Dec 6, 2012; Miami FL, USA; New York Knicks small forward Ronnie Brewer (11) reacts during a game against the Miami Heat at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

The Oklahoma City Thunder weren’t expected to do much yesterday when the trade deadline hit at 3 p.m. EST. The Thunder made two moves though at the list minute.

The first one sent point guard Eric Maynor packing to the Portland Trail Blazers for a trade exception. Then the Thunder acquired New York Knicks guard Ronnie Brewer for a 2014 second-round pick.

The moves don’t seem like much but by essentially swapping Maynor for Brewer, the Thunder are in better shape to take on the team that’s proven to be nearly impossible for them to beat: the Miami Heat.

Maynor had fallen out of the rotation and lost his value to this team. He was going to be a restricted free agent in the summer and the Thunder weren’t planning on matching an offer sheet for him, especially considering the emergence of Reggie Jackson.

So it made sense for Maynor to be shipped out. The Thunder reportedly wanted a first-round pick for him but settled for the trade exception and opening up a roster spot for Brewer.

Brewer is known as one of the best perimeter defenders in the league. When he played for the Chicago Bulls from 2010-2012 he would often defend LeBron James.

While no one can shut down LeBron, Brewer has the tools to slow him down. At 6-foot-7, 220 pounds, Brewer can match him with LeBron size-wise.

Before acquiring Brewer, the Thunder really only had Kevin Durant and Thabo Sefolosha to guard LeBron. Durant got in foul trouble far too frequently when attempting to check the King and Sefolosha just seemed a little too small to handle him in the post. Brewer gives the Thunder a much needed extra option to defend LeBron.

Brewer’s impact elsewhere won’t be as great. We might see Sefolosha playing a few less minutes the rest of the season and DeAndre Liggins might start spending more time in Tulsa.

Brewer is not much of a scorer. The most he ever averaged in a season was 13.7 points per game back in 2008-09. He’s only a career 25.7 percent three-point shooter too. He’s an effective slasher though that still manages to shoot 49.3 percent for his career, although that number has been lower in recent seasons.

The Thunder pride themselves on defense and their internal goal is to gain a reputation as one of the league’s elite defenses. That’s why we didn’t see Kendrick Perkins packing his bags yesterday for Marcin Gortat. Perkins brings the defense every night and so will Brewer.

The Thunder got better yesterday. You won’t see it right away but when the playoffs start, OKC has another body that they can go to war with.

Dec 14, 2012; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Eric Maynor (6) drives the ball past Sacramento Kings point guard Isaiah Thomas (22) during the game at the Chesapeake Energy Arena. The Thunder defeated the Kings 113-103. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

The Oklahoma City Thunder have traded point guard Eric Maynor to the Portland Trail Blazers for a trade exception, according to multiple sources.

The Thunder were said to be actively shopping Maynor around the league as the deadline approached and they were hoping to land a first round pick for him.

Maynor lost his job to Reggie Jackson midway through the month of December. Maynor was only shooting slightly over 30 percent from the field this season and did not look fully recovered from the torn ACL he suffered a season ago.

The Thunder have been stockpiling trade assets with this trade and the James Harden one and they will certainly look to be major players at the time of the NBA Draft this summer.

There was a rumor that the Thunder were talking with the Phoenix Suns about a trade that would have sent Maynor, Kendrick Perkins, Jeremy Lamb and a first round pick in exchange for Marcin Gortat and P.J Tucker.

The turned out to be just a rumor however and as it turns out the Thunder weren’t interested enough in cashing in on some of their trade assets. Instead they add some more.

Nov 8, 2012; Chicago, IL, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Eric Maynor (6) drives past Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah (13) during the second half at the United Center. The Thunder beat the Bulls 97-91. Mandatory Credit: Rob Grabowski-USA TODAY Sports

The Oklahoma City Thunder have been reportedly active in shopping third string point guard Eric Maynor.

It is now being reported that the Thunder are looking to acquire a first-round pick for Maynor.

Oklahoma City has been seeking first-rounder for PG Eric Maynor, but no takers so far.

— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) February 21, 2013

It’s hard to imagine a team willing to send a first-round pick to the Thunder for only Maynor. Maynor has been dreadful this season shooting just over 30 percent from the field and does not look like the player he was before tearing his ACL a year ago.

There are a few teams out there interested in getting a backup point guard. The Toronto Raptors, Philadelphia 76ers and Utah Jazz are a few of them.

The Raptors reportedly called about Maynor and a deal was discussed that would have brought Alan Anderson and John Lucas to OKC for Maynor. That deal is now dead.

The Jazz still seem like a possible destination for Maynor. They drafted him and are reportedly interested in him. They have a lot of young talent on their roster so they may not mind giving up a first-round pick for him.

The Thunder already have at least two first-round picks this coming draft. Getting another would obviously be to a plan to gain assets as opposed to drafting a bunch of rookies.

The deadline is at 3 p.m. EST. We will keep you up to date here with the latest rumors and news about the Thunder and the rest of the league.

January 25, 2013; Sacramento, CA, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Eric Maynor (6) dribbles the ball next to Sacramento Kings guard Jimmer Fredette (7) in the fourth quarter at Sleep Train Arena. The Thunder defeated the Kings 105-95. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

It was reported yesterday that the Oklahoma City Thunder were aggressively shopping third-string point guard Eric Maynor.

Maynor lost his backup point job to Reggie Jackson in mid-December. Maynor is going to become a restricted free agent in the summer and the Thunder likely won’t want to match an offer sheet for him.

The asking price for Maynor is high according to reports. Maynor has not been very good this season but before his ACL injury last season was considered one of the best backup point guards in the league.

The Thunder couldn’t get much back from Maynor alone. They’d definitely need to involve draft picks, Jeremy Lamb or Perry Jones, III if they want to get something substantial back in a trade.

The Utah Jazz is a team that is in need of a backup point guard. It has been rumored that they are trying to trade away Al Jefferson or Paul Millsap, who are both in the final years of their contracts.

Jefferson could only ever be a rental for the Thunder so he doesn’t really make sense. Millsap could have a future with OKC beyond this season if he were to be acquired. The Thunder would have to include Kendrick Perkins in a trade for Millsap though which wouldn’t exactly have the Jazz jumping up and down to do the move.

There is another player on the Utah roster that would be interesting for the Thunder and that is DeMarre Carroll. He is making just $885K this season so the Jazz would have to throw in someone like Jamaal Tinsley to make the trade work. The Thunder would have to probably throw in a draft pick in this deal too.

Carroll is a great athlete who can play the three and four positions. He would be an ideal guy for the Thunder to throw on LeBron James if they end up making it to the NBA Finals again.

The Philadelphia 76ers are another team interested in a backup point guard for Jrue Holiday. A trade sending Maynor and Lamb to Philly for Evan Turner or Dorell Wright would work. The Thunder would get more depth at the wing position either with a creator or spot-up shooter.

The Toronto Raptors are also interested in a backup point guard but they really don’t have anything to offer the Thunder.

Then there is always the chance OKC would trade Maynor simply for a draft pick. That doesn’t sound like a high asking price and they would be sacrificing their backup point guard insurance as well if Jackson ever got injured.

It looks like there is a good chance Maynor will be dealt at the deadline. The Thunder probably won’t make any blockbuster deals tomorrow but there are potential moves out there involving Maynor that could make the Thunder more of a contender this season.

Nov 2, 2012; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Eric Maynor and Thunder head coach Scott Brooks talk during the second half against the Portland Trail Blazers at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

With the trade dedline coming up Thursday at 3 PM EST, NBA fans have been on the ESPN trade machine all day trying to figure out ways to make their favorite team better and GM’s have been on the phone all day. For the Oklahoma City Thunder, there hasn’t been too much buzz, but we all know Sam Presti has something under his sleeve.

Here are some possible deals the Thunder could make before Thursday’s deadline:

According to Chris Broussard, ESPN.com, OKC is “aggressively” shopping PG Eric Maynor.

Well, its amazing how times change. Two years ago, we were sitting here talking about how Maynor is the best backup point guard in the league. Then, he goes down early last year with an ACL injury. After healing, comes back this year and disappoints and gets his spot taken by Reggie Jackson. And now, the Thunder are shopping him. Time to look at some possible ideas:

Maynor, Perkins, 1st round pick from OKC and 2nd round pick from Charlotte for Demare Carroll and Al Jefferson: Jefferson would give the Thunder more scoring and more quickness. However, losing Perkins would get rid of championship experience.

Maynor, Perry Jones III, and Daniel Orton to Utah for Derrick Favors and Kevin Murphy: With the Jazz needing a backup point guard and Maynor being in Utah before, this trade works. This would be a decent deal for Oklahoma City as the Thunder have been looking for an inside scoring presence for a while.

Rodger Sherman of SB Nation: “So who will move for Maynor? Berger mentioned the other team he’s played for in his NBA career, the Jazz, who are on the lookout for a backup point guard with Mo Williams still hurt and Jamaal Tinsley’s primary backup Earl Watson. Maynor would certainly be an improvement over Watson – and perhaps even Tinsley – but the Jazz might not have the pieces to land Maynor, for whom Broussard reports the asking price is high. Besides, Berger reports the Jazz’ front office is still torn up about whether to deal either Al Jefferson or Paul Millsap.”

So, send over the trade ideas. I do think the Thunder will deal Maynor before Thursday’s deadline because to be honest, as of now, he is no help to this team. Sititng on the bench supporting his team is great but doesn’t necessarily help the Thunder win a ring.

Dec 14, 2012; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Eric Maynor (6) drives the ball past Sacramento Kings point guard Isaiah Thomas (22) during the game at the Chesapeake Energy Arena. The Thunder defeated the Kings 113-103. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

When you look at potential trades involving the Oklahoma City Thunder, it’s hard not to include the backup point guard that lost his job, Eric Maynor.

Reggie Jackson took over the backup point guard duties in mid-December and Maynor has vanished from the rotation.

Maynor only played nine games last season before injuring his knee and missing the rest of the season. His return this season was supposed to be a bigger deal. Especially with James Harden leaving town, Maynor was going to be a very valuable player on this team.

It hasn’t exactly gone as planned. Maynor has played in 37 games this season averaging 10.6 minutes, 2.8 points and 2.0 assists per game. He’s shooting 31.3 percent from the field and 32.6 percent from downtown.

While he’s not making an impact on the Thunder, he could be viewed as a buy-low option by other teams around the league.

After Maynor struggled with his comeback from a torn ACL, Scott Brooks moved Reggie Jackson ahead of him in the rotation during mid-December. Since then, Maynor has barely played 60 minutes in nearly two months. While players do tend to shoot worse after tearing their ACL, Maynor is sure to make more than 30.3 percent of his 2-point attempts going forward. A team adding him at the deadline could evaluate Maynor’s progress before he becomes a restricted free agent this summer and gain an experienced backup point guard in the process.

Via Kevin Pelton/ESPN

The big reason why the Thunder would be interested in trading Maynor now is to get some value for him and not just see him walk this summer. Maynor will be a restricted free agent then and with Jackson’s emergence, the Thunder are unlikely to match any offer sheet Maynor signs.

Maynor was one of the best backup point guards in the league a few years ago and some teams probably still remember that and could use that player.

Maynor is essentially just insurance for the Thunder right now if someone gets hurt or starts playing badly.

But the Thunder might want to stay put and not mess with team chemistry with another trade writes John Rohde of The Oklahoman.

Doubtful. Who could the Thunder get who’s better for the price ($2.34 million)? The Thunder has zero space under the tax level. To me, the biggest downfall of making a trade is OKC already made a major move before the season, so why mess with team chemistry again 4 1/2 months later? The team is 39-12, fercryinoutloud. Other teams are trying to catch OKC, it’s not the other way around. I say ‘stand pat.’

There are a lot of players for $2.34 million or less who could help the Thunder that we looked at yesterday.

The trade deadline is right around the corner now, Feb. 21. If the Thunder do make a trade, there’s a good chance Maynor will be part of it.

January 25, 2013; Sacramento, CA, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Eric Maynor (6) dribbles the ball next to Sacramento Kings guard Jimmer Fredette (7) in the fourth quarter at Sleep Train Arena. The Thunder defeated the Kings 105-95. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Midway through the month of December, Reggie Jackson took over the backup point guard role from Eric Maynor for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Maynor played just nine games last season before injuring his knee and missing the rest of the season. He was one of the best backup point guards in the league before his injury and his return to the Thunder rotation was highly anticipated and expected to be a big impact.

Maynor has struggled this season averaging 10.6 minutes per game in 36 games. He’s averaging 2.8 points, 2.0 assists and shooting 30.6 percent from the field and 31.1 percent from three.

With the trade deadline approaching Feb. 21and Maynor essentially scratched from the Thunder rotation, teams have begun expressing interest in him.

Thunder has been getting numerous inquiries about guard Eric Maynor, sources tell Y! Sports. OKC inclined to keep Maynor but is open-minded.

— Marc J. Spears (@SpearsNBAYahoo) February 10, 2013

Any team that would want Maynor is a team with a need for a backup point guard. The Phoenix Suns, Utah Jazz and Philadelphia 76ers are three teams with that need and rumored to be possibly active at the deadline.

The Thunder don’t want to give up Maynor for nothing. He will be a restricted free agent this coming summer and likely won’t be signed by OKC but you never now. He’s a good insurance policy to have just in case someone gets injured.

The Thunder are always in the market for another shooter to help spread the floor and allow more space for Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. J.J. Redick is one name that has been floated out there that the Thunder could be interested in. But OKC would have to give up more than they would like to bring in Redick.

What the Thunder really need is another athletic wing player who can play the 3-4 positions and be another body the Thunder could use on LeBron James in a potential NBA Finals rematch.

The Suns have a guy like that in P.J. Tucker that the Thunder could use. The Utah Jazz also have a player that fits that mold in fourth year pro DeMarre Carroll.

Both Tucker and Carroll are making less than $1 million this season and the Thunder could always throw in a draft pick to sweeten the deal for either team.

The Thunder probably don’t see an addition of Tucker or Carroll as a gigantic need at the moment and again, hanging on to Maynor just in case is still the most likely scenario.

David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

The Oklahoma City Thunder have used their D-League affiliate Tulsa 66ers to shuttle players back and forth as much as any team in the league this year.

The Thunder have been sending Jeremy Lamb, Perry Jones III, Reggie Jackson, DeAndre Liggins and Daniel Orton to the 66ers and back again numerous times.

The idea behind it is to not waste these players on the end of the Thunder bench. We’ve already seen with Jackson it being of great use as he killed it in the D-League then came back to OKC and assumed a spot in the rotation.

The player whose spot Jackson took in the rotation was Eric Maynor. Maynor has been struggling quite a bit this season shooting 29.7 percent from the field and 31.0 percent from three.

Since Jackson took over as the team’s backup point guard, Maynor has only played 20 minutes in the last ten games.

But Maynor isn’t interested in playing in the D-League this season.

“No,” Maynor said emphatically, repeating it two additional times, when asked if he had any desire for a D-League assignment to the Tulsa 66ers. “I get good court work in every day so I’m going to be straight whenever the opportunity comes back around.”

via The Oklahoman

The main idea behind sending players to the D-League is to keep them fresh so that they are ready to come in and contribute whenever they are called upon. That can benefit the young guys like Jackson and Liggins but Maynor clearly sees himself as more of a veteran.

Maynor said he believes that the work he puts in daily in practice is equivalent to the playing time he was getting coming off the Thunder bench anyway.

Maynor is a player that will be linked with Thunder trade rumors this season. The Thunder chose not to extend Maynor back on Oct. 31 meaning he will become a restricted free agent this summer. With the way Jackson has been playing, it seems very unlikely OKC is interested in keeping Maynor long-term.

There should be no worry of Maynor not being ready to come in and contribute for the Thunder if he is called upon. By all accounts, he is a real professional and is still very active on the Thunder bench despite not getting playing time anymore.

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

When the season began, Eric Maynor was the backup point guard for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Now, Reggie Jackson has taken over the role and Maynor’s future in OKC may not be so bright.

Maynor played nine games last season then missed the rest of the year after injuring his knee. He was supposed to be 100 percent healthy returning this year but has looked anything but.

Maynor is shooting just 30.6 percent from the field this year and 31.7 percent from 3-point land. He was still doing a decent job averaging 6.6 assists per 36 minutes but with his weak defense playing a factor as well, Scott Brooks has decided Jackson is the better option.

A report surfaced yesterday that the Philadelphia 76ers were interested and tried to trade for Maynor. It obviously didn’t happen and now looks like that particular trade won’t.

The potential trade would have included the Thunder acquiring either Kwame Brown or Lavoy Allen straight up. Neither would be huge assets but either could have cracked the rotation playing ahead of Hasheem Thabeet.

The real news here is that teams are interested in Maynor and think the Thunder might be interested in dealing him. Maynor is in the last year of his contract and will become a restricted free agent this summer.

With the way Jackson has been playing, impressing the coaches and earning more playing time, it seems very unlikely the Thunder would be interested in keeping Maynor beyond this season. If that is the case then trading him and getting something in return this season would be a decent option.

The possible issue of doing so is that the Thunder would be losing their best assist man. Jackson is not a true point guard like Maynor and Maynor’s departure would essentially leave no point guards on the Thunder roster anymore. And if Jackson got hurt, the Thunder would be in real trouble.

Maynor still seems to have his spirits up too. He sits right next to the coaches on the bench and is always actively cheering for his teammates, coaching along the way.

As the trade deadline draws nearer, the rumors will keep popping up and considering Maynor’s situation, he will likely be involved in many fake Thunder trades.

Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

The Oklahoma City Thunder have only tinkered with one part of their rotation this season and that’s the backup point guard position.

Eric Maynor began the season as the team’s backup point guard but over the past week, the job has been second year pro Reggie Jackson’s.

Jackson is bringing something different to the floor than what Maynor did. He is far more athletic and head coach Scott Brooks sees him as a better defender that can aid in the versatility of the Thunder defense that they like to take advantage of.

Jackson has done a great job rebounding so far in the past few games and has even created for others fairly well too, nullifying any advantage Maynor would have over him by doing that.

But which point guard is the right fit for this Thunder team?

This is an important role for the Thunder who often need some sort of changeup in their ball handler from the 100 mph fastball Russell Westbrook is always bringing to the floor.

Last year, James Harden was essentially the backup point guard and was the team’s best playmaker and passer. This year, the hopes were that Maynor would return from injury and make up for what the Thunder were missing in Harden.

Maynor has been a disappointment so far shooting 31.3 percent from the floor and even struggling to handle pressure defense at times. Maynor was still pretty decent racking up assists averaging 6.6 per 36 minutes so far this season.

The passing and playmaking is an area where the Thunder don’t want to take a step back at. Last year, the Thunder were last in the league in assist ratio and turnover ratio. They have improved those numbers this year but swapping Maynor for Jackson could hurt that.

Jackson still has a lot to learn and isn’t a true point guard. He is a scoring point guard as seen by his dominance in the D-League this year. Another scoring point guard is not what the Thunder need right now.

Instead, the Thunder are hoping and relying on Jackson’s progression this year. He will be playing out of his element a little bit trying to set up more than score for himself. OKC could still use some scoring from the position and Jackson will try and do that as well, but the playmaking is far more important.

Being so close to a championship, you want to try and limit as many question marks as possible on your roster. Right now, the Thunder still have one in the backup point guard spot.

Is Jackson the answer? Will Maynor come along? Does Westbrook need to play 44 minutes a night?

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

One of the biggest additions for the Oklahoma City Thunder this year was supposed to be the return of Eric Maynor.

Maynor was known as one of the best backup point guards in the NBA a season ago before suffering a knee injury that would make him miss the rest of the 2011-12 season.

Rookie Reggie Jackson took over for him last year and did so poorly, the Thunder went out and signed Derek Fisher who took over the role.

Maynor’s return this season has been a disappointment so far. No one really expected him to come in without missing a beat but there just haven’t been many signs of him returning to his old form.

Maynor looks slower than before. He’s small and weak and has trouble getting past his defender and initiating the offense. His shooting hasn’t been great either as he is shooting 31.3 percent from the field and 32.5 percent from downtown. He also isn’t a great defender so he becomes a liability in that way as well.

That’s why Jackson hasn’t gotten a chance these past few games. He’s gotten the bulk of the backup point guard minutes against Minnesota and Miami while Maynor has been riding the pine.

So far, Jackson hasn’t wowed or anything but he does look vastly improved from a year ago. He’s hesitant at times but still more aggressive and he is a great athlete that has no trouble handling on-ball defense and getting his own shot.

Jackson just isn’t a true point guard in the way that Maynor is and the Thunder would now be without a true distributor if Maynor is scratched from the lineup. This was an issue against the Heat as OKC finished with more turnovers than assists in the game.

The decision to go with Jackson instead of Maynor is not finalized or anything at this point. It may have simply been for matchups these past two games. But the job is definitely up for grabs and Scott Brooks has decided to give Jackson another look with Maynor struggling.

Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

The Oklahoma City Thunder were in trouble last night trailing to the New Orleans Hornets for most of the game.

It was their first game in three days and they didn’t look quite into the game. The precision on offense wasn’t there and a hungry Hornets team was looking to pull off a major upset on the road.

OKC needed a spark and head coach Scott Brooks turned to his bench in search of one. It came in the form of second year point guard Reggie Jackson.

Jackson came in for an 11-minute stretch beginning at the end of the third quarter and gave the Thunder just what they needed to win the game. He hit a three right after checking in, played with tons of energy and helped OKC win the game.

It was a big time game from Jackson who might start to see more minutes now after come in and doing his job perfectly last night.

The Thunder aren’t exactly thriving in the backup point guard department this season as Eric Maynor has really struggled so far this year. Maynor is playing 13.4 minutes per game this year, shooting 31.0 percent from the field and averaging 3.8 points and 2.3 assists.

Before the season started, Brooks said that the backup point guard job was an open battle between Maynor in Jackson. He also said recently that he’s not looking to change anything rotation-wise as long as the team keeps winning.

Last night may make Brooks rethink that as Jackson could prove to be a better option than Maynor, at least at times.

Jackson is a far better athlete who can impact the game more on defense. He’s not nearly as good of a distributor which could be a problem but it’s not as if Maynor is thriving in that area anyway.

Jackson can create more for himself off the dribble which in time will translate into creating for others as well. If he starts getting more run now, maybe that time will come this season.

Chances are, Brooks isn’t going to overhaul anything right now. He will probably stick with the same rotation consisting of Maynor as the backup point. Maybe he will give Jackson a few more chances but it will probably be instead of extra Thabo Sefolosha minutes rather than replacing Maynor.

It’s a good sign for the Thunder that at the end of their bench, they can find a player when the team is in need to come in and provide a much needed spark.

Beth Hall-US PRESSWIRE

Eric Maynor played in just nine games last season for the Oklahoma City Thunder before injuring his knee and missing the rest of the year. It’s easy to forget just how great of a backup point guard Maynor was.

Maynor is back now at full strength from the injury and most people thought the backup point guard job would simply be handed to him upon his return.

That wasn’t the case as head coach Scott Brooks gave Reggie Jackson a fair shot at earning the job.

Jackson even got more run than Maynor to start the preseason and was doing a nice job of filling up the stat sheet with more rebounds and steals than Maynor would chip in. The turnovers remained high for Jackson while Maynor’s assist-to-turnovers ratio was pretty in the preseason.

Brooks said today that Maynor has won the job of backing up starting point guard Russell Westbrook.

This isn’t a surprise and Maynor definitely deserves it. Jackson has come a long way though and looks leagues better than what he showed last season in his rookie campaign.

This probably doesn’t mean Jackson will never play though. Brooks has hinted before about lineups that may include Jackson and Maynor together. But this shouldn’t happen often either especially after the Thunder just acquired Kevin Martin and Jeremy Lamb.

This could mean too that Jackson won’t be dressing every game. Teams don’t exactly need three point guards on the roster and that’s what the Thunder would have in Westbrook, Maynor and Jackson.

The Thunder just signed Daniel Orton today too and having three centers in Kendrick Perkins, Hasheem Thabeet and Orton might be a better idea than Jackson.

The Thunder decided not to offer Maynor a contract extension which means he will become a restricted free agent next summer and possibly playing in his last year with OKC. This means it will be important this year to groom Jackson to take over the backup point job for next year and beyond.

Right now, the Thunder need Maynor more than ever to win this season, especially with James Harden out of the picture. Maynor is now by far the best playmaker for the Thunder unless Westbrook can improve drastically in that department.

Maynor might even become part of closing units for the Thunder with Westbrook at the two and Martin, Durant and Ibaka on the floor.

We will get to see Maynor’s much anticipated return to regular season basketball for OKC Thursday night at 9 p.m. EST when the Thunder travel to take on the San Antonio Spurs.

Mark D. Smith-US PRESSWIRE

With the Oklahoma City Thunder trading James Harden over the week, it has opened up the door for new possibilities with this team. They now will have much more flexibility in building a roster down the road.

Point guard Eric Maynor is actually in the same position Harden was. He is eligible for a contract extension before Oct. 31, otherwise he will become a restricted free agent.

Maynor hasn’t gotten a lot of attention over this mainly because all eyes were on Harden. But any chance of Maynor signing an extension was pretty much shot down by Thunder GM Sam Presti yesterday.

“Whether or not we will ultimately do anything with him in terms of an extension is I don’t think a reflection of his wanting to be here or our wanting to keep him in the program,” Presti told The Oklahoman. “I think it just may be better for us to see how things develop for the season. For him as well. I think he has to see that as well…I really do think he appreciates being with this organization, and that goes a long way here.”

Now is not the time to make the decision on keeping Maynor down the road. He is returning from a serious knee injury last year and although he looks fully recovered by all accounts, you just never know.

The Thunder also have insurance behind Maynor if they do have to part ways with him in second-year point guard Reggie Jackson. Jackson has shown a lot of promise and development from his rookie season and unless Maynor really breaks out this season, it seems like the organization will be willing to go with Jackson instead of Maynor beyond this season.

But with Harden out, the role of the backup point guard just became very important for the Thunder. Harden essentially played that role last season after Maynor was out, handling much of the playmaking duties and thriving in that environment.

Maynor seems to be ahead of Jackson in the depth chart as of right now and will be relied upon pretty heavily from the start this season. He will have a chance to prove to the team that he is invaluable in which case the Thunder will be able to match any offer sheet he signs next summer.

Even with Harden out of town, finances will be tight for the Thunder after this season once they start paying Serge Ibaka $12 million per year. Maynor will have to do a lot this year to convince the Thunder to pay him next summer instead of just going with the cheaper Jackson.

Richard Rowe-US PRESSWIRE

Training camp is underway for the Oklahoma City Thunder and preseason games will be starting next week. The Thunder are returning pretty much the same roster from last season with only a few minimal tweaks.

One position that is up for grabs is the backup point guard spot.

“We have two great choices,” Thunder head coach Scott Brooks said of the backup point guard position. “I think with those two guys (Eric Maynor and Reggie Jackson), it’s going to be interesting to watch.”

By the end of last season, neither Maynor nor Jackson was getting any run for the Thunder. Derek Fisher was brought on shortly after the trade deadline and assumed the backup point guard duties. Maynor was injured for the season after playing just nine games and Jackson failed to impress much in his rookie year.

Maynor is expected to be back and fully recovered for this upcoming season and that is great news for the Thunder. Maynor was thought of as one of the premiere backup point guards in the league before he got hurt.

Maynor averaged 14.6 minutes per game two years ago for the Thunder and averaged 4.2 points and had an assist percentage of 30.3. He also shot 38.5 percent from 3-point land.

Jackson struggled mightily in his rookie campaign last season averaging 3.1 points per game and having an assist percentage of 21.2. He shot 32.1 percent from the field and 21.0 percent from three.

Jackson was only a rookie though and thrust into a role a little too soon. He was not ready to be that guy for the Thunder last year but that doesn’t mean he can’t become that in the future. Jackson is a great athlete for his position with a lot of potential as an on-ball defender. Once he becomes more confident with what he is doing on offense, we could see a huge jump in production from him.

Maynor is most likely in his last season with the Thunder too. Like with James Harden, the Thunder have until Oct. 31 to extend Maynor’s contract otherwise he will become a restricted free agent next summer.

The Thunder are in “win now” mode of course but the fact that Maynor’s time with the Thunder seems like it’s going to end after this season, could mean Jackson will get a better shot at assuming the backup point role sooner than later.

By all accounts, Maynor should win the job and there should be a noticeable improvement to the OKC bench. Harden had to take over much of the playmaking duties last season in Maynor’s absence and did a nice job with it, but adding Maynor next to Harden will definitely make the Thunder bench more productive.

It’s an important role too as the backup point spot is essentially the only point guard on the roster. Russell Westbrook is by no means a true point guard and besides him last season, Harden looked the closest to a point guard on the floor.

Maynor can bring back something to the Thunder equation that was missing last season. It is a very important ingredient. We know this because if you think about the NBA Finals and just how much the Thunder could have used a player like Maynor, especially with Harden struggling.

Brooks can say all he wants that there will be a battle for the backup point guard position but in reality, it’s Maynor’s job to lose.

Kelley L Cox-US PRESSWIRE

Jimmer Fredette is the kind of basketball player that should fit in anywhere. But that’s not what’s happening in Sacramento.

In his rookie season last year with the Kings, Fredette played 18.6 minutes per game and just .386 percent from the field. He was a lottery pick but found himself getting less run than Isaiah Thomas who was picked dead last in the same draft.

Sam Amico of Fox Sports says: “Speaking of Kings, Jimmer Fredette would love to go someplace where someone other than just DeMarcus Cousins will pass him the ball. Thunder would love to pry Fredette away from Kings as replacement for Derek Fisher. Kevin Durant is a Jimmer fan.”

There is no indication that the Thunder have openly expressed interest in acquiring Fredette and right now their priorities are elsewhere, mainly contract negotiations with James Harden. But Fredette would be a perfect fit wearing a Thunder uniform.

One of the things the Thunder could use is a deadly 3-point shooter, which Fredette surely is or at least can blossom into. He has unlimited range and would make it that much more difficult to help on Durant-Westbrook-Harden.

Fredette might provide a pretty big defensive liability that the Thunder would prefer not deal with but he could make up for it with his offense and it’s always possible to hide some guys on defense.

The Thunder aren’t necessarily looking for a replacement for Derek Fisher either. Eric Maynor will be back from injury next season although his last season for the Thunder will likely be next year.

Then there’s Reggie Jackson who is coming off a pretty unimpressive rookie season but did show some promise in the summer league.

Fredette would be a welcome addition to the Thunder if it became a possibility. Durant being a fan of his would make it that much better too.

It’s not something that will happen anytime soon but it’s always fun to dream about the future of this Thunder team.

Richard Rowe-US PRESSWIRE

Reggie Jackson had a tough time in his rookie year with the Oklahoma City Thunder last season. After backup point guard Eric Maynor went down with an injury, Jackson was thrust into the backup point role.

Jackson wasn’t fully ready for the job and struggled for most of the season shooting just 32.1 percent from the field on the year. The Thunder went out and acquired veteran point guard Derek Fisher before the playoffs and Jackson returned to the end of the bench.

Jackson is looking to make more of an impact for the Thunder next season though and has met and worked on his shot with Boston College coach Steve Donahue and former BC coach Al Skinner, according to The Boston Globe.

“I’ll do whatever it takes to get on the court and help the team,” Jackson told The Boston Globe. “You have to be a leader and understand how to handle tough situations. It’s a different game as you go up every level, and the ones that are confident are the ones that stay around.”

Jackson will come into next season as the third strong point guard behind Russell Westbrook and Maynor but he will still fight for playing time. Jackson looked very good in the Thunder’s Summer League games averaging 15.3 points and 3.5 assists per game.

Jackson is a very good athlete that could easily blossom into a lockdown defender at the point guard position. He played with a ton of confidence in the Summer League and his offense improved in the process.

Jackson has a good knack for scoring inside and finishing with his long arms. Adding a solid jump shot to his arsenal is just what he needs to start getting more run.

Maynor will be in the last year of his contract next season which could make Jackson the backup point of the future is he proves himself.

“The biggest thing last year for me was I was questioning myself about certain things,” Jackson said. “You have to trust in your game. Once I got on the court I was thinking about everything instead of just playing. I’m getting back to just playing ball and having belief in my abilities.”

Durant deleted that Tweet a little bit later perhaps realizing better the situation that the Thunder are in right now.

Oklahoma City can’t really go after any free agents who are looking for anything more than close to minimum deals. That’s why the only name that we’ve heard come up with the Thunder so far is Hasheem Thabeet’s.

Durant forgot for a minute that OKC is trying to save as much money as possible so that they can extend James Harden, Serge Ibaka and possibly Eric Maynor this summer.

Keeping together the Thunder’s current core is not going to be an easy task for GM Sam Presti and company. Given the current landscape of the NBA, teams would be glad to offer Harden a max-deal and even Ibaka could get close to that.

The Thunder are either going to have to overpay Harden and Ibaka to keep them and have little money left over to build around them or convince them to really sacrifice some cash to stay in OKC.

Or the Thunder can pick between Harden and Ibaka and wait for the rest of the league to determine their value next summer.

Oklahoma City’s best chance to keep the two is to get them as soon as possible. They’re monetary value is only going to rise as time goes on. They’re young enough now too that they may be willing to take a little pay cut for a chance to stay in town and try and win a title with Durant and Westbrook.

So while the rest of the teams in the NBA are busy wooing free agents, the Thunder are simply trying to keep the core they have for as long as possible.

Brooks and the Thunder have been working on a deal since the season ended and it was really just a matter of time before the two sides reached an agreement.

“Continuing with Scott as our head coach is extremely significant for the future of our organization,” Thunder GM Sam Presti said in a press release. “As we have continually communicated, he has been integral to our success and we have a deep appreciation for his tireless dedication to our players’ development. His experiences and core values are invaluable to our players as they continue to grow and improve and we are thrilled to continue our partnership.”

Presti has been adamant all along that Brooks was his guy and would be a part of the Thunder organization moving forward.

“I would like to thank Clay Bennett and Sam Presti for the opportunity to continue with the Thunder,” Brooks said. “Oklahoma City is a special place and I’m eager to build upon the foundation and culture of this franchise for years to come.”

Signing Brooks was the first step this offseason. Next up is dealing with James Harden, Serge Ibaka and Eric Maynor who are all eligible for contract extensions themselves this summer.

All three have talked about sacrifice in regards to their futures with the Thunder and they all will likely have to sacrifice a little cash to remain with the organization.

The Thunder have also met with free agent Hasheem Thabeet and they may take a flyer on the former No. 2 overall draft pick as well to fill out their roster.

Jerry Lai-US PRESSWIRE

Perry Jones III may very well have been the steal of the draft for the Oklahoma City Thunder, drafting him 28th overall.

The Thunder did not expect to see Jones III on the board at this point but were more than happy to select him.

“We felt very comfortable making this selection at 28,” Thunder GM Sam Presti said. “We looked at all the information that we had available, and we wouldn’t have selected him unless we felt comfortable with all the information.”

Presti went on to say how he saw Jones III in his first ever college practice at Baylor and spoke to his coach there who described Jones III as someone who really cares about what he’s doing on the basketball court and of course, quite the amazing athlete.

The more you think about Jones III on this Thunder team, the more it seems like a perfect fit. His personality should blend right in with the likes of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden.

“We really see him as a blend player,” Presti said. “We see great value in the fact that he’s incredibly talented, but he’s able to play within a team and understand how he can impact a game. He doesn’t need to be forcing the issue at all times. And with our particular team, we feel like that’s a huge quality that we looked at as a positive for us.”

But how much can we expect from Jones III during his rookie season? There are concerns regarding the health of his knee. Will he make the rotation?

The general consensus right now around the local media that cover the Thunder is that there aren’t a lot of immediate expectations for Jones III and that he may not be in the rotation to start.

“We won’t pigeonhole him,” assistant GM Troy Weaver said of Jones’ future position. “We think he can play anywhere on the front line. He’s a versatile player. The coaches will handle that. But we see his versatility as a strength.”

The Thunder will look to have a 10-man rotation once the season starts and Jones III actually has a very good chance of cutting into it. They will have the same starters as last season with Harden and Nick Collison as the first two off the bench.

Eric Maynor will be back from injury and will take over Derek Fisher’s backup point duties, assuming the Thunder don’t re-sign Fisher. Daequan Cook will continue his role as 3-point specialist leaving one more spot for Jones III to compete for.

Cole Aldrich has been in line waiting to step into the rotation and now with Nazr Mohammed likely gone he may. But Jones III could compete and beat Aldrich for that spot. The best case scenario for the Thunder would be if Jones III does crack the rotation.

You see, Jones III is exactly the type of player OKC was missing in the playoffs. They needed another versatile athlete to throw on LeBron or be able to grab rebounds while also defending quicker players.

In the playoffs, the Kendrick Perkins trade where OKC sent away Jeff Green started to look like a bad idea, if only Green was healthy. The Thunder were really missing that stretch 3-4 guy who can make some plays, defend a lot of positions and rebound.

Jones III can be exactly that for the Thunder. He won’t be the ball handler that Green was but he is bigger and just as athletic if not more. He’s not going to protect the rim like Serge Ibaka but he’ll be better to have out there than Fisher trying to take charges all the time.

We all keep reminding ourselves that Jones III could have been a lottery pick, this year or the last. That means he really should be getting a solid chunk of minutes for the Thunder next season.

“Everybody looks at his talent and says this guy should be dominant,” Weaver said. “But he plays within a teamwork and tries to blend with players and help his team win ballgames.”

One thing is for certain that the Thunder players will embrace him. Any down feelings Jones III had for slipping so late in the first round will be immediately erased when he steps on the floor with the most exciting team in the NBA.

This may be the typical overreaction immediately following the draft but there’s a few things we know about this Thunder team. One is that they will win a championship whether it’s this next season or soon after. Jones III will be integral in helping them do so.

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.

Spruce Derden-US PRESSWIRE

When you lose in the NBA Finals, you can’t help but look back at what could have been. What couple of plays or lineup changes could have turned the tide in the series?

The Oklahoma City Thunder lost in five games to the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals ending last Thursday night. The Thunder may have only won one game in the series but the first four were all very close and ultimately decided by less than 10 plays.

The Thunder did not play their best basketball in this series. They reverted back to a more isolation-heavy offense and their best playmaker, James Harden, was anything but that.

The holes in the Thunder roster were evident against the Heat. Their lack of post-up scoring, assists and wings to throw at LeBron were all exploited.

You don’t have to look far to see a way the Thunder could have won the series. You can pick just one thing that could have made it so they swept the Heat.

Eric Maynor would have been that one thing.

People forget that Maynor is even on the Thunder, tearing his ACL after just nine games this season.

“It’s a different feeling just sitting there and not being ready to play,” Maynor said about watching the NBA Finals from the bench. “It’s got to be nerve-racking. I would want to live that out myself.”

Maynor was a weapon for Oklahoma City and would have been just that all season, in the playoffs and in the Finals. He only averaged around four points and three assists per game but did the job of backup point better than just about anyone in the league.

Maynor even finished a playoff game instead of Russell Westbrook last year in the only game OKC beat Dallas in the Western Conference Finals. He was that good and could have been this year.

The Thunder were dead last in the NBA in assists this season, mainly because they didn’t really have a point guard on their team. Westbrook isn’t a true point making Harden about the only guy who can consistently create for others. It was a dimension they were missing this season and they needed as many dimensions as possible to contend with the Heat.

In the Finals, the Thunder averaged 15.8 assists per game. They averaged 18.7 assists per game in the first three rounds of the playoffs and 18.5 in the regular season.

Once the Thunder realized they were playing against the best defense they had seen so far in the playoffs and Harden was out of his element, turning to Maynor would have worked.

The Thunder will get that chance next season with a healthy Maynor, who is up for a contract extension this summer along with Harden and Serge Ibaka.

“If we really want to continue,” Maynor said. “It feels like we got something special here. I feel like if guys sacrifice to get something done then everybody will be here still. I want to be here. It’s very important to me. Whatever we got to do to get it done, we need to make it happen. I enjoy being here, and I want to be here longer.”

The optimist will still say it wasn’t the Thunder’s time yet this year and that Maynor’s season-ending injury helped lend to Harden’s growth as a monster sixth man.

There will be plenty of regrets for this Thunder team with regards to the 2012 NBA Finals. Playing against the best defense in the NBA without a point guard will be one of them.

“I think we’re going to be held to a lot of expectations,” Maynor said. “Everybody is going to expect us to be back in the Finals. But it don’t come easy.”

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.

Richard Rowe-US PRESSWIRE

The big news these last few days for the Oklahoma City Thunder was the signing of veteran point guard Derek Fisher. Fisher played in his first game with the Thunder last night against the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Thunder were in need of a solid backup point since the Eric Maynor injury and Reggie Jackson hasn’t exactly been exceeding at the job. Fisher brings with him a lot of experience, five championship rings and leadership.

How will the signing play out? The staff at Thunderous Intentions is here to break it down.

We know one area the Thunder weren’t strong at this season was a backup point guard. How much does Derek Fisher help this?

Andrew Kennedy: I think he helps a lot. The Thunder were getting basically nothing from Reggie Jackson’s minutes and it seemed like kind of a weakness for OKC. While I don’t expect much scoring or assists or even great defense from Fisher, I do think it is a significant upgrade.

Cody Brees: Since James Harden will be the primary ball handler with the second unit, the backup point guard for the Thunder is mostly a spot up shooter. Fisher is having a down year only shooting 33 percent from behind the arc this year. But that is an improvement over Reggie Jackson’s 22 percent.

Blake Potash: The impact Fisher may or may not have will not be on the court. I think Reggie Jackson has been better than Fisher this year, especially on the defensive end. Things shouldn’t change much for the Thunder at the point guard position.

Richard Rowe-US PRESSWIRE

How big of an impact do you think Fisher will make in terms of intangibles, experience and in the locker room?

AK: This is going to be the biggest impact that Fisher will bring to the Thunder. I think having him in the locker room has to help players like Russell Westbrook and I think his experience and leadership will have a positive effect on the entire team.

CB: I believe this will be the biggest impact Fisher makes, if he truly buys into the Thunder team. The Thunder’s best players are still very young, with no real teacher at the guard position. You noticed the impact Kendrick Perkins made on the defensive end on and off the court with his championship experience. Hopefully Fisher can provide some of the same.

BP: I would like to think Fisher is going to help a bit with this young locker room. He has been a part of a championship atmosphere, and knows the mentality of an NBA Finals contender. Generally I’m not the biggest fan of bringing in veteran leadership, it only helps in certain situations, but after last nights’ game, it looks like it may work out.

How many minutes should Fisher play?

AK: This is the area where I am a little concerned with the Fisher addition. I can totally see Scott Brooks loving him a little too much and playing him 18-20 minutes when he should be playing 15 or less. And once the playoffs come around, Westbrook should be playing 40-plus minutes which means unless Fisher is going to be playing alongside Fisher, we shouldn’t see more than 10 minutes a night from him.

CB: Regular season I wouldn’t mind him playing around 15 minutes once he learns the system. I think in addition to the backup point minutes, I would love (really, really love) for him to take some minutes away from Cook when the Thunder play small. Once the playoffs roll around we will see how well he is doing, then decide how much we want him playing.

BP: 10-15 minutes. With Daequan Cook now out for a few weeks, Fisher should take all of his minutes, and some from Royal Ivey and Reggie Jackson. Jackson’s play warrants as many minutes as Fisher, but it looks like Coach Brooks will give the veteran a majority of the minutes behind Westbrook.

Richard Rowe-US PRESSWIRE

Will we see Fisher playing crunch time and will that be a good thing?

AK: I think in some games we will see him playing crunch time obviously when the Thunder decide to go small, which they do a lot in the fourth quarter. Before it was Daequan Cook who played alongside Durant-Westbrook-Harden-Ibaka. We’ve yet to really see Westbrook out there with another point and it will be interesting to see if it’s a good match. I personally like Westbrook playing off the ball some and if that is the case with Fisher in, it may be a lineup that works well for the Thunder.

CB: Only if the Thunder go small, and there is an un-athletic guard on the court. The Thunder go small a lot at the end of games, so I wouldn’t be surprised there, but against teams like the Lakers and Clippers with multiple athletic guards I wouldn’t expect to see him much.

BP: Hopefully not. Fisher should be nowhere near the ball with the game on the line, leave that to the Durant, Westbrook, and Harden.

Are the Thunder significantly better with Fisher?

AK: I guess the jury is still out here. They probably aren’t significantly better but are improved overall. I really like the move overall and think it will benefit the Thunder in multiple ways as the season progresses.

CB: I would say no. I am not even sure if they are better with Fisher at this point. Fisher is having a terrible year. He is 54th among point guards in PER. That being said, Jackson is only .5 better. On paper the improvement is minimal. In the locker room will be the most significant improvement.

BP: I would say they are marginally better, at best. The Thunder are a pretty solid team at the moment, and didn’t need to make any moves to remain the favorite in the West. If Fisher can keep the player’s heads in the right direction going into the playoffs, this will have been a successful transaction.

Gary A. Vasquez-US PRESSWIRE

ESPN’s Marc Stein is reporting that the Oklahoma City Thunder and Miami Heat are the front-runners for signing veteran point guard Derek Fisher.

Fisher was traded from the Lakers after 13 seasons with the team to the Houston Rockets at the deadline last Thursday along with a first-round pick for Jordan Hill.

The Rockets have since waived Fisher making him available to anyone other than the Lakers once he clears waivers on Wednesday.

The Thunder have a sure need for a backup point guard since losing Eric Maynor earlier this season with an injury. Rookie Reggie Jackson has been playing in his place and has been unable to produce very much.

Fisher seems like an obvious upgrade at this spot for the Thunder. Fisher also has the same agent as Kevin Durant now.

The Thunder’s best four players are either 23 or 22. Fisher could definitely bring some leadership and experience to the team with the best record in the Western Conference.

The only concern for Thunder fans would be exactly how much Fisher would play. He averaged over 25 minutes per game with the Lakers this season but would likely be getting 15 or under with the Thunder.

Scott Brooks seems to have an affinity for players like Fisher and may even be prone to play him more. That might not be a great thing for the Thunder. It’s not like they’d want Fisher in their crunch time lineup.

Richard Rowe-US PRESSWIRE

Russell Westbrook routinely plays over 40 minutes per game especially with Jackson as his backup. Westbrook really has no problem doing this and when the playoffs come around will probably be asked to play over 40 minutes per game.

It is unlikely that Fisher would do anything to interfere with a title run for the Thunder and may even extremely benefit it tootling Westbrook to some degree.

Imagine a lineup with Westbrook playing off the ball next to Fisher-Harden-Durant-Ibaka. That’s a decent closing lineup if the Thunder can afford to go small. I think I’d rather see Fisher on the floor instead of Daequan Cook in some cases.

I’m just not totally in love with the Thunder closing games by going small and if they add Fisher, I feel they will always do this. I love what Kendrick Perkins or Nick Collison can bring on defense and I don’t know if it is worth it to exchange them for smaller players who stretch the floor on offense.

I’m still more excited about Thabo Sefolosha becoming the fifth crunch time player because of his defense and ability to let the Thunder switch on perimeter players on defense.

We will find out Wednesday if Fisher chooses Oklahoma City. Miami is obviously another place he will consider and would probably be a better fit for him.

Bob Donnan-US PRESSWIRE

The Oklahoma City Thunder have had their best start to the season this year since the Kevin Durant-era began. Oklahoma City has the best record in the West and tied for best in the league with Miami at 27-7 this year.

But the Thunder are far from perfect. There are many questions that need to be asked and answered about this team.

The staff at Thunderous Intentions is here to answer these questions for you. Below are the 10 most pressing questions about the Thunder this season and our responses:

What is Oklahoma City’s biggest weakness?

Andrew Kennedy: Post offense. I don’t see it as much of a weakness but rather that they just don’t do it enough. Durant is great in the post but just doesn’t go down their enough. Posting Durant and Westbrook needs to be a staple of the Thunder’s crunch time offense if they’re going to win a title.

Cody Brees: Turnovers. Offensive rebounding isn’t a good area either, mostly because the Thunder like to get out and run and Ibaka tries to flatten every ball that is shot in the paint. If the Thunder can at least limit their live ball turnovers that should give them a better chance to set up the defense being the playoffs become a much more half court game.

Blake Potash: The offensive post play is by far the Thunder’s weakest point. They can’t score in the paint against teams with two above-average big men. Kendrick Perkins is not the player he once was, and Serge Ibaka is still young, and developing post moves.

Are the Thunder going to have the same problems in the playoffs this year as they did last year?

AK: I don’t think so. I’m not as worried about the turnovers this year and definitely not as worried about Westbrook. I think the criticism he got for not getting the ball to Durant was too harsh and untrue. The OKC offense was very stagnant last postseason and has since improved. Durant and Westbrook are great friends too so I don’t think they will have any issues sharing the ball even in crunch time.

CB: Depends on the match up. If the Thunder play the Lakers and Westbrook has to watch Durant try to get Metta World Peace off him for 15 seconds before blowing by Derek Fisher, then yes. Durant has been a lot better at getting to his spots inside the arc which should help him get more shots. But I could see a stronger physical defender still giving Durant a lot of problems come playoff time.

BP: It looks like the ball movement has improved a bit this year, but the offense still seems rather one-dimensional. Still, that one dimension is very good, and can get the Thunder to the NBA Finals, depending on matchups. Westbrook needs to be more of a point guard than a scorer to be more successful when the playoffs come around.

Spruce Derden-US PRESSWIRE

How much does Oklahoma City miss Eric Maynor?

AK: They miss him a lot. If Maynor never got injured than this Oklahoma City team may have won a few more games already and definitely more this season. There are a lot of games now where Westbrook has to come back very quickly after coming out of the game because Reggie Jackson isn’t Eric Maynor. Maynor was one of the best backup points in the league and the only actual point guard on the Thunder roster. If not for James Harden’s emergence as the second unit playmaker this injury could have been drastic for OKC.

CB: About as much as LeBron misses his hairline. I wrote an article earlier about the struggles of rookie point guard Reggie Jackson and how the Thunder miss Maynor, and unfortunately Jackson hasn’t improved too much. The one diamond in the rough is that this might prevent a team from throwing Mike Conley money at Maynor next year when he’s a restricted free agent.

BP: Eric Maynor was a key part of the bench unit with James Harden, giving the Thunder two options off the bench. Since his injury, the non-Harden bench has been failing to make impacts on games, and Harden has had to dominate the ball when Durant and Westbrook aren’t on the floor. Maynor’s absence may not be the reason the Thunder don’t win the Finals, but he sure is missed.

What would be the best addition the Thunder could make?

AK: The Thunder need to figure out their fifth guy for crunch time. Durant-Westbrook-Harden-Ibaka is great but between Perkins, Cook and Sefolosha it may not be enough to win a title. A better spot-up shooter than Cook or athletic slasher of some sort would be great for this team.

CB: Probably Eric Maynor. Once the playoffs start teams won’t be forces to go to their bench so much with actual days off between games. I still wouldn’t mind a 1-2 combo guard off the bench that can shoot. Mostly because Jackson and Ivey have been terrible.

BP: If the Thunder could make a move to get Pau Gasol, their Finals hopes would become a lot more realistic. I doubt they would want to move Ibaka and/or Harden, so all the Thunder can do is try and get a power forward or center that can give them some depth and scoring in the paint. I can’t see the Thunder making any trades though.

Are Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook the most lethal one-two punch in the NBA?

AK: Yes because they complement each other better than LeBron and Wade. LeBron and Wade basically do the same thing as each other. Durant and Westbrook are a little different. Are they as talented overall as LeBron and Wade? Maybe not yet. But I wouldn’t take any other duo in the league right now moving forward.

CB: I would say yes based on the variety of ways those two can score. They can both get to the rim, shoot a lot of free throws, have a good mid range game and can hit you from deep. The other key reason is LeBron and Wade are shooting 35 percent and 33 percent respectively from the field this year in clutch situations. Thunder in the clutch? Durant is shooting at 43 percent and Westbrook an even greater 50 percent.

BP: In a few years this may be the case, but LeBron and Wade are by far the best one-two punch in the NBA. Westbrook still needs to learn how to work well with Durant during clutch moments. The shot distribution is a little off of what it needs to be to make this a very efficient combo.

Richard Rowe-US PRESSWIRE

Do the Thunder have enough scoring options to win a title?

AK: Yes. I wrote earlier last week how the scrutiny about this was a little harsh. They definitely have enough scoring prowess the only issue is if they can score in as many different ways as may be necessary to win a title this year.

CB: Options? Yes. Balance is what I am not sure about. If you watched the finals last year in clutch time it was give the ball to Dirk and get out of the way. Same should be for Durant this year. The problem might be getting to clutch time without running Durant into the ground. The Thunder are going to need about 50 points a game from Ibaka, Cook, and the bench if they want to be an elite offensive team.

BP: Yes, and no. Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden can all put up plenty of points, and take control of the game. That can work getting to the Finals, but if they want to win it, Ibaka will need to show a little more offensive prowess.

What needs to happen for Kevin Durant to win the MVP?

AK: If the Heat slip up some and the Thunder finish with the best record in the NBA then Durant has a chance. It’ll be just like Derrick Rose winning last year. Durant has been on the rise in terms of scoring of late too. If he finishes the year averaging 30 a game then he’ll have to average around 33 a night in the second half of the season. That will be impressive and won’t go unnoticed.

CB: LeBron gets hit by a bus.

BP: LeBron James needs to get hurt, or forget how to play basketball. Surprisingly under the radar, LeBron is having one of the best seasons the NBA has ever seen. It doesn’t look like he is going to slow down any, and unless voters penalize him for being on the same team as Dwyane Wade, LeBron is going to win this year’s MVP.

Who is the team to beat in the Western Conference?

AK: The Thunder are and only because Dallas isn’t the same team as last year. People forget how close this Thunder team was to making it to the Finals last year. They have the best record in the conference and deserved to be recognized as the best team in it.

CB: The Thunder, but not by much. If you made me bet I would still take the field, but the improvements that KD and Russ have made this year with scoring efficiency should really make the difference down the stretch.

BP: The Thunder. With the best current record in the West, the Thunder have control of the conference, and are the front-runners to make the Finals at the moment. Durant and Westbrook can both take over games, and are impossible matchups for the other contenders.

Steve Dykes-US PRESSWIRE

Which team in the Western Conference would be the worst playoff matchup for the Thunder?

AK: Portland. There would be nothing worse for Oklahoma City than having to play Portland in round one. They are such a physical team on defense and when healthy have a lot of tools that give the Thunder fits.

CB: Portland scares me the most. Perkins doesn’t do much since Camby won’t shoot much. Ibaka has problems guarding power forward’s with range. Gerald Wallace is the type of big, strong, athletic defender that could give Durant problems.

BP: The Los Angeles Lakers. Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol are tough matchups for Ibaka and Perkins, on both ends of the floor. The Thunder big men would struggle to score, and they would have to rely and Durant, Westbrook, and Harden to carry them through the series. Fortunately, the Lakers don’t have a very strong defensive backcourt, and Harden played a great defensive game against Kobe in their last meeting. The Thunder would still be the favorite, but you can never count out Kobe Bryant in the playoffs.

How far will the Thunder go in the playoffs this year?

AK: I think they make it to the NBA Finals. After that it depends who they play if they win or not. I think the Thunder can beat Chicago in a 7-game series but I’m not sure about Miami yet. If I had to pick one team to win the title right now I’d pick Oklahoma City based on the fact that I think they have the best chance of any team in the league simply to make it to the Finals.

CB: As far and Durant and Westbrook take them. Sorry for the cliché answer but it’s the truth. If they are both on their A game the Thunder are unbeatable. Miami appears to be the biggest hurdle right now, but a lot can change before the trade deadline.

BP: The Thunder will make the NBA Finals and lose to the Heat/Bulls. They are just one piece away from taking that next step, but for now, they don’t match up well with either team that will come out of the east. The Thunder won’t fare well against these elite defenses, and don’t have the defense themselves to slow down Rose or LeBron-Wade.

Get well soon Eric Maynor. welcometoloudcity.com

It has been less than a month since backup point guard Eric Maynor tore his ACL.  Maynor’s thrust rookie Reggie Jackson into the role behind Westbrook.  Maynor was arguably the best backup point guard in the league (and if you argue with me you will lose).  This is a lot of pressure to run the second unit on a team with championship aspirations, but this is exactly why the Thunder took Jackson with the 24^th pick in last year’s draft.  Now Jackson only has 19 games in the NBA, and only 10 since Maynor tore his ACL. Is that a terrible sample size to determine how a player is doing after being forced into a role he might not have been ready for? Absolutely. Am I going to do it anyways? Sure why not.

It is important to remember that Maynor and Jackson are different types of point guards. Maynor was a true point, he maintained pace, and his best skill was setting up teammates. Jackson is more of an athletic, score first point guard.  It is challenging to compare two different styles of players because they will each do some things better, and some things worse in the same situation. I am going to present a few different stats to try to best see how Jackson is doing with his new teammates.

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That was with a roster of Russell Westbrook, Thabo Sefolosha, Kevin Durant, Jeff Green and Nenad Krstic.

Two months later, the Thunder pulled a trade-deadline move to give up two of that starting five in exchange for basically center Kendrick Perkins.

The Thunder went on to make a run to the Western Conference Finals, even though Perkins was largely a non-factor in the playoffs. Nick Collison came back, Serge Ibaka developed and newly-acquired Nazr Mohammed helped on the inside. Perkins was overweight and out of shape, contributing mostly vocal leadership and attitude. So the team shook up 2/5ths of the starting lineup midseason and went to the Western Conference Finals.

Now the Thunder is set with a lineup of Westbrook, Sefolosha, Durant, Ibaka and Perkins. Once again, the team is considered a favorite in the Western Conference.

It might be time to look at what that trade did to the flow of the Thunder offense. That problem is largely blamed on Westbrook and has been since late last year. The problem more to do with a lineup that is now way out of balance offensively.

Before the trade, Sefolosha was the only starter with limited offensive abilities. Westbrook could run the show, have Durant as a first option, and also have Green and Krstic spreading the floor as offensive weapons. Defenses had to play everyone straight up, with some doubling off Sefolosha to help with Durant. That left the floor open for Westbrook’s drives and cuts and plenty of places to pass the ball when they needed a bucket.

Now, when Westbrook has the ball he only has Durant who can get his shot. Sefolosha can shoot in streaks, but not create offense. Ibaka has a decent jumper, but can’t create offensively like Green. Perkins is a zero on offense, where Krstic was a decent release valve. Suddenly, if Durant is doubled and can’t get a shot, Westbrook is the only player that can bail out the offense and create a shot. Hello Durant-Westbrook conflict.

Now is the time to do something about this lineup. Something has to give to get more offensive threats on the floor.

The obvious option is starting James Harden over Sefolosha. Then you at least have three scoring options, one on each side of the floor to open it up for Westbrook. The Thunder got a look at that last night in the loss to Portland. Harden was the saving grace for the starting five. With Durant and Westbrook both having rough nights offensively, Harden was the only reliable scoring option on the floor. Sure it was a loss, but consider how lopsided that game would have been if Sefolosha was getting those starter minutes. The Thunder would have had zero offensive options in the starting unit with Durant and Westbrook struggling. In the past, Green and Krstic were talented enough offensively to drop 20 points on those nights. Green had enough offensive talent to fill in stretches when Durant couldn’t play. If Durant is out now, Harden has to start out of position at the three.

The trade last year has left OKC with only three scorers on the team. Daequan Cook can help in spurts, but is limited. The Thunder have Durant (26.1 points a game), Westbrook (17.1) and Harden (17.0), then no one until Ibaka’s 7.4 scoring average. Starting Harden helps the starters, but leaves the bench short a scorer. It might be time for the Thunder to look for another trade or a free agent scorer to balance out the floor.

Kevin Durant left all the Thunder fans smiling

Russell Westbrook finally had his moments. Serge Ibaka had a stretch of dominance. But with 1.4 seconds on the clock, Kevin Durant stole the show and added another highlight to his legend in Oklahoma City.

With the Thunder down a point, Durant curled around a screen and nailed a long three-pointer at the buzzer to give OKC a 104-102 win over the defending NBA champion Dallas Mavericks. The shot answered a long three-pointer by Dallas’ Vince Carter that stunned the crowd and gave the Mavericks a late lead. The Thunder were a point behind and only a prayer left, but Durant has a way of coming through in those clutch situations. KD let his teammates have their time, he let the Mavericks think they were going to steal a win, then he pulled the rug out on the Mavs to keep the Thunder undefeated and the Mavs winless.

The shot gave Durant 30 points, putting him over 30 for all four games this season. He added 11 boards and six assists.

Until the last two minutes, the game looked to be a story about Russell Westbrook coming out of his slump. For three and half quarters the living hell of Russell Westbrook’s season continued. Missed shots, turnovers and charging fouls all left him slumped on the end of the bench. Then with one fast-break dunk, the heavens opened. Westbrook took a foul on one arm and still elevated to finish with a dunk to give the Thunder a 93-91 lead and his season the kick-start it needed. In the last 3:17, Westbrook hit three out of four shots, pulled down a rebound and hit a free throw. The pressure seemed to release and send everything back to normal for the all-star point guard. Westbrook finished with 16 points, four assists and two steas. If not for Durant’s miracle at the buzzer, the story of this game would be Westbrook’s late dominance and his return to the good graces of the Thunder fans.

Ibaka also has had a slow start to the season, but came alive in this game after a scuffle with Carter resulted in double technical fouls with 7:44 left in the game. Ibaka came out of that and blocked a Dallas shot out of bounds, hit a 17-footer and a free throw to help the Thunder to a late three-point lead. He finished with 16 points, eight boards and three blocks, his best numbers of the season.

The Thunder move to 4-0 on the season going into a home New Years Eve game against the Phoenix Suns. The defending champ Mavs are 0-3.

Russell Westbrook has been getting some unwanted attention early this season.

The game was supposed to be the first real road test for the young Thunder this season. A matchup against another up-and-coming Western Conference contender that took the Thunder through a brutal 7-game series in the playoffs last year.

The Thunder answered that challenge with a convincing win on the road without ever really trailing, but no one is talking about the game. Instead two major story lines emerged to create drama for the Thunder.

Russell Westbrook vs. Kevin Durant — the Thrilla in M…M…Memphis?

Westbrook and Durant were involved in a major argument on the Thunder bench in the middle of the game. The two had to be separated and were so heated the first few rows of the Memphis crowd stood to get a better look at the throwdown.

Russ was in the middle of one of his worst nights of his career on the court. He finished 0-for-13 from the field. He was beyond frustrated and KD stepping up as a leader didn’t set well with him. Give the two credit for brushing it off and finishing the game strong to get the win. KD was unstoppable and Russ manned up to take the last in-bounds pass knowing he’d have to hit two free throws to seal the game, which he did.

But the two will be something to watch going forward. They say everything is fine, it’s just two competitive guys. That could be true. It could be one or the other will eventually get tired of it also. All the other guys are talented and competitive and we don’t see them getting into yelling matches in the huddle. Makes that Westbrook/Perkins for Howard trade idea seem a little bit better now.

Kendrick Perkins vs. Chris Webber

In his new role on TV, Webber has been opening critical of Perkins’ defensive skills. He’s called him an overrated defender. He’s said his reputation is in the media and not with the players. He’s said he has no lift so offensive players are confident they can get their shot off over him. Webber played against Perkins, so he’s speaking from experience.

Perkins fired back on twitter saying, “and im tired of chris webber hatin on me get a ring first and then i can respect ya comments other wise keep my name out of ya mouth.”  To be fair, Webber was always the best player on those Kings teams that he got pretty close to a ring, while Perk had the benefit of Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett at his side to get his one ring in Boston.  Perk should address the comments as a challenge and not distract with a poorly backed insult.

Last season Perkins was overweight and out of shape. He’ll admit that. The knee injury is the reason, but there is really no good reason for that for a professional athlete. Even with a knee injury you can work out and eat right. The team was making a run to the Western Conference Finals. That should have been motivation. He was an non-factor against Memphis and sat on the bench mostly through key stretches, while Collison came in to spark the team in the middle. He absolutely couldn’t finish offensively.

This season, Perkins has lost 30 pounds and we’re told he’s at 100%.  The man in the middle for OKC had four rebounds in the win last night. He’s averaging 5.3 rebounds a game. The guys he was guarding last night at different times, each had 12. He still having stretches where he doesn’t run the floor because he’s out of breath. There aren’t many practices in this condensed season to work on conditioning, so Perk has to address this on his own. It’s not “hatin,” it’s an issue.

Kendrick Perkins defending against Dwight Howard in the game Sunday.

As the season goes on, Perkins performance will get more attention. This is his season to prove things have changed. It’s only three games in, so he can’t expect everyone to be sold just yet. He addressed the issue again this morning on twitter in two tweets saying, “…But to say on TV that I’m not a one on one defender was very disrespectful when I defend night in and night out, one on one…So that’s just it I felt real disrespected about that when I do this every night from my Boston days to my OKC days.”

Perkins has not been a one-on-one defender down low last year or this year in OKC. Not too many people in the NBA are really.

Against the Magic it was a team effort against Dwight Howard as expected. Last night, he was getting double team help with either Zach Randolph or Marc Gasol. Memphis isolated Z-Bo twice late in the game to go at Perkins guarding him, OKC brought help. Dallas helped the cause by getting rid of Tyson Chandler, so tonight it should be a good night for Perk. But he has something to prove to everyone this year. He can do it, or people will be agreeing with Webber as the season goes along.

Russell Westbrook reacts to a Kevin Durant dunk in the Thunder's season opening win over Orlando.

Everyone has seen the spoiled kid at Christmas. All the presents are unwrapped, they are sitting there with every toy on the planet and every electronic gadget known to man. Somehow there is always one thing they didn’t get that has their total attention and ruins their entire holiday.

Today, this blog is that kid.

The Thunder are 2-0 with a foundation of the youngest talent in the NBA. There isn’t one single NBA team right now that wouldn’t trade roster for roster with the Thunder. None.  That said, in the spirit of constant improvement, here’s a few things Thunder fans didn’t get for Christmas:

OKC didn’t try to trade for Dwight Howard
Sure, the Thunder just held Howard to less than a dozen points, but Howard is clearly the best center in the NBA and he’s most likely going to be traded somewhere. Why not OKC? Perk has a reputation as a defender, but Howard is a multiple Defensive Player of the Year. Plus he’s about the same age as Kevin Durant. With Howard, Ibaka, and Durant on the same team the Thunder might have one of the best front court’s of all time and easily the most marketable.

So how do you get Howard in OKC? How about trading Russell Westbrook and Kendrick Perkins for Dwight Howard? Westbrook is a GREAT young player, but Howard is the only player of his talent level at his position in the NBA. Orlando could build around Russ and let him have full control of the offense. He could be their Derrick Rose. Perkins would be an adequate center to replace Howard. OKC could throw in a pick if it helped. If push came to shove, OKC could throw in Thabo and start Harden. Westbrook is already going to be a max-contract guy. Wouldn’t it be better to pay a max contract to Howard? He wants to win, the Thunder would be instant favorites for the next 10 years with Howard and KD on the same team. The marketing of those two together in OKC could draw national-level attention without being a huge market like LA or NY. On the court, a legitimate inside scoring threat drawing attention while KD and the other Thunder shooters camp out for 3s? Unstoppable. It also solves the Eric Maynor issue for the Thunder. Right now, he’ll probably be lost as a RFA at the end of this year. With the trade, OKC signs him long-term as the starter. He’d be hard pressed to find a better position.

Of course, the thought is that the Thunder have a young team and just need to hold steady and let them develop. No need for upgrades. Don’t mess with chemistry. That’s exactly what fans thought before the trade for Perkins. No one wanted to mess up the starting five of Krstic, Green, KD, Thabo and Russ. Where would OKC be with that lineup right now? Not the expected top seed in the West. Trading for Howard would make OKC the favorites in the NBA, not just the West. Every other team the Thunder is competing with has attempted to upgrade. Trading for Howard might be the only way to keep him away from the Lakers or Mavericks also. That’s another huge benefit.

No Free Agents were pursued, except OKC free agents
With Durant getting a bump up in salary from the the new CBA the Thunder were up against the salary cap. Guys like Shane Battier, who Durant actively recruited on Twitter, were never called by OKC. Thunder fans can be glad Battier isn’t in Memphis anymore to hassle Durant in the Western Conference playoffs, but now he’s waiting in Miami if both teams live up to expectations and make it to the NBA Finals. Battier ended up being a bargain for the Heat with his three year deal for a total of around $9 millon. Having Battier would have been a nice luxury, but with the Thunder depth he might not of had an interest. Maybe if the Thunder were involved with the talks Miami would have had to pay more. Any chance to stick it to the Heat or Lakers should not be skipped.

Cell Phone Service in The ‘Peake is still horrible
According to a report in NewsOK.com, the Chesapeake Energy Arena installed a new antenna to boost cell phone service inside. AT&T is lagging on hooking into the antenna, so everyone with an iPhone is still out of luck. For an NBA arena, this should not be an issue. If it’s the arena’s fault, the cell phone company’s fault or the Thunder’s fault, it really doesn’t matter. They each should be pushing each other to make this happen before the end of the home game with Dallas. There is no reason it can’t work. The arena went through millions of dollars of improvements in the off-season and all the talk is about not being able to text.

The Thunder have such great community relations outside the arena and on the court, then the fans are frustrated in their seats with no way to text, facebook, or tweet about the amazing experience. It’s good word-of-mouth advertising completely missed and replaced by frustration. Wi-fi could be set up TODAY if they made it a priority. If the cell phone companies are the holdup, then the Thunder should push The ‘Peake to do that now. At least as a stop-gap and keep it up while they see if the additional antenna works. In today’s world, fans expect to be able to stay connected and it benefits everyone to make sure that is the case.

Here’s a break down of the Thunder roster that has many experts picking OKC to be in the NBA Finals this year against the Miami Heat:

Starting Five

PG: Russell Westbrook. No one takes more grief for the Thunder losses in the playoffs. For the most part, it’s undeserved. Sure he has some bad plays. Every PG in the league does. Westbrook is one of the few starters who can get a shot whenever he wants one, so that puts him creating shots more often than some people would prefer. It’s perfectly fine with the Thunder players and got him to be All-NBA second team in just his third season in the league. Expect him to be even more reliable, fewer mistakes and better defensively this season. Russ is a bonafied superstar.

SG: Thabo Sefolosha. The most questionable of the Thunder starters and the one backed up my a rising star in James Harden. Thabo will need to improve over last year to keep his spot. He built is starting reputation on great defense for a team that had other scorers in the starting lineup. Now, with Nedad Krstic and Jeff Green no longer scoring for the starters and replaced by weaker offensive options in Kendrick Perkins and Serge Ibaka, Thabo’s defensive only spot is more glaring. The defense improved with the change, but a shooting guard that doesn’t score puts you behind the curve in the NBA. Fans didn’t want to replace Krstic and Green in the starting lineup, but sure didn’t miss then when they left after seeing the improvement. Thabo is the same type of starter. Harden is an instant upgrade just waiting to happen.

SF: Kevin Durant. The cornerstone of the franchise just keeps getting better and better. The Thunder get by with basically three defensive players in the starting lineup thanks to the offensive brilliance of KD and Westbrook. KD is set up to lead the league in scoring again, first team All-NBA again, and if the Thunder contend for the top playoff seed in the West he’ll be in the hunt for the NBA MVP. Al while being one of the most fan-friendly players in any pro sport. It doesn’t get any better than KD. Now if he just didn’t like the Longhorns.

PF: Serge Ibaka. A great fit at power forward, all Ibaka needs is a little more offense to start getting all-star attention. Young, athletic and hard-working, Ibaka could be the catalyst for the Thunder improvement this season. All the young players are expected to improve and help the team, but if Ibaka brings more offense to the inside to go with his shot-blocking and transition offense, the Thunder take a huge leap.

C: Kendrick Perkins. The third player in the Thunder starting five that fans either love or question. Perkins dropped 30 pounds over the off-season and does look slimmer. The question is how was he, as a leader, ever 30 pounds overweight to begin with last season? He has ground to make up to show he’s more than just a yeller and a scowler. In the playoffs last year, the Thunder was better when he was on the bench. He struggled against Denver, Memphis and Dallas on defense. Now, he’s slimmer and that isn’t going to happen. At least that’s what we’re told. Chris Webber recently called him out on NBA TV for being an overrated post defender. If center brings little to no offense to the table, he better be an anchor in the middle. Perkins has this season to convince the fans. Everyone is optimistic his work ethic will show benefits. Plus, he’s excellent on twitter. Could he even venture to all-star level thanks to the weak crop of centers in the West? Boom or bust type season ahead.

Bench:
James Harden. He shouldn’t be in this spot for long or at least be getting starting minutes as the sixth man if he is still not starting. Harden has shown maybe the most improvement of all the Thunder players in the preseason. He’s been more aggressive offensively, the low three’s have been rolling, and he’s always fiesty on defense. Harden, along with KD, Russ and Ibaka, also fits in with the athletic young group that loves to run the floor and finish with a dunk over anyone in the way. He’s a legit starter currently on the bench.

Nick Collison. He was missing part of last season and his return sparked the Thunder to a run up the West standings. His defense in the middle saved the Thunder in the playoffs when Perkins was a non-factor. The guy does everything you need him to do to win. Nearly perfect bench player with a great contract situation for the cap.

Nazr Mohammed. The only guy that’s been in the NBA more than 8 years to show the youth of the Thunder team. Nazr bounced around the league some, but in OKC he’s dropped into a great role. He’s not going to score many points, but that’s not expected. He is a 6′ 10″ big man coming off the bench to provide solid defense when Perk sits down. He was just as important as Collison in the playoff run last season. Every team in the league could use a guy like Nazr on the bench.

Eric Maynor. Maybe the best backup point guard in the NBA. Either way, he’s solid off the bench enough to be starter quality on some teams. He’s a RFA after this season, so it might be the last year to have this luxury.

Daequan Cook. Why are the Thunder favorites through a short, condensed season? This is 10 players deep with solid players an almost all of them young and improving. Cook is another player with a great role for OKC. He won’t be a starter in the league, but as a guy coming off the bench to shoot three’s, he’s as good as anyone. If he’s hot, it’s a bonus on top of the other offensive weapons. The more often he’s hot, the more dominate the Thunder offense will be this year.

Cole Aldrich. The tallest player on the Thunder roster and a former lottery pick, Aldrich should be about to emerge as a solid player for the Thunder. Actually last year before Perkins came back from the injury, Aldrich got some minutes and played pretty well against the Clippers for one. If he can follow his fellow KU alum and be a Collison type player off the bench for the Thunder at center, things keep getting better in OKC.

Reggie Jackson. This year’s first-round draft pick hasn’t seen much playing time in the NBA yet and probably will struggle to break this rotation this year. The most minute against NBA talent he’s seen was in KD’s charity all-star game in OKC. He had some moments there and showed the athleticism expected of the Thunder guards. Get him spot minutes, let him develop and he’s ready to cut into Cook or Maynor’s minutes next year.

Lazar Hayward. Doesn’t expect to get much playing time, but will be an athletic young player with potential. The Thunder traded for him, so you never know when Sam Presti might be finding a gem. Maybe he has Byron Mullens’ spot, which is maybe a push with better upside.

Ryan Reid. A rookie behind Ibaka, Collison, etc. at the power forward spot. He might get some trips to Tulsa for the 66ers if the Thunder follow how they treated Aldrich and Byron Mullens last year. All upside that just needs time.

Royal Ivey. Saved him for last on purpose. Seems to be a great guy, but not sure how he fits on the Thunder. This will be his eighth year in the league, He’s not going to get minutes over any of the Thunder guards. He doesn’t have upside to develop. It seems like another young player with potential should be in this spot. Maybe OKC should cut him or trade him to see if he can get to play somewhere else before he gets too old? Maybe he’s a veteran influence on the young players that you don’t see on the court. If he’s the Nate Robinson this year, that’s an improvement.

Kevin Durant and the Thunder will need defensive stops like this on the road to rise to the next level

The Oklahoma City Thunder will play this NBA season is a newly remodeled Chesapeake Energy Arena.  Legends aren’t made in the cozy confines of home though in the NBA. Wins in The ‘Peake may make Loud City even louder, but on the road is where the Thunder will stake its claim for greatness. They earn their reputation when they walk on someone else’s floor and come away with wins, consistently.

Here’s a look at the top ten Thunder road games in chronological order:

1) December 28 @ Memphis: It took the Thunder seven games to eliminate the Grizzlies last year in the playoffs. This season the two rising young teams should be battling again in the playoffs. Memphis gets O.J. Mayo back and has a OKC-level home court advantage. This might be a bigger challenge than the Magic at home on Christmas night.

2) January 2 @ Dallas: The NBA seems anxious to get this OKC-Dallas rivalry fired up for the new season. With two preseason games and one game at OKC in December and opening the new year with this early road trip, we should know just how the two Western Conference favorites shape up.

3) January 16 @ Boston: Only Kendrick Perkins remains from the trade between these two teams last year with Jeff Green sidelined with the heart condition. Perkins against his old team, KG talking junk, Rondo vs. Russ…it all makes for an interesting game for a TNT national audience.

4) January 30 @ Los Angeles Clippers: The Clippers are the buzz of LA as much as they will be the buzz when they show up in OKC. The Thunder need to prove they can beat teams on the road. Winning against the Clippers and Grizzlies will also be good statements for keeping the best young team in the NBA label.

5) February 10 @ Utah: The Jazz may or may not be contenders in the West this season. What makes this game one to watch is it finishes off a stretch of five road games in seven days. A brutal trip from San Antonio, across the West coast, then to the Jazz. The Thunder’s young legs will be tested there for all to see on a Friday night national ESPN telecast.

6) March 1 @ Orlando: By this time Dwight Howard might be a New Jersey Net for all we know, but if he’s in Orlando this is a big game for the Thunder to prepare for the playoffs. No one has a big guy like Howard. If they can handle him on the road, the interior defense is ready for the playoffs.

7) March 29 @ Los Angeles Lakers: Two road trips to the Lakers in basically the last month of the season. The NBA either helped the Lakers out by giving them a better chance to finish strong, or hurt the old folks with the Thunder running them ragged. Winning in LA is a statement the Thunder need to make.

8 ) April 4 @ Miami: The capstone of one of the toughest stretches on the Thunder schedule is the only trip to Miami for the Heat. It’s fine to beat contenders at home, but you make your name winning on the road. This late in the season a win here could possible make the Thunder the favorites for the title going into the playoffs.

9) April 29 @ Los Angeles Clippers: Maybe it’s overkill putting two Clippers games on the road list also, but with the talent the Clippers have put together they should be a solid playoff contender. Every NBA fan in Oklahoma will be watching this one with Blake and CP3 playing the hometown favorites.

10) April 22 @ Los Angeles Lakers: A Sunday afternoon ABC game against the Lakers. It doesn’t get any better than that outside of the playoffs. This is the Thunder’s last road game and a huge opportunity to capture the nation’s attention. Look forward to a Kobe smirk on national TV while the Thunder wrap up the top seed in the Western Conference for the playoffs.

Russell Westbrook will have plenty of tomahawk dunks for Thunder fans at The 'Peake.

The evil NBA lockout is over. The preseason tease is over. Now Oklahoma City fans are sitting around like kids staring at packages under the Christmas tree waiting for the December 25th home opener at the Chesapeake Energy Arena.

It’s a perfect storm for anticipation. The Thunder is coming off the trip to the Western Conference Finals last year. The NBA lockout stretched out the wait. Now, two preseason wins over the NBA Champion Dallas Mavericks have the Thunder fans primed to get this season started.

Here’s the top 10 OKC home games on the schedule in chronological order:

1) December 25th vs. Orlando: The Thunder’s position as a marquee team in the NBA is solidified with opening night prime-time ESPN game against the Orlando Magic. Some of the luster of this game was at risk in recent weeks with the Magic attempting to trade all-world center Dwight Howard. Now he appears to be starting the season on the Magic roster, so Thunder fans get to watch one of the most entertaining players in the NBA to start the season. With Howard, the Magic are a contender in the Eastern Conference. It should be an early statement game with the entire country watching.

2) December 29 vs. Dallas: The defending NBA champs back in OKC to set the tone for who will be contenders for the #1 seed in the West. The Mavs won the war last year, but so far OKC has won the battles this year with the two preseason wins. Now Dirk will be back playing, Kidd won’t be sitting on the bench and the Thunder will have to prove the preseason wasn’t a fluke. Dallas lost Tyson Chandler and that pesky JJ Barea in the offseason. They added Khloe and Lamar Odom and some E! TV cameras. Odom looked like he brought his LA attitude to Dallas in the preseason games. When the games count this rivalry might spark to new levels. The biggest question of the night will be if since it’s the TNT primetime game, if Charles Barkley will make his appearance in OKC with the crew. If so, someone arrange a horse and buggy to pick him up at the airport please.

3) January 8 vs. San Antonio: The Spurs were one of the top four teams in the West last season, but that isn’t what makes this game one to watch. Thanks to the crammed schedule this is will be the Thunder’s third game in three nights. The stretch starts with a home game against Houston, then the Thunder fly to Houston the next night, then fly back home to take on the Spurs the next night. Not only three games in three nights, but two flights included. That should help the aging Spurs against the young Thunder legs. Interesting the Thunder’s only other home game against the Spurs is the night following a road game at Denver. The schedule makers made the Spurs games as tough as possible for OKC.

4) January 14 vs. New York: The only OKC appearance of the New York Knicks since trading for Carmelo Anthony. In Denver, Anthony got a lot of credit from the national press for winning his matchups with Kevin Durant. The only appearance ‘Melo has made in OKC since the trade was for KD’s charity game during the lockout. Now with the Thunder as contenders and the Knicks looking solid in the East, the two young superstars will battle it out again for bragging rights.

5) February 3 vs. Memphis: The Grizzlies gave the Thunder a severe test in the opening round of the NBA playoffs last year. Both teams are young and loaded. Both brought all their key players back. Both are set to contend in the West again. This late in the season the Thunder will have already played twice in Memphis, but now the home crowd in The ‘Peake gets its chance to see the two fight it out. It’s the ONLY home game for OKC from January 26 through February 13th stuck between eight road games. The players should be elated to be home and the crowd should be starved for NBA basketball.

6) February 23 vs. Los Angeles Lakers: The Lakers only appearance in OKC this season, compared to two Thunder trips to LA. By this time of the year the aging Lakers will either be walking dead or killing teams like basketball zombies. With Kobe, Gasol and Bynum still around the Lakers are still the Lakers. By this time of the year, they might have traded for Dwight Howard for all we know. Thunder fans would prefer they just be showing their age and take a beat-down. The NBA scheduled a break for the Lakers here too, giving OKC a home game against the Celtics the night before and the last of four home games in five nights.

7) March 21 vs. Los Angeles Clippers: Finally the best team in LA makes a trip to OKC. Besides Blake Griffin returning home, it’s now a dual homecoming with Chris Paul returning to OKC where he played for the Hornets. The Clippers superstars once owned OKC when they played in the metro area. Now they will get some fans and some applause, but it’s KD’s town. This might be the hottest ticket of the season actually with Blake/CP3 back in OKC. It could be an important game in the West too. The Clips look to be contenders this year. This game starts off the most important stretch of the schedule for the Thunder. In the eight games, the Thunder has the Clippers, Twolves, Heat, Blazers, Lakers, Bulls, Grizzlies and Heat again. Put up a winning record through that stretch and the Thunder are playoff favorites.

8 ) March 25 vs. Miami: The only two games with the Heat are in this 8-game stretch. The one time the Heat play in OKC for the season is a Sunday night national ESPN game. Right now it’s the two teams most experts are picking to play in the NBA Finals. It’s the best of the West against the best of the East.

9) April 1 vs. Chicago: Another game in the defining stretch, the Bulls make their only appearance in OKC for the regular season. MVP Derrick Rose in OKC for April Fools Day. This was last year’s marquee season opener for the Thunder. Now it’s Russell Westbrook vs. Rose for a Sunday noon ABC national audience.

10) April 11 vs. Los Angeles Clippers: The Clippers second meeting in OKC. OKC fans would probably rather see Blake/CP3 than even the Heat. This game versus the Clippers is the last big home test, followed by road games against the Clippers and Lakers. The Thunder’s late season schedule should set up some wins with three games against Sacramento in the last two weeks of the season for example. Maybe the last home game against Denver jumps up, but that has more potential to be a rest game than an important game for playoff seeds.