With Warriors' Game 5 Win, Pressure on Thunder

Being down 3-1 in a seven-game series is never a good thing, in fact it's normally a death sentence to a team's season. Only nine NBA teams have ever come back from being down 3-1 in a series like the Golden State Warriors were to the Oklahoma City Thunder. After last night's crucial Game 5 win for the Dubs, it's 3-2 in favor of the Thunder as the series shifts back to OKC. The pressure is all on the defending champs to force a Game 7.

Or is it?

There is certainly pressure on the champs to come back and win this series. After all, they say 73-9 don't mean a thing without the ring. But heading into Game 6 Saturday night in Oklahoma City, the Thunder are under immense pressure to get the job done. A loss would send the series back to Golden State for a winner-take-all Game 7 and the prospects of winning that are slim to none. Oracle Arena is one of the toughest places to play in American sports and the Warriors have only lost three games there all season. 

Couple that with the fact that the Thunder are potentially seeing a championship window close in front of their eyes and it's now-or-maybe-never for OKC. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook's free agencies loom in the offseason and, due to injuries is past postseasons, the playoffs have not gone the way many Thunder fans expected. After a 2012 trip to the Finals, OKC has not been back despite keeping the core of Durant, Westbrook and Serge Ibaka intact. This is the closest the Thunder have come since that 2012 run and a win over the Warriors would mean OKC dispatched the defending champions and the San Antonio Spurs en route to this year's Finals. Not bad.

And while it won't be easy, the Thunder seem up to the task. Long gone are the accusations that the Thunder blow fourth-quarter leads and can't finish. Long gone are the gripes about Westbrook's game and superstar status. And on top of all that, the Thunder are far from scared by the Warriors. The big lineups employed by Billy Donovan have given the Warriors fits and Westbrook flat out laughed at a question in last night's press conference about Curry's defense. This is a team that believes they can and should win.

The Warriors won't have Oracle behind them Saturday night and the 8-0 runs won't be met with any enthusiasm. Instead, they will be heading into a hostile crowd that is also one of the best in the Association. The Thunder won Games 3 and 4 in OKC by 24 and 28 points, respectively. Despite that, Game 6 feels like a must-win and it probably should be viewed as that by everybody. 

Going into Oracle and stealing Game 7 would be the toughest challenge for any team. That's why the pressure is on Durant, Westbrook and the Thunder to win Saturday. If they don't then they can kiss this season goodbye.

Westbrook's Play Lacks Praise it Deserves

Last night was another reminder that Russell Westbrook is a top five player in the NBA and that, when he is under control, he is a finisher that is virtually impossible to stop. Westbrook's driving and-1 layup sealed a pivotal Game 5 win for the Oklahoma City Thunder in San Antonio, and gives OKC a chance to clinch the series on its home court.

Westbrook is a lightning rod for opinions. From his pregame outfits to his unabashed recklessness on the court, he seems to drum up an opinion in everybody. You're not neutral about Russell Westbrook - you either like him or you don't. Whatever your position on the man, the truth is this: his play demands more praise than it gets. His final stat line last night of 35 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists was MVP-esque and before anyone brings up his eight turnovers let me remind you that Steph Curry was 0-for-10 from three to start Game 5 in Portland. It's hard to play a perfect game.

Westbrook has been questioned as a finisher and rightfully so. The Thunder were notorious for blowing fourth quarter leads during the regular season. NewsOK's Darnell Mayberry did a little digging on the claim that the Thunder were choke artists and came up with this: "In his 11 of the Thunder's 13 losses in games where it led after three quarters, Kevin Durant has averaged 6.4 points, 0.4 assists and 1.4 turnovers on 42.1/30/84.2 percent shooting splits (field goal/3-point/free throw). Westbrook has averaged 5.5 points, 2.2 assists and 1.3 turnovers on 29.1/16.1/80.7 shooting splits.
Westbrook has gone without a fourth-quarter field goal four times over that span. Durant has had at least three fourth-quarter turnovers three times in that span."

For a team that relies so heavily on two superstars, those numbers simply have to be better. And for Westbrook, he has improved. The ill-advised late-game shots have gone away and he's hitting his free throws late in games. His 8-for-8 performance at the line last night was crucial and he committed only two turnovers in the second half.

Still, despite his routine stuffing of the stat sheet, there are those who say he is not a star. Mark Cuban said he was not a superstar during OKC's first round series against Dallas. Westbrook responded by averaging 26 points, 7.2 rebounds and 11.2 assists over the five games.

The MVP votes were recently announced and once again, Westbrook failed to get the credit he deserved. Curry was certainly the league's MVP this season, but Westbrook (and everyone else in the league) failed to get a single vote. The lack of votes comes after averaging 23.5 points (8th in the league), 7.8 rebounds (1st among PG, SG, SF), 10.4 assists (2nd in the league) and 2.04 steals (5th in the league).

His rebound average is higher than LeBron James, Kristaps Porzingis, Zach Randolph and Al Horford. His points per game is ahead of Paul George and Carmelo Anthony, while his assist totals trump every point guard in the league not named Rajon Rondo.

Certainly Westbrook deserved at least a few votes, did he not? But it's always the negative that people focus on with Westbrook. Routinely, fans say the Thunder have no chance to win a title until they let Westbrook go. After watching last night's game and looking over the numbers, you tell me what team could lose that kind of production and be better for it. The answer is none.

Westbrook is a superstar player in the NBA. His play, though not perfect, has shown that time and again. It's about time people start respecting him like one.

Westbrook's Season Deserving of MVP Honor

Westbrook has led OKC in Durant's absence

The argument at the beginning of the season consisted of LeBron James' quest for a fifth MVP while the talented Stephen Curry exploded into the race right off the bat. Rising star Anthony Davis entered the conversation for much of the first half of the season before injuries sidelined him for a handful of games. Now here we are at the end of the season, and the top three candidates for the league's most prestigious individual award are Curry, James Harden, and Russell Westbrook. The majority of people, both analysts and fans, believe that Curry and Harden are the only true contenders, which shows that Westbrook's phenomenal season has been severely under-appreciated.

Let's get something straight before people get all bent out of shape: Stephen Curry and James Harden have put together astounding seasons. Curry has broken records and has lit up the highlight reels with his improved ball handling while Harden has put up insane numbers in his own right. Both of these players are in the race for a reason, and they deserve every bit of consideration. Yet if you look at Russell Westbrook's season and the team he has had to work with for the majority of this year, it's hard to say that he is not the most deserving for the MVP award.

Curry has led the Warriors to the one seed

Last night I was in Bankers Life Fieldhouse and witnessed Westbrook's 54 points (which was a career high might I add), 9 rebounds, and 8 assists against the Pacers. Yes, he took 43 shots, that's the common argument against Westbrook. "He shoots too much". "He doesn't shoot a high percentage". "He's selfish". Had those arguments been posed in previous years, I would have wholeheartedly agreed because he would have been hoisting ill-advised shots when Kevin Durant and Serge Ibaka were on the floor. However, neither Durant or Ibaka are going to be any help for this season and have both missed countless games. This team has become Westbrook's to lead even after Durant and Ibaka return and he is dragging Oklahoma City to the playoffs. He no longer has an MVP to pass to. He no longer has Ibaka's 14 points per game to feed. It's Westbrook's show to run and if he's not leading the league in scoring and posting triple doubles on almost a nightly basis then OKC is not even sniffing the playoff race they are currently in.

Harden is currently second in the NBA in scoring

Does Westbrook shoot a lot? Yes. There's no way around it, he averages 22 field goal attempts a game. While Harden averages 18 shots per game and Curry averages 16, it's out of line to call Westbrook selfish when he's averaging 8.6 assists as opposed to Hardens 6.9 and Curry's 7.7. Throw that in with the fact that Rockets and Warriors both have exceptionally better supporting casts than the Thunder currently does and it's easy to see that Westbrook is doing more with less.

While the offensive numbers are gaudy and always get the most attention, Westbrook's influence on the defensive side of the ball contributes just as much as his influence on offense. He forces more turnovers (he averages over two steals a game) and grabs more defensive rebounds (5.3 per game compared to Hardens 4.7 and Curry's 3.6) than the other two candidates. For Curry, he has improved his on-ball defense greatly this season, but he's not the defensive force that Westbrook is. Harden, on the other hand, struggles to understand what playing defense means (See "James Harden defensive juggernaut" on YouTube).

The bottom line is that you can take Harden away from the Rockets and still watch Houston in the playoffs. You can take Curry away from the Warriors and still see a top four team in the West. But if you take Westbrook away from the Thunder with the shape they are currently in then they are dwelling near the bottom of the conference. Not only has Westbrook been impressive, he's been historic this year. He has posted numbers that only Michael Jordan and Oscar Robertson have put up. Sure, Curry has broken a couple records of his own, but in terms of total domination of a game, Westbrook reigns supreme. Again, Harden and Curry have been fun to watch and they have played great basketball all year, but if you look at the value of each individual player in terms of where their team would be without them, Westbrook affects the Thunder's success more than Curry affects the Warriors or Harden affects the Rockets.

10 Worst NBA Postgame Outfits

A few years ago David Stern implemented a dress code for NBA players and the players have run away with it. Let's be real, crazy fashion, if you want to call it that, is nothing new in the NBA. Take a walk down Memory Lane and check out some of Walt Frazier's outfits or even Magic Johnson's. These crazy styles have been around for awhile, but it seems like the past few years it has really taken off. Russell Westbrook has become the poster boy for eccentric outfits, but Kevin Durant, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and James Harden never cease to amaze with their get-ups. Here's a look at 10 fashion nightmares from the NBA's stars.

10. Russell Westbrook
Russ rocks a white polo in this picture, but it's not just any white polo. This one has fishing hooks on it. Where you purchase something like this I'm not sure and he might be the only man on the planet with one of these. Not pictured are the bright red pants and, obviously, he has the matching red glasses without any lenses. The fake glasses will be a common theme as we move down the list. Russell Westbrook will also be a common theme.

9. Nick Young
Nick Young may be unknown to just about everyone, but the hardcore NBA fans, but on this night in 2012 he turned heads with this shirt. It looks like the design was inspired from some art down in South America and Young elected to go BeeGees-style on us and leave a few of the buttons undone. To top it all off, he's rocking the sunglasses indoors. I know the lights are bright in a postgame press conference, but apparently they are bright enough to require shades.


8. Kevin Durant
KD patented the backpack in the postgame press conference, but on All-Star weekend he was in rare form. He pulled out the denim vest which is always a risky move and then for an undershirt he wore a black tee with stars on the chest. It kind of looks like the stars were Bedazzled on there and he also has buttons on his vest to spice it up a little bit. Throw in the fake specs and the fedora and it's quite the sight from the Durantula.






7. Amare Stoudemire
What's better than one denim vest? TWO denim vests! Here's Amare Stoudemire modeling one and I'm not sure when this picture was taken, but there's a lot going on here. Not only does he have the vest on, but he's wearing another sleeveless shirt underneath. It's hard to see in the photo, but he has some seriously long beads around his neck. Amare, like Young, also chose to wear sunglasses inside and I don't know if he can see the game that well with them on. The hat tops it all off, but it's not the yarmulke that he wore during the playoffs this season. He also is big on scarves and a Google search will show you those various looks.




6. Tyson Chandler
This wasn't before or after a game, but it cannot be ignored. I don't have a lot to say here except that it's just plain wrong. There's nothing here that says "good fashion" and there's nothing here that makes Chandler look classy. This is a nightmare.







5. Dwyane Wade
I'll admit that D.Wade has pulled off some pretty classy looking outfits, but not this one. This photo is just a few weeks old and it's a suit with polka dots on it. What I can't figure out is whether Wade grabbed his son's pants or if he really meant to have them that short. It's my personal opinion, but I'm not big on guys wearing capris and that's especially true if it's a suit. Wade has experimented with quite a few different fashions such as the fake glasses, suits with basketball shoes, and themed band-aids, but I think it's safe to say that this was a failed experiment right here.


4. Russell Westbrook...again
In this one Russ looks somewhat normal until you get to his pants that barely make it past his knees. And then you see his man-purse thing that he's carrying with him. After that you notice that he's wearing his shades inside and then on top of all that you notice that his shirt and pants are so tight that they might be tattooed on to his body. I have a lot of questions about this outfit, but if I ever got to ask him one I think it would be, what's in the bag??




3. Paul George
Paul George had never made headlines for anything but his play on the court until this year's Eastern Conference Finals. It all changed when he decided to go green. George is rocking the green pants with all-white kicks and the shirt is something else. It has green-paisley design all over it that kind of looks like throw up and  it doesn't quite match the green on George's pants. However, are we really going to tell the guy to stop wearing what he wants when he is putting on a show against LeBron & Company? I don't think so.




2. LeBron James
Bron keeps it pretty classy most of the time, but this sweater is too loud to ignore. The red is extra bright so that's already enough to turn heads, but then you notice the design on it and then you're puzzled. Again, not sure where he got this one, but it's wild. It's kind of got a beach-feel to it and I suppose that's appropriate since he's down in Miami, but I would hope he doesn't pull this one out of the closet again.


1. Russell Westbrook...one more time
Russ out-did himself with this outfit from earlier this season. The skin-tight capris were one thing. The fishing shirt was a little crazy. However, this outfit tops them all. Westbrook looks like a girl with this cutoff sweater on and those glasses. The chain around his neck is large and if the medallion part was any bigger then Flavor Flav would accuse him of theft. The glasses are clear and that doesn't help the feminine-look of this outfit. So in short, what did we learn from all this? Russell Westbrook has the wildest style when it comes to NBA ballers in the game today. There's not a whole lot of competition either.

BONUS: Anything worn by Craig Sager

Injury-ridden Postseason Calls for Shorter Schedule

Derrick Rose. Rajon Rondo. Danny Granger. Kobe Bryant. David Lee. Russell Westbrook. What do all of these players have in common? Answer: All of them are sitting out injured while their teams compete in the NBA Playoffs. Yes, the playoffs are definitely in full swing, but something just doesn't seem right. So many of the game's brightest stars are sidelined with injuries that fans have had to watch the likes of Andrew Goudelock and Nazr Mohammed play key roles for their teams. While those stories are nice, the game is not putting the best product on the floor in the most competitive time of the season.

With the news that Russell Westbrook would miss the remainder of the season, the West suddenly became a little bit more open. Now, rather than an obvious Heat-Thunder rematch, the Spurs, Nuggets or Clippers may emerge. That is, if the Nuggets can first get past the Warriors who have injury troubles of their own. David Lee tore his hip flexor after Game 1, but Golden State has bounced back nicely. Still, can they maintain their play without one of the most productive big men on the court?

In the East, two of the game's best point guards are absent from the postseason. Rose has missed the entire season while Rondo has been out since late-January. While the Bulls look like they will defeat the Brooklyn Nets in the first round, there is no doubt a healthy Rose would help this team tremendously. For the Celtics, a first round exit seems imminent and, while Rondo may not have been able to prevent that, he would have helped the C's cause greatly because of his quickness and the Knicks' point guards' age.

And then there's Kobe Bryant. Why I must see ESPN debate his tweets is beyond me and it definitely doesn't seem right. The fact that the playoffs are on and the Lakers should be in an enticing series with San Antonio, but don't have Kobe is just plain wrong. One of the league's best players is sidelined in one of his final seasons. That's a major blow to the game and it's been a major blow to that series as the Spurs have mopped the floor with the battered Lakers.

On top of all that, players like Joakim Noah, Dwyane Wade, Joe Johnson and Steve Nash have battled injuries that have kept them off the court or limited their minutes in the first round. Far too many stars are dealing with injuries for this playoffs to be as great as it's potential.

But how to prevent something like this? In reality, this can't be prevented. Injuries happen all the time and for whatever reason the stars are falling like dominoes. That said, the NBA could shorten their regular season schedule and that may help. During the lockout-shortened season the schedule was just 66 games long compared to the normal 82. Adapting the 66-game schedule would benefit the competition, the health and the players.

82 games is a lot and it means that not every game means something. There are plenty of throwaway games and that's why teams rest their better players often. David Stern has said he would like to limit this somehow and the simple solution would be to shorten the schedule. By doing so, the regular season would be more competitive and teams would not have the luxury of so many throwaway games.

The shorter schedule would also help the health of players as the wear-and-tear on their bodies would not be as great. This could potentially mean that less stars are injured and the playoffs would have the best players on the floor. It's a move that the league should look in to because it helps them out in multiple ways.

The NBA is entertainment and the best entertainment is when the best players are out there. This playoffs may still be good, but it won't contain the brightest stars. That's something that the league can't have and it's something the fans don't want. If the NBA wants to improve their product then my advice is to shorten the schedule.

2013 Western Conference Playoff Preview

The definition of must-see TV is quite simple. The answer lies with the Western Conference first-round playoff series and all four have the makings of being great. From top to bottom there are intriguing match ups and, while there may two favorites, it does appear that this could be the Wild West with an upset thrown in at some point. Oklahoma City and San Antonio finished neck in neck in the regular season and the Denver Nuggets weren't far behind. History was made in LA, but it wasn't from the Lakers. The Clippers were the ones making all the positive headlines and secured the fourth seed, which means they have an extremely difficult match up with Memphis. As for the aforementioned Lakers, they are sitting in the seventh spot with out Kobe Bryant, but don't blow them off. Steve Nash, Dwight Howard and Metta World Peace still make a good squad. The young Warriors and Rockets teams are fresh to the playoff scene with these current rosters, but should give a good series. It's going to be a fun end to the season in the West so let's take a look at the first round.

1. Oklahoma City Thunder vs. 8. Houston Rockets
The intriguing story line in this series is the Thunder going up against their old mate James Harden. It's not likely that the Rockets win this series, but they may steal a game or two depending on how Harden plays. The Rockets have no trouble scoring the basketball (2nd in the league), but the problem lies with the defense. Houston allows a 102.5 points per game which is 28th in the league. That won't win them the series against two of the most dynamite scorers in the league in Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant and the league's third best offense. In three games this season Harden averaged 29 points against OKC, but the surrounding cast of Jeremy Lin, Chandler Parsons and Omer Asik must be a force all series long. If not, the Thunder will march right over Houston in dominating fashion. OKC lost in the Finals last year and it's well-recorded that teams must take their lumps before being crowned kings. The Thunder have been working towards that elusive title for a couple of years and this season looks like it might be the year. Prediction: Oklahoma City in 5

How They Stack Up
                  Points                          Rebounds                            Assists                              Points Allowed
OKC          105.7                              43.6                                   21.4                                      96.5
Houston      106.0                              43.4                                   23.2                                    102.5

2. San Antonio Spurs vs. 7. Los Angeles Lakers
Wouldn't it be exciting if Kobe was healthy?? Obviously it would be a totally different series and the Lakers would have a solid chance of advancing. They still have a shot, but it will be difficult without their heart and soul. Let us not forget though that Steve Nash is a two-time MVP, Dwight Howard carried a team to the Finals and a host of Lakers are champions. Still, this is the San Antonio Spurs we're talking about. Health is the key to both teams this series. Nash is expected to play in Game 1 and the Spurs expect to have everyone ready to go. If healthy there is no way a Gregg Popovich-led Spurs team loses in the first round. Tony Parker has had health concerns, but he will carry San Antonio. Tim Duncan will also be key as he will match up with Dwight Howard. If he gets Howard into foul trouble then LA has no chance. Dwight must be at his best for LA throughout the postseason as does Pau Gasol. No Kobe means it's everyone else's time to shine. Prediction: San Antonio in 6
 How They Stack Up
                  Points                          Rebounds                            Assists                              Points Allowed
San Antonio 103.0                              41.3                                 25.1                                      96.6
Los Angeles 102.2                              44.8                                 22.2                                    101.0

3. Denver Nuggets vs. 6. Golden State Warriors
Pay attention to this series because there are plenty of young stars that will be a joy to watch. The point guard match up of Ty Lawson and Steph Curry is the focal point of the series and the two have very contrasting styles of play. Lawson is a cat-quick floor general who can attack the rim at will while Curry is the premier deep threat in the NBA. Curry broke the record for three pointers made in a single season and he and the Warriors will be a tough game at home in Oracle Arena. The Nuggets will miss Danilo Gallinari due to injury, but Wilson Chandler is more than capable of taking on the extra burden. The inside game belongs to the Nuggets, but the backcourt match up is nearly even. This is a series that could go six or seven games, but at the end of the day the Nuggets are the better team. Prediction: Denver in 6
How They Stack Up
                  Points                          Rebounds                            Assists                              Points Allowed
Denver          106.1                            45.0                                   24.4                                    101.1
Golden State 101.2                            45.0                                   22.5                                    100.3

4. Los Angeles Clippers vs. 5. Memphis Grizzlies
The high-flying, exciting Lob City will have a difficult first round match up against the grind-it-out Grizzlies. It's two conflicting styles of play and a series that should be tightly contested. Chris Paul is no stranger to playoff basketball, but the Clippers are still somewhat strangers to the playoffs. Last season they were defeated in the first round, but this year could be a different story. LA has played well all season and knocked down milestone after milestone, but it's time to perform in the postseason too. Many left Memphis for dead when they traded Rudy Gay, but they have been just as good and the inside tandem of Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph could give Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan fits. That's where this series will be won -- in the post. Mike Conley has a massive assignment on Paul, but the Griz rely on their inside game. If LA can keep that in check then they will win the series. Prediction: Los Angeles in 7
How They Stack Up
                  Points                          Rebounds                            Assists                              Points Allowed
Los Angeles 101.1                              41.6                                   23.9                                      94.6
Memphis        93.6                              42.7                                   20.9                                      89.3