Russell Westbrook is one of the most discussed players in the league today. After the 2011 playoffs, he was chastised for his play. Criticism usually came in the manner of him “stealing shots from Kevin Durant” and “being selfish”. In those games Westbrook and Durant took nearly the same number of shots (20.2 and 20.3 FGA, respectively), yet Durant outscored Westbrook by nearly five points per game. Most of the critique was warranted though, as Westbrook shot just 39.4% from field and TOV% (estimated # of turnovers per 100 plays) of 16.1.

Coming into this past season, one of the major questions about the Thunder was how would the team get their stars enough shots. With James Harden and Serge Ibaka showing vast improvements, there didn’t seem to be enough basketballs for all of the talent on the Thunder. Even so, Russ managed to increase his shot attempts by 2.2 per game and Durant still won yet another scoring title.

Greg M. Cooper-US PRESSWIRE

By this time, Westbrook was known as the league’s ultimate “do or die” player. He could take over and win you a game, or he could lose it just as easily. Having a short memory is usually a great trait to have in athletics, but Westbrook was heavily criticized for continuing to take ill advised shots while he was having a bad game. Especially when you have fellow elite scorers like Durant and Harden on your team, you will be under scrutiny as a point guard when you don’t get them the ball.

With the Thunder having a plethora of scorers, and the pending contract extensions of Harden and Ibaka, the idea of trading Westbrook for Rajon Rondo was discussed among fans. The thought is that Rondo, being one of the best distributers in the league, would be able to control the offense and just feed the ball to Durant and crew.

Rondo, only three years older than Westbrook, is another love-hate player. Fans fall in love with his elite passing ability and the way he takes over games as a triple-double machine. Just last season, he managed 10 of the rare feat, including three in the playoffs (all victories). No other player had more than one.

On the other side, his struggles shooting the ball has caused fans to question his ability to be a star on a championship caliber team. Yes, he has already has a ring as a starting point guard, but was not nearly as important to his team as he is today. Throughout his six years in the league, Rondo has never averaged more than 14 points and his True Shooting % has decreased in each of the past four seasons.

While Westbrook struggled at times on the way to an NBA Finals loss, Rondo was the main reason an old Celtics team was able to take the Miami Heat to seven games in the Eastern Conference Finals. A 44 point explosion by Rondo in Game 2 of the ECF led to an movement to name him the best point guard in the league. With a dangerous jumper, Rondo could become what people want Westbrook to be, a pass-first point guard who can shoot. Unfortunately, that’s not what Rondo has, and that’s not what Westbrook should become.

The thought that point guards should be pass first, shoot second, has caused most of the Westbrook criticism. After averaging over eight assists two seasons in a row, Russ dropped down to just 5.5 in 2011-2012. This is partially fault to James Harden getting much of the fourth quarter point guard duties, but also an increase in the Thunder’s use of isolation on offense.

With the unique collection of athletes in Oklahoma City, they can run a rather basic offense and manage to score at will. With the addition of Rajon Rondo, the whole style of the Thunder would change. You probably see more pick and rolls, spot ups, and fancier passes, while losing much of the isolation game OKC loves so much.

Without a threat to score at point guard, Kevin Durant will get more attention when he has the ball. Assuming Harden stays as the sixth man, the starting lineup will have just Durant, Rondo, and three defensive players in Ibaka, Thabo Sefolosha, and Kendrick Perkins. While Rondo is still a very good offensive player, he is much less of a threat off the ball as Westbrook.

Although, Serge Ibaka and Nick Collison would be much more involved in the offense with Rondo at the point. A post game has been missing from OKC for years, and that has been a shortcoming for them in the playoffs.

The one player I believe that would be affected the most by a change in point guards, would be James Harden. His main game is being able to drive to the basket at will, and having an array of shots to choose from. Also, he became the primary ball handler for the Thunder late in games.

This was possible because Westbrook is a very capable off-ball guard. Spreading the floor with Durant and Westbrook on the perimeter allowed Harden to navigate his way to the lane, likely drawing a foul and hitting free throws. Rondo would take a majority of the point guard duties when he is in the game, relegated Harden to a more minor role. The Thunder lose the flexibility of having three ball handlers who are elite scorers and have the ability to take over a game individually.

What wins basketball games is scoring. The way it is, Oklahoma City has one of the most high-powered offenses in recent memory. Russell Westbrook is the main reason that can happen. He does cost the team some games, but his upside is way too high to dwell on the misfortunes. With experience he will learn to limit the bad and excel throughout all facets of the game.

The reasons the Thunder loss the Finals were a determined best player in the NBA in LeBron James, a horrible James Harden, and shaky coaching. A change in style is not what the Thunder need to take the next step, they need Russell Westbrook at his best (giving James Harden a new contract would be nice, too).

Derick E. Hingle-US PRESSWIRE

Going down 2-1 was not that unexpected for the Thunder, but losing because of missed free throws? If you told me Oklahoma City would shoot under 75% from the charity stripe in each of their first three Finals games, I would’ve laughed in your face.For a team that shot over 80% on free throws for the season and gets to the line at an incredible rate, missing free throws is not acceptable.

No player performed particularly well for the Thunder. Kevin Durant led the team with 25 points, but had to sit out due to foul trouble, leading to a Miami Heat run. Westbrook followed with 19 while nobody else had over 10.

LeBron James had a game high 29 points to go along with 14 rebounds, leading the Heat to a 91-85 victory. Dwyane Wade scored 25, yet shot only 8-22 from the field.

I had a problem with Nick Collison playing only 13 minutes, considering how well he played in the first game. The Miami Heat can’t go big, so having a versatile defender like Collison can be a huge advantage.

Anyways, the series stays in Miami for Game 4 to see if the Thunder can tie it up. Opening tip is at 9 ET on Tuesday.

Kevin Durant- B+     25pts/6reb/0ast/2blk

Even for a bad game, Durant played pretty well. What sticks out most about his stat line is the fact that he only shot four free throws, missing two, even. When the Thunder are getting to the line, they win. The five turnovers and five fouls killed Durant and Oklahoma City. He was unable to step up while the Heat were streaking because he was on the bench.

Russell Westbrook-  C     19pts/5reb/4ast/2blk

Russell Westbrook was bound to have a crappy game. Unfortunately it came when everyone else played terribly as well. Shooting 8-18 is the Westbrook that people love to hate, when he keeps on shooting, even when he isn’t making a thing. A mix of bad Westbrook and bad Durant does not bode well of the Thunder.

Kendrick Perkins- B     10pts/2reb/1ast/1blk

Wait, Kendrick Perkins was third on the team in points, and led in rebounds? I was very surprised with Perk’s performance, but I still would rather see Nick Collison play more than him. What Finals experience he has isn’t enough to make-up for this lack of an offensive game.

Serge Ibaka- D     5pts/5reb/0ast/2blk

As a 22 year old playing in his first NBA Finals, Serge Ibaka has flailed under the pressure. He hasn’t done a good job in really any aspect of the game. He’s not blocking shots or hitting jumpers. Five points and five rebounds, is unacceptable for a starting forward on a Finals team.

James Harden- D     9pts/6reb/6ast/2stl

I hate that Harden has been playing so poorly this series. Throughout the playoffs, he has been the reason that the Thunder can close out teams, but he is not playing near that level now. I would assume that it is partially due to him being young and inexperienced in the playoffs, like Serge Ibaka, but he has been clutch in the playoffs so far.

Jerome Miron-US PRESSWIRE

I would just like to say, I love the NBA Finals. This game was absolutely amazing to watch, and I wouldn’t have wanted to do anything else with my time.

In the opening game of the 2012 NBA Finals, the Oklahoma City Thunder pulled out a 105-94 victory over the Miami Heat. It was a huge day for the city of Oklahoma City, which was hosting its first professional sports final.

Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook came up huge in the second half, outscoring the Heat by 18 points. Westbrook and Durant combined for 63 points on 50% shooting.

For the Heat, LeBron James was the one of their “Big 3” to play well. He scored 30 points, while Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh only contributed 19 and 10 points, respectively.

Early in the game, the Heat got out to a sizable lead when Shane Battier made his first four 3-point attempts. Mario Chalmers also produced for Miami with 12 points on 7 shots, to go along with 6 assists.

The Finals continue next Thursday back in Oklahoma City. Durant and Westbrook will try and lead their team to a 2-0 and control of the championship series.

Kevin Durant- A+     36pts/8reb/4ast/1blk

For his first Finals game, Kevin Durant didn’t show any sign of being nervous. With a game high 36 points, he led the Thunder to victory. Early on, Durant helped keep the team in the game while Westbrook was struggling to find his rhythm. A couple huge dunks and 3-pointers by KD got the crowd going as the Thunder extended the lead in the fourth, finally clinching the victory with just over a minute to go. A shooting performance like this will make it hard for the OKC offense to be stopped.

Russell Westbrook- A     27pts/8reb/11ast/1stl

Off to a rocky start, Westbrook found caught his stride in the second half. It looked like last year’s Russell Westbrook was going to show up, taking shots from Durant and all that narrative goodness. Unfortunately for the Heat, Russ drove to the lane with grace and power to get back to 41.6% shooting after a 2-9 start. What was most surprising was his passing tonight. Russ found his teammates often for open looks, leading to 11 assists.

James Harden- D     5pts/0reb/3ast

Fear the Beard was nowhere near present in Game 1. Harden was pretty much invisible throughout the game, partially due to him sitting out most of the second half after picking up four fouls. It also looked like he was very nervous about playing the Finals. His decision making was not the best, which caused him to be very ineffective. On the bright side, the Thunder won while James Harden played his worst game of the playoffs.

Kendrick Perkins- C+     4pts/7reb/0ast/1blk

The Miami Heat lack a strong post presence, so Kendrick Perkins was never going to be all that effective in this series. All we can ask of him is to rough up some of the Heat players and not mess anything up on offense. He made all two of his shots, and grabbed a few rebounds. Good Job, Perk.

Serge Ibaka- B-     10pts/6reb/1ast/1stl

Similarly to Perkins, Serge Ibaka didn’t have much responsibility on the defensive end, especially with Chris Bosh coming off the bench. The Heat took more jumpers than usual, so there wasn’t much opportunity for him to block any shots. On the offensive end, his ability to hit those outside shots spreads out the defense to make room for the guards to create. Pretty average game, overall, for another Thunder young gun.

Nick Collison- A     8pts/10reb/0ast/1stl

I absolutely love Nick Collison right now. He is playing so well, and doing everything he can to give the Thunder the best chance to win. Going into the fourth quarter, he had just seven minutes of playing time. Collison played the entire final period, and was the X-Factor for the Thunder. Tough defense and hustling are his trademarks, and it showed. Nick Collison was all over the court, batting back missed shots to give OKC extra possessions and playing very physically with LeBron James. It was a career performance on the biggest stage for the longest tenured member of the franchise.

Thabo Sefolosha- B+     9pts/1reb/2ast/2stl

Foul trouble may not have been the only reason James Harden didn’t play that much tonight. Thabo Sefolosha was a beast on the defensive side of the ball. Stats cannot define how effective Thabo was in holding down the Heat stars. His aggressiveness led to many of the 24 fast break points. I loved how Thabo played, and hope he continues to limit the Heat to tough baskets.

Derek Fisher- C     6pts/3reb/1ast

Derek Fisher confuses me. Sometimes he performs acts of brilliance, like it was 2004 again. Then again, there are times where he takes terrible shots or turns it over. In the end, he gives the Thunder some experienced minutes as another ball handler.

Richard Rowe-US PRESSWIRE

Yet again, the Dallas Mavericks held a lead in the final minute of the game. They led 97-96 before the Thunder hit four free throws.

Jason Terry hit a layup when down three, James Harden followed with two more free throws and the Mavs ended up with a shot to tie it with the shot clock off.

Terry missed two long 3-pointers at the buzzer and Oklahoma City held home court as they won Game 2, 102-99.

The game started out unusually as Kendrick Perkins scored seven of the Thunder’s first nine points. It looked like they were going to blowout the Mavericks during the second quarter when they took a 16-point lead.

Dallas brought the lead down to seven by halftime and took a lead just over four minutes into the third. From then on out it was a dogfight.

The refs called a very tight game; there were 54 total fouls, incredibly unusual for a playoff game. OKC shot 39 free throws to Dallas’ 32.

This series heads to Dallas for Game 3 on Thursday at 8:30 local time.

Kevin Durant- B     26pts/10reb/1ast/2stl

Very similarly to Game 1, Durant struggled to hit jump shots. Shawn Marion is a very solid wing defender, and has help Durant to just 34.1% shooting so far this series. Being the scoring champ, Kevin Durant is not going to shoot poorly forever, so it is a good sign that the team is winning despite his performances.

Russell Westbrook- B+    29pts/2reb/2ast

Westbrook played well on both sides of the ball tonight. He was put on Jason Terry and he shut him down for the most part. On offense, Westbrook was able to get to the rim and get fouled as well as hit the mid-range jumpers.

Kendrick Perkins- A-     13pts/6reb/1blk

I was really surprised by the beginning of the game. Perkins actually scored, and it was with efficiency. He ended up with 13 points on five shots. The Mavericks went small, which forced the Thunder to not play Perkins on Dirk that much. In 27 minutes, Perkins played some solid defense to go along with the weird scoring output.

Serge Ibaka- D     2pts/4reb/1ast/1blk

There wasn’t much to take from Ibaka’s game this time. He didn’t play all too much, and didn’t have an impact when he did. Again Ibaka struggled guarding Nowitzki out on the wing. He only blocked one shot and grabbed four rebounds to go with his two points. Not the best game for the young big man while he gains playoff experience.

James Harden- A     15pts/7reb/5ast/3stl

So far in this series, James Harden has taken 20 free throws, and only 14 field goal attempts. The Mavericks have not figured out how to prevent him from getting to the rim due to their lack of size in the paint. Harden is has been the X-Factor in these game by finding ways to score, even if he’s not hitting his shots.

Rest of the Thunder- B+

Finally the bench got it going. James Harden was the only bench player to score in Game 1, while in Game 2, the non-Harden bench scored 17 points. Derek Fisher led the way with 11 of his own, including a late 3 and a buzzer beater at the end of the first half. Fisher showed flashes from his previous playoff accomplishments, and he looks to continue to contribute positively to another title run. Nick Collison was assigned the task of stopping Dirk Nowitzki for most of the game. He was doing very well until fouling out with nine minutes left in the game.

Richard Rowe-US PRESSWIRE

Late in the first of what was expected to be among many playoff games for the Oklahoma City Thunder, they found themselves down seven points.

The defending champion Dallas Mavericks led 94-87 with two and a half minutes remaining in the final quarter. After that point, the Thunder held the Mavs to just four free throws, and forced two turnovers.

A fierce Serge Ibaka dunk while getting fouled gave the Thunder a one-point lead. Dirk Nowitzki took back the lead with two free throws with nine seconds left.

The Thunder set up Kevin Durant with isolation on Shawn Marion. Durant drove to the basket, pulled up from 15-feet out and released what would be the final shot of the game.

The ball arced towards the rim; it hit the back of the iron and bounced for what seemed like forever. Eventually, to the fans delight, the ball dropped through the net, giving the Thunder the 99-98 lead.

The Mavericks failed to get a shot off as the buzzer sounded.

After as close of a game as it gets, the Thunder took a 1-0 series lead. The first round continues on Monday for Game 2 in Oklahoma City.

Kevin Durant- B+     25pts/6reb/4ast/4blk

The reigning scoring champ came up in the clutch for the Thunder like he has all season. Durant did not shoot all that well throughout most of the game, but when it mattered he hit the shot that mattered most. Shooting just 10-27 from the floor did not deter KD from taking shots late in the game. It’s unlikely he continues to shoot poorly in the series, which will help the Thunder avoid close games late.

Russell Westbrook- A     28pts/4reb/5ast/3stl

As expected, Russell Westbrook played really well in this matchup. The Mavericks don’t have the defense at the guard position to contain Westbrook, and it showed. He was able to shoot over 50% while navigating through the Dallas guards. On another note, Westbrook did turn the ball over five times, but that can be expected when he handles the ball as much as he does. Look for Westbrook to continue to play well throughout the series.

James Harden- A-     19pts/6reb/3ast/1stl

It looked like the Mavericks didn’t know how to defend James Harden. Unfortunately the same can be said for Harden guarding Jason Terry. The battle of 6th men turned out to be pretty even. Terry scored 20 to Harden’s 19, both very efficiently (Harden had 7 FGAs, Terry 10). One of the reasons James has been so good this season was because he got to the line often. This game was no different as he attempted 10 free throws, making 9 of them.

Serge Ibaka- B     22pts/6reb/1ast/1stl/5blks

Quite the unusual game for Ibaka. On defense he did manage to block five shots, but was pretty poor in guarding Dirk. He still struggles outside of the paint, and may not be put on him for a majority of the series. Oddly enough, Ibaka was pretty dominant on offense. He scored 22 points on 9-12 shooting, including a 3-pointer to end the first half. Also he showed flashes of post moves that we really haven’t seen all season, which was a nice surprise. A performance like this, offensively at least, is what the Thunder need to win this series.

Kendrick Perkins- A     0pts/8reb/1stl/1blk

Looking at that statline you wouldn’t think Perkins played well. That was definitely not the case in Game 1. I actually love that he didn’t score, it’s not what the Thunder want or need him to do. He played BEAUTIFUL defense on Dirk down the stretch, one of the biggest reasons OKC won the game. Hopefully Perk is guarding him whenever he is in the game, because if he can shut down Dirk for the most part, the Thunder won’t have a hard time winning.

Rest of the Thunder- C

Only five members of the team scored, all starters except for Perkins, adding Harden. Thabo Sefolosha, Nick Collison, Derek Fisher, and Daequan Cook all played fewer than 20 minutes and had little offensive impact. Thabo spent put in some solid defensive minutes on JET and Delonte West while Collison did the same with Nowitzki. Nazr Mohammaed, Royal Ivey, Lazar Hayward, and Cole Aldrich didn’t see the floor.

Richard Rowe-US PRESSWIRE

It’s been quite a season for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Coming off a Western Conference Finals berth, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook were looking to take the next step as they gained another year of experience.

The lockout halted all basketball action for a while until the new CBA was settled. Finally, ten teams including the Thunder, opened up the season on Christmas Day relieving the six-month wait for basketball fans across the country.

The excitement in Oklahoma City was greater than it has ever been. For the first time since moving from Seattle, this franchise was a favorite to represent the West in the NBA Finals. They got off to an incredible start, winning 16 of their first 19 games and solidifying themselves as championship contenders.

The Thunder hit an early speed bump when backup point guard Eric Maynor went down for the season with a torn ACL. An already shaky bench situation was thrown for a loop. Reggie Jackson had to suffice as Westbrook picked up more minutes.

The season went on and the Thunder won more games. Then Thabo Sefolosha went down for around six weeks, forcing Daequan Cook to start while James Harden continued to come off the bench.

Both Durant and Westbrook gained All-Star nominations, with Harden just missing out. The Thunder went into the break at 27-7 and were on their way for the #1 seed in the conference.

A 7-5 start once the season resumed brought the team back down to Earth. Wins against the Miami Heat, Los Angeles Lakers, and Chicago Bulls in an eight-day period were the peak of the season. Kevin Durant looked like the MVP and the Thunder were settled in the top spot in the West.

Unfortunately, they lost their next three games leading to a 7-7 finish in which they ended up as the #2 seed in the conference. Still, 47 wins in a shortened season isn’t half bad and the Thunder have a great shot at making the NBA Finals.

Their road to the Finals begins on Saturday against either the Denver Nuggets or defending champion Dallas Mavericks, whom they beat 2-1 and 3-1 in the season series, respectively.

Now let’s give these guys some grades.

Kevin Durant- A+     28.0pts/8.0reb/3.5ast/1.4stl/1.2blk   26.2 PER

Having established himself as one of the elite players in the league with many individual awards, Kevin Durant is ready to take his achievements to a team level. He quickly turned the Thunder into a legit Finals contender with an MVP-type season.

Unless Kobe Bryant scores 38 or more points tonight, KD will win his third straight scoring title, and will most likely be selected to the All-NBA team again.

He set career highs in rebounds, assists, and FG%. What really made this season different for Durant was his improvement defensively. His isolation defense is ranked 20th in the league, at 0.57 points per possession compared to 0.74 last season.

Mark J. Rebilas-US PRESSWIRE

The main reason that Durant most likely will not win the MVP is because of LeBron’s defensive advantage. Even so, the gap is closing, with his athleticism and length Kevin can be a top notch defender which will lead to a few MVPs and hopefully some NBA titles.

Quite possibly the high point of the season for the Thunder star was scoring a career best 51 points against Denver in February. He had four 40+-point games to go along 18 double doubles. Missing that elusive triple double, Durant came within three assists three times.

Now, all of these stats and awards will mean nothing if the Thunder get knocked out in the first round of the playoffs. Basketball is a team game, and Durant will need to be a leader to take his team all the way.

Russell Westbrook- A     23.6pts/4.6reb/5.5ast/1.7stl   22.9 PER

Another great season for Russell Westbrook. Coming off a playoff run where he gained a lot of criticism for his shooting tendencies, Westbrook put that all behind him and played wonderfully.

He was rewarded with a second straight All-Star appearance while he continues to improve his play.

Shooting the ball at a higher rate, he raised his FG% 15 points. Although this led to a pretty significant drop in his AST%, his turnover rate dropped from 15.9 to 14.2.

As Westbrook continues to cutback on the turnovers, his play will get much better and more efficient. The Thunder run one of the most isolation dependent offenses in the league, which will lead to a lower Assist/Turnover ratio. Just over thirteen percent of the plays run are isolations, usually by Durant, Westbrook, or Harden.

For a point guard on one of the top teams in the league, you would think it’s surprising that Westbrook only had four games with double-digit assists, and none with more than 11. Honestly, I don’t see that as a problem for the Thunder. They are going to score at any rate, and he is really more of a shoot first point guard.

What to look for from Westbrook going into the playoffs is how spread out the scoring is. The Thunder will be under a huge spotlight due to their star power, and people will pay attention to how many shots he takes in relation to Durant. As long as they are both in the upper teens-20s, and are making shots, it shouldn’t be a problem.

James Harden- A     16.8pts/4.1reb/3.7ast/1.0stl   21.1 PER

Five days ago the Thunder were in great shape going into the playoffs. Nobody was injured and the players were getting ready to make a playoff run. Then Harden took an elbow to the head from Ron Artest (he was suspended 7 games), missing the final two games of the season while recovering from a concussion.

Now, Harden is cleared to play in the first round, but concussions are always a touchy subject. It’s hard to tell how effected a person is by a hit to the head, whether they can play to their full ability or not. We’ll see how he reacts to the injury when he plays this weekend.

Besides this unfortunate incident, James Harden has had an incredible season. After a great showing in last year’s playoffs, he was met with expectations of becoming that third All-Star caliber player for the Thunder.

He did just that.

Harden is a shoe-in for 6th Man of the Year, along with being a candidate for Most Improved Player. He could start for pretty much any team that isn’t the Heat, Lakers or Spurs, but coming off the bench is what the Thunder need from him. When Durant and Westbrook are out of the game, he gives the team multiple ways to score.

For a while now I have been saying that James Harden is the best passer on the Thunder. He is able to run a quality offense with what little offensive talent the Thunder bench holds, and is given the point in many clutch situations.

Once Eric Maynor went down, Harden was on his own in the backcourt. He either assisted or scored a majority of the points while the bench unit was in the game. Nick Collison was the only other person on the bench to play significant minutes and be productive.

Averaging 16.8 points while shooting 49.1%, Harden just missed out on an All-Star berth. Surely he will make plenty in the future if he keeps on improving at this pace.

In just his third season in the league, Harden has become one of the most efficient scorers in the NBA. His points per possession of 1.12 ranks seventh in the league, his .660 TS% is the best for a backcourt player in the league’s history. True Shooting percentage incorporates FG%, 3P% and FT%, which means he gets to the charity stripe often, and can hit shots from anywhere on the court with consistency.

A prime example of his efficiency is the stat line Harden put up against the Phoenix Suns eight days ago. In one of the most exciting games this season, James Harden scored a career high 40 points on just 17 shots. He hit five of eight 3-point attempts, and all 11 free throw tries.

This type of play is the reason why he will be the X-Factor for the Thunder going into the playoffs. If Durant or Westbrook struggle, they can count on Harden to score and take over the game if necessary.

Serge Ibaka- B+     9.1pts/7.5reb/0.4ast/0.5stl/3.7blk   19.0 PER

IBLOCKA!

You may have heard this a bit this year. Serge Ibaka has become the blocking king of the league. Averaging close to four blocks per game, he became the first person to block 241 shots since Marcus Camby in 07-08, and that’s even with the shortened season.

The breakout game for the 22(???) year old big man came on a day where the Thunder had two 40+-point scorers. Ibaka collected his first triple double by blocking 11 shots to go along with 14 points and 15 rebounds.

Richard Rowe-US PRESSWIRE

When someone is that dominant in the paint, they usually get looks for Defensive Player of the Year. Certainly people will give Serge votes, but it’s not time for that, yet. He really needs to improve all of the other parts of his defensive game, including pick and rolls, guarding smaller players, and not biting on pump fakes.

What I was really impressed with was Serge’s production on the offensive end. He may have dropped around a point per game from last year, but that really isn’t what matters with all of the scorers on the team.

The way he advanced his game was by adding more ways to score. His post moves are improving at a nice rate, and he has found a mid-ranged jumper. He hit shots from 16-21 feet at 45.5%, up from 41.8% last season. With more practice, his shot selection will improve, increasing his FG% and scoring average.

Against some of the smaller teams, we have seen Ibaka’s minutes go down under 20 due to his struggles guarding players outside the paint. With more time, he will be fit to play 30+ minutes every game.

We will see what Scott Brooks does once the playoffs start. Will he trust Ibaka to play a majority of the game with the season on the line?

Kendrick Perkins- C     5.1pts/6.6reb/1.2ast/0.4stl/1.1blk   8.7 PER

I don’t have a problem with Kendrick Perkins starting and only scoring five points, IF the only shots he gets are off offensive rebounds and the occasional wide open dunk. The worst thing the Thunder can do, is give the ball to Perk in the post, because he has ZERO post moves. It’s painful watching it.

Now on the defensive end, Perkins is really good. He is a solid pick and roll defender, and very good in isolation. That is how the Thunder will get the most out of the former Celtic. Keep him out of the offense and let him do his thing on defense.

This season, Perkins only scored double digit points eight times this year, with all but two of them coming after March 22nd. He also led the league with 13 technical fouls.

Kendrick Perkins doesn’t fill up the stat sheet, but he is still an above average NBA player, and is an able start for a championship contender.

Thabo Sefolosha- B     4.8pts/3.0reb/1.1ast/0.9stl/0.4blk   9.8 PER

Thabo played about just under 2/3 of this shortened season. His foot hindered him; he missed six weeks at the end of January into early March. The Thunder’s defense was affected by his absence, as Sefolosha is one of the premier wing defenders in the league.

Against smaller, faster teams, like the Nuggets, Sefolosha plays a more important part. When he is in along side Durant, Harden, and Westbrook, the Thunder’s defensive rating is better than normal at 1.01 ppp.

Thabo can hit 3-pointers at a nice rate. He shot 43.7% from beyond the arc, shooting 1.7 per game. His FT% is also in the upper 80s, so he isn’t a problem late in close games.

Defense wins championships, so Thabo will be an integral part in the Thunder’s run to the Finals.

Nick Collison- B+     4.5pts/4.3reb/1.3ast/0.5stl/0.4blk   12.1 PER

Mark J. Rebilas-US PRESSWIRE

I have really enjoyed watching Nick Collison come off the bench. He has good chemistry with James Harden, and is a stickler on defense.

When the bench comes in, the main offense run by the unit is either Harden isolation, or the two-man game with Harden and Collison. He may not score much, but he is very effective in running a system and helping players get open shots. Evidenced by his 121 offensive rating (basketball-reference).

I like to think Collison is a similar player as Joakim Noah. He may not have the same talent, but they play the same type of game. Both players have high motors, will do the dirty work necessary to be a factor in the game. Every team needs that guy who hustles 100% of the time, and Nick is that guy for the Thunder.

Daequan Cook- C-     5.5pts/2.1reb/0.3ast/0.4stl/0.2blk   9.2 PER

The thing with PER is, it only takes into account quantifiable stats. So the only defense it uses is blocks and steals, that’s why Perkins and Sefolosha have a lower PER, their defensive skills are more than just statistics.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Daequan Cook. He is nowhere near a quality defensive player, and really isn’t even that good on offense.

Cook is supposed to be a 3-point specialist, that is why, of his 5.2 shots per games, 4 of them are 3-pointers. The best 3-point shooters are in the mid-40% range, above average shooters are in the upper-30s. Generally, if you are only on the team to make 3′s, you should be in one of those two categories.

Daequan Cook shot just 34.6% from range this year. That is not good. It’s not even like he just had a down year, he is a career 36.5% 3-point shooter.

When Thabo went down, and Cook had to step in and start, that’s when it got bad. There was a stretch of six games in the middle of February, where Cook made 4 of 34 attempts from beyond the arc. That is not good.

His minutes will be way down for the playoffs. I would be surprised if he got more than 10 minutes in any game that isn’t a blowout.

Eric Maynor-        pts/ reb/ ast/ stl/ blk   PER

In case you couldn’t tell, talking about Eric Maynor makes me sad. He was one of the best backup point guards in the league, and was really fun to watch. He would’ve helped this Thunder team out a bunch, by taking some of the load off James Harden with the bench unit, and also spelling Russell Westbrook at times.

Most of all, if Eric Maynor had not torn his ACL after nine games, the Thunder WOULD NOT HAVE DEREK FISHER. More on that coming later.

We can only sit and wait until next year to see Maynor play again. It should be a joyful time, and very Fisher-less.

Nazr Mohammad, Royal Ivey, Reggie Jackson, Cole Aldrich- C

This bench unit was not very productive this year, outside of Harden and Collison. Reggie Jackson was getting some minutes until Fisher showed up. He showed some skill, but apparently not enough, as he hasn’t played much since the Thunder brought in the 5-ringed veteran.

Nazr Mohammad appeared in most games, yet had minimum impact. He scored just 2.7 points and grabbed 2.7 rebounds.

These guys won’t get more than five minutes in any playoff game, barring injury, and shouldn’t have an impact on how the Thunder’s season turns out.

Derek Fisher- D     4.9pts/1.5reb/1.4ast/0.6stl/0.1blk   5.9 PER  (20 games for OKC)

Halfway through writing my feelings on Derek Fisher, I decided to quit and save it for another time. It was getting too long, and it needs to be justified.

So I’ll just give some quick little notes on Derek Fisher’s season with the Thunder.

The positive impact Fisher brings to the team is purely his veteran leadership. He has been to the NBA Finals multiple times, and if the Thunder happen to end up there this season, that’s where he will help.

On the court, Fisher has not played well at all. He shot 34.3% from the floor on 5.4 shots. Any respectable player, playing over 15 minutes a game, should be shooting much better. That isn’t even that good for a 3-point%.

His defense isn’t much better. Fisher gets beat by quicker guards all of the time, and doesn’t have much to give on the defensive side of the ball.

I’m not a fan of giving Derek Fisher minutes, but if Coach Brooks isn’t going to play Reggie Jackson, then somebody has to do fill that backup PG spot, and it might as well be him.

Mark J. Rebilas-US PRESSWIRE

It was a career night as James Harden returned to Arizona, where he played college ball for Arizona State (boo!).

Harden scored his career best 40 points on just 17 shots as the Thunder take out the Phoenix Suns 109-97.

The Suns had four technical fouls, by Steve Nash, Sebastian Telfair, Robin Lopez and Coach Alvin Gentry.

Jared Dudley led the Suns with 21 points. No one else scored more than 13.

The Thunder continue their quest for the 1 seed Friday in Sacramento.

 Kevin Durant- B+     29pts/11reb/5ast/2blk

Going for his third straight scoring title, Kevin Durant got his due scoring 29 points in a game where it was all James Harden. He added 11 rebounds and a couple blocks in a big win that keeps the Thunder in the race for home court.

 Russell Westbrook- D     15pts/6reb/5ast/2stl

Westbrook struggled throughout the game, even getting benched for a while during the second half. He only played 31 minutes and shot at a 37.5% clip. It seemed like Russell, along with the rest of the team, just took a backseat tonight.

 Serge Ibaka- C     9pts/3reb/1blk

In just 18 minutes, Ibaka couldn’t have much of an impact on the game. He garnered just one block and only grabbed three rebounds. The Suns are a generally small team, so having Ibaka in there wasn’t helping them on the defensive end. Once he works on his perimeter defense, he won’t have to be taken out in these situations.

 Kendrick Perkins- B     5pts/9reb

The Thunder big men have not been a factor on the offensive end this year, but what they do is lock down the paint. Marcin Gortat, who scored 28 points in their last meeting, could not hit anything tonight. Thanks to the effort from Perkins and Ibaka, the Suns were forced to take their game to the perimeter, where they shot 6-20 from 3-point range.

 James Harden- A++     40pts/7reb/3ast/4stl

WOW! James Harden showed why he is going to be one of the premier 2-guards in the NBA for years to come. He was hitting on all cylinders tonight. Leading the league in TS% from the guard position, Harden scored with incredible efficiency. One of the main reasons he is able to take over a game is his ability to get to the free throw line. He made all 11 of his attempts from the charity stripe, to go along with seven rebounds and four steals. Great games like these from Harden are the reason the Thunder will be so dangerous in the playoffs.

 Rest of the Thunder- C+

I can’t stand Derek Fisher right now. He took seven shots and didn’t come close on any except for the one he made at the end of the first half. He’s in there to be a veteran and not make mistakes, not take shots he isn’t going to make. Nick Collison ended up playing more minutes than Serge Ibaka, and played well. A high motor guy who isn’t afriad to set a screen and take charges is a player that all championship teams need.

Jesse Johnson-US PRESSWIRE

Even though it was much closer than it should’ve been, the Oklahoma City Thunder are one step closing to securing home court advantage throughout the Western Conference playoffs.

Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant combined 78 points, so you would think they should win big.

Unfortunately, with James Harden struggling after sitting out yesterday, the Wolves’ bench outscored the Thunder’s, 54-18. The Thunder were able to hold on, winning by a score of 115-110.

They next play in Los Angeles on Monday, against the Clippers.

Kevin Durant- A+     43pts/7reb/1ast/1blk

Another MVP-like performance for the Thunder superstar. Durant scored with crazy efficiency. He scored 43 points on just 23 shots. His offense tonight makes up for bit of his defense that was lacking from this game. Against much better teams, this defensive effort will not cut it.

Russell Westbrook- A     35pts/1reb/8ast/2stl

People will complain that, yet again, Russell Westbrook took more shots than Durant. This isn’t as big of a problem as people make it out to be. He is going to get his shots, because he is just so good at creating his own. What gets overlooked is that fact that Westbrook has eight assists tonight. So, Russell, keep on shooting.

Serge Ibaka- B+     8pts/12reb/2ast/5blk

With 5 blocks and 12 rebounds, Ibaka did well for the most part for the Thunder. The bad part? Blocks are not the only thing that is good for defense. Ibaka has really struggled this year when the other team’s PF plays on the wing. Teams like the Rockets, Nuggets, and Timberwolves have an advantage against the Thunder when they go small, because of Ibaka. He is still young, and has plenty of time to improve, but this may cause problems come playoff time.

Kendrick Perkins- C     2pts/10reb/1stl

Typical Perkins game. Played some solid defense, was terrible on offense, and grabbed a few rebounds.

James Harden- F     6pts/4reb/3ast/1stl

Oh wow was this game ugly for Mr. Harden. Coming off sitting out a game, Harden struggled to find the bottom of the net. He made just one of his 11 field goal attempts, including eight 3-point tries. Lucky for him, his two star teammates picked up the slack for his lack of scoring.

Rest of the Thunder- C-

Nick Collison is one of the only bright spots for the rest of the Thunder this season. He, along with Thabo Sefolosha scored 19 of the 27 points from the non-Harden bench and Thabo. Derek Fisher gave the Thunder 20 minutes, but failed to score and only managed one assist. The Derek Fisher experiment seems to have failed so far, and I’m not surprised at all.

Richard Rowe-US PRESSWIRE

When Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook struggle, the Thunder aren’t going to win against quality teams like the Los Angeles Clippers.

They combined to shoot 10-35 from the floor, for 44 points.

Oklahoma City was leading throughout most of the game until they scored just 18 points in the 4th quarter. Durant hit a 3-pointer with 32 seconds to go to tie it up at 98, but Chris Paul followed with a layup to put the Clippers up for good.

The Thunder drop their 16th game of the season, which is tied with the Spurs in the loss column for first in the West.

Oklahoma City continues their chase for the #1 seed on Friday, when they face the Sacramento Kings.

Kevin Durant- C+     22pts/9reb/3ast/2stl

That last shot by Kevin Durant wasn’t the best available, but he loves that shot. Surprisingly, the Clippers managed to play quality defense against the MVP candidate, which goes against everything said about them this season. In the playoffs, Durant won’t have more than a game or two like this, so there isn’t much to worry about.

Russell Westbrook- D     20pts/4reb/7ast

Going up against on of the best defenders among point guards, Westbrook struggled to make shots. He shot more free throws than he did field goals, and had four turnovers. Not a very good game for Westbrook, overall.

Serge Ibaka- B+     12pts/7reb/1ast/3blk

Ibaka has been one of the bright points of this Thunder team throughout the season. He doesn’t seem to have many bad games, and is a consistent presence in the paint. He, along with Perkins and Collison, held Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan to just 24 points.

Kendrick Perkins- C     8pts/5reb/3ast/2blk

My HUGE pet peeve with the Thunder offense is that they, for some reason, think that giving the ball to Kendrick Perkins in the post, is a good idea. In no game, should he get nine shots. Otherwise, his defense was fine, and didn’t get in the way too much on offense.

James Harden- A-     17pts/5reb/2ast/1stl

After a little sloppy play early in the game, Harden settled in and was a good for the rest of the game. He hit 50% of his shots, and got to the free throw line seven times. It seems like the players are still recovering from the tough game in Miami.

Rest of the Thunder- B-

Derek Fisher managed to hit a couple shots early in the game, but didn’t play much in the second half. Nick Collison has become one of the best screen setters in the game, giving the Thunder open shots. Overall, it was not a very well played game by the Thunder, and they were still in it all the way through. They’ll be a top two seed in the West, so these games don’t mean too much right now.

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-US PRESSWIRE

Derek Fisher got his standing ovation and a video montage, and the Oklahoma City Thunder got another win over a championship caliber team in the Los Angeles Lakers.

Surprisingly, Fisher only played 11 minutes against his former team, when he played over 15 in each of previous four games.

The Thunder started off terribly, they showed little energy and got outrebounded by eight in the first quarter.

After a little better performance in the following period, and a Serge Ibaka jumper at the buzzer, the Thunder went into halftime with only a five point deficit.

Then, Russell Westbrook went off. He scored 17 points in the third quarter, including a long three as time ran out, to give the Thunder a 78-68 lead going into the fourth.

Los Angeles had no answer for Westbrook, as he scored 36 points in the 102-93 win for Oklahoma City.

Kevin Durant- B-     21pts/11reb/5ast/2blk

Kevin Durant struggled early tonight. He couldn’t find the bottom of the net, missing his first eight shots. Durant picked it up a bit in the second half and ended up with 21 points and 11 rebounds. He also picked up a technically, after complaining about a foul called against him.

Russell Westbrook- A+     36pts/1reb/6ast/2stl

Westbrook carried the Thunder to a victory with his 36 points, 27 of them in the second half. He showed his speed by blowing by Laker defenders for easy layups. The best part about Westbrook’s night was that he only had one turnover. Turnovers have big a big problem for him this year, and limiting teams to only a few fast break points is key to the Thunder’s success.

Serge Ibaka- B-     8pts/9reb/1ast/3blk

Not the best game for Serge Ibaka. There wasn’t much offense from him with his eight point showing. His defense was good for the most part, but because of Perkins playing really well, and the Lakers going somewhat small, Ibaka only got 19 minutes on the floor. Still he managed to block three shots and grab nine boards.

Kendrick Perkins- A     12pts/8reb/2blk

Again, Perkins had a nice game for the Thunder. He has been picking up his overall play recently, adding some offensive moves and scoring for the Thunder. Now I don’t think relying on him is ever a good idea, but it’s nice to get some production on both ends of the floor. On the defensive end, he along Nick Collison and Ibaka forced Bynum to work for his baskets; they played tough solid defense after the sloppy first quarter.

James Harden- C    9pts/2reb/4ast/1stl

Harden played the three at points in the game, which meant Metta World Peace was guarding him. This led to him struggling on the offensive end of the floor. Last game against the Lakers, Harden got in Kobe’s face after a big game. This time around he talked a bit after an early 3-pointer, but the Lakers’ lead shut down any attempts to talk trash by Harden.

Rest of the Thunder- B+

Thabo Sefolosha played some really nice defense on Kobe, forcing him to go 7-25 from the field. After a rough first half for Nick Collison, he really picked up his effort and defense, holding down the paint in his 20 minutes. Collison was a big factor in the Thunder’s rebound advantage, pulling down eight total, five on the offensive glass. Nazr Mohammed added four blocks, most of them on one possession.

Richard Rowe-US PRESSWIRE

In a potential Finals preview against the Miami Heat, the Oklahoma City Thunder played like a championship team tonight.

The Thunder moved the ball much better than usual tonight, and involved everyone on the team.

The game was close through the first quarter then the Thunder got going, and went on a run that led to an 11-point halftime lead.

The Heat only managed to get within eight points the rest of the way, as the Thunder cruised to a 103-87 win over one of the NBA’s premier teams.

Oklahoma City heads to Portland on Tuesday to face the Trail Blazers.

Kevin Durant- A+     28pts/9reb/8ast/2stl

Against the MVP-frontrunner, Durant showed the nation why he should also be considered for the award. Coming just shy of his first career triple double, he led the team to a victory over the preseason favorite to win the Finals. Durant got the ball moving, which is rare for the Thunder, a team that runs isolations as much as possible.

Russell Westbrook- C     13pts/3reb/6ast/3stl

It seems like every national TV game, the Thunder have to have somebody that has an off night. Tonight that was Russell Westbrook. He shot an abysmal 4-16 from the floor, scoring just 13 points, along with four turnovers. Part of the reason for Westbrook’s struggles was the fact that he picked up his third foul halfway through the second quarter.

Kendrick Perkins- A     16pts/6reb/2ast/1stl

What a wonderful game for the Thunder big man. Perkins recorded his season high in points, the most he’s scored since January 10^th, 2010, with the Boston Celtics. This is the first time he has had back-to-back double digit scoring games all season.

Serge Ibaka- A     19pts/10reb/1ast/1blk

For really the first time in a while, the Thunder had TWO big men score effectively. This is what the Thunder have been lacking to become a complete team. Ibaka’s jumper is starting to look automatic, and his inside defense is great as usual.

James Harden-B     19pts/3reb/6ast/2stl

Harden was great at some points, and not so much at others. When he was cast of the point guard, he facilitated well, moving the ball and involving everyone. To go with those six assists were a career high seven turnovers. If there is one team you don’t want to turn it over against, it’s the Miami Heat. You need to force them to beat you in the halfcourt, and giving them free points on fast breaks isn’t going to do that.

Rest of the Thunder- C

We didn’t see much of the bench, which should also happen once the playoffs come along. Derek Fisher played another 18 minutes, doing absolutely nothing, and Nick Collison gave the Thunder his usual hard work in his 19 minutes. When it comes down to it, the Thunder will have to play Durant and Westbrook 40+ minutes in the playoffs to get it done.

Richard Rowe-US PRESSWIRE

Wow. There are not enough adjectives in the English language to fully describe how awesome ThunderWolves was last night.

For the second time this year, the Thunder were involved in a game where there was a 50-point scorer, a 40-point scorer (two this time), and someone with a triple double.

Kevin Love scored a career and franchise-high 51, JJ Barea has 25 points, 14 assists, and 10 rebounds for the Timberwolves.

Russell Westbrook netted a career-high 45 points, followed by Kevin Durant with his second 40+ point game this season.

The game was highlights by three 3-pointers, the first by Durant with 3 seconds to go in regulation to take a three point lead. Kevin Love answered immediately, sending the game into overtime with a three of his own.

Then in the first overtime, Durant came up in the clutch again, hitting a game-tying three with 10 seconds left in the first extra period. The Thunder seemed to have all of the energy in the world, driving past the Wolves defense to pull out a nine point victory in 2OT, 149-140.

Minnesota was playing their last game of a seven game road trip, where they went 2-5, falling farther behind in the playoff race. Oklahoma City won two games in a row for the first time since March 7^th.

The Thunder have a day to rest, before Miami comes to town for a potential NBA Finals preview.

Kevin Durant- A+     40pts/17reb/5ast/3stl

There isn’t much of a race for MVP, with LeBron James having a historically amazing season, but Kevin Durant is doing all he can to get his name in there. This is only the 13^th time in league history that a player had at least 40/17/5, and the first since 2007.

Russell Westbrook- A+     45pts/4reb/6ast/2stl

Westbrook seemed to have all of the energy in the world, out there. In the second overtime, he was driving past a tired Wolves defense for easy layups, and giving the Thunder the energy they needed to finally pull away. Russell shot with wonderful efficiency, going 61% from the floor, and making all nine attempts from the line. This may have been the best game Russell Westbrook has ever played.

Serge Ibaka- B     8pts/9reb/2stl/5blk

Because of the Wolves smaller lineup, Coach Brooks decided to go small for a majority of the game. Serge only played 25 minutes of a 58 minute game. Still, the Thunder big man managed to block five shots, and grab nine rebounds.

Kendrick Perkins- B+     12pts/5reb/0ast/0blk

I was very surprised with Perk last night, for the first (and only third this season) time since February 10^th he scored more than 10 points. Making a contribution on the offensive end is very rare for Perkins, but it was nice to see. Along with Ibaka, Perkins got limited minutes due to the size of the Timberwolves.

James Harden- A     25pts/6reb/6ast/1stl

I love that Harden was given control of the ball late in the game. This is becoming more of a regular thing for the Thunder, and it usually turns out well. Harden has been a better passer than Westbrook, and can also create for himself. Harden scored his 25 on just 17 shots, and co-led the team in assists with six. Harden’s passing has really helped the bench get more involved in the scoring for the Thunder.

Derek Fisher- D-     5pts/2reb/3ast/1stl

Man, did Fisher annoy me this game. It seemed like he wanted to take every big shot like it was the 2004 Western Conference Playoffs. He was 1-10 before he finally made a meaningless 3-pointer at the end of 2OT. As I stated in the Fisher roundtable, he shouldn’t come near the ball in clutch situations, and the very next day, the opposite happens. I don’t understand why he was given 36 minutes, when Reggie Jackson DID NOT PLAY. Honestly I would have rather had Royal Ivey out there; at least he makes shots occasionally. Ahh, the Derek Fisher Experiment is going to be the end of me.

Rest of the Thunder (pretty much just Nick Collison) – B+

Collison played a great game, and is showing why he deserves 20 minutes a game. Harden and Collison make a good duo off the bench, and are really improving over the course of the year. Not Ibaka, not Perkins, but Nick Collison was left in the game during overtime. The Thunder trust him to do his job, and not make any crucial mistakes when on the floor. He scored 11 points, along with three of each, rebounds, assists, and steals.

Richard Rowe-US PRESSWIRE

Following the big news that Derek Fisher was coming to town, the Thunder run over the Los Angeles Clippers 114-91.

Durant led the way with 32 points on just 18 shots.

Surprisingly, Scott Brooks gave Fisher 20 minutes after joining the team today, also getting a standing ovation when entering the game for the first time.

The Thunder shot 54% from the floor, and went 21-22 from the charity stripe.

They continue their three-game stretch at home when Minnesota comes to town on Friday.

Kevin Durant- A+     32pts/9reb/5ast/2stl

Another MVP-esque game for the Thunder’s superstar. Durant was very efficient tonight, getting to the line 11 times, making them all, and only taking 18 shots. He had an advantage, due to the Clippers’ lack of defensive ability, with Nick Young having to guard him at times. Durant used his postgame very well, getting fouled and hitting jumpers over smaller opponents.

Russell Westbrook- B+     19pts/3reb/4ast

Russ started off hot for the second straight night, hitting his first three shots, and scoring nine first quarter points. The real story tonight though, was Westbrook’s defense on Chris Paul. He held the All-NBA point guard to just 13 points.

Serge Ibaka- A     15pts/8reb/3blk

I’m really loving Ibaka’s play as of late. He is doing everything right on both sides of the ball. Serge added another three blocks, which isn’t unusual and also helped hold Blake Griffin to his lowest career point total, 7. He is also getting much better on the offensive boards, which helps get some key points in the paint that the Thunder lack.

Kendrick Perkins- A     6pts/8reb/1ast/1blk

Finally, here’s a game where I don’t have anything bad to say about Kendrick Perkins. He played wonderful defense on the Clipper bigs, and made all three of his field goal attempts. I want to see this more often out of Perk. Well I have one bad thing, he got another technical, but it’s Perkins, what can you do?

Thabo Sefolosha- B     5pts/3reb/1ast/1stl

The Thunder got 15 more quality minutes out of Thabo tonight. Sure Randy Foye caught fire in the first half, but you can’t really blame a defender when someone shoots lights out. Thabo added a 3-pointer and two free throws, and you have a solid game.

James Harden- B+     10pts/6reb/5ast/1stl

While James Harden didn’t score that much, he did dish out five assists. He has been a very good passer, maybe the best on the team, and is involving the rest of the second unit.

Rest of the Thunder- A

The bench unit played a great game tonight. Maybe it was because of Derek Fisher, maybe not. They scored 26 points, including back to back Lazar Hayward 3’s, and seven from Nazr Mohammad. Fisher got most of Daequan Cook’s (who has been ruled out for 2-3 weeks) and Reggie Jackson’s minutes, and played some solid ball. Nineteen minutes was a little more than expected for his first time out, but I was not disappointed with Fisher’s play.

Russ Isabella-US PRESSWIRE

With this loss to the Utah Jazz, the Thunder are just .500 in their last 10 games following a seven game winning streak wrapped around the All-Star break.

After a combined 23 point first quarter for Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant, they went cold the rest of the game, scoring just 18 more points.

They turned it over 20 times, and only had 15 assists, with no one having more than three.

Even after this tough stretch, the Thunder are still 3.5 games ahead of the Spurs for first place in the West.

Kevin Durant- C-     18pts/6reb/2ast/1stl

Durant really struggled to find the bottom of the net tonight. It took him 22 shots to score 18 points, and he added in six turnovers. I don’t know what it was about the Jazz defense, but something got to him that made him miss shots.

Russell Westbrook- A     23pts/4reb/3ast

After hitting his first four shots, Westbrook cooled down a bit, not scoring at all in the 2^nd quarter. It seemed weird that Westbrook only took 11 shots. The way he was shooting, he could’ve taken a lot more and been effective. He deferred to Harden at times in the second half, and it may have been that, that led to his efficiency tonight.

Thabo Sefolosha- B-     1pt/1reb/1ast/1stl

Coach Brooks is still easing Thabo into the rotation, playing just 15 minutes tonight. He looked pretty good on the defensive end, and took just one shot. It was nice to see Thabo out there again.

Serge Ibaka- B+     13pts/10reb/1ast/4blk

Serge put up another solid game for the Thunder tonight. He is getting points more consistently, and was a monster in the paint, as always. Al Jefferson, being a little more mobile than most players Serge guards, was able to score on him a little more than the Thunder are used to. With the picked up offense, his defense has been slacking a little bit.

Kendrick Perkins- B-     5pts/8reb/1ast/1blk

It was pretty much an average game for Perk. Some solid defensive play, with little offense added. The Thunder don’t really need much more from him on most nights.

James Harden- B+     17pts/4reb/2ast/

James made some really nice passes with the second unit, especially to Nick Collison. He put in his usual 17 points, hitting three of six 3-point attempts. The four turnovers by Harden didn’t help the cause, as it seemed nobody could hold onto the ball tonight.

Rest of the Thunder- A

Nick Collison had a really solid game. He got wide open at times, for easy buckets, and played more quality defense. Daequan Cook hit two shots in the 2^nd quarter when the stars were struggling, and Reggie Jackson is making his case to remain the backup point guard, instead of bringing in Derek Fisher. We’ll see what the Thunder do with that situation within the next couple days.

Richard Rowe-US PRESSWIRE

Just like last time, the Thunder suffer a one point loss to the Houston Rockets, 104-103.

The game was close throughout, until the Thunder took an 11 point lead with 2:29 to go in the game.

Their only basket from there on out was a Russell Westbrook free throw. The Thunder were outscored 13-1 to end the game.

Kevin Durant had the opportunity to win the game, but missed a jumper.

Serge Ibaka got the rebound and was blocked on the Thunder’s final attempt to score.

Similarly to the game against the Cavs, they struggled to close out Rockets late in the game. Durant led the team in scoring with 28, followed by Westbrook’s 19.

Kevin Durant- A-     28pts/12reb/4ast/1stl

Durant had a pretty average game for him this season, scoring 28 points on 18 shots. He took advantage of the smaller Rockets lineup to grab 12 boards. The four turnovers did not help, but overall a solid game from Durant.

Russell Westbrook- C     19pts/4reb/4ast/1stl

Not a very good shooting night for Westbrook, shooting only 39% from the floor, missing all of his 3-point attempts. He also only had four of the team’s 22 assists. When Kendrick Perkins has more assists than Russell Westbrook, it is either a really good game, or a really bad game, the latter being the case last night.

Serge Ibaka- B-     12pts/8reb/1ast/2blk

When Chandler Parsons went to the four, at times, Ibaka was forced to go out to the perimeter to guard him. That spread out the defense, allowing the Rockets to have more options on offense. Ibaka is the key to the Thunder defense, holding down the paint, to give the guards a little more leeway. Again, Ibaka’s jumper has been great, as of late, he hit two more 15-footers this game.

Kendrick Perkins-B     2pts/4reb/5ast/1stl

Perkins played 30 more minutes of solid defense for the Thunder. His offense was nowhere to be found, but it’s never really been there, so I’ve given up on that. With the trade deadline looming, it doesn’t seem likely that anyone gets moved, but you never know what could happen.

James Harden- C+     16pts/4reb/7ast/1stl

It seems like Harden never shoots that well against the Rockets. They have good guards, defensively, and it looks like they have figured out how to guard him when he is the only threat on the court. He will always find ways to score, but he needs a little help off the bench to be more efficient.

Rest of the Thunder- B+

As a group, everyone else really stepped up their game last night. They combined for 24 points, which isn’t all that great, but a lot better than usual. Nazr Mohammed led the group with 10 points and 6 rebounds. Nick Collison put in some quality minutes, as well.

Richard Rowe-US PRESSWIRE

After going up 85-82 with 3:14 to go in the game, the Thunder just shut down offensively.They didn’t score again until they were down eight with 24 seconds left, and by then, the game was over.

Kevin Durant led the Thunder in scoring with 23 points, Russell Westbrook has 19.

At points in the game, it seemed as if the Thunder were blowing out the Cavs, but the game was still close throughout. Oklahoma City turned the ball over 17 times, and were outrebounded 51-40 in the 96-90 loss.

On Saturday, the Thunder continue the home stand with the Charlotte Bobcats coming to town.

Kevin Durant- B+     23pts/8reb/8ast/3blk

Even in bad games, Durant finds ways to score. After making only one of his seven 3-point attempts, he still managed to shoot 50% overall. The team leader filled up the stat sheet again, adding in eight rebounds and assists, along with three blocks. Still, he needs to be more careful with the ball, turning it over six times.

Russell Westbrook- B-     19pts/2reb/4ast/1stl

The trade deadline is around the corner, and as always, Russell Westbrook’s name is getting thrown around. It is not likely that he gets traded, but there isn’t much doubt he would excel as the number one option. Westbrook only dished out four assists, but limited his turnovers to three.

Serge Ibaka- A     13pts/7reb/1ast/6blk

Serge had a sequence where he blocked three shots in a row. That kind of defensive presence creates fear of the paint for opposing teams. Not only did Ibaka lockdown the paint, he added 13 points on 6-8 shooting. His jumper is getting to be more reliable, and continues to raise his stock.

James Harden- B     15pts/6reb/2ast/2blk

Just kind of an “eh” game for James Harden, he contributed five field goals for 15 points, and six rebounds. It’s hard to take much from single games this season, with the lockout and all.

Kendrick Perkins- B-     6pts/4reb/1ast/2blk

I liked what I saw from Perkins tonight. His effort on the offensive end was much better than it usually is, hitting three shots. Perkins added two blocks, and just played an average game overall.

Rest of the Thunder- C-      

Nick Collison gave the Thunder 20 quality minutes, grabbing six boards and blocking two shots. Everybody else did nothing, as usual, and did not shoot well at all. The rest of the team shot just 32%, including Daequan Cook’s 1-6 from 3-point land. It was an incredibly average game for the Thunder, and the Cavs came to play.

Richard Rowe-US PRESSWIRE

For two and a half quarters, the Thunder were getting dominated by a future lottery participant. They went down 84-68 after a Jared Dudley layup with 4:13 to go in the 3^rd quarter.

Then the Thunder got hot, going on a 16-4 run to end the quarter. The streak continued into the final period with the Thunder outscoring the Phoenix Suns 31-16, giving Oklahoma City an 11-point win.

Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden all eclipsed the 30 point mark, and Serge Ibaka added 20 rebounds.

Kevin Durant- A-     30pts/6reb/3ast/3stl

The Suns put really roughed up Durant tonight, putting him on the ground often. Durant came out on top though, bringing it to the Suns in the 4^th quarter with 12 points. He showed off the postgame he has been working on, using his height as an advantage to shoot over smaller defenders.

Russell Westbrook- A     31pts/3reb/10ast/4stl

Westbrook picked up his play defensively in the 2^nd half, after giving up 13 assists to Steve Nash in the 1^st. He was much more efficient offensively, and pushed created a pace that led to the comeback. Westbrook played really well all-around, and his effort in the 2^nd half led to the win.

James Harden- A+     30pts/4reb/1ast/1stl

Harden showed why he is the leading the race for 6^th Man of the Year. Scoring a career high 30 points, he kept the Thunder in the game early.  Harden scored with incredible efficiency, only taking 12 shots. He got to the charity stripe 11 times, making all but one. James Harden is becoming another player the Thunder can rely on to lead the team to a win.

Serge Ibaka- A+     18ts/20reb/1ast/3blk

The Thunder got another great performance from Serge Ibaka. His jump shot looked on point tonight, making three shots outside of 12 feet, to go along with his 20 boards, nine of them being on the offensive end. It’s okay that only five players scored for Oklahoma City, if Ibaka can get close to 20, his offensive game is improving immensely.

Kendrick Perkins- C+     6pts/5reb/2ast/1blk

This wasn’t that bad of a game for Perkins. Marcin Gortat did manage to score 28 points, but that was partially the fault of the perimeter defense, allowing Nash to distribute at will. Six and five is not what the Thunder need out of Perk, but Ibaka took most of the rebounds tonight, and Durant took over the post on offense. Perkins even ran a fast break, trying to throw a lob to Westbrook that led to him getting fouled.

Rest of the Thunder- C

Nobody else scored. Lazar Hayward got first quarter minutes. That’s about it.

Josh D. Weiss-US PRESSWIRE

So comes the end of the Oklahoma City Thunder’s run as the top team in the NBA. The night after the Miami Heat lose to go down one game, Oklahoma City takes a loss to the Atlanta Hawks, 97-90.

Josh Smith dominated the post, revealing a weakness in the Thunder’s game. Smith scored 30 points for the Hawks, 13 of which were in the 4^th quarter, pulling the Hawks ahead of the Thunder for the win.

Kendrick Perkins was in foul trouble the entire 2^nd half, so Coach Brooks resorted to having Kevin Durant guarding Smith at times, which was not very effective.

Durant led the team in scoring, putting up 35 points on 23 shots. Westbrook followed with 25, nobody else had more than 10.

Kevin Durant- A     35pts/8reb/2ast/3stl

Durant got to the line 17 teams, making 14 of them to keep the Thunder in the game. At the end, Durant just couldn’t do enough, missing his final four shots. Durant did turn the ball over four times, which the Thunder have been known to do a lot this season. The team had 21 for the game.

Russell Westbrook- A-     25pts/0reb/4ast/0stl

Of course the game where the Thunder turned the ball over a bunch, Westbrook only has two. He played a very nice game against a tough defender in Jeff Teague. Westbrook and Durant didn’t get much help from the rest of the team, leading to them taking 44 of the teams 73 shots.

James Harden- B-     10pts/6reb/2ast/2stl

It’s not that Harden had a bad game, he just didn’t shoot the ball that much. Durant and Westbrook barely sat out tonight, so he didn’t touch that often. He hit of four of his eight shots, but missed all three of his attempts beyond the arc. Towards the end of the game, Harden was given ball handling duties instead of Westbrook. This can work, giving Westbrook some time off the ball, and have Harden distribute.

Daequan Cook- C     0pts/3reb/0ast/0stl

Honestly, I don’t even remember Cook touching the ball during this game. He didn’t take any shots, and only played 14 minutes. When the Thunder are losing, Daequan isn’t going to play much.

Kendrick Perkins- D+     2pts/5reb/1ast/1blk

Fouling out early in the 4^th quarter didn’t help a team that was struggling to guard an All-Star caliber power forward. In foul trouble all night, Perkins was not able to produce any significant numbers. He hurt the Thunder by forcing them to go small after he fouled out.

Serge Ibaka- B+     10pts/6reb/0ast/3blk

Ibaka has really shown improvement over the past few weeks on the offensive side of the ball. His only missed field goal was an 18 ft. jumper in the 4^th quarter. He did get obliterated by a Josh Smith dunk midway through the game, but other than that, Serge played a really nice game.

Rest of the Thunder- C

Nick Collison and Cole Aldrich got increased minutes in Perkins’ absence. Aldrich gave the Thunder a good showing, blocking three shots and scoring six points. Nazr Mohammed was the only other non-Harden bench player to score, hitting a jumper in the 1st quarter. When both of the benches went in, the game became very sloppy and hard to watch.  

Howard Smith-US PRESSWIRE

The Thunder barely pulled out the win against the Philadelphia 76ers tonight. Kevin Durant and James Harden each missed two free throws in the last minute, during a one possession game.

Luckily, Russell Westbrook came up with an offensive rebound off Durant’s missed free throw, and sealed the win for the Thunder. Both teams shot around 40% from the field, and struggled to hold onto the ball, with 28 combined turnovers.

We can put some of the blame on the All-Star break for this sloppy game.

Kevin Durant- B     23pts/4reb/1ast/1stl

Throughout the game, Kevin Durant struggled to make shots, but when it came down to it, Kevin Durant took control when the Thunder needed points, scoring 10 of his 23 points in the 4^th quarter. With an elite defender in Andre Iguodala guarding him, Durant had to defer the Westbrook and Harden most of the game.

Russell Westbrook- C-     22pts/13reb/4ast/1stl

Normally 22 points and 13 rebounds looks like a great game for the Thunder point guard, unfortunately that was not the case tonight. Westbrook shot a very poor 35% from the floor, and turned the ball over seven times. He didn’t make a shot in the 4^th quarter, and only made one field goal outside the paint throughout the game. The seven offensive rebounds were nice, and his final rebound saved the game, but Westbrook really struggled this game.

James Harden- B-     16pts/8reb/4ast/1stl

James Harden got to the line 11 times this game, making seven of them. One of the big improvements Harden has made is that he has been getting to the charity stripe often this year, averaging 2 more FTAs per game than his career average. Nobody shot well in this game, and the same can be said for Harden, making only four shots. Getting to the line helps when the shots aren’t falling.

Kendrick Perkins- C     3pts/11reb/2ast/1blk

I’m starting to think that Kendrick Perkins will never be much more than just a good defensive player. His post moves are not good, and hasn’t scored in the double digits since February 10^th. Anybody who plays over 30 minutes in a basketball game should be scoring more than three points.

Serge Ibaka- B+     10pts/8reb/0ast/3blk

Ibaka had a nice game tonight, converting on four of his six shots. His post moves keep on improving, and is becoming a more, well-rounded player. His defense was good, as usual, blocking three shots and playing quality defense on the Sixer bigs, leading the effort that held the Sixers to 88 points.

Rest of the Thunder- B

The rest of the Thunder managed to score 18 points, which is better than usual. Nazr Mohammed came in a played some good minutes, scoring six points. Royal Ivey and Daequan Cook each scored five points, and Nick Collison collected six rebounds in 20 minutes. 

Howard Smith-US PRESSWIRE

We are at the All-Star break 34 games into this condensed season. The Oklahoma City Thunder stand at 27-7, atop of the West and tied with the Heat for the best record in the NBA. Coming into the season, the Thunder were a popular pick to represent the Western Conference in the NBA Finals. They are well on their way to making that prediction a reality. Some Mid-Season grades are in order.

Kevin Durant- A+     27.7pts/8.2reb/3.4ast/1.4stl     PER: 27.3

If it were not for LeBron James, Kevin Durant would have a very good shot at winning his first MVP award. He is 2^nd in the NBA in PER, win shares, and points per game. Durant is just half a point behind Kobe Bryant in the race for the scoring title, which would be Durant’s third straight. The highlight of the Thunder season was on last week’s game against the Nuggets, when Durant scored 51 points, leading the team to an overtime win. He has shown a lot of improvement, especially on the defensive end, where he has improved his Defensive Rating to 100, from his career rating of 107. Durant’s play will be the deciding factor as to whether the Thunder make the NBA Finals or not.

Russell Westbrook- A    23.6pts/4.8reb/5.5ast/1.9stl     PER: 23.5

The second All-Star for the Thunder, Russell Westbrook is having another strong year. Improving in almost all facets of the game, Westbrook is showing why he is a top five point guard in this league. He has turned the ball over a little too much, but that isn’t unusual for point guards, considering the worst player in the top 14 in career turnovers is Reggie Theus. My one complaint is that he is eighth on the team in eFG%, at .491. If Westbrook can score a little more efficiently, he can be that much better.

James Harden- A+     16.8pts/4.1reb/3.7ast/1.0stl     PER: 21.1

Harden has been playing great all year long, coming off the bench. Coming off a big showing in the playoffs last year, the third year player has put himself on the same level as teammates Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. He is third in the NBA in True Shooting Percentage, and Offensive Rating. The team trusts him to handle the ball late in the game, and has come up big in clutch moments during the first half of this season. The 6^th Man of the Year award looks like an essential lock for James Harden.

Serge Ibaka- B+     8.2pts/7.5reb/0.5ast/3.2blk      PER: 17.4

After Durant, Westbrook, and Harden, the points really drop off for the Thunder. Ibaka has come through at times, but most of their losses are due to the lack of post presence on the offensive end. Ibaka has struggled to become a factor on this side of this side of the ball, scoring just 8.2 points on seven shots per game. His defensive game has been amazing though, leading the league in blocks, including three, 10+ block games. His triple-double, with blocks, against the Nuggets showed how much he can affect a game defensively.

Daequan Cook- D     6.0pts/2.7reb/0.3ast/0.5stl     PER: 9.1

Thrust into the starting roll with Thabo Sefolosha going down, Cook has not played all that well. He had a stretch of 4-34 from 3-point land over six games. Honestly, Cook is just a placeholder until James Harden gets in the game. He barely touches the ball, and generally misses, shooting just 36% for the year.

Thabo Sefolosha- B    5.2pts/2.7reb/0.9ast/0.9stl     PER: 11.6

Last week, Sefolosha was ruled out indefinitely with a foot injury. He has only played in 18 games this year, and played pretty well. When healthy, Thabo shot 48% from three, and was a very good defender. His absence has been noticed, as the Thunder were 16-2 with him, and are 11-5 without. Hopefully he can come back by the playoffs, to spell the Thunder of Daequan Cook.

Nick Collison- B-     4.5pts/4.1reb/1.3ast/0.52stl     PER: 12.0

I like to think of Nick Collison as a poor man’s Joakim Noah. He gives the team great energy and effort. He is not asked to do much, but when he is on the floor he grabs rebounds, goes for loose balls, and plays quality defense. Four points and rebounds isn’t much, but there are other people for stats. Collison has been good when giving Perkins and Ibaka a break.

Kendrick Perkins-D     4.4pts/6.1reb/0.9ast/1.21blk     PER: 7.0

Kendrick Perkins has been very disappointing since his arrival in Oklahoma City last year. After some big years in Boston, Perkins has not played near that level with the Thunder. He averaged 10 points and 8 rebounds during the 2009-10 season, and hasn’t come close to those numbers since. He has no effect on offense, and is being overshadowed by the play of Serge Ibaka. Perkins has played well in spurts, but it is not enough to make this a championship front court.

Jerome Miron-US PRESSWIRE

Eric Maynor- Incomplete    4.2pts/1.4reb/2.4ast/0.6stl   PER: 9.4

This has been the most frustrating part about this team. Eric Maynor has been one of the best backup point guards in the NBA. Unfortunately, he had surgery on his knee after just nine games, and is out for the rest of the season. If Maynor could play, he and James Harden would be a great duo off the bench for the Thunder and Westbrook wouldn’t have to take most of the ball handling duties. This injury just makes me sad.

Reggie Jackson- B+     3.7pts/1.1reb/1.7ast/0.7stl     PER: 10.5

Reggie Jackson has been a nice surprise coming in after Maynor’s injury. In his 11 minutes, he shows confidence handling the ball, and can drive to the basket. He could potentially be thrown in a trade for a big man, or just ride out the rest of the season splitting backup minutes with Royal Ivey.

Nazr Mohammed- B    3.1pts/3.0reb/0.3ast/0.6blk     PER: 11

Mohammed is at nine points and blocks per 36 minutes, though he only plays 12. The Thunder haven’t played their non-Harden bench much all year, and they don’t make much of an impact. Nazr does a decent job with his minutes, and provides a little defense off the bench.

Others- N/A

Royal Ivey, Cole Aldrich, Ryan Reid, and Lazar Hayward all play under 10 minutes each game and have minimal impact. Durant, Westbrook, and Harden dominate the scoring, and come playoff time, these guys won’t get more than one rotation on the court.

Team Grade- A

Richard Rowe-US PRESSWIRE

Five points in 0.8 seconds. The Oklahoma City Thunder gave us a Reggie Miller-like moment just before the first half ended.

With the clock running down, Russell Westbrook pulls up and hits a three with 0.8 seconds to go in the half. Andrew Bynum waits to throw it in to Metta World Peace, while Kevin Durant sneaks in, steals it and throws up a shot just before the buzzer sounded.

After review, the refs counted the shot, giving the Thunder a 46-43 lead going into halftime.

They ran the fast break beautifully all game, scoring 17 points off it, leading them to a 100-85 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.

A big win for the Thunder puts them tied with Miami for the best record in the NBA heading into the All-Star break.

Kevin Durant- A     33pts/4reb/6ast/3stl

Kevin Durant has had a great week. Including with his 51 point game on Sunday, KD has led the Thunder to five straight wins going into the All-Star break, where he will be participating in the 3-point contest, as well as the game on Sunday. Durant’s put together a nice defensive game to go along with his 33 point performance.

Russell Westbrook- B-     19pts/5reb/6ast/1stl

The numbers don’t tell it all for Russell Westbrook tonight. Though he only shot 6-17 from the field, he was taking mostly good shots. When James Harden is playing well, Westbrook can afford these types of nights where he just isn’t hitting his shots. He will be rewarded for his excellent first half on Sunday, when he plays in the All-Star game along with Durant and Coach Scott Brooks.

James Harden- A+     16pts/4reb/3ast/1stl

Days before the All-Star game, James Harden proved why he should have made the team. Even without the 16 points on 60% shooting, Harden played a great game defensively. Guarding one of the most prolific scorers in NBA history, he forced Kobe to shoot just under 30% for the game. James grew up today, showing he can be a tough player on both ends of the floor, even giving Kobe a little trash talk towards the end. He is a great asset to the team, and keeps on improving.

Serge Ibaka- B+     11pts/13reb/0ast/3blk

Ibaka took his offensive game outside the paint against the Lakers. With Bynum and Pau Gasol clogging up the lane, he took more jumpers than usual, and saw some success. An improvement in this facet of his game would give the 21(?) year old big man one more thing for opponents to fear.

Kendrick Perkins-C+      3pts/9reb/2ast/2blk

The Thunder tend to struggle against teams with strong front courts. Perkins needs to play like he did in Boston to prevent getting dominated in the post. The post play, on both ends of the floor, is giving people doubt as to whether the Thunder can make/win the NBA Finals.

Daequan Cook- C-     8pts/3reb/0ast/1stl     

Daequan Cook is only a career 36% 3-point shooter, so we shouldn’t expect him to be to the Thunder what Kyle Korver is to the Bulls. Again Cook failed to impress us, as he shot 2-7 from three. All I know is that Thabo Sefolosha better come back soon.

Rest of the Thunder- B

The only non-Harden bench player to score was Reggie Jackson, and he did with style. A minute into the second quarter, Reggie Jackson threw down a huge dunk, getting a nice reaction from the pumped up Thunder crowd. Also hitting four free throws, Jackson continues to make his case for more playing time with Eric Maynor’s absence.

Richard Rowe-US PRESSWIRE

After a 3-14 start from the field, the Thunder went on a run that put the halftime score at 72-49.

They were playing quality defense, shooting lights out, but the players got too comfortable in the second half.

The Celtics slowly picked away at the deficit, eventually bringing it within six, with 3:31 to go in the game. A couple of clutch, Kevin Durant bank shots sealed the game for the Thunder, winning 119-104.

They pulled the win out in the end, but the Thunder need to learn how to play with a lead.

Kevin Durant- B+     28pts/9reb/6ast/4stl

Durant played a pretty quiet game until the end, tonight. Shooting only 40% from the floor, his missed shots helped the Celtics get back into the game. Still, Durant hit clutch baskets and free throws to prevent the game getting too close. Twenty-two shots is a few too many to only score 28. At this point you have to nit-pick at his game to find ways to improve.

Russell Westbrook- A-     31pts/5reb/6ast/1stl

Again, Russell took more shots than Kevin Durant tonight. This has been the case for many games this season, and it has is one of his main criticisms. In games like tonight, it’s okay, but in closer games Durant should take the most shots on the team. Westbrook continues to play at an all-star level, and would be getting more assists if his big men would shoot a higher percentage.

Kendrick Perkins- B     8pts/10reb/0blk

Yet another technical for Kendrick Perkins, he picked up his 11^th on the year for complaining a call that fouled him out of the game. With two more, he will get a suspension, and we are only half way through the season. Otherwise, Perkins had a nice game, grabbing ten boards, along with eight points on 4-5 shooting.

Serge Ibaka- D     4pts/5reb/1blk

Ibaka really struggled tonight, making only one of his five shots, while only getting five rebounds. With the Thunder hot from outside, they didn’t feed it to the post often. Ibaka failed to make an impact on this game, only playing 22 minutes in the game.

Daequan Cook- A-     17pts/5reb/1ast

Finally, Cook made a few 3-pointers. He was a main part of the first half charge that put the Thunder up 27 points. It looks like Daequan is getting a little more comfortable in a starting role each night. Hopefully the three triples he made tonight will give him more confidence after only hitting on four of his last 34 attempts from beyond the arc.

James Harden- A     17pts/4reb/7ast/2stl

Once James Harden got into the game, the Thunder started rolling. Harden played like he was on a mission, shooting 60%, and driving to the basket with power. After the poor showing on Sunday against Denver, he stepped up his game tonight. Late in the game, with Durant and Westbrook on the court, Harden took it to the hoop, and drew a foul, hitting the two free throws. He is able to take control late in the game if the other two are struggling.

Rest of the Thunder- A+

The bench play was wonderful against the Celtics. Royal Ivey hits two 3-pointers early, and scored eight points, while Nazr Mohammed converted all three of his field goal attempts for six points. A majority of the bench minutes were during the second quarter run, and they contributed as much as the starters, during their time on the court.

Richard Rowe-US PRESSWIRE

In a night where Jeremy Lin and Steve Novak carried the Knicks to a win over the defending champions, Ersan Illyasova had 29 points and 25 rebounds, the NBA still had more in store for us.

The nightcap on national TV featured the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Denver Nuggets. History was made in Oklahoma City, in one of the best games this season.

Tonight’s game featured the first time in NBA history that a team had a player score 50+, another score 40, and another have a triple double.

Still, the Nuggets stayed in it, having a five point lead with under a minute to go in regulation. Durant hit a three, then dunked with 4.4 seconds to go to put the game into overtime. Ibaka added his 11^th block in overtime as the Thunder pulled out the 124-118 win.

Kevin Durant- A++     51pts/8reb/3ast/4stl

Kevin Durant had one of the best games in his young career. Scoring a career high 51 points, he led the Thunder through a tough overtime contest with a West contender. He shot an incredible 68% and made five of six three pointers. Durant showed why he is a top contender for the MVP tonight.

Russell Westbrook- A     40pts/4reb/9ast

After a rocky start, Westbrook followed Durant’s lead and shot lights out in the second half, scoring 27 of his 40 points. Down 13 with 1:31 to go in the first half, Westbrook scored 10 points as the Thunder went on a 20-0 run, taking a 65-58 lead in the third quarter. His three, 23 seconds into overtime, gave the Thunder the lead for good.

Serge Ibaka- A+     14pts/15reb/11blk

Ibaka was a monster in the paint. His 11 blocks secured the paint for the Thunder, who struggled defending the perimeter. Along with his blocks, eight offensive rebounds gave the Thunder key second chance points late in the game. The future looks bright for Serge Ibaka, as he gets his third ten block game this month, and his first career triple double.

Kendrick Perkins- C-     0pts/4reb/1ast

In 21 minutes, Perkins really didn’t do much. He attempted one shot, and had three turnovers. In games against faster and smaller teams, Perkins has struggled to make an impact. With Ibaka surging, Perkins will have to pick up his play to get more playing time when the Thunder go small.

Daequan Cook- D     2pts/4reb/1stl

Cook hasn’t made a three pointer in his past three games, going 0-9. It may just be a cold streak for the three point specialist, but the Thunder should start to get a little worried if Cook can’t produce during Thabo Sefolosha’s absence.

James Harden- D     10pts/4reb/6ast

It has become a trend for Harden to struggle on national television. After having a huge game against the Warriors, Harden struggled to find the bottom of the net, shooting 16.7% (2-12). Luckily for him, Durant, Westbrook, and Ibaka overshadowed his performance, with historic nights.

Rest of the Thunder- C+

Nick Collison was the only other Thunder to play quality minutes, scoring just three points. The non-Harden bench scored just seven points, not making much of a difference in this contest. The Thunder struggled while Durant and Westbrook were on the bench, letting Andre Miller and Aaron Afflalo score at will.

Richard Rowe-US PRESSWIRE

After a tough loss two nights ago, the Thunder left no doubt this game, defeating the Golden State Warriors 110-87. They ran the Warriors out of the gym, shooting 52% from the field and 41% from three. The only real negative we can take from this game is that Westbrook went down with an ankle injury in the third quarter. Hopefully he’s not seriously injured and can come back as soon as possible. Let’s give the team some grades.

Kevin Durant- A     23pts/10reb/6ast

Durant had an MVP-like game tonight. Contributing on both ends of the floor, he shot 64% while going perfect from beyond the arc. If the game would’ve been closer, he would’ve had a shot at his first career triple double.

Russell Westbrook- A      18pts/3reb/3ast

The main focus on Westbrook tonight is his injury. If he is out for an extended period of time, the Thunder will either have to rely on Reggie Jackson or make a trade for another point guard to fill his role. His injury is the one dark spot on an otherwise great game for the Thunder.

James Harden- A+     25pts/4reb/2ast

He did everything right tonight. Harden was in control, shooting lights out, and running a quality offense when Westbrook was out. Durant trusted him to take control when he was in the game. He put on a show for the Thunder Nation.

Serge Ibaka- B     9pts/6reb/2blk

Its games like these where you really don’t need Ibaka to play all that well. The Warriors are a shooting oriented team, and Serge did all he needed to for the Thunder to win. Golden State did manage to grab 22 offensive rebounds, which will not go over well with Coach Brooks. A little more effort out of Ibaka should help fix that problem.

Nazr Mohammed- B-     4pts/3reb/1blk

Mohammed started the game, but still only played 17 minutes and managed minimal stats. Cole Aldridge and Nick Collison played the majority of his minutes, and there wasn’t much to take from this game.

Daequan Cook- C     1pt/3reb/3ast

Unfortunately, Daequan did not show up tonight. He missed both of his field goal attempts, and made a few bad plays with the ball. Come playoff time, he should only be used as a 3-pt specialist.

Rest of the Team- A-

All healthy players got at least 5 minutes tonight, and they showed they can play. Royal Ivey and Reggie Jackson played well for the situation. Ivey hit three triples, and Jackson dished out four assists coming in after Westbrook went down. If the reserves can come in and play like they did tonight, the Thunder will be a tough team to beat throughout the rest of the regular season.

Mark J. Rebilas-US PRESSWIRE

For the second time this month, Kevin Durant had multiple attempts to tie or take the lead in the final 15 seconds of the fourth quarter. Unfortunately he came up short on all three shots while trailing 96-95 to the Houston Rockets. Russell Westbrook just missed a tip in off Durant’s final try at the basket. The Thunder dropped their third game in the past seven on Wednesday night.

After going 6-for-22 from the field in the first quarter, the Thunder overcame a 16-point deficit to come within one by halftime. Durant, Westbrook, and James Harden then took over for the Thunder offense, combining for 44 of the team’s 51 second half points. Despite their efforts, the poor 3-point shooting and high number of turnovers did the Thunder in for the seventh time this season. They cling to a 1.5 game lead in the West over the streaking Spurs, who have won nine straight.

The two All-Stars on the team continue to put up big numbers. Durant and Westbrook were practically identical this game. Durant took and made just one more shot than Westbrook, going 12-for-26 for 33 points, and 11-for-25 for 26, respectively, and both grabbed eight boards. The inefficiency between the two could be contributed to the early deficit and the late game struggles, they failed to score in the final 2:44 of the game. Adding in Harden (17 points, four assists), the three stars on the Thunder contributed 15 of the 21 turnovers on the game, while only dishing out nine assists.

The Thunder need to get the bench more involved so they don’t have to rely on Durant, Westbrook, and Harden so much. Without Harden, the bench is averaging only 12 points per game in losses, including 11 tonight (eight for Nick Collison and three for Reggie Jackson). Spreading out the scoring relieves pressure from the stars, and gives them a little more room to do their thing.

The Thunder may be able to continue to play a three-man game against non-playoff teams but when the playoffs come along, they are going to need to find more efficient ways to score and stop turning the ball over at such a high rate. It will be hard to overcome 21 turnover games against the top tier defenses in the league when it really counts.

Still the Thunder had multiple shots to win the game in the end. I don’t believe in moral victories but they shouldn’t feel too bad about this loss. They look to get back on track when they return home to play the Warriors Friday night at 7:00 P.M. CST.