vs. 
Golden State Warriors (10-23) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (THREE AND FREAKING TWENTY NINE)
Wednesday, December 31
Ford Center
Oklahoma City, OK
7:00 CST
TV: FS Oklahoma (Cox 37, HD 722)
Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1 FM, 640 AM)
View from the other side: Golden State of Mind
More than anything, tonight is about overcoming a mental block. The Warriors aren't necessarily more talented than Oklahoma City, but OKC can't seem to shake that its supposed to lose. And the Thunder plays like it. It's obvious; especially in the fourth quarter. If the Thunder's winning late, they played scared. If they're trailing, they play careless.
Golden State has been decent at home (6-7) but awful on the road (4-16). The last time OKC and Golden State locked up, all signs pointed to a Thunder victory until the ball was actually tipped. Golden State was playing without any of its most major stars and with guys that have seen the court as much as Mo Sene and they still beat OKC by 10 and led virtually the entire game. The only good thing to come from that pathetic night was Kevin Durant's 41 and the light show he put on in the final two minutes. But that game was easily the most frustrating of the year.
You'd think the Thunder would come out and look to get revenge. You'd think. But sometimes I wonder if they've accepted the fact that they stink and are just waiting for April 15 -- the last day of the season. So you have to toss all expectations out the window. If this group had finished and won a few games they should have (Memphis, Atlanta, LA Clippers, Minnesota), I'd be calling victory tonight. But since that just hasn't happened, I'm trying to picture 3-30 and convince myself it isn't at bad as it looks.
I really don't know why you want a team to win other than to just give you reason to care. As everybody says, you can't crown a winner before the game starts. Who knows what can happen? But in OKC's case, most times, we all know what will happen before the tip. And so does the team. And that's the problem. One team doesn't expect to win. The other thinks, "We better not effing lose to those jokes." That makes for one squad trying harder than they should against a 3-29 team and the other creating new ways to lose.
This isn't one of those, play-tough-hang-in-there-stay-close-and-give-yourself-a-chance games. It should be (but won't be) the type of game you win. The Warriors stink on the road, play bad defense and are really, really average. But I thought the same thing in Washington last week. And the same thing against the Clippers. And the same thing against the Grizzlies. And the same thing... you get the point.
It would be really nice to have Nenad Krstic tonight because, well, OKC needs everything it can get. But he won't be in uniform as he waits on his work visa to get finalized. That sucks. Let's just hope Kevin Durant follows up on Ziller's prediction and goes for 50. KD played poorly against Phoenix and typically he follows a bad one with a really, really good one. And if Russell Westbrook can do half of what he did against the Suns and Jeff Green chips in another solid performance, the Thunder could have a fighting chance. Look at me, I sound like Dan Shaughnessy with all these "ifs". But it is the truth -- OKC just can't seem to get all three clicking together. In the Thunder's three wins Durant, Green and Westbrook have combined for 58 percent of OKC's points. Sure, there has been losses where all three played well, but OKC has to have everybody clicking in order to win. And the those three are the most important parts.
I'm trying to go into this game with no expectations, or in other words, with the full expectation of a loss. But for some reason this one has the feeling of the Raptors game a little. Except that Golden State hasn't gotten a coach fired and completely quit on the new guy. But a below average team that's bad on the road is coming in and the Thunder's just due. They are. But again, no expectations other than the obvious ones, but I have that sneaking suspicion OKC could surprise. (Translation: I'd love to make a win prediction for the Thunder but I obviously realize how futile and borderline psycho that is, so in order to not sound like a loon, I'm pulling a Lee Corso and tossing out a butt-covering "Closer than the experts think" call so I can kind of get the best of both worlds.)
Posts
30 comments:
Don't worry Royce, the Thunder will drop this game. Unlike the Hornets the Thunder are a disappointment. We should have kept the Hornets. Letting Shinn walk out of OKC was the dumbest thing to ever happen.
Warriors @ Blunder Game Capsule
The Golden State Warriors are the poor bastards who have to visit this craphole known as Oklahoma City for a New Years Eve game. The good news for the Warriors is that they escape for Minneapolis immediately following their victory. With any luck they will be out of this dump before 2009. Unfortunate for Thunder players, they are sentenced to a season in hell unless they are lucky enough to be traded before the deadline.
Can anyone imagine spending New Year's Eve in OKC?
It's almost too frightening to think about. Doesn't everything close at 9:00pm?
Royce,
I don't know whats wrong with that Thunder bunch, after the Phoenix game I was sooooo mad. This is my advice to them
KEEP YOUR DAMN HANDS ON THAT BALL AND SHOOT, SHOOT, SHOOT I DON'T CARE WHERE YOU ARE SHOOT!!!
I have only made it to one game and that was the Raptors game and they won - geez am I going to go down there and give them advice again?!
Thanks for your blog.
This isn't the way it's supposed to be. We were supposed to have the best team ever because we are the best fans ever. Is this what we get for saving the NBA? See if we help out next time a city or league is in need of our superior fanship, I mean aid.
"I don't blame the people of OKC for the loss of my team, but based on your answers and tone, I sense some underlying guilt." Sonics Tim @ Jill's site OKCTHUNDERFANS.com
Tim, Okies are heartless, crass, classless people without a shred of guilt, remorse or common sense. They are feeding you a bunch of lines of shit. Their mayor, Clay Bennett, the media and fans attempted to loot the Hornets. When they weren't successful, they leeched on to your team. They don't care about anyone but themselves and have no conscience. They actually had an entire web site dedicated to celebrating their hate and selfishness before Jill started the new one. The old drunk Doug used to write hatefull songs about New Orleans while bodies were still being removed from flooded areas. Loser punk kids like Wilmeth ran his mouth like an internet tough guy but doesn't posess the balls to back it up unless he is hiding behind a two bit nightwatchman uniform. Others like him are tough guys when they are in big groups. Assholes like Rooker talked a big game from Wichita but was scared shitless to stand behind his words. In general, Okies are classless cowards with small man complexes. They can all go fuck themselves.
Golden State's team should be banned from the NBA and disbanded. What an embarassment.
"""I don't blame the people of OKC for the loss of my team, but based on your answers and tone, I sense some underlying guilt." Sonics Tim @ Jill's site OKCTHUNDERFANS.com
Tim, Okies are heartless, crass, classless people without a shred of guilt, remorse or common sense. They are feeding you a bunch of lines of shit. Their mayor, Clay Bennett, the media and fans attempted to loot the Hornets. When they weren't successful, they leeched on to your team. They don't care about anyone but themselves and have no conscience. They actually had an entire web site dedicated to celebrating their hate and selfishness before Jill started the new one. The old drunk Doug used to write hatefull songs about New Orleans while bodies were still being removed from flooded areas. Loser punk kids like Wilmeth ran his mouth like an internet tough guy but doesn't posess the balls to back it up unless he is hiding behind a two bit nightwatchman uniform. Others like him are tough guys when they are in big groups. Assholes like Rooker talked a big game from Wichita but was scared shitless to stand behind his words. In general, Okies are classless cowards with small man complexes. They can all go fuck themselves.""
You mean like a coward who signs up for OKCTHUNDERFORUMS.com to get information like this and post it on a forum that only sonics fans read for the purpose of venting (sorry Royce, but it's kind of true). Interesting how you don't show the context of what others said in that forum, or the rest of that contributors opinions. If you're so brave post that crap over on that site where you might actually get some opposition!
Because Jill doesn't allow the free speech that Royce does. Now buzz of you shit for brains Okie.
Grow a pair you bitch.
Go brush your tooth Justin Methhead.
"It (attendance) will sure help in attracting FA's.
Ya know, asrshole, you can come here saying all this now, but that's only because the Hornets have Chris Paul ......... ONLY because of Chris Paul.
Without him, your attendance sucks and Shinn has taken his circus to another city.......... and ya know it, butthole." Plainsman @ Jill's site OKCNBAfans.com
Money and a nice place to play attracts FA's asshole. Oklahoma City is not a nice place and it's filled with douchebags like you.
Yeah, Chris Paul helped. He would help any NBA franchise in many ways. He helped you guys manufacture what looked like a decent NBA situation. Try this. Without Katrina Oklahoma City is less than the maggot infested craphole it is today. Had the Hornets gone 4-29 to start their first season in Oklahoma City there would be no Thunder. Thank you Chris Paul and Katrina. Asshole.
Solid work VORHead.
"If Doug wants to find a positive in a 4- 29 season, then that's his prerogative without some sorryass from that trash pit called New Orleans tearing it down." Plainsman @ Jill's site OKCNBAFANS.com
It's not the 4-29 season that Doug finds positives in, it's the bottle of booze. Crawl in with him so you too can survive another day in Oklahoma Shitty.
How's tuba man doing these days?
I heard the kind people of Seattle treated him really well at a local bus stop.
Is it true that Rooker will give all new members of Jill's site head for signing up? He may need some help. I am sure Wilmeth will help him.
"Oh, by the way ever since "Tim" showed up, anonymous posters on Royce's blog "The Thunderworld" have bravely been quoting people on this site out of context." okcnba @ Jill's site OKCNBAFANS.com
I have no choice but to respond here. Jill will not allow freedom of speech at her site and I will get banned. I would rather keep my account there in a positive status and continue pretending to be your friend. You rubes are too quick to expose your hidden secrets because you think I'm cool or one of you. Theres no reason for me to blow that. Dumb asses.
Hidden secrets? Do tell!
AD thank you for the additional blog spots. I hope they become as popular as Royce's.
Why don't you post every response to "real questions for thunder fans" so you can expose these "secrets" to all of your troll friends! Or you could just continue to pick and choose what you "reveal"... so much for free speech you hypocrite.
I am sorry if you weren't invited to Jill's private playground.
I sure will be upset by all of this when I post again on OKCNBAFANS.com.
Why would you? Sarcasm is kind of lost when it doesn't have any meaning.
Good point considering it came from a dumb fuck Okie. Avoiding this topic is probably a better strategy.
Oh noes. Trueblood has everything figured out. Please don't ban me. Boo F'N hoo.
Everything being said about okcnbafans is 100% true. They bitch about free speech yet ban and exclude people from their site.
The things they said was sickening during Katrina. You Seattle guys got off easy. Try rebuilding your house and life and taking a few minutes to go to your own hornets board and see it trolled by okies insulting you. It was over the top. Doug the drunk not only made up songs about Katrina, but in several post thanked god for Katrina. JWill is meth head nightwatchman that acts like a tough guy. Jwill is reall just a pussy controlled by Jill.
Most of the posters there are so worried about their standing among other cities that they have become insane. I don't judge my city's worth on what some okies think of it, I'm happy knowing people love to come to New Orleans and have a good time. Whenever I travel and tell people I'm from New Orleans they are always interested to talk about it. Seems our culture is quite popular outside of methhole OKC.
These okies care about attendance than basketball, it's how they measure their pricks. Seattle fans don't worry about them, Kansas City will have the Thunder in under a decade. Clay is going broke and OKC can't afford big boy prices. Don't believe me? Go to craigslist, okie tickets are practically free.
Trueblood is just using the okies. He wants to work for an NBA team one day and is hoping to make a connection with someone who can help him. He did the same thing in New Orleans.
Jill and Jwill are just to stupid to realize it.
How's it goin VORHead?
I'm not VOR, there are more of us than you can believe. Okies pissed off a lot of New Orleanians. You guys did a pretty good job with Seattle fans and we will all be keeping charts like Doug the Drunk. LOL
I love that you guys haven't sold out every single home game like you bragged. It's also going to be fun watching your season ticket totals go into the shitter based on this horrible season and the fact that okies will know they can't pay for their own season tickets by buying extras and selling them.
I think the only thing I'm enjoying more are the manufactured quotes in the paper about your support. It's hysterical, your inferiority complex is on full display and you guys are not smart enough to see it.
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