[SubZeroParticipant]

Ever since the Sonics moved to OKC, I’ve been a die hard fan because that’s my birthtown. The Durant-Westbrook-Green years inspired hope for the future, and the 2012 season made me believe we’d have a shot to be in the Finals every year for the next 5+ seasons. However, outlying circumstances (mainly injuries) have kept us out of the running every year since. This year, the first year we’ve been completely healthy since our Finals appearance, we have to go through 2 of maybe the 10 best teams ever. So it may seem like I’m overreacting here, but part of me wants to rebuild.

It’s obvious to everyone watching that Scotty Brooks wasn’t the problem, and might have been our best solution. I’ve been rejecting the idea that Westbrook and (to a lesser extent) Durant just won’t do what it takes to play team ball like the Spurs and Warriors. We still play iso-ball. We’ve never had 5 people all play defense at the same time. Ibaka has completely abandoned his post game and just sits on the outside. Durant wants to act like the world is out to get him and is a huge douche now. There are just so many things I don’t like about this team, and even though we have 2 of the top 5 players in the world, somehow it’s obvious we’ll never win a championship. I know it sounds crazy, but I wouldn’t be torn up if KD and/or Westbrook left, because I have more faith in our drafts than anything else

[circumlocution75Participant]

 Spurs Western Conference Finals series……. that OKC would have won a Dog Fight in 7 games & then beaten the Heat in the Finals……..

 For those who don’t remember Spurs jumped out to a 2 – 0 lead w/ Ibaka out………. Ibaka returned at maybe 60 / 70% & OKC blew the Spurs off the court……….

San Antonio won game 5….. & then in game 6 dog fight, the Spurs eeked out a tight win……. when OKC’s dependence on KD & Westbrook to do All the scoring that game they just ran out of gas…….. & I think as a team they realized how much trading Harden Truly hurt them…..

In the Finals Tim Duncan’s Rim Protection & Kawhi’s Leonard’s emergence broke the back of Miami…….. Who in my Opinion were ready to break…….. Even though Miami was the 2 time defending Champion, I felt like the Western Conference Finals was the Real Finals……

I felt like that was OKC’s year if they were going to do it….. Duncan & Parker were older – still effective but older & Kawhi Leonard was Still growing into what he Would become…….

But now I really believe OKC is finished…. You guys are Built like a 90’s ISO ball team & w/ Zone defenses & the emphasis on Ball Screens, Moving w/o the ball & team oriented offenses & defenses I feel like the League has passed OKC by……..

 

 

 

 

[circumlocution75Participant]

 Spurs Western Conference Finals series……. that OKC would have won a Dog Fight in 7 games & then beaten the Heat in the Finals……..

 For those who don’t remember Spurs jumped out to a 2 – 0 lead w/ Ibaka out………. Ibaka returned at maybe 60 / 70% & OKC blew the Spurs off the court……….

San Antonio won game 5….. & then in game 6 dog fight, the Spurs eeked out a tight win……. when OKC’s dependence on KD & Westbrook to do All the scoring that game they just ran out of gas…….. & I think as a team they realized how much trading Harden Truly hurt them…..

In the Finals Tim Duncan’s Rim Protection & Kawhi’s Leonard’s emergence broke the back of Miami…….. Who in my Opinion were ready to break…….. Even though Miami was the 2 time defending Champion, I felt like the Western Conference Finals was the Real Finals……

I felt like that was OKC’s year if they were going to do it….. Duncan & Parker were older – still effective but older & Kawhi Leonard was Still growing into what he Would become…….

But now I really believe OKC is finished…. You guys are Built like a 90’s ISO ball team & w/ Zone defenses & the emphasis on Ball Screens, Moving w/o the ball & team oriented offenses & defenses I feel like the League has passed OKC by……..

 

 

 

 

[SubZeroParticipant]

I very well remember that series, and I completely agree. It just seems like injuries ruined our window, and now the window’s closed and about to be locked

[SubZeroParticipant]

I very well remember that series, and I completely agree. It just seems like injuries ruined our window, and now the window’s closed and about to be locked

[halfdecayedParticipant]

 Durant isn’t the `you da real MVP´ guy anymore it seems.. He was tired of being the second best player, and now he might be the third best player and he’s pissed about it.. 

[halfdecayedParticipant]

 Durant isn’t the `you da real MVP´ guy anymore it seems.. He was tired of being the second best player, and now he might be the third best player and he’s pissed about it.. 

[Bankroll PJParticipant]

 While I don’t want to give two superstars on the same team a break, I think the main reason this team cannot turn the corner is because they have too many one-dimensional players.  Everyone on the roster is only good at one thing, which is why I think the Thunders use iso ball so much.  Roberson, Ibaka, Morrow, Singler, and Foye are only used as spot shooters while Steven Adams and Nick Collison are both just used as screeners. Enes Kanter can actually provide some versatility and scoring to the offense but he’s such a poor defender that you can’t have him in at the end of games. Dion Waiters and Cameron both have the potential to be playmakers for OKC, but they’re both highly inconsistent.  If you look at the other contenders (Warriors, Spurs, and Cavs), they all have more versatile players and are much more difficult to defend at the end of games because of it.  

Also, I think the Thunder lack a degree of toughness. I’m an old-fashioned guy so I hate seeing Westbrook and Payne dancing excessively before games, and hearing Kevin Durant’s sensitive takes on the media. And maybe this team lacks some leadership. Too many games this season they were up in the 4th qtr and couldn’t keep the lead.  I think they need some championship experience on either the roster or staff, because Durant and Westbrook are too talented to only have one finals appearance and they’re contender window may now be closed with the rise of the Warriors, continued greatness of the Spurs, and the upcoming free agency of Kevin Durant. Whether it’s been because of injuries, coaching, or lack of chemistry and leadership, this team has not been the same since Harden left.  

  

[Bankroll PJParticipant]

 While I don’t want to give two superstars on the same team a break, I think the main reason this team cannot turn the corner is because they have too many one-dimensional players.  Everyone on the roster is only good at one thing, which is why I think the Thunders use iso ball so much.  Roberson, Ibaka, Morrow, Singler, and Foye are only used as spot shooters while Steven Adams and Nick Collison are both just used as screeners. Enes Kanter can actually provide some versatility and scoring to the offense but he’s such a poor defender that you can’t have him in at the end of games. Dion Waiters and Cameron both have the potential to be playmakers for OKC, but they’re both highly inconsistent.  If you look at the other contenders (Warriors, Spurs, and Cavs), they all have more versatile players and are much more difficult to defend at the end of games because of it.  

Also, I think the Thunder lack a degree of toughness. I’m an old-fashioned guy so I hate seeing Westbrook and Payne dancing excessively before games, and hearing Kevin Durant’s sensitive takes on the media. And maybe this team lacks some leadership. Too many games this season they were up in the 4th qtr and couldn’t keep the lead.  I think they need some championship experience on either the roster or staff, because Durant and Westbrook are too talented to only have one finals appearance and they’re contender window may now be closed with the rise of the Warriors, continued greatness of the Spurs, and the upcoming free agency of Kevin Durant. Whether it’s been because of injuries, coaching, or lack of chemistry and leadership, this team has not been the same since Harden left.  

  

[TheGuyParticipant]

 Andre Roberson might be the worst shooter in the NBA, why does he bother spoting up? Cut to the basket or something, he should never take another 3. Also for a being a "defensive" player, he’s not really that great at that end of the court.

Scott Brooks wasn’t a great coach, he’s decent, middle of the pack so I don’t blame OKC for going in another direction, but instead they hired a terrible coach in Donavan. I would honestly fire him.

Scott Prestie also hasn’t done a great job building the team around Durant and Westbrook. It started with him botching the Harden situation, not having the forsight to see the cap would raise and OKC could afford Harden and Ibaka along with Durant and Westbrook. Getting not a lot for a top 10 talent. They have never figured out the SG spot, they missed out on Rodney Hood for Mitch McGary back in 14.

If you took the top 2 players off every team, OKC would have one of the least desirable rosters. Basketball is a team game no matter how much the media makes it about the individual stars, and if you don’t have  complete team it’s going to be hard.

 

 

 

[TheGuyParticipant]

 Andre Roberson might be the worst shooter in the NBA, why does he bother spoting up? Cut to the basket or something, he should never take another 3. Also for a being a "defensive" player, he’s not really that great at that end of the court.

Scott Brooks wasn’t a great coach, he’s decent, middle of the pack so I don’t blame OKC for going in another direction, but instead they hired a terrible coach in Donavan. I would honestly fire him.

Scott Prestie also hasn’t done a great job building the team around Durant and Westbrook. It started with him botching the Harden situation, not having the forsight to see the cap would raise and OKC could afford Harden and Ibaka along with Durant and Westbrook. Getting not a lot for a top 10 talent. They have never figured out the SG spot, they missed out on Rodney Hood for Mitch McGary back in 14.

If you took the top 2 players off every team, OKC would have one of the least desirable rosters. Basketball is a team game no matter how much the media makes it about the individual stars, and if you don’t have  complete team it’s going to be hard.

 

 

 

[ph90702]

Do you mean he’s a terrible coach in general or a terrible NBA coach?

[TheGuyParticipant]

 Who are you refering to as he? Brooks or Donovan? I would assume Billy D.

I would say he’s a horrible NBA coach. You can’t knock him in the college ranks, granted I don’t follow Florida bball to know if he’s more a recruiter/motivator than a great in games stratagy coach. He’s been horrible this season for OKC, I mean just letting Payne ride the bench for long stretches of the seasonw without playing and now throwing him in the fire in the playoffs. Their only plays are either Durant/Westbrook pick n roll or one of the two playing iso, so yea great work there. And I haven’t even gotten to their defense, which based on last night I don’t need to dwelve into. Dude is really bad.

 

[TheGuyParticipant]

 Who are you refering to as he? Brooks or Donovan? I would assume Billy D.

I would say he’s a horrible NBA coach. You can’t knock him in the college ranks, granted I don’t follow Florida bball to know if he’s more a recruiter/motivator than a great in games stratagy coach. He’s been horrible this season for OKC, I mean just letting Payne ride the bench for long stretches of the seasonw without playing and now throwing him in the fire in the playoffs. Their only plays are either Durant/Westbrook pick n roll or one of the two playing iso, so yea great work there. And I haven’t even gotten to their defense, which based on last night I don’t need to dwelve into. Dude is really bad.

 

[ph90702]

Do you mean he’s a terrible coach in general or a terrible NBA coach?

[jacobkeyParticipant]

 I’m right there with you. I’ve lived in OKC my whole and am a huge fan. I saw a stat put up during the Dallas series that perfectly summarizes the Thunder. They were last in the league in passes made during the regular season. For a team with so much talent and the guy (Westbrook) that was second in the league in assists, you would the ball movement would be better. Scott Brooks took the blame for it, but they haven’t been much better under Billy Donovan.

Their defense has also been horrendous this season. They constantly play lazy defense with little communication and either switching too much or not enough and gambling for too often. Teams like San Antonio, Golden State and Cleveland will destroy you in the playoffs if you play like that.

As great as Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are, I’m starting to wonder if they need a change of scenery to get them going again and I wonder if OKC might need to get a good young coach and try to grow a good young team through the draft again.

I hope I’m wrong but ‘ve just seen too much of the same B.S. to have much hope at this point.

 

 

[jacobkeyParticipant]

 I’m right there with you. I’ve lived in OKC my whole and am a huge fan. I saw a stat put up during the Dallas series that perfectly summarizes the Thunder. They were last in the league in passes made during the regular season. For a team with so much talent and the guy (Westbrook) that was second in the league in assists, you would the ball movement would be better. Scott Brooks took the blame for it, but they haven’t been much better under Billy Donovan.

Their defense has also been horrendous this season. They constantly play lazy defense with little communication and either switching too much or not enough and gambling for too often. Teams like San Antonio, Golden State and Cleveland will destroy you in the playoffs if you play like that.

As great as Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are, I’m starting to wonder if they need a change of scenery to get them going again and I wonder if OKC might need to get a good young coach and try to grow a good young team through the draft again.

I hope I’m wrong but ‘ve just seen too much of the same B.S. to have much hope at this point.

 

 

[PurpleMonkeyDishwasherParticipant]

 Be careful what you wish for.  As a Timberwolves fan it was thought that trading Garnett was the right move.  We found out differently very soon after that it was a mistake.  This many years later we appear to be finally digging our way out of a hole.

[PurpleMonkeyDishwasherParticipant]

 Be careful what you wish for.  As a Timberwolves fan it was thought that trading Garnett was the right move.  We found out differently very soon after that it was a mistake.  This many years later we appear to be finally digging our way out of a hole.

[Hype Machine]

The guy who mentioned that the Thunder are last in the league in passes gave you the only stat you need to know about Westbrook and Durant. 

 

 

 

[phila9012Participant]

 They have no player other than Kanter who can semi consistantly score. They have no one like Manu, Boris, danny green, david west, tony parker Iggy, barnes, draymond, mo speights, livingston, Kevin Love, Jr smith, delladova, shumpert, mo williams, richard jefferson. All of those players are 3rd options or worse and they all are better than what the thunder have.

 

 They literally have no one outside of westbrook durant, kanter, ibaka for jumpshots, who can score. And Ibaka and Kanter can’t create their own shots. The other teams have players who can step up if their top 2 players don’t play well, the thunder have no one. It doesn’t matter in the regular season but it matters in the playoffs. Like people have said they have one dimensional players. A coach isn’t changing that, Sam Presti messed this up with the roster construction. A joe johnson or Kevin Martin would have helped but they didn’t want to go to OKC. All teams have to do is stop durant and westbrook and the other guys fold.

[phila9012Participant]

 They have no player other than Kanter who can semi consistantly score. They have no one like Manu, Boris, danny green, david west, tony parker Iggy, barnes, draymond, mo speights, livingston, Kevin Love, Jr smith, delladova, shumpert, mo williams, richard jefferson. All of those players are 3rd options or worse and they all are better than what the thunder have.

 

 They literally have no one outside of westbrook durant, kanter, ibaka for jumpshots, who can score. And Ibaka and Kanter can’t create their own shots. The other teams have players who can step up if their top 2 players don’t play well, the thunder have no one. It doesn’t matter in the regular season but it matters in the playoffs. Like people have said they have one dimensional players. A coach isn’t changing that, Sam Presti messed this up with the roster construction. A joe johnson or Kevin Martin would have helped but they didn’t want to go to OKC. All teams have to do is stop durant and westbrook and the other guys fold.

[Hype Machine]

The guy who mentioned that the Thunder are last in the league in passes gave you the only stat you need to know about Westbrook and Durant. 

 

 

 

[llperez]

 still think rebuilding and letting durant and westbrook go sounds okay to you?

[llperez]

 still think rebuilding and letting durant and westbrook go sounds okay to you?

[Author]

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