Thunder at Hawks, AKA Kevin Durant: Dat Boy Good

[Hawksquawk]

– Woody says Thunder forward Kevin Durant should be considered for MVP: “His numbers are ridiculous right now.”

– Indeed. Durant has scored 30-plus in five straight games, including 36 in Oklahoma City’s 98-80 victory against the Heat Saturday. Miami coach Erik Spoelstra has seen enough:

“I'm glad that we don't play (the Thunder) again this year,” Spoelstra told The Oklahoman. “Give us some time to figure him out. He is so big and skilled and can shoot it over the top of you. Even if you are there, he doesn't even notice you. When he shoots it like he did (Saturday), it just makes it that much tougher. He has grown a lot. I remember in his rookie year, he was nothing like this.”

– Zaza is back.

– Jamal Crawford is quoted in an MLK Day/NBA piece in the Contra Costa Times:

“For the most part, players of this generation try to treat everyone equal no matter their color or gender. … Try to respect one another. There are still situations in life we can improve on, but …

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[mrhonline]

Finding it a big decline from Sekou to Cunningham...

[bonethugz]

i remember this guy, he killed us in OT when the team was still in Seattle. let see what he'll do this afternoon

[Admin]

Well it sucks that this game is on during the day but it's blacked out for me anyway so I guess I'd rather have it be blacked out when I'm at work then if I am at home.

Definitely nervous about this game but this is a game that we should win being at home and being the better and more experienced team. Hopefully our players see OKC as good enough that they won't take them lightly.

[mrhonline]

I'm sick of paying for LP Broadband just to have the NBA TV games blacked out. They need to change that or I will not be renewing my subscription.

[Admin]

I'm sick of paying for LP Broadband just to have the NBA TV games blacked out. They need to change that or I will not be renewing my subscription.

I hear ya but I probably get to see 85% or more of the non-nationally televised games and while I think I should be able to see 100% (minus the game in Houston) I would still pay for this service since I have no other way of watching them. It would be nice if you could pay on a game by game basis though and only pay for the games that you actually get to and want to watch.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

At the game. Maybe 10K here right now. But with it being Kids Day, the arena is a lot more lively in the 1st quarter, than if you had 15K here.

LOL @ then beating the Thundersticks during the timeout. I'll have a headache before I leave the arena . . lol. Durant is hella skinny in person. Dude is a load to handle though. He's already shooting his 6th FT attempt.

Thunder are a big, but slender team. Hawks better be careful with these guys. They won't lay down for us.

[mrhonline]

Absolutely dominant quarter by the Thunder. The Hawks are lucky to be down by only 7.

[Popeye]

At the game. Maybe 10K here right now. But with it being Kids Day, the arena is a lot more lively in the 1st quarter, than if you had 15K here.

LOL @ then beating the Thundersticks during the timeout. I'll have a headache before I leave the arena . . lol. Durant is hella skinny in person. Dude is a load to handle though. He's already shooting his 6th FT attempt.

Thunder are a big, but slender team. Hawks better be careful with these guys. They won't lay down for us.

Make Woody pull Evans please!

[Admin]

Damn I hate listening to the game on the radio (although it's better than nothing) but I was only half paying attention and I hear them talking about Joe and his dislocated thumb and I'm thinking oh sh*t when did Joe dislocate his thumb and then 2 minutes later they finally say Joe Smith and I remember his injury. :kickcan:

[mrhonline]

"Someday Josh will figure out about the dribbling - not to do it."

^^^See, you only get gems like this on the radio, Dolfan.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

I keep telling ya'll about this bench. .They're just not as good as advertised.

Wow . . OKC is REALLY GOOD. They have us all out of sync and multiple people are starting to rack up the fouls. Woody puts Mario in for a defensive spark . . lol. Can't risk Marvin picking up #3 though, and Crawford ( while scoring ) wasn't doing much on the defensive end. Craw will come back in though, if Mario can't provide the needed defensive spark.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Mario made up for that silly 3 point foul on Durant by getting a steal and an assist, and then defending Durant pretty well. Yes folks . . . Mario is matched up on Durant, if you can't see the game.

[Admin]

Mario made up for that silly 3 point foul on Durant by getting a steal and an assist, and then defending Durant pretty well. Yes folks . . . Mario is matched up on Durant, if you can't see the game.

Rio is a bad mutha! He loves the challenge of guarding superstar players too.

Good to see that we're closing the gap before the half!!

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Ladies and gentlemen . . . MARIO WEST. Excellent defense by him. He was getting underneath Durant, forcing him to drive the basketball instead of just pulling up for the jumper. For anybody that wonders why Mario may get more minutes than Teague, he just proved it in those 7 - 8 minutes he played. If you can affect a game defensively, Woody WILL play you. Good coaching move by Woody, by going with Mario, instead of with Crawford or Evans.

The Thunder definitely impressed me. We should definitely be down at least 10 right now. This team is very balanced, with Durant able to get his own shot at just about any time.

Smoove and Al were working great together. Smoove was especially good with his passing. Al isn't making all his shots, but he's staying active and keeping plays alive. Great job b those 2 in the 2nd quarter.

If JJ or Jamal can catch fire in the 2nd half, we have a shot to open up a lead on them going into the 4th. Good competitive game so far.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

LOL . . Bibby is so bad defensively.

Poor effort by this team to start the quarter. They have to keep attacking this team in the middle. And when Kristic was at New Jersey, he was a damn good midrange shooting big man. Can't give him open jumpers.

JJ must've hit the club last night or something. He's very passive with his game right now.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

For all of you who can't see the game, have you tried channelsurfing.net or justin.tv

Folks, we may have a BIG PROBLEM. They're almost exclusively attacking Bibby and now Crawford on the offensive end. We're going to have to start doubling whenever they're being posted up.

Wow . . . Horford with 4. JJ and Jamal better heat up quick, or this game may quickly get out of reach.

[mattlanta]

Marvin sucks.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

At the game. Maybe 10K here right now. But with it being Kids Day, the arena is a lot more lively in the 1st quarter, than if you had 15K here.

LOL @ then beating the Thundersticks during the timeout. I'll have a headache before I leave the arena . . lol. Durant is hella skinny in person. Dude is a load to handle though. He's already shooting his 6th FT attempt.

Thunder are a big, but slender team. Hawks better be careful with these guys. They won't lay down for us.

LMAO . . now who game me a -1 for this post? And why?

Woody has our best offensive group in the game now. Crawford and Bibby either must make shots, or hold up defensively.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Oh OK now. I see I have a jealous hater on the board, just arbitrarly giving me -1s on all my posts. LOL . . . keep it up then hater. The mods know who you are though.

Smoove needs to hit these 2 FTs to tie the game. It's bee a struggle to get back into this game, but the defense has kept us in it. If we can take the lead, we'll win. Crawford want the ball, but JJ has overlooked him twice. Craw has missed his last 5 shots though, I think. Horford can't pick up foul #6.

Just play defense guys and close this game out.

Tie game . . good job Smoove.