Hello? KD, you there? Russell? Heeelloooo? Scottie Brooks is that you? Damn, Dirk really shut up an entire team, an entire city. Brooks said in the postgame that if you aren’t upset after a loss like this, then you can’t get upset over any loss. He’s right. Blowing a 15-point lead in the final four-plus minutes in a pivotal Game 4 is about as low as it gets. Oklahoma City had everything lined up to punch a 2-2 ticket back to Dallas. Except Dirk wasn’t cooperating, and after Dallas’ epic 112-105 overtime win, it’s not even a question anymore. Dirk Nowitzki won’t let his team lose. Perhaps the Thunder’s only hope? Calling Mike O’Hara and Jimmy Flaherty … Read More »

Dear Dallas, watching you shred the Thunder in the first half was almost too much. We couldn’t take it, the beatdown was too ruthless. And also thank you for killing the stereotype. As the game jumped into the fourth quarter, OKC started rolling and the Mavs started disintegrating. Again. But this time, there would be no fun. The Mavs held on 93-87, riding Dirk Nowitzki (10 of his 18 points in the final frame) late to jump out 2-1 in the series and regain control. Read More »

By now we all know what went down in the 4th quarter of last night’s Thunder/Mavs game (if you need a refresher on the drama, GO HERE).

We just want to know one thing from our readers: Did Scott Brooks do the right thing by benching Russell Westbrook in the 4th quarter of last night’s game?

Tell us what you think in the comments section below and we will post the best/most interesting responses on our Twitter and Facebook pages.

For four games, Zach Randolph was held down. His shooting percentages dropped (never hitting above 36 percent). But the odds that the NBA’s Cinderella would go another 48 playing like Oliver Miller? 1 to 10. Or something like that. Randolph took over Game 6 in the fourth quarter, helping Memphis grind out a 95-83 win to send it back to Oklahoma City for Game 7. Randolph (30 points, 13 rebounds) was a beast throughout the final quarter, scoring on drop steps and hook shots. Read More »

So let me get this straight: two alpha basketball talents, two guys who have grown up as number-one options, two All-Stars convinced they are bound for royalty, had words the other night during Oklahoma City’s first loss to Denver during this postseason? One guy took 30 shots and only made 12; the other had 31 points on 18 shots. But yet someone kept shooting, kept looking off the other, and kept screwing up, ultimately leading to an extension of the Nuggets’ season. Read More »

No disrespect to Caron Butler — who is one of our favorite guys to work with in the NBA and tougher than your first night in prison — but at this stage in his career, if he is your primary scoring option against a team like the San Antonio Spurs you’ll have to play an almost flawless game to win. Without Dirk Nowitzki (knee) in the lineup on Thursday, the Mavs had to lean on Caron (30 pts) against the Spurs, and they just didn’t play perfect enough to get the W … Meanwhile, the Spurs were overloaded with options. Read More »

After an outstanding three-year career at Kansas, which included a 2008 NCAA Championship and three Big 12 titles during his tenure, Cole Aldrich was a Lottery pick this June. First selected by the Hornets before being trading to the Thunder on Draft Night, the Bloomington, Minn. native gladly returned to the Midwest. So with everyone’s expectations for the Thunder going through the roof this season, we decided there was no one better to turn to for the inside scoop on life in OKC. In his second entry, Cole talks about the Thunder road trip, No-Shave November and his new crib. Read More »

When you’re nicknamed after a tarantula, you’re expected to look and perform like one, e.g. having long arms that make you versatile with the ability to adapt to a new environment. That’s exactly what Kevin Durant is doing.

There’s no doubt that Durant’s, a.k.a. “Durantula,” been working hard at improving his game over the past two seasons — he became the NBA’s youngest scoring champion in 2010 and is a front-runner MVP candidate at just 21 years old — to morph into a better all-around player instead of just putting the ball in the basket. Read More »

Quick, name the top point guards in the high school class of 2003 playing in the NBA right now. There is Chris Paul, who has solidified himself as one the top guards in the world. You have the reigning Most Improved Player in Aaron Brooks. There’s Shannon Brown, who has two rings with the Lakers. And now you may have to add Mustafa Shakur to this list after singing with the New Orleans Hornets this summer. Read More »

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. Read More »