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Interesting OKC Thunder article
« on: October 28, 2017, 10:15:25 AM »

Offline Green-18

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http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/21178004/nba-russell-westbrook-next-step-thunder

So I watched most of the Thunder game last night and it looks like the same problems are going to plague them as in years past.  I can't believe that Melo and Paul George feel they need to completely adapt to Westbrook.  Westbrook is one of my favorite players in the entire league but their team is doomed if he doesn't adjust his playing style to the talents of George and Anthony.  Once again the Thunder rank near the bottom of the league in passes per game.  They are second to last in this category despite the fact that many teams have played one less game.  Their poor 3 point shooting has also carried over from last season.  Most of their threes are taken by Melo and George in isolation or late shot clock situations.  The "adapt" to Westbrook mentality is laziness by both George and Melo.  They should collectively challenge each other to emulate teams like San Antonio and Golden State.  It would probably look ugly for a while but their ceiling could be much higher.  Carmelo would benefit the most if they figured it out.  I can't remember if it was last season or 2015/16 but Melo shot almost 46% on wide open three point attempts.  Paul George was almost identical.   

Westbrook's current style of play is much more suited for the late 90's/early 2000's brand of basketball.  It baffles me that their coaching staff and big three doesn't realize that there needs to be a fundamental change in the way they play basketball.  I am rooting for OKC to figure things out but I have my doubts.  So far the whole is less than the sum of the parts.

Re: Interesting OKC Thunder article
« Reply #1 on: October 28, 2017, 10:22:43 AM »

Offline ChillyWilly

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I think most of us agreed before they even stepped on the floor together that this was either going to work like hotcakes or be a complete dumpster fire.

Seasons early they still got plenty of time to figure it out.
ok fine

Re: Interesting OKC Thunder article
« Reply #2 on: October 28, 2017, 10:32:36 AM »

Offline Green-18

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I think most of us agreed before they even stepped on the floor together that this was either going to work like hotcakes or be a complete dumpster fire.

Seasons early they still got plenty of time to figure it out.

My definition of figure it out might different than most people's.  At some point they will rattle of 8-10 wins in a row and I wouldn't be surprised to see them finish with 55 wins.  However, there has been no commitment from the coaching staff to fundamentally change the way they run their offense.  Imagine what Brad Stevens could do with the three of them.  We are very fortunate as Celtics fans.

Re: Interesting OKC Thunder article
« Reply #3 on: April 24, 2018, 08:56:46 AM »

Offline Green-18

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To nobody's surprise it looks like OKC didn't figure out a single thing to improve their team.  At what point does someone in the organization have the guts to challenge Westbrook to become a smarter and more efficient offensive player?  I used to enjoy watching his reckless style when he was younger but at this point it's clear that he is unable to adapt on his own to the modern NBA.

Westbrook needs to put up at least 500 threes per day during the off-season.  He shot 31% on threes with the nearest defender 4 or more feet away.  A consistent 3 point shot would open up his game significantly in the half court.  His game is stuck in the late 90's/early 2000's.

I have no idea how Westbrook responds to coaching but someone needs to man up and show him the statistics behind why their team is so terrible on offense.  Once again OKC ranks near the bottom of the league in passes per game.  It's been the same theme going back to the Wesbtrook and Durant era.  I guess the rest of Westbrook's prime years will be wasted in an ugly offense.  As an NBA fan I wish he had a coach that could challenge him to escape his comfort zone.  There are more than enough examples of other teams that have benefited from a change in style.

Re: Interesting OKC Thunder article
« Reply #4 on: April 24, 2018, 09:54:42 AM »

Online Moranis

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It would help if they had even a decent coach, but Donovan is just not a good coach. 
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Re: Interesting OKC Thunder article
« Reply #5 on: April 24, 2018, 12:07:03 PM »

Offline Monkhouse

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It would help if they had even a decent coach, but Donovan is just not a good coach. 
To nobody's surprise it looks like OKC didn't figure out a single thing to improve their team.  At what point does someone in the organization have the guts to challenge Westbrook to become a smarter and more efficient offensive player?  I used to enjoy watching his reckless style when he was younger but at this point it's clear that he is unable to adapt on his own to the modern NBA.

Westbrook needs to put up at least 500 threes per day during the off-season.  He shot 31% on threes with the nearest defender 4 or more feet away.  A consistent 3 point shot would open up his game significantly in the half court.  His game is stuck in the late 90's/early 2000's.

I have no idea how Westbrook responds to coaching but someone needs to man up and show him the statistics behind why their team is so terrible on offense.  Once again OKC ranks near the bottom of the league in passes per game.  It's been the same theme going back to the Wesbtrook and Durant era.  I guess the rest of Westbrook's prime years will be wasted in an ugly offense.  As an NBA fan I wish he had a coach that could challenge him to escape his comfort zone.  There are more than enough examples of other teams that have benefited from a change in style.

Agreed. Donovan looks afraid of challenging Westbrook's fierce hero ball personality. Either Westbrook needs to figure out how to completely retool his game to shoot the 3 point better, or create better opportunities for others. They need to also focus on swinging the ball more to create better looks. There just isn't any movement at all, and it's very frustrating to see someone like Melo resort to taking tough contested jumpers time and time again. PG-13 isn't going to re-sign, and if he did, I'll be completely baffled.

Does anyone else feel sorry for Adams? He's been an absolute consummate teammate who does everything in a big man well despite his inability to space the floor. Sets great screens and picks, defends, and has consistent motor mixed in with Perkins-type of enforcement attitude, not to mention he always defends or backs up his teammates in confrontational situations. He really is a great player and teammate, and he has never ever once thrown his teammates under the bus.
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Re: Interesting OKC Thunder article
« Reply #6 on: April 24, 2018, 12:17:28 PM »

Offline footey

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It would help if they had even a decent coach, but Donovan is just not a good coach.

How many coaches must they go through before it is on the players? Carmelo is awful. Westbrook is hero ball 101, which is why Durant left them.

Re: Interesting OKC Thunder article
« Reply #7 on: April 24, 2018, 12:46:16 PM »

Offline rocknrollforyoursoul

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It would help if they had even a decent coach, but Donovan is just not a good coach.

How many coaches must they go through before it is on the players? Carmelo is awful. Westbrook is hero ball 101, which is why Durant left them.

Westbrook has a lot of talent, but he doesn't really impress me, as his game seems to be more about numbers and "getting his." I just can't see any team with Westbrook as its best player winning a title, or even coming close.
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Re: Interesting OKC Thunder article
« Reply #8 on: April 24, 2018, 12:50:56 PM »

Offline celticsclay

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They would be so much better off with roberson playing instead of melo.

Re: Interesting OKC Thunder article
« Reply #9 on: April 24, 2018, 01:04:05 PM »

Online Moranis

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It would help if they had even a decent coach, but Donovan is just not a good coach.

How many coaches must they go through before it is on the players? Carmelo is awful. Westbrook is hero ball 101, which is why Durant left them.
They've basically just had Brooks and Donovan during Westbrook's time.  Brooks is ok and Donovan is bad.  It isn't like they've run through the coaches, they haven't. 

Durant left because he wanted to take the easy way out and win championships.
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Re: Interesting OKC Thunder article
« Reply #10 on: April 24, 2018, 01:29:52 PM »

Offline footey

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It would help if they had even a decent coach, but Donovan is just not a good coach.

How many coaches must they go through before it is on the players? Carmelo is awful. Westbrook is hero ball 101, which is why Durant left them.
They've basically just had Brooks and Donovan during Westbrook's time.  Brooks is ok and Donovan is bad.  It isn't like they've run through the coaches, they haven't. 

Durant left because he wanted to take the easy way out and win championships.

Sure. Killed him to leave his favorite teammate Russ.

Re: Interesting OKC Thunder article
« Reply #11 on: April 24, 2018, 02:06:31 PM »

Offline Sophomore

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The players OKC has cast off would be the core of a championship team: Durant, Dipo, Harden.

Re: Interesting OKC Thunder article
« Reply #12 on: April 24, 2018, 02:31:10 PM »

Offline rocknrollforyoursoul

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The players OKC has cast off would be the core of a championship team: Durant, Dipo, Harden.

Don't forget Ibaka.
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Re: Interesting OKC Thunder article
« Reply #13 on: April 24, 2018, 02:41:49 PM »

Online Moranis

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The players OKC has cast off would be the core of a championship team: Durant, Dipo, Harden.
Yeah, just going back to the 11/12 Finals team, the following players have played for and are now no longer on the Thunder

PG - James Harden, Reggie Jackson, DJ Augustin, Ish Smith
SG - Victor Oladipo, Dion Waiters, Jeremy Lamb
SF - Kevin Durant, Doug McDermott, Thabo Sefolosha
PF - Serge Ibaka, Taj Gibson, Lance Thomas
C - Enes Kanter, Ersan Ilyasova

That is the best team in basketball.  Not sure any franchise could even come close to that level of talent in the same timeframe.
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Re: Interesting OKC Thunder article
« Reply #14 on: April 24, 2018, 03:09:37 PM »

Offline KGs Knee

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It would help if they had even a decent coach, but Donovan is just not a good coach.

How many coaches must they go through before it is on the players? Carmelo is awful. Westbrook is hero ball 101, which is why Durant left them.
They've basically just had Brooks and Donovan during Westbrook's time.  Brooks is ok and Donovan is bad.  It isn't like they've run through the coaches, they haven't. 

Durant left because he wanted to take the easy way out and win championships.

Durant left because Westbrook is a selfish, terrible teammate. Period.

Any attempts to color it as anything else are simply wrong.