win 100-98. Golden opportunity to widen lead on San Antonio lost. Lakers' gift wasted. Grumble, grumble, grumble, whine, bitch, moan....Paul could do nothing wrong tonight, it seemed. He was golden.

 

[Borgminister]

Hey look, Metta showed up for a game, Bynum continued his "Hulk smash" routine, and made the Spurs looked like a high-school team.

Without Kobe.

WTF?

 

[Dorian Thompson]

Why do you think I was so ticked off that my team lost? We get a gift of gold with the Kobe-less Lakers beating the Spurs; we could have widened the tenuous gap and gotten a firmer hold on the number one seed, but noooooo....they had to let Chris Paul take them to school during that 4th quarter. Dammit.

 

[Borgminister]

And what with Duncan sipping from the fountain of youth yesterday, the number one seed is at stake down the stretch.

Note to LeBron: Practice clutch free throws.

 

[Dorian Thompson]

Jesus Christ on a cracker, my Thunder blow another 11 point lead to the Clippers and lose control of the game in the 4th quarter--again. I don't give a turkey that Westbrook and Durant each put up 40+ against a hapless Timberwolves team the other night. Against any team that matters, my Thunder has completely lost its edge. If they continue to play the way they're playing now, they'll win one playoff series and one only. Both San Antonio and Memphis will slaughter them depending on who gets there. The Thunder has completely lost its edge against any team that matters; the Thunder team that beat the Clippers by 23 only two weeks ago--I don't know where that team's gone. I'm extremely discouraged after seeing tonight's game.

They totally lost it in the 4th quarter and looked terrible. I'm being generous calling them terrible. Ahead the whole game, dead even at the end of the 3rd, and they end up losing by 15. They couldn't even play proper defense against the Twolves the other night much less the Clippers and Chris Paul. This team has regressed. If I were the Spurs, I'd be licking my chops in anticipation. God help the Thunder if it's Memphis instead of the Spurs. They have no solution for Memphis.

 

[gblews]

The Thunder are starting to look like one of those west teams that is so fixated on the Lakers, they can't seem to not fall apart against teams who aren't. Since OKC beat the Lakers a couple of weeks ago and (in their minds, apparently) were awarded the Larry O'Brien, they've appeared to already be in Cancun. Sign of a young team.

In 2010 the Lakers won a championship. That year the Nuggets might very well have beaten the Lakers in the playoffs, they matched up very well against us, and played us tough. But the Nuggs never got the chance to finally show the Lakers who was the better team, losing in the 1st or 2nd round to, "not the Lakers".

Of such things are championships sometimes won -- or lost.

 

[Borgminister]

Yeah, I can't figure out the Thunder. They should be tweaking and peaking, not puttering and sputtering. Might that be a reflection on the coach? Or just a malaise borne of too much success this year... Not sure.

And how far the Mav's have fallen... not just record-wise, but in terms of class, too. Delonte dry-Willies Hayward at Utah, and Vincanity burp-breaths Gay. Makes you feel sorry for Nowitski and Kidd.

I'm amazed at the Lakers, too--Bynum really seems to be coming into his own. As great as Kobe is, I wonder if his return might upset that chemistry that's bubbled to the surface after his first 22% shooting game in 25 attempts has come and gone?

 

[Dorian Thompson]

That wet willie business was idiotic. Whatever possessed him to do something so cheesy and stupid?

As for my Thunder (holding on 62-59 in the third at Phoenix as I type), you're not the only one asking that question, Borgminister. That fourth quarter of the Clippers game was ghastly. It wasn't the simple fact of the loss so much as how inept they looked after kicking ass and taking names in the first half. They scored only 25 points in the second half. Missed free throws left and right, couldn't play defense worth a lick--Scott Brooks let Fisher play the two for minutes on end--but that wasn't the worst of it. The worst of it all was Westbrook's volatile immaturity becoming contagious. Not just Russell, but Serge Ibaka and Kevin Durant of all people let the Clippers bench get under their skin and give them the business. This is not something the Clippers just discovered Monday night. The word is out that you can mess with the Thunder and their game will come apart. Scott Brooks, who's appeared to be a genius at times with the Xs and Os and the managing of personalities, needs to get that shit under control. OKC hammered the Clippers just two weeks ago. The Clippers aren't invincible by any means. The Thunder now realizes it isn't, either.

It's not a talent problem. It's a youth problem and a mental problem. It's not malaise. Internal panic is more accurate. They doubt themselves now. It's in their heads. That youth which I thought would serve them well since they've been to the playoffs twice now has turned into a unfortunate hindrance.

EDIT--Thunder holding a slim 5 point lead as the third quarter winds down. Here comes the fourth quarter. Gulp

 

[SmoothieX]

And how far the Mav's have fallen... not just record-wise, but in terms of class, too. Delonte dry-Willies Hayward at Utah, and Vincanity burp-breaths Gay. Makes you feel sorry for Nowitski and Kidd.

That wet willie was one of my favorite moments of the season. That was absolutely brilliant. It's better than undercutting a guy's knees when he goes in for a layup.

 

[Borgminister]

The Clippers won't take it to the next level until Griffin develops a jump shot, or even a consistent 3.

Huge games tonight, especially the rubber match between SA and LA.

 

[Dorian Thompson]

Ahhhh, yes. San Antonio vs. Lakers. We have a smidgeon of interest in that one in OKC as well.

 

[Borgminister]

The Lakers are going to have to figure out the Kobe/Bynum dynamic quick, or they won't make it far.

 

[gblews]

The Lakers are going to have to figure out the Kobe/Bynum dynamic quick, or they won't make it far.

That's not it. Reintegrating Kobe is something that has to occur, but the most recent problems against the Spurs are due to Mike Brown being out coached by Pop. In the game at Staples, the Spurs over played our bigs and instead of going backdoor, the Lakers turned it over by passing into Spurs' players. Last night the Spurs spread the Lakers defense with their offense and (somewhat miraculously) shot 61% for the game -- 61%!!!.

Even if you cut out the "luck" and they shoot 50%, that is still terrible. Mike and his staff's challenge, IF they meet the Spurs in the playoffs, is to figure out a way to make the Spurs play at the Lakers' pace and allow Pau and Drew to assert themselves. On defense they have to get back on defense, not very hard, keep Tony Parker out the the key, and funnel Spurs' shooters into Bynum and Gasol.

The Lakers really need to beat the Thunder this Sunday. Losing to a team 3 or more times in the regular season suggests that the losing team has match up problems against the other team or does not take the other team seriously. I doubt the Lakers don't take the Thunder seriously.

The match up problem could be Westbrook, I'm pretty much okay with World-Peace on Durant. I want to see Kobe on Westbrook some, especially down the stretch if the game is close. If Kobe can't slow him, then the Lakers will have to hope he stops himself.

Not all that concerned about holding on to the No. 3 seed, but we need to figure out how to win a game against the Thunder in case we meet again later.