The OKC Thunder dearly miss Andre Roberson. Today’s In the News centers around his absence and the Thunder’s lack of defensive success without him.
Last night happened. If you still want to stew on the low-energy performance from Oklahoma City, here’s my player grades/recap from the tumultuous affair. I for one am moving on. When this team wants to play hard they win – when they don’t, they get blown out by the Phoenix Suns. It’s a simple and sad concept, something we simply have to accept from this team.
Seerat Sohi discusses the Lowkey MVP in full
If you don’t know the name Seerat Sohi you’ve been missing out on some awesome basketball content. She’s become one of my favorite basketball personas – Seerat’s timing to post an article on Andre Roberson the exact day all of Thunder Nation realizes his worth is only one instance of her brilliance.
This particular piece was written for SB Nation. The statistical differences with Roberson on/off the court are alarming, but I’m more interested in the increased rebounding numbers and the similar offensive outputs when the Lowkey MVP is playing. Check it out, then read everything else in Seerat’s archives.
"Yes, without Roberson, life would be easier for the Thunder. They would also have a lower ceiling."
David Aldridge discusses the Paul George conundrum
Picking one excerpt from Aldridge’s piece was impossible. It’s filled with hidden gems that perfectly quantify the Thunder’s chances of keeping PG past this season. Coming from the “bias but reasonable” Thunder fan, here’s where I believe we stand.
Oklahoma City currently is the front-runner because they can offer the most money and have a superstar locked in for another five years. The only way that changes is if LeBron James calls George asking him to team up somewhere else. Options like that obviously can’t unveil themselves, so for now, Thunder Nation should feel good in the fact they are the odds-on choice to sign him at this moment.
"But in back-to-back wins over the Lakers and Clippers, the Thunder displayed what they could be in May and June — which may not matter by July."
Andrew Bogut to the rescue?
Lawrence George’s (one of Thunderous Intentions’ many great writers) argument for a backup big man continues to get stronger with the last two games. And with Andrew Bogut’s recent release, the perfect one may be available. Lawrence breaks down how the 33-year old would be a fantastic insurance policy for Oklahoma City off the bench. Bogut wouldn’t play huge minutes, but the few he receives could seriously cease the Thunder’s recent struggles on the boards.
"Opposing teams will rip the Thunder on the boards, bully OKC’s forwards down low and get into the paint at will. OKC can’t go into the playoffs with one true big."
Next: Thunder need a swear jar for Carmelo Anthony
That’s it for today’s issue of Thunder in the News! Shake off that loss and set your sights on tomorrow’s matchup with the Portland Trail Blazers. As always we’ll have you covered with everything you need to know leading up to the contest.