OKC Thunder have gone from hunters to the hunted
Russell Westbrook (photo. Jeff Forney)
Ladies and gentleman, the Oklahoma City Thunder have arrived. After starting their inaugural season in OKC with a 3-29 record and finishing 23-59, Year 2 saw a marked improvement, as Kevin Durant led the NBA in scoring and the Thunder won 50 games on their way to a playoff berth.
The transition from small-time to showtime has been one of the quickest turnaround the NBA has seen, and keep in mind the Thunder didn’t make any major roster changes. Coach Scott Brooks just let his young players mature and learn from their early struggles.
The Thunder were without a doubt the most slept-on team in the League last season. Nobody expected them to go from 23 to 50 wins, but OKC shocked the world. They would end their season in what was arguably the most entertaining series of the 2010 playoffs, losing to the defending champion L.A. Lakers in six games.
Since then, the Thunder’s popularity has skyrocketed. Durant has been all over the place as the new face of USA Basketball this summer, and is being hyped up as arguably the best player in the NBA, put on the same level with Kobe and LeBron and D-Wade. Durant’s OKC teammates Russell Westbrook — who was kept on the World Championship team at the expense of All-Star and NBA champion Rajon Rondo — and Jeff Green also saw their profiles rise thanks to playing with Team USA, and the potential of young role players James Harden, Serge Ibaka, Eric Maynor, Nenad Krstic and others has fans excited.
It is almost scary to think that Durant could get any better, and the FIBA experience is only going to enhance his game, especially since he is the chosen one to lead Team USA. Fresh off a scoring title and a second-place finish in league MVP voting, Durant could be on track for an MVP season. His hype has grown immensely, as commentators say that Durant will be a starter on the 2012 Olympic team, over the likes of Wade, Kobe, or ‘Melo, which is somewhat of a bold statement.
Once seen as a darling underdog, the Thunder are on the verge of being over-hyped. Conversations in the Dime office have OKC finishing as high as the 2nd seed in the Western Conference, and the fact that they played the Lakers better than any other team in the West playoffs has some giving OKC a slight chance to knock off Kobe’s team in a series in 2011.
The hype they have accumulated over the past few months has definitely put a huge target on the Thunder’s backs. In the course of one offseason — again without a lot of major roster moves — the Thunder have gone from hunters to the hunted. They won’t be sneaking up on anybody in the League anymore, and now the set of expectations has changed from simply making the playoffs to making noise in the playoffs.
But frankly, they don’t care. What do you get when you mix a fire-hot superstar, playoff experience against defending NBA champs, super-athletic young talent, bench support, a Coach of the Year winner and an incredibly supporting fan base in a pot and let it cook for a summer? Potentially, if all goes well, a Finals appearance. Thunder up!
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September 8th, 2010 at 12:29 pm
Heckler says:
tough for them to do. remember, the Hornets did this a few years ago and its been downhill for them ever since.
the best thing about the Thunder (which NO one talks about) is that for a young team, they were among the leaders in TEAM DEFENSE.
TEAM DEFENSE is the reason they were so successful last year, not Kevin Durants scoring. didnt they lead the league in blocks?
if the defense stays on course and has a repeat of last year, then they will improve to possibly a homecourt seed (remember folks, they finished 8th last year–EIGHTH!). not often will a team go from 8th seed to 2nd seed without a major roster addition. relax yourselves.
the 2nd best thing about them is that they added perimeter shooting. good thing. cause last year they SUCKED at shooting the 3 and long jumpers. they added Daequan Cook and Mo Peterson. they really needed Mike Miller. but Cook and Peterson will do.
expect them to finish with about 50-54wins (i know that is a wide spread) and a 3 or 4 seed in the west.
yall need to manage your expectations so that they are realistic
September 8th, 2010 at 12:34 pm
steven56 says:
you’re dumb
September 8th, 2010 at 12:41 pm
LakeShow84 says:
That Ibaka kid really worries me.. i like him lol
When he gets comfortable and lets his offense start flowing (and he DOES have offense) its going to be ugly.. hes already a good defender who’s only going to get better on that end as well..
But honestly unless Westbrook picks up range our 2nd meeting wont be suspenseful.. oh and dont forget Kobes was hobbled the first 3-4 games..
September 8th, 2010 at 1:27 pm
JAY says:
Ibaka fits the role of the guy you hate on the other team but love if he’s on your team. Dude is just straight annoying!!!! Lol. I mean that in a very good way.
September 8th, 2010 at 2:16 pm
Baby Huey says:
“What do you get when you mix a fire-hot superstar, playoff experience against defending NBA champs, super-athletic young talent, bench support, a Coach of the Year winner and an incredibly supporting fan base in a pot and let it cook for a summer?”
Change just a couple of those words and you get last year’s Portland Trailblazers. Take it from a Blazer fan, that next step is a mighty big one, and you better hope they are completely injury free again or it could be a LONG year.
September 8th, 2010 at 2:20 pm
el mar says:
Ibaka has all the tools to be a legit starter at PF for OKC and actually IMO his develpment is the key for OKC if they wanna challenge the lakers, although I like Green he’s more of a combo and too small to guard real PFs and if they keep the team together, I see Green coming of the bench same as Lamar does for lakers
As for this years draft it was a bad choice trading for Aldrich they already have Byron Mullens which IMO is quite a similar player, though Presti all in all has done a great job, but I adressing the teams needs would have selected Hassan Whiteside, which I saw as a great fit
all of that said barring any serious injuries I believe OKC will improve and get a home seed in the first round and should give lakers a good challenge
As i said all depends on Serge Ibakas growth..
September 8th, 2010 at 2:56 pm
Brown says:
I’d say their success hinges more on James Harden’s growth. As the #3 pick (taken over Tyreke Evans), his rookie year wasn’t what I expected. I hope he grows as a player this year and cements himself as part of OKC’s core, not just a role player.
They have decent depth at each position, but their starters need to take it up a notch for them to take that next step. The West is weaker, so that should bode well for them to pick up a few more wins.
September 8th, 2010 at 3:19 pm
WinDelRoj says:
The best thing about the Thunder is the GM. Making sound decisions without jumping the gun trying to sign expensive free agents or making ridiculous trades. But that next step is killer.
September 8th, 2010 at 3:54 pm
el mar says:
@Brown
well yes harden’s development is as important for sure as you said he’s one of their core and not a role player definately, he’ll be great for them and all that, but what I was pointing out was that Green is not a starter on a ship contender so Ibaka’s progress is much more essential at the moment, and if they develop and keep this you group together they’ll be contenders for a decade at least, just because of their relative equality in age, and in Ibaka I see some Kemp in him actually besides he’s shown glimpses this past season on offense as well
and for westbrook it’s obvious he needs to put in a lot work on his point skills and shooting he’s far from a floor general averagin 8 assists passing to KD
September 8th, 2010 at 5:39 pm
cesar says:
imagIne if thunder would have drafted tyreke… O.O
September 8th, 2010 at 7:06 pm
Jdstorm says:
@caesar
i can imagine it. they would have no 3 pt shooters, and there would probably be a struggle between him and KD about whos the man
September 8th, 2010 at 8:56 pm
Jason says:
What a surprise. Another day, another article on the over-hype, overrated, one-dimensional Durant.
September 8th, 2010 at 10:03 pm
Rainman says:
They ARE why do ppl say the Thunder gave the Lakers their hardest series in the West? That was Clearly the SUNS.
if it wasnt for a ron artest layup at teh buzzer of a kobe air ball, (had that ball hit the damn rim)
the Suns could very well have won the series and gone 2 the Finals.
The Suns gave them their hardest fight, not the Thunder.
September 8th, 2010 at 10:39 pm
Chuck says:
Some very good observations here especially towards Harden and Ibaka. I’ll put out my 2 or 3 cents. I didn’t understand why Presti chose Harden until I saw him play. He has got a game reminding me of a left-handed, bearded Havlicek. There is something timeless about his game and I think he will be one of the keys to their improvement. Ibaka might be the beast for them. I don’t think many are projecting what this team might be like if Aldrich gives them defense underneath with shot blocking and size. That would give them 3 shot blockers, including Durant and a terrific defensive player in Sefalosha and, of course, Westbrook. This is a hungry crew that should only get better and better as they mature.
September 8th, 2010 at 10:55 pm
jzsmoove says:
i was wondering why the Thunder aint getting more more hype, when a team this good is surrounded in the West by other teams getting worse and/or older? There is no reason to think they cant take the #3 or #4 spot in the West. In no particular order, Lakers, Thunder, Blazers (u heard it here first), and Spurs.
September 9th, 2010 at 1:07 am
Aaron THe Great says:
I tell you what I AM EXCITED FOR THIS YOUNG TEAM. I think their BIGS need some improvement, but when this young team gels.. WATCH OUT