Mar 8, 2013; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Bobcats shooting guard Gerald Henderson (9) goes up for a shot against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half at Time Warner Arena. The Thunder won 116-94. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

The Oklahoma City Thunder destroyed the Charlotte Bobcats again last night 116-94 on the road to improve to 46-16 on the year.

The Thunder came out with little energy but it didn’t matter. Charlotte led 29-28 after the first quarter but then the Thunder would go on to score the first 19 points of the second quarter and run away with it.

OKC outscored Charlotte 62-37 in the second and third quarters and as expected, did not need to play their starters in the final period.

The Thunder are off today before hosting the Boston Celtics tomorrow afternoon at 1 p.m. EST.

Here are the Game Grades:

Kevin Durant – 24 minutes, 19 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists – B+

Durant came out very passive in this one and only scored two points in the first quarter and had just seven at the half. It didn’t matter of course as Durant was doing his best job to get his teammates going. Durant could have easily ended up with a triple-double had he played more.

Russell Westbrook – 25 minutes, 11 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds – B

Westbrook was just like Durant early on passing more than looking for his own shot. He shot okay and didn’t go to the free throw line at all.

Serge Ibaka – 24 minutes, 12 points, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks – B+

Ibaka was the catalyst early on scoring eight of the team’s first 13 points. He was very aggressive and showed off a few nice moves inside. He missed both of his three-point attempts and other than that went 5-for-6 from the field.

Kevin Martin – 20 minutes, 11 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist – B-

Martin went just 4-for-10 from the field but made half of his six three-point attempts. It was a good game for him to find his shooting touch as he has been struggling of late.

Kendrick Perkins – 23 minutes, 5 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist – B

There wasn’t much for Perkins to do in this one other than keep Charlotte off the offensive glass. He accomplished that with ease.

Thabo Sefolosha – 25 minutes, 13 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist – B+

Sefolosha along with Ibaka carried the scoring load early on. He had five of the team’s first 13 points. He made 5-of-6 shots for the game and all three of his three-point attempts. Like Martin, it was a good game for Sefolosha to see his shot go in a few times.

Nick Collison – 11 minutes, 4 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists – B+

Collison was solid as usual and picked up a couple dimes which is always a good sign that the second unit is running their offense efficiently. It just feels like Collison doesn’t want to waste his time with games like this.

Reggie Jackson – 25 minutes, 9 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds – B+

Jackson finished at the rim and knocked down a few jumpers too. He ran the offense nicely getting five assists to zero turnovers. It’s hard not to get excited whenever he checks in these days.

Hasheem Thabeet – 22 minutes, 8 points, 8 rebounds, 3 blocks – A+

You could tell Scott Brooks wanted to give Thabeet a lot of run last night and Thabeet responded with possibly his best game of the year. He made 4-of-6 shots and even hit a turnaround jumper out of a post-up. He had four offensive rebounds including one of which was a tip slam. Then he blocked three shots and of course nearly fouled out with five personals.

Derek Fisher – 14 minutes, 13 points, 3 assists, 3 rebounds – A

When Fisher goes 5-for-6 from the field and makes all three of his three-point attempts, it’s hard to be mad about him playing a lot. Until Fisher can do this against a quality opponent, it will be troubling every time he takes the floor.

Perry Jones, III – 12 minutes, 6 points, 4 rebounds, 1 block – B

Jones knocked down a nice open jumper from the top of the key and got a dunk off a nice dime from Jackson for his other field goal. It’s nice to see the second unit running the same offense that the first does.

Ronnie Brewer and Jeremy Lamb played the final seven minutes of the game and didn’t do much. Lamb knocked down a three and scored five points.

Mar 8, 2013; Charlotte, NC, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder shooting guard Thabo Sefolosha (2) goes up for a shot between Charlotte Bobcats point guard Kemba Walker (15) and power forward Bismack Biyombo (0) during the first half at Time Warner Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

The Oklahoma City Thunder bested the Charlotte Bobcats on Friday, beating them 116-94 in Charlotte.

Kevin Durant had 19 points and seven assists in Oklahoma City’s fourth straight win, leading the team in scoring. Five other Thunder players scored in double digits: Derek Fisher and Thabo Sefalosha each had 13, Serge Ibaka had 12, and Russell Westbrook and Kevin Martin dropped 11 apiece.

For Charlotte, Gerald Henderson put up 21 points in the loss. He sunk his first five shots in a row for 11 points, giving the Bobcats a slight lead at the end of the first period.

The Bobcats were very competitive at the beginning of the game, leading by one point going into the second quarter. Oklahoma City countered by blowing the game wide open, when they went on a 19-0 run at the start of the second quarter–while the Bobcats missed 10 straight shots–which effectively kept Charlotte out of contention for the rest of the game. It took them nearly six minutes to light up the scoreboard in their favor in the second quarter, but by then, the damage was done.

Holding a double-digit lead the rest of the game, the Thunder carried a 64-50 lead into the locker room after shooting 62.2 percent from the field in the first half.

Charlotte got blown out by 45 points at Oklahoma City in their meeting on Nov. 26, and Henderson’s effort showed that they had no intention of repeating this performance. Though they did not lose by nearly as many this time around, the Thunder still proved to be too much to handle.

After three quarters, OKC led 90-66, and Scott Brooks pulled all the starters for the rest of the game.

The Thunder had beaten the Clippers, Lakers, and Knicks before having a significantly easier match-up against Charlotte Friday night.

With the win, the Thunder advance to 46-16 and will have a challenge on Sunday when they take on the Boston Celtics at home.

Nov 26, 2012; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russelll Westbrook (0) is congratulated by Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) after a play against the Charlotte Bobcats during the second half at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

The Oklahoma City Thunder will wrap up their season series with the Charlotte Bobcats tonight at 7 p.m. EST in Charlotte.

The Thunder destroyed the Bobcats the first time they played this season back on Nov. 26. OKC won 114-69 and led by 40 at halftime.

That game was really too crazy to try and take anything away from for this matchup. What we know is very clear and that is that the Thunder are on a completely different level than the Bobcats.

At this point in the season, OKC should dispose of Charlotte pretty quickly. The Thunder are playing a back-to-back, coming off a 95-94 win over the New York Knicks last night, but should still come out of the gates strong.

Russell Westbrook has been leading that charge lately as he leads the league in first quarter points per game since the All-Star Break. He had 15 of his 21 in the first quarter last night.

Kevin Durant scored 34 points in the Thunder’s win last night including the two game-winning free throws with a minute and a half left.

The Thunder have won six of their last seven games while the Bobcats have lost nine of their last 10.

One bright spot for the Bobcats lately has been rookie Michael Kidd-Gilchrist who has scored 17 points in each of his last two games on 16-of-24 shooting.

As long as the Thunder execute and knock down the open shots that they know they are going to get, they should have no problem winning tonight and allowing their starters to rest for the fourth quarter in the process.

Mark D. Smith-US PRESSWIRE

Things couldn’t have gone better for the Oklahoma City Thunder tonight.

They actually got off to a somewhat slow start in the first few minutes of the game before completely destroying the Charlotte Bobcats 114-69.

The Thunder led 64-24 at half time which is the first time an NBA team has led by 40 at the half in over 20 years. They held Charlotte to just 21 percent shooting in the first half and the 24 points allowed is the fewest allowed in a half in Thunder history.

Kevin Durant had 18 points on 6-of-8 shooting to go with four blocks and Russell Westbrook had 12 points and 11 assists.

The Thunder shot 51.3 percent from the field and had 31 assists. It was the third time this season that OKC registered 30 or more assists as a team in a game.

The Bobcats finished the game shooting 29.1 percent and amazingly turned the ball over just 11 times in the blowout.

The Thunder have been one of the best 3-point shooting teams in the league this season and that was again the case tonight as they made 13-of-27 from the land of plenty.

The Thunder improve to 11-4 on the year and their next game will be Wednesday night when they will host James Harden and the Houston Rockets.

Mark D. Smith-US PRESSWIRE

One of the biggest surprise teams in the NBA will travel to Oklahoma City tonight to take on the Thunder. The Charlotte Bobcats have started the season 7-5 after finishing with the worst record in the history of the NBA (percentage-wise) last season.

If the playoffs started today, the Bobcats would be a six seed in the Eastern Conference which is something we never thought we would have been saying this time of year.

Charlotte is winning close games as they are ranked just 26th in the league in offensive efficiency and are 13th in defensive efficiency.

Kemba Walker has gotten off to a good start now in his second season in the NBA. He’s averaging 18.0 points and 6.0 assists per game to lead the Bobcats in both categories. His backup, Ramon Sessions, has also been integral to the team’s early success averaging 17.2 points off the bench.

The toughest team Charlotte has played all season was the Memphis Grizzlies and week and a half ago and they lost to them. The Thunder will present a similarly tough challenge for the Bobcats tonight.

The Thunder offense has been efficient again this season as they are 3rd best in the league but they are doing so a little differently. Last year, they were beasts on isolation and pick-and-roll plays while so far this season they are in the bottom half of the league on those plays. Fortunately for OKC, Charlotte is not particularly good at defending isolations and the pick-and-roll so perhaps the Thunder will get back on track with those types of plays tonight.

The Thunder have really improved as a spot-up shooting team ranking 6th in the league on those plays. Kevin Martin is leading the way but has struggled in the past two games for the Thunder. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook should have no problem putting the pressure on and receiving the focus from the Bobcats defense which will create more open opportunities for Martin.

Of course, the Thunder are favored and should win the game tonight. The Bobcats are not particularly great on the offensive glass which is sometimes a way to give the Thunder trouble. The Bobcats have taken care of the ball so far this year which will be essential tonight for them to stay in the game.

The Bobcats have been at their best in the pick-and-roll this season on offense but the Thunder have dramatically improved their pick-and-roll defense this year as they are first in the NBA allowing just 0.73 points per possession on those plays.

The Bobcats are second to last in the league on spot-up shots and aren’t much better on isolation plays which makes you think points will be hard to come by tonight in OKC.

The Thunder are fresh off a two game back-to-back vs. Boston and Philadelphia in which both games came down to the wire. OKC will be looking to shut the door early tonight vs. Charlotte and don’t be surprised if they do.

The game tips off at 8 p.m. EST.

Sam Sharpe-US PRESSWIRE

Charlotte Bobcats owner Michael Jordan called the Oklahoma City Thunder a few times last week regarding James Harden’s availability, according to the Charlotte Observer.

Harden was dealt late Saturday night to the Houston Rockets instead obviously.

One of the reasons Thunder GM Sam Presti pulled the trigger on the trade with Houston was because he really loved the deal the Thunder were getting back in Kevin Martin, Jeremy Lamb, two first round draft picks and one second round pick.

It was a good haul for the Thunder and a deal Charlotte probably would not have been able to come close to. The Bobcats definitely could have involved the No. 2 overall pick from the 2012 NBA Draft, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, in a trade with the Thunder for Harden but they wouldn’t have had much else to offer.

Maybe they could have included DeSagana Diop’s and Reggie Williams’ expiring contracts with some draft picks too. Diop could have replaced Aldridge and given OKC more depth at center this season which is important with Dwight Howard’s arrival with the Lakers this season. Williams is a very good outside shooter who would have probably made the rotation.

Kidd-Gilchrist isn’t exactly the young player OKC would have wanted though. They’d rather try and replace Harden with someone who can play the two and shoot from the outside. Martin can do that this year and Lamb in the future.

There was a trade rumor back before the NBA Draft linking Charlotte and Harden. It was for the No. 2 overall pick with the idea that Presti really liked Bradley Beal and would have wanted to take him with that pick. That ended up being nothing but a rumor although Beal is a rookie who could have the potential to replace Harden better than Lamb down the road.

Had the Thunder known back before the NBA Draft that they were going to trade Harden before the season, maybe they consider that potential deal a little more. Beal ended up being picked 3rd overall by the Washington Wizards. In his debut Tuesday night vs. Cleveland, he played 22 minutes and scored just eight points but made his first two 3-point attempts in the game.

Richard Rowe-US PRESSWIRE

Charlotte Bobcats Team Overview

The Charlotte Bobcats can’t get much worse than they were last year. In fact, they had the lowest winning percentage in the history of the NBA last season with a record of 7-59.

The one bright spot was that Anthony Davis would be in the upcoming NBA draft but the Bobcats failed to land the No. 1 pick and had to settle for No. 2. They are getting a player that is impossible not to love in Michael Kidd-Gilchrist with that pick, but it’s hard not to think what could have been had Davis been coming to Charlotte next season.

The Bobcats also drafted Jeff Taylor from Vanderbilt who should see some time as a nice spot-up shooter. Charlotte also picked up Ben Gordon in a trade and acquired Ramon Sessions and Brendan Haywood. They are parting ways with D.J. Augustin, Corey Maggette, Jamario Moon and D.J. White.

Charlotte is a long way from becoming competitive in this league and it’s hard to find things for this franchise to cheer about.

Last year

The Oklahoma City Thunder and Bobcats played once last year and I hope you’re sitting down for this, the Thunder blew them out. OKC won 122-95 at home on March 10 as James Harden set a then career-high in the game.

Harden scored 33 points in 29 minutes. He went 11-of-16 from the field and 4-for-9 from three.

Kevin Durant scored 26 points on 8-of-12 shooting and Russell Westbrook had 23 on 10-for-14 shooting.

The Thunder shot 63.0 percent in the game and had 27 assists. Charlotte shot just 40.9 percent.

Augustin scored 22 and Maggette had 21 to lead the Bobcats and they won’t even be with the team next season.

The matchup

The Bobcats had the worst offense in the league last year in terms of points per possession so in no shape or form do they have any kind of advantage against the Thunder.

The Bobcats were also dead last on defense but they were 20th against post-ups while the Thunder were 24th at scoring from the post. But only 6.7 percent of OKC’s offense came from the post.

Next year

The lone bright spot for Charlotte is Kidd-Gilchrist who should make a greater impact than one would normally think. He is one of those guys that does all of the little things, plays hard every second he is on the floor and is pretty talented too.

The Bobcats play the Thunder twice next year, first Nov. 26 in OKC then at home on March 8. No one in their right mind should think either of those games could be close.

For more Charlotte Bobcats coverage, visit Roberto Gato.

Bradley Beal was the player on Oklahoma City’s radar. Thunder GM Sam Presti had expressed interest in trying to move up to take the guard from Florida.

Trading up to pick Beal would have meant trading James Harden to Charlotte.

This took Thunder fans aback leading up to the NBA Draft. Harden was such an important piece to this team, one beloved by the fans.

As the Draft grew nearer, the Thunder dispelled any rumors involved trading Harden.

Leftover draft chatter: OKC officials took steps in recent days to assure James Harden he wouldn’t be dealt for top-3 pick & then proved it

— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) June 29, 2012

The potential trade seemed unlikely in the first place despite it possibly making some sense for both sides. From the Thunder front, it’s good to hear that Harden didn’t have to sit through the Draft wondering if he might suddenly get traded.

Thunder GM Sam Presti on the James Harden rumor: “James Harden is a coveted player. But I don’t think anyone covets him as much as we do.”

— Darnell Mayberry (@DarnellMayberry) June 29, 2012

The Thunder may not have traded up into the lottery in the draft but they did still end up drafting a lottery-level talent in Perry Jones III of Baylor.

Jones III fell to OKC at pick No. 28 as the former projected lottery pick slid further than almost anyone expected in the first round.

Things could not have gone better for the Thunder in the Draft. They didn’t expect to make any substantial picks and ended up having a potential gem fall right into their laps.

These are the kind of things that tend to happen to teams right before they start winning championships.

Here are draft grades for every team:

New Orleans Hornets
No. 1 overall – Anthony Davis, PF, Kentucky
No. 10 overall – Austin Rivers, G, Duke
No. 46 overall – Darius Miller, G/F, Kentucky

The Hornets really couldn’t go wrong possessing the first overall pick in the draft and chance to take Anthony Davis. Davis has a chance to be a franchise changer and playing alongside Eric Gordon in New Orleans is a good start. The Hornets took Rivers 10th overall which is what they wanted to do. The Hornets believe Rivers can play some point for them although he is a scoring guard at heart. Gordon is a good playmaker himself though so the two may be able to share ball handling duties a la Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry. The Darius Miller pick is nice too. He is an athlete that could make it in the NBA and was a teammate of Davis’ at Kentucky.

Grade: A+

Oklahoma City Thunder
No. 28 overall – Perry Jones, III, F, Baylor

To win a championship, sometimes it takes a little luck. The Thunder got the steal of the 2012 NBA Draft with the No. 28 pick. Perry Jones III we knew was going to fall because of concerns mainly surrounding his knee but sliding this far to a franchise that is perfect for him just seems unfair to the rest of the league. It was a Spurs-like snag for OKC and they know it already. Jones III has lottery talent and top-5 pick potential. One knock on him is that he never really stepped up and dominated and was more of a supporting role type of mindset and player. Well, come on down to OKC that sounds just fine!

Grade: A+

Charlotte Bobcats
No. 2 overall – Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, SF, Kentucky
No. 31 overall – Jeffrey Taylor, G/F, Vanderbilt

The Bobcats were supposed to either trade the No. 2 pick or take Thomas Robinson if they couldn’t. Instead, they shocked everyone selecting Michael Kidd-Gilchrist second overall. MKG is a player that will shine no matter where he plays, even in Charlotte. He has the potential to be the second best player in this draft class and it was a wise choice to make here by Michael Jordan. Jeffrey Taylor is a good pick too in the second round. Taylor was projected to go a little earlier in the draft and is a nice value find at 31.

Grade: A

Washington Wizards
No. 3 overall – Bradley Beal, SG, Florida
No. 32 overall – Tomas Satoransky, G, Czech Republic

The Wizards got the man they wanted at No. 3 but had to hold their breath and pray before doing so. As the Bobcats were shopping the No. 2 pick, any team that may have gotten it was probably going to take Bradley Beal second overall. The Wizards desperately wanted an elite shooter and wing to place alongside John Wall and they believe Beal is that guy. Beal measured just under 6-foot-5 so he’s not huge but he is physical and can do a lot of things on a basketball court. Tomas Satoranksy in the second round apparently is friends with Jan Vesely which makes that pick awesome too.

Grade: A

Sacramento Kings
No. 5 overall – Thomas Robinson, PF, Kansas

It was impossible not to fall in love with Thomas Robinson watching him break down after being selected fifth overall by the Kings. He won over a lot of fans with that reaction. Robinson is touted as one of the surest things at the top of this draft. The Kings wanted him bad too at No. 5, more than anybody else. Sacramento was going to pull off a trade with this pick with Houston if Robinson was off the board but obviously that didn’t happen. Robinson and DeMarcus Cousins are going to be able to get a lot of rebounds playing together.

Grade: A

Detroit Pistons
No. 9 overall – Andre Drummond, PF/C, Connecticut
No. 39 overall – Khris Middleton, SF, Texas A&M

The Pistons are extremely happy that Andre Drummond fell to them. Before the draft, they were hoping for this but planning to settle on John Henson. Drummond has as much upside as anyone in this draft. There are questions surrounding him but he is very young. It was the right pick here for Detroit without question. Khris Middleton isn’t someone that jumps out as a great pick here but at No. 39, there’s not a lot to expect.

Grade: A

Milwaukee Bucks
No. 14 overall – John Henson, PF, North Carolina
No. 42 overall – Doron Lamb, SG, Kentucky

The Bucks were pretty happy to see John Henson at No. 14 especially after trading down from 12 with Houston. Henson is the kind of guy Milwaukee wanted and someone who will block a lot of shots and grab some rebounds but really needs to put on some weight first. Doron Lamb is another player they were happy to see at No. 42. He could have gone in the first round and is an irrational confidence guy who can shoot and play some D too.

Grade: B+

Cleveland Cavaliers
No. 4 overall – Dion Waiters, SG, Syracuse
No. 17 overall – Tyler Zeller, C, North Carolina

It wasn’t a huge shocker that Cleveland took Dion Waiters No. 4. They were planning on possibly doing so and after being unable to trade up to No. 2 and take Beal, Waiters was the next guy on their list, probably just ahead of Harrison Barnes. It wasn’t an overly popular pick but Waiters has an NBA-ready body and next to Kyrie Irving should do well. With Tyler Zeller sliding in the draft, the Cavaliers pulled the trigger on a trade with Dallas to get to No. 17 and take the North Carolina center. They gave up three picks for Zeller so they must really like him. Now with a core of Irving, Waiters, Thompson and Zeller, Cleveland’s future looks kind of alright.

Grade: B

Portland Trailblazers
No. 6 overall – Damian Lillard, PG, Weber State
No. 11 overall – Meyers Leonard, C, Illinois
No. 40 overall – Will Barton, SG, Memphis

Before the Draft, Portland was intent on keeping their 6th and 11th picks and they also loved Damian Lillard. Six may sound high for Lillard but Portland did something smart: picking their favorite guy and not caring where they did it. They then filled a need at 11 with Meyers Leonard, the center from Illinois. Portland was projected in some mocks to take Andre Drummond and either Austin Rivers or Jeremy Lamb. That sounds a little better than what they ended up with. They get Will Barton at No. 40 which is another solid value pick as he was projected late-first by many.

Grade: B

Golden State Warriors
No. 7 overall – Harrison Barnes, G/F, North Carolina
No. 30 overall – Festus Ezeli, C, Vanderbilt
No. 35 overall – Draymond Green, F, Michigan State
No. 52 overall – Ognjen Kuzmic, C, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Despite his overall disappointing feeling, many still feel Harrison Barnes can be an All-Star in the NBA. Getting him at No. 7 was a pretty solid pick for the Warriors, who are starting new next year post-Monta Ellis and with Andrew Bogut. Festus Ezeli with the last pick of the first round is understandable too and he is a high-character guy who will work hard for them. Draymond Green is another good pick to get in the second round. The Warriors didn’t have a flashy draft but they made some value picks and that’s always a good strategy.

Grade: B

Houston Rockets
No. 12 overall – Jeremy Lamb, SG, Connecticut
No. 16 overall – Royce White, F, Iowa State
No. 18 overall – Terrence Jones, F, Kentucky

The Rockets were stockpiling draft picks with one thing on their mind: Dwight Howard. That hasn’t happened yet and now feels like it won’t. They were hoping to move up to No. 5 to take Andre Drummond but since Thomas Robinson fell to the Kings there, they weren’t trading that pick. The Rockets will settle for three pretty solid players starting with Jeremy Lamb at No. 12 who has a lot of pro potential as a scorer. When they took Royce White at No. 16, you knew they weren’t trading their picks anymore. White has gotten a lot of buzz this draft as a more athletic Boris Diaw who plays a little like Charles Barkley too. Terrence Jones two picks later is another talented forward that can do a variety of things. You always feel players Daryl Morey drafts are guys who can find a spot in the NBA. The Rockets just had bigger sights for this draft than this.

Grade: B

Phoenix Suns
No. 13 overall – Kendall Marshall, PG, North Carolina

It’s just about official now that Steve Nash is on his way out in Phoenix. Kendall Marshall is their point guard of the future. Marshall was one of the best assists men in college the past two seasons and has drawn comparisons to Mark Jackson and Andre Miller so yeah, he’s not quick. He’s fun to play with and will make the players around him better. They like that in Phoenix.

Grade: B

Chicago Bulls
No. 29 overall – Marquis Teague, PG, Kentucky

The Bulls were either going backup point here or combo-guard shooter. Marquis Teague is a talented player with this pick and someone who may be able to play alongside Derrick Rose some. It’s nothing special for the Bulls but a good pick nonetheless. Bulls fans were dying for Perry Jones III to slip one more pick into their laps.

Grade: B

Toronto Raptors
No. 8 overall – Terrence Ross, SG, Washington
No. 37 overall – Quincy Acy, PF, Baylor
No. 56 overall – Tomislav Zubcic, PF, Croatia

The Raptors would have loved to see Harrison Barnes fall one more pick into their laps. They would have loved even more to move up and snag Dion Waiters. They settle for Terrence Ross who can do things that will make him have a solid NBA career: shoot threes and defend. Quincy Acy in Round 2 could be a Reggie Evans type which is something this franchise has experience with. Tomislav Zubcic will not come over right away. If Toronto gets Steve Nash, a lot of their problems will appear solved.

Grade: C+

Orlando Magic
No. 19 overall – Andrew Nicholson, PF, St. Bonaventure
No. 49 overall – Kyle O’Quinn, C, Norfolk State

The Magic are in a weird situation and have been ever since Dwight Howard started pouting. Howard ran their head coach and GM out of town and still wants out himself. He hasn’t gotten it yet but it’s really only a matter of time. Orlando’s picks of Andrew Nicholson and Kyle O’Quinn may have been logical, but they won’t make their fans feel better yet

Grade: C+

Boston Celtics
No. 21 overall – Jared Sullinger, PF, Ohio State
No. 22 overall – Fab Melo, C, Syracuse
No. 51 overall – Kris Joseph, SF, Syracuse

We knew Jared Sullinger would drop, we just didn’t know how far. The Celtics are in a rebuilding stage now and looking to bulk up their front court with Sullinger and Fab Melo. The Celtics were hoping for Royce White here or to trade up and take Doc Rivers’ son Austin Rivers in the lottery. The best case scenario for Kris Joseph (taken No. 51 overall) is Gary Forbes, according to DraftExpress.

Grade: C+

Philadelphia 76ers
No. 15 overall – Maurice Harkless, SF, St. John’s
No. 27 overall – Arnett Moultrie, PF/C, Mississippi State

Philadelphia fans are not happy with the decision to take Maurice “don’t call me Moe” Harkless 15th overall. When you draft a guy who plays the same position as your best player at No. 15, it never feels like it makes sense. Harkless came out after just one year at St. John’s and is said to have some pro potential but he’s nothing special. The 76ers traded up with Miami to get Arnett Moultrie at No. 27. It’s just another lateral move here for Philly. Their fans want more than that.

Grade: C

Denver Nuggets
No. 20 overall – Evan Fournier, SG, France
No. 38 overall – Quincy Miller, G/F, Baylor
No. 50 overall – Izzet Turkyilmaz, PF, Turkey

The Nuggets surprisingly went with Evan Fournier at No. 20 despite some talent sitting on the board. Fournier will not come over to the NBA next season but was the highest rated international prospect of the draft. The Nuggets clearly weren’t looking to try and strike gold with late first round picks this year. They’ve already accomplished that with Ty Lawson and Kenneth Faried. Their pick at No. 38 felt a little better. Some fans wanted Quincy Miller with the 20th pick so getting him this late is a win in that sense. Miller is young with a ton of potential but has the usual question marks. Denver went with another international product late in the second round that we won’t see in the NBA right away.

Grade: C

Atlanta Hawks
No. 23 overall – John Jenkins, SG, Vanderbilt
No. 43 overall – Mike Scott, F, Virginia

Nothing special here for Atlanta. John Jenkins could be decent but he won’t turn any heads. He can really shoot it though and might get some run for the Hawks where Josh Smith is on the way out. It would have been great if Atlanta had decided to draft Marquis Teague here and run an all-Teague backcourt with his brother Jeff. Love the Mike Scott pick.

Grade: C

Dallas Mavericks
No. 24 overall – Jared Cunningham, G, Oregon State
No. 33 overall – Bernard James, C, Florida State
No. 34 overall – Jae Crowder, F, Marquette

It doesn’t seem like Dallas was trying to do a ton in this draft. They dealt their 17th overall pick to Cleveland probably because there was no one they were in love with. They got three picks back for it and didn’t do anything crazy with them. One of the cooler moments in the draft though was Bernard James having his name called and walking to the podium. The crowd started chanting “U-S-A” because James served three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. Dallas’ main priority this offseason is wooing Deron Williams and/or Dwight Howard.

Grade: C

Memphis Grizzlies
No. 25 overall – Tony Wroten, Jr., PG, Washington

The Grizzlies wanted a point guard and a lot of mocks had them going with Marquis Teague but they choose Tony Wroten, Jr. instead. Jay Bilas calls Wroten, Jr. a taller Rajon Rondo. That means he’s a good passer and can’t shoot a lick. Maybe it’s what Memphis needs and there is some upside there.

Grade: C

Utah Jazz
No. 47 overall – Kevin Murphy, SG, Tennessee Tech

Utah has enough young players from the last few drafts that they didn’t care too much about this year. Kevin Murphy is the only player from this draft to score 50 or more points in game last year in college. Why not?

Grade: C

Miami Heat
No. 45 overall – Justin Hamilton, C, LSU

Miami could have had Perry Jones III at No. 27 and it would have been just as scary as OKC getting him if not more so. They just didn’t want to have to pay a first rounder this year. Their cap space will be tight the next few seasons. They trade down here and get a 7-footer which they need. Something tells me we won’t see a ton of Justin Hamilton playing for the defending champs.

Grade: C

San Antonio Spurs
No. 59 overall – Marcus Denmon, G, Missouri

The Spurs drafted him so he’ll be an All-Star in four years. Marcus Denmon feels a little Patty Mills/James Anderson. The Spurs probably aren’t expecting too much from Denmon though.

Grade: C

New York Knicks
No. 48 overall – Kostas Papanikolaou, F, Greece

Not doing anything here. The home crowd really loved this pick at least.

Grade: C-

Los Angeles Clippers
No. 53 overall – Furkan Aldemir, PF, Turkey

Love this pick. He may never play in the NBA but he is a great rebounder and can only score on putbacks, according to Fran Fraschilla. What’s not to love?

Grade: C-

Los Angeles Lakers
No. 55 overall – Darius Johnson-Odom, SG, Marquette
No. 60 overall – Robert Sacre, C, Gonzaga

Darius Johnson-Odom plays the wrong sport. He’d be an awesome football player and used that to his advantage in college for Marquette. He will look a lot smaller in the NBA. If Robert Sacre is playing for the Lakers next season, it won’t be a good thing.

Grade: C-

Brooklyn Nets
No. 41 overall – Tyshawn Taylor, PG, Kansas
No. 54 overall – Tornike Shengelia, PF, Georgia
No. 57 overall – Ilkan Karaman, PF, Turkey

Brooklyn not trying to go crazy here. They are just praying for Deron Williams and Dwight Howard to hookup in their new city. Tyshawn Taylor might make it as a backup point in this league but nothing more. Tornike Shengelia goes by “Toko” and is a 6-foot-9 scorer who is good at attacking and can score around the rim well but has no jumper. Ilkan Karamen has a ton of tattoos and may “never play in the NBA” according to Fran Fraschilla.

Grade: C-

Minnesota Timberwolves
No. 58 overall – Robbie Hummel, SF, Purdue

Kevin Love, Chase Budinger and now Robbie Hummel. Good luck rest of league.

Grade: C-

Indiana Pacers
No. 26 overall – Miles Plumlee, PF, Duke
No. 36 overall – Orlando Johnson, SG, UCSB

This may have been the worst draft pick ever, worse than Sam Bowie. With names like Perry Jones III, Draymond Green and Festus Ezeli on the board, Indiana elects to take the worst Plumlee brother, Miles. If they weren’t Indiana and known for their white hoopsters, this would be an even worse pick. It’s still so horrible though words can’t describe it. There’s nothing that could make this pick ever make sense. They get Orlando Johnson from UCSB in the second round who was a 20-point scorer last year and might do something for them.

Grade: F

• The Boston Celtics have expressed interest in moving up into the lottery. The Celtics have the 21st and 22nd picks in the first round. Their number one target is reportedly Duke guard Austin Rivers, son of Celtics head coach Doc Rivers.
• The New Orleans Hornets also have Rivers atop their list for the No. 10 pick. This means that Boston would have to try and move into the top nine to take Rivers. The only teams who could conceivably move out of the top 10 are the Sacramento Kings or the Golden State Warriors although neither seems likely.
• Kings and Rockets trade talks for the No. 5 pick have intensified. The Rockets are looking to get the fifth pick to take Andre Drummond. Sacramento doesn’t seem to be sold on any player to draft except for Thomas Robinson. Once Robinson is drafted, if it is before No. 5, the Kings will likely pull the trigger on trading the fifth pick to Houston for a few of their first round picks and Kyle Lowry.
• The Charlotte Bobcats who have been shopping their No. 2 overall pick for awhile now have reportedly narrowed down the candidates to the Cavaliers and Rockets. The Rockets number one mission is to get pieces to send Orlando’s way for Dwight Howard. The Cavs have the 4th and 24th pick in the first round and any deal for the No. 2 pick with Charlotte would include both of those.
• This means the Thunder are 99% not trading James Harden. It never felt like it was really going to happen anyway.
• The player most teams seem to want to get at No. 2 is Bradley Beal, unless the pick stays with Charlotte in which case they’d likely pick Thomas Robinson. Beal will not drop past Washington at No. 3.
• If Beal is off the board at No. 3, the Wizards would still likely look for a shooter as opposed to picking Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. They went into the draft many believed having Harrison Barnes high on their board and would also possibly take Dion Waiters instead of MKG.
• The Portland Trailblazers really want Damian Lillard. They have the 6th and 11th overall picks. They have heard that Lillard will not be available at 11 so they may have to take him at 6.
• The Detroit Pistons will reportedly select John Henson at No. 9 if he is there. Drummond may drop to No. 9 but if he doesn’t, Detroit is probably going with Henson.
• The Thunder aren’t necessarily looking to pick a player at No. 28 that will play next year. That means they could be leaning toward Evan Fournier from France and also now Kostas Papanikolaou of Greece.

The only certainty about tonight so far is that Anthony Davis will be the No. 1 overall draft choice. After that just about every team is open to trades involving their picks.

• The Houston Rockets have been making the most moves so far. They have acquired the 12th, 16th and 18th picks in the first round. Their ultimate goal is to somehow trade with Orlando for Dwight Howard. The first step towards getting Howard to Houston is trading with the Kings first. The Rockets first offered Sacramento Kyle Lowry and two of their first rounders for Tyreke Evans and the 5th overall pick. The Kings turned down that offer.
• The Kings aren’t sold on any prospect yet at No. 5. They are hoping that Thomas Robinson could fall to that spot although that is pretty unlikely. Robinson is currently projected No. 2 overall to the Bobcats but the Bobcats reportedly have five offers on the table for that pick. The Kings were earlier rumored to have been eyeing Harrison Barnes with the fifth pick but now are possibly thinking Andre Drummond instead.
• The Bobcats have been shopping their No. 2 overall pick for awhile now. We first heard of them targeting James Harden for the pick. The Thunder have expressed interest in Bradley Beal but would have to part ways with Harden to move high up enough to draft him making that very unlikely.
• The Timberwolves have reportedly offered Charlotte Derrick Williams – last year’s No. 2 overall pick – for this year’s No. 2 overall pick. Williams wasn’t terrible this season but the idea of possibly pairing Kevin Love and Ricky Rubio alongside Beal or Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is enticing.
• The most likely deal to be made with Charlotte for the No. 2 pick would involve Cleveland and their No. 4 and No. 24 picks in the first round. The Cavs would most likely want to move up to jump Washington so they can pick Beal but it has been reported that Cleveland is considering Dion Waiters with the No. 4 pick as well.
• Waiters has been shooting up draft boards a ton these past few weeks. Now the Toronto Raptors are also interested in moving up to pick Waiters. Toronto has the No. 8 pick and has been projected to select a shooting guard with that pick from day one. If Waiters is not there for them, they could choose between Austin Rivers and Jeremy Lamb with the pick.
• Kidd-Gilchrist is considered by a lot of experts to have the second most potential of any player in this draft behind Davis. The Bobcats have showed little interest in him and he has been rumored to potentially slide as far down as No. 5 for Sacramento.
• The Los Angeles Lakers have put Pau Gasol on the market the past few days and have expressed some interest in MKG as well.
• The Atlanta Hawks are interested in dealing Josh Smith for Gasol but the Lakers haven’t shown much interest in that yet.
• Drummond is another prospect with tons of potential but also considered a risk. He could go in the top five or drop as low as nine. The Rockets would like to use some of their picks to move up to No. 7 if Drummond is there and trade with the Warriors.
• The Warriors are looking for a player to be an immediate impact. It would be hard to consider anyone other than Davis as an immediate impact player in this draft but if Barnes slips, the Warriors could try and move up to draft him.
• The Portland Trailblazers have two lottery picks at No. 6 and No. 11 and they intend to use both as opposed to packaging the two to move into the top five.
• The Boston Celtics would like to move into the lottery. They currently have the No. 21 and No. 22 picks in the first round. They were rumored also to have promised Royce White that they would draft him at that time if he is still available.

This is just the tip of the ice berg so far today in terms of NBA Draft rumors. We are just over five hours until the draft will begin and there will surely be plenty more stories developing until that time.

Christopher Hanewickel-US PRESSWIRE

The Oklahoma City Thunder weren’t supposed to make a lot of noise at the NBA Draft this year. The franchise that has made some of the best draft decisions in recent history would have just one pick in the draft at No. 28.

The rumors started picking up yesterday with seemingly every team in the lottery shopping their picks around. The Thunder’s name came up.

Oklahoma City and their GM Sam Presti are reportedly very interested in Florida guard Bradley Beal who is projected to be a top three pick right now. The Thunder appeared so interested in the reports that they would even consider trading up for Beal.

Getting into position to select Beal would mean one thing for sure: trading James Harden to the Charlotte Bobcats for the No. 2 overall pick.

It sounds crazy to think that OKC would trade away their third best player after making it to the NBA Finals this past season but there is some logic behind the possible move.

The Thunder have a decision to make with Harden this offseason. He will be eligible for an extension beginning July 1 and the Thunder are going to have to pay him quite a bit to keep him.

Harden would likely be able to get close to a max-deal with another team if he doesn’t extend with OKC. If he stays with the Thunder he’d be taking a few million less each season.

Harden has talked about sacrifice with this team and his role with this team but it would still be a lot of money for him to leave on the table.

The other factor is that the Thunder would also like to try and keep Serge Ibaka who is also up for an extension this summer. Ibaka isn’t worth as much as Harden but if the Thunder do extend both, that would leave them very little salary room to build around a core of Durant, Westbrook, Harden and Ibaka.

The Thunder would also most likely enter the luxury tax in the next few seasons which is now a much harsher penalty with the new CBA. Oklahoma City is a small market without a TV deal right now so avoiding the luxury tax is a priority for this franchise.

If the Thunder dealt Harden for Beal, it would make life a little easier on those constructing the roster. Beal would have a rookie deal barely affecting the cap at all, Ibaka would be extended probably along with Eric Maynor this summer and the Thunder would have some more cap room to bring in talent to surround Durant and Westbrook.

Harden is a great player who will only improve over the next few seasons and Beal would be more of a risk, obviously since he hasn’t played in the NBA yet.

Presti and the Thunder organization are all about building a team with not only talented players but players who fit the Thunder model. Harden certainly embodies that but if Beal also does, Presti might be closer to pulling the trigger on a deal.

Beal has been compared to Ray Allen (unfairly) but plays closer to an Eric Gordon or less athletic Andre Iguodala. He competes on both ends of the floor and is a good pick-and-roll ball handler, although Harden is one of the best in the league at this.

OKC would be taking a baby step back if they went through with this trade. They wouldn’t have the same fire power coming off the bench and even more responsibility would lie with Durant and Westbrook.

Durant and Westbrook could probably handle the increased responsibility but maybe not by next season. Harden was so integral in OKC’s playoff run this past season and took over games at times even with Durant and Westbrook on the floor with him.

Trading Harden seems crazy but maybe it’s not so crazy. The Thunder more than likely will not make this move. They know they came so close to winning it all this year and they want this core to play out to whatever potential they may have.

Bradley Beal of Florida – who is considered the No. 2 prospect in the draft by 70 percent of GMs – is on Oklahoma City’s radar.

Beal told ESPN/ESPN.com Wednesday that Oklahoma City general manager Sam Presti told him during an interview in Chicago that he was interested in trying to move up to draft him. The Thunder’s first-round pick currently isn’t until No. 28.

“He told me he was going to decide what they’re going to do and considered getting up there,” said Beal.

via ESPN’s Andy Katz

The Charlotte Bobcats have been looking to move the No. 2 pick in the draft and that is how far OKC would have to move up to select Beal. Beal is definitely not falling past the Washington Wizards at No. 3.

“I’ve heard it a lot,” Beal said of the Thunder scenario. “It’s really interesting. I would love to play with Kevin Durant. (Russell) Westbrook, great point guard. Just the whole team. It’s young, I would love to play with a young team. They play fast. I’d love to get up and down, shoot the ball. Overall, whatever situation I Iand in I’ll be happy.”

The Thunder would have to give up James Harden to move up to the No. 2 pick. There were reports a few weeks ago that the Bobcats had offered the No. 2 pick to OKC for Harden.

Harden was obviously a huge part of the Thunder’s run to the NBA Finals this past season. Harden did struggle quite a bit in the Finals against the Heat and the Thunder are going to have a tough time keeping both Harden and Serge Ibaka down the road without dipping into the luxury tax.

Harden is up for an extension starting July 1 and while a deal isn’t done yet, Harden felt that he and the Thunder would come to an agreement.

Still, Presti has seriously considered finding a way to get to Beal. A number of sources said that Presti spent three days in Gainesville during the lockout watching the Gators practice, a fact that Beal confirmed Wednesday.

A source also said that Florida coach Billy Donovan met with Presti in Dallas when he took his two nephews to the Oklahoma City-Dallas first-round playoff series in May. Presti and Donovan have had multiple conversations on the phone about Beal, as well.

A source with direct knowledge of the situation said, “Oklahoma City exhausted every opportunity on campus to find out everything they could find out about Beal. They’ve done everything they can.”

via ESPN’s Andy Katz

The Thunder model is all about making great draft choices, developing that talent and creating a culture of winning in Oklahoma City.

Harden was as much a part of that culture as anyone in OKC but continuing that model might mean dealing Harden instead of paying him for a player that could blossom into a similar player.

The Thunder are already locked in to Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. Trying to keep a third All-Star who needs the ball to be productive might not be the best idea.

Everyone in Thunder camp loves Harden and they should. But the NBA is a business and the right business decision here might be Beal.

Kevin Jairaj-US PRESSWIRE

The Charlotte Bobcats have been shopping their No. 2 overall pick in the upcoming 2012 NBA Draft.

James Harden is reportedly a player that the Bobcats would be interested in getting for that pick.

It makes sense that the Bobcats would like to deal the pick for an established star or even a few pieces. Anthony Davis is the prize of this draft and the only player close to being a sure thing.

Charlotte would have to settle for Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Bradley Beal or Thomas Robinson now that the New Orleans Hornets jumped them in the Draft Lottery for the top pick.

Harden would be worth it for the Bobcats to give up that pick. In his third year, Harden has shown all the making of a potential All-Star in this league.

The Oklahoma City Thunder would have to have quite the deal on the table for them to part ways with their beloved Harden though. The Thunder will however be in somewhat of a tough position pretty soon when it comes to paying Harden and also Serge Ibaka.

Many think they will have to choose between the two since it will be very hard to keep both. With Kevin Durant and Russell already locked in for the next 5-6 years for the Thunder and Harden being a somewhat similar player to the two, maybe Ibaka would be the better long-term decision for OKC.

It’s hard to imagine the Thunder trading Harden no matter how much sense it could make. Sam Presti and the Thunder organization are so dedicated to winning with the core they have now.

The Thunder have shown though that they will make the tough trades like they did last year when they dealt Jeff Green to Boston for Kendrick Perkins. That trade eventually has worked out in the Thunder’s favor.

Trading Harden essentially for MKG or Beal would actually be closer to what the “Thunder Model” is. They’re all about finding that right guy in the draft that they can develop and make work with the chemistry of their team and the chemistry of Durant-Westbrook.

If the Thunder think there’s a player that fits that mold at No. 2, why not pull the trigger?

Let the conspiracy theories begin.

As everyone knows, the Hornets have been owned by the NBA the past few seasons. The NBA is about to sell them to Saints owner Tom Benson but it is ironic that the one team owned by the NBA is the only team in this year’s lottery to move up.

Currently in a USA Today poll, 55 percent of people believe that the lottery was fixed last night.

Fixings and riggings have been surrounding the NBA for a long time with the notion usually being that certain things are better for the league like Patrick Ewing being drafted by the New York Knicks instead of the Indiana Pacers.

The entire lottery went chalk until New Orleans, who had the fourth highest chances to land the number one pick, jumped the three teams in front of them to snag it.

It wasn’t long ago that the NBA vetoed a trade sending New Orleans’ best player Chris Paul to the Los Angeles Lakers stirring up more controversy with the league’s conflict of interest.

The team with the best chance to win the lottery, the Charlotte Bobcats, will now end up picking second in a draft where the difference between first and second may be greater than any other spot.

Michael Jordan of course owns the Bobcats and has been someone who has been centered around some conspiracy theories before in the league like when he retired in his prime to go play professional baseball.

If the league truly is fixed then we will see Miami in the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder: LeBron vs. Durant.

The Heat are already well on their way while the Thunder may need some Donaghy-esque help. Everyone get ready for Durant shooting 20 free throws per game the rest of the Western Conference Finals.

The Hornets had the fourth highest percentage to get the number one overall pick at 13.7 percent. The Charlotte Bobcats had the highest probability to get the pick at 25.0 percent and will pick second instead.

Anthony Davis will be selected by the New Orleans Hornets in the NBA Draft and will join Eric Gordon to help turn this franchise around.

Here are the lottery results.

The NBA Draft Lottery will be held tonight at 8:00 p.m. EST on ESPN.

The Charlotte Bobcats have the best chance of landing the number one pick and Davis who compares his game to Kevin Garnett and Serge Ibaka’s.

He said he mirrors his game after Boston’s Kevin Garnett offensively — “he can shoot mid-range and still score in the post” — and defensively after Oklahoma City’s Serge Ibaka — he “can alter shots and he’s now the best shot blocker in the league.”

Via ESPN’s Andy Katz.

Davis certainly shares similarities to Garnett and Ibaka and if he can become a hybrid of the two then he will surely be worth the first overall pick.

Davis dominated the college game this season leading the Kentucky Wildcats to a national championship, head coach John Calipari’s first.

Davis played center for Kentucky and was the best shot blocker the college game had seen in a long time. Davis also possessed guard skills and was initially recruited by colleges as a guard before having a giant growth spurt at the end of his high school career.

Davis could play some center in the NBA but his truer position might be the power forward slot in the stretch-four fashion.

Davis would definitely thrive alongside a dynamic point guard like John Wall in Washington or he may have trouble really proving his value if the Bobcats land him and have little talent to surround him with.

Davis and his family can only wait until tonight to find out where he will end up and they are very anxious to.

“We’ve been on edge,” Davis Sr. said. “All the guessing will be done (Wednesday) and we’ll know where he’ll go. He’s been focusing on the workout and basketball but we’ll find out which way the (ping pong) balls will drop (Wednesday).”

Bob Donnan-US PRESSWIRE

The NBA Draft Lottery will be held tonight at 8:00 p.m. EST on ESPN before Game 2 between the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics.

Anthony Davis will be mentioned a few times tonight.

Davis is the coveted, without question number one pick in the upcoming NBA Draft and tonight we will all find out where he will be headed.

The Charlotte Bobcats had the worst record in the NBA this season, the worst winning percentage in a season ever and are rewarded with a 25 percent chance of landing the number one pick and Davis.

The next few teams with the best chance of snagging Davis are the Washington Wizards, Cleveland Cavaliers and New Orleans Hornets.

The Bobcats are by no means guaranteed winning the top pick. Since the lottery began in 1985, only four times has the team with the worst record in the league won the first pick with the last time being in 2004 when the Orlando Magic ended up with Dwight Howard.

While most of the attention will be surrounding the first overall pick, there are a few other important storylines to not overlook especially with this draft being considered such a deep one.

The Brooklyn Nets acquired Gerald Wallace this year trading away their first round pick which is top-3 protected. That pick has a 7.5 percent chance of being the number one selection but it is more likely Portland will end up with two lottery picks.

The Utah Jazz and Golden State Warriors are also both very interested in tonight’s results. The Warriors had the seventh worst record this season and if they fall with a top-7 pick in the lottery, they will keep that pick. If not, Utah gets it and after making the playoffs this year with a promising young core, it could really be a huge pick for them.

If you want to see a simulation of how the lottery might unfold, head on over to ESPN’s Lottery Mock Draft machine.