Billy Donovan Thunder

[EBonz30]

I am not sure if this board watches the NBA, but I just wanted to make this point..

I've been asking for it for the last 3 games and Billy has finally pulled the trigger the last 2 games and it has worked out...

Westbrook
Waiters
Durant
Kanter
Adams

That is how OKC wins this series, those 5 guys, they need to play the last 10 mins of each game and play together in the first half as well.

Billy has done that the last two games and it turned into W's.

Ibaka doesn't even try, a true disappointment, embarrassing, how many times are you gonna let someone grab the ball right out of your hands?? How many times are you going to be lazy on D and not contest??

Big Ups to Billy, tremendous job so far in this series, it's really nice to see a strong college coach go into the league and do work!

Keep it up Billy and close it out come Thursday!!

FYI- Thursday in OKC, will be the loudest Arena all season.

 

[Adios]

We're not in Oklahoma.

 

[RayRay19]

And to think they chose Ibaka over Harden

 

[KingOPancakes]

And to think they chose Ibaka over Harden

You can't blame OKC for that. Harden wanted to be "the guy" which was never going to happen with the Thunder so there was about a 0% chance he wasn't going to leave. Might as well get what you can out of it and focus on Ibaka, who looked to be developing into an elite big at the time and was much more likely to stay put.

 

[aceboon]

You can't blame OKC for that. Harden wanted to be "the guy" which was never going to happen with the Thunder so there was about a 0% chance he wasn't going to leave. Might as well get what you can out of it and focus on Ibaka, who looked to be developing into an elite big at the time and was much more likely to stay put.

He was going to be a restricted free agent(same with Ibaka), unless he was willing to play on a one year tender after his rookie deal was up he really didn't have an option of leaving as long as OKC was willing to commit to a max deal. Before it got to that point OKC offered him less than a max for his extension, Harden declined signing it, so OKC traded him just prior to playing out that last year of his deal.

 

[EBonz30]

You can't blame OKC for that. Harden wanted to be "the guy" which was never going to happen with the Thunder so there was about a 0% chance he wasn't going to leave. Might as well get what you can out of it and focus on Ibaka, who looked to be developing into an elite big at the time and was much more likely to stay put.

I agree, Ibaka should be a better fit too, but he's regressed over the last few years. He also didn't get paid nearly as much as Harden if you look at his contract.

I am pretty sure Ibaka only has 1 more year on his contract. Then another franchise can make a mistake in signing that lazy guy, hopefully not the Knicks.

 

[superjohn]

Adams and Kanter are definitely the difference in the series.

 

[EBonz30]

Adams and Kanter are in the series.definitely the difference

My buddy who is a OKC fan remind me this morning Kanter was given a 70 million dollar contract this offseason.

It's hard for me to understand he only averaged 20 mins a game during the season coming off an offseason where he got a 70 million dollar contract, I guess it's never too late, nice job Billy.

Going to be very interesting rest of playoff and offseason for OKC, if they can keep this group together with Adams development and Billy the kid as the head coach I could see them becoming a power house again ala Warriors.

 

[gtcam]

Westbrook allows Adams and Kanter to become meaningful
Without him they are average if not worse
Their only strength is second chance hoops and that comes with over concentration on Westbrook by the defense
Christ someone here is making Kanter sound like he's the next coming of Wilt
not in this world - neither of those guys will be stars - maybe role players at best

 

[EBonz30]

Westbrook allows Adams and Kanter to become meaningful
Without him they are average if not worse
Their only strength is second chance hoops and that comes with over concentration on Westbrook by the defense
Christ someone here is making Kanter sound like he's the next coming of Wilt
not in this world - neither of those guys will be stars - maybe role players at best

I agree, no one is saying they are stars....

What we are saying is that they have been the difference the last few games because of unlike years past OKC is actually getting solid play from other players besides Westbrook and Durant.

Also, Westbrook is the guy, you are right with that. Still shocked OKC was able to win last night with Durant playing some of the worst basketball ever in the last 5 mins of that game.

 

[Dogdeacon]

Back to the original point you gotta give Donovan props, especially if he ends up beating the Spurs and Popovich. Yes the Spurs core is older and slower, but they added Aldridge, Leonard is peaking and they of course won a ton of games and were perceived by most to be the 2nd best team.

The Thunder did beat an arguably equal Spurs team to make their first finals in 2012, but in 2013 Thunder were upset by Grizzlies in semis and 2014 lost to the Spurs in the Western finals (did Ibaka get hurt?). Donovan figured out how to be quicker and more athletic than the Spurs and even though it simple/obvious he has worked the Durant/Westbrook stagger to an advantage.

 

[bballgrda]

Back to the original point you gotta give Donovan props, especially if he ends up beating the Spurs and Popovich. Yes the Spurs core is older and slower, but they added Aldridge, Leonard is peaking and they of course won a ton of games and were perceived by most to be the 2nd best team.

The Thunder did beat an arguably equal Spurs team to make their first finals in 2012, but in 2013 Thunder were upset by Grizzlies in semis and 2014 lost to the Spurs in the Western finals (did Ibaka get hurt?). Donovan figured out how to be quicker and more athletic than the Spurs and even though it simple/obvious he has worked the Durant/Westbrook stagger to an advantage.

The Spurs were clearly thought the better team entering the 2012 series.

 

[EBonz30]

Back to the original point you gotta give Donovan props, especially if he ends up beating the Spurs and Popovich. Yes the Spurs core is older and slower, but they added Aldridge, Leonard is peaking and they of course won a ton of games and were perceived by most to be the 2nd best team.

The Thunder did beat an arguably equal Spurs team to make their first finals in 2012, but in 2013 Thunder were upset by Grizzlies in semis and 2014 lost to the Spurs in the Western finals (did Ibaka get hurt?). Donovan figured out how to be quicker and more athletic than the Spurs and even though it simple/obvious he has worked the Durant/Westbrook stagger to an advantage.

Think about this for a second...

Let's put things in perspective....

If after Game 1 you asked 10 different NBA analysts they all would of said Thunder have no chance in this series, including myself said the same thing to my buddy...

Billy realizing the big lineup and playing Waiters over Roberson has made a big difference....

I also think the Spurs haven't played well at all, Aldridge is way overrated and Parker and Duncan look like they are coming to their end...

Billy really has the Thunder playing wonderful Defense, wonderful.

 

[Dogdeacon]

Back to the original point you gotta give Donovan props, especially if he ends up beating the Spurs and Popovich. Yes the Spurs core is older and slower, but they added Aldridge, Leonard is peaking and they of course won a ton of games and were perceived by most to be the 2nd best team.

The Thunder did beat an arguably equal Spurs team to make their first finals in 2012, but in 2013 Thunder were upset by Grizzlies in semis and 2014 lost to the Spurs in the Western finals (did Ibaka get hurt?). Donovan figured out how to be quicker and more athletic than the Spurs and even though it simple/obvious he has worked the Durant/Westbrook stagger to an advantage.

That was kinda my point, the team is perceived to have 'under-achieved' under Brooks, but it was arguably due to injuries. I didn't watch them enough to know if Brooks was a mediocre coach or simply stubborn about rotations or over-playing chemistry guys like Perk. These are simple obvious coaching things that casual & part-time observers can see - I don't know how Brooks was at the deeper coaching of offensive/defensive systems and adjustments during series. But Donovan seems good at all and less rigid in his allocation of PT & combos.

 

[pnow15]

A lot of this has to do with Tim Duncan being 40.

 

[Dogdeacon]

A lot of this has to do with Tim Duncan being 40.

No doubt Duncan is severely limited, Parker slower and Ginobli on his last legs. But Aldridge was as good offensively as Duncan's ever been and was silenced & Kawhi is better all-around right now than anybody but Duncan throughout the Duncan-Spurs era. This Spurs team won a lot of games and that Thunder team blew a lot of games this year, gotta give them credit for turning the tables.

 

[BUHusky]

 

[intlzncster]

No doubt Duncan is severely limited, Parker slower and Ginobli on his last legs. But Aldridge was as good offensively as Duncan's ever been and was silenced & Kawhi is better all-around right now than anybody but Duncan throughout the Duncan-Spurs era. This Spurs team won a lot of games and that Thunder team blew a lot of games this year, gotta give them credit for turning the tables.

Not disagreeing with your overall point, but Duncan averaged 25ppg/3.3orb/3.7apg for one of his best years. Lamarcus is at 18/2.4/1.5 for 2016. Sometimes people forget Duncan is arguably (some yes, some no) a Top 5 player in the history of the NBA.

 

[dogfan96]

No doubt Duncan is severely limited, Parker slower and Ginobli on his last legs. But Aldridge was as good offensively as Duncan's ever been and was silenced & Kawhi is better all-around right now than anybody but Duncan throughout the Duncan-Spurs era. This Spurs team won a lot of games and that Thunder team blew a lot of games this year, gotta give them credit for turning the tables.

The Spurs did win a lot of games but there are a lot of mediocre to BAD teams in the NBA. I don't think Donovan has really done anything revolutionary. Russ will still do some bonehead Russ things (like freeze KD out of the offense down the stretch of Game 3.. he made the same number of FGs as KD, except he had 13 more attempts). And Russ will be an absolute monster at times (like in Game 5). No matter what happens, OKC still has 2 of the 3 best players on the floor pretty much at all times (and for my money they have THE 2 best players.. Leonard is great but he can't stop KD even a little).
OKC has always been their own worst enemy. They had the Warriors beat the last time they played but KD made 2 bonehead plays in the last 10 seconds to allow GS to tie the game and eventually win in OT. But when they're good, they're VERY good. They still don't really run anything very organized at crunch time but the greatness of Westbrook and/or Durant can offset that.. and as mentioned above Kanter and Adams are very underrated (now I see why UK wanted Kanter so bad)

 

[EBonz30]

I know a lot of you guys like to make fun of me....

One thing you will quickly realize I know basketball and I know how to call games and series.....

Let's go Thunder!!!

 

[bballgrda]

Not to take any shots at you, but to be fair... your OP occurred after the series was 3-2 and the mentioned lineup had already given the Spurs fits 2 games in a row down the stretch. The Thunder have always been the Spurs kryptonite and may have toppled a team in the 2014 Spurs which played some of the most beautiful basketball I have witnessed if not for the Ibaka injury.

 

[dogfan96]

I know a lot of you guys like to make fun of me....

One thing you will quickly realize I know basketball and I know how to call games and series.....

Let's go Thunder!!!

I've been trying to tell people for months that the West wasn't a 2 horse race and that OKC would be a factor.. nobody listened... the Warriors aren't exactly playing great defense right now and they're about to see a force much greater than Lillard/McCollum. I'm not picking OKC but it won't surprise me in the least if they advance to the Finals for another shot at LeBron.

 

[EBonz30]

Not to take any shots at you, but to be fair... your OP occurred after the series was 3-2 and the mentioned lineup had already given the Spurs fits 2 games in a row down the stretch. The Thunder have always been the Spurs kryptonite and may have toppled a team in the 2014 Spurs which played some of the most beautiful basketball I have witnessed if not for the Ibaka injury.

Well the Spurs were favorites tonight, which is absurd.

If you know basketball and watched this series in detail you knew OKC was winning this game.

Like I've said before if it's college or NBA I watch more
Than anyone I've ever met or spoken too. I know you love to laugh at me and my opinions but a lot come true, nobody is perfect.

 

[EBonz30]

I've been trying to tell people for months that the West wasn't a 2 horse race and that OKC would be a factor.. nobody listened... the Warriors aren't exactly playing great defense right now and they're about to see a force much greater than Lillard/McCollum. I'm not picking OKC but it won't surprise me in the least if they advance to the Finals for another shot at LeBron.

This is what the series will come down to.....

If OKC can win the turnover battler they will win the series....mark it down...

 

[dogfan96]

This is what the series will come down to.....

If OKC can win the turnover battler they will win the series....mark it down...

You're probably right.. both teams turn the ball over a lot. But OKC has 2 of the best 3 players on the floor at crunch time. Plus their entire rotation is young and they're athletic with more size than the Warriors. The Bogut injury is huge. Hamstrings usually get better later rather than sooner.