Another one down, 56 more to go

At this point, it's just a mental test to see if I can carry this out for the rest of the season. Because it's pretty difficult to come up with anything to say - much less interesting - when a team loses just about every night and loses because of the same reasons. But here I am and here I go:

I didn't really expect Oklahoma City (2-24) to win tonight. In fact, I saw about a 10 percent chance of it happening. But that doesn't make it any less frustrating. Things like 10 missed free throws, 20 turnovers - eight in the fourth quarter alone - and just overall poor execution can drive a fan insane, sucky team or not. All five Clipper starters scored in double figures, with the lowest man having 12. Los Angeles is playing as good as it has all season, but regardless, this was another opportunity missed. The Thunder hung around for three quarter but failed to play the fourth.

I truly think the weight of trying to over-perform is one of many ailments of this squad. The Thunder is trying so hard to win at home, to break the new losing streak, to get on track and show they really aren't this bad, that they are overthinking and overplaying. All the fans feel it - just waiting for the next thing to go wrong for the game to turn away from the team. And the team definitely feels it. I guess that kind of comes with losing 24 of your first 26. I've said it about 24 times already, but this young group just has no clue how to win.

Look, I know this is a rebuilding year and we all knew it coming in. But there's a difference between rebuilding and this. I'm not giving up though and neither is this city. We're in it for the long haul - even if the Thunder makes history in the worst way possible. We'll wear that as a badge of honor five years from now when OKC cruises into the playoffs - the ones that hung tough can say they rode the ship to the bottom of the ocean. It's definitely tough to try and make yourself care now, but hopefully a fruitful offseason will yield hope.

A few days off before the Thunder hosts Toronto on Friday night.

Clippers vs. Thunder: Pre-game primer

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Los Angeles Clippers (6-17) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (2-23)
Tuesday, December 16
Ford Center
Oklahoma City, OK
7:00 CST

TV: Fox Sports Oklahoma (Cox 37)
Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1 FM, 640 AM)

The last time these two titanics met, the both ships were sinking fast. But a month later, one has stuck a piece of chewing gum over the hole and the other just appears to have run into another iceberg. I think you can guess which one is which.

The Clippers have patched the hole by making a few moves. They got Zach Randolph from New York and he's been awesome recently (26.0 points per game, 10.5 rebounds per game since joining LA). Since acquiring Randolph, the Clips have gone 4-4 and strung together their first back-to-back wins of the season - and they were impressive wins too over Portland and Houston. So the message is: This isn't the same Clips that came to the Ford Center and whooped Oklahoma City a month ago, basically sending P.J. Carlesimo to the bus stop.

In the first meeting between the two squads, the Thunder rolled early but failed to close out the half. The Clippers came back and then blew the doors off OKC in the second. Chris Kamen was a large part of that but he won't be playing tonight. While that's obviously nice, Chris Wilcox or no Chris Wilcox (he's out for tonight), there's probably no way OKC slows down Randolph. The hope is that Los Angeles shoots poorly from the outside and conversely, the Thunder continues to hit jump shots. Because otherwise, hello No. 24.

This is a big game for Scott Brooks. While I think it's clear that the team is more competitive under Brooks, there hasn't been any improvement in the win-loss column. And that's kind of, you know, important. A loss tonight gives him a 1-12 record as head coach - the same record Carlesimo had to which he was shown the door. It has been 44 days since OKC has won at home and the Thunder has lost 10 straight there.

I'm not sure what to expect as far as a home crowd tonight as the weather is bad in OKC and the roads are a iced over. So there may only be 10,000 on hand tonight - but hey, maybe it'll feel like a road game and the Thunder has actually played better on the road than at home.

Forget playing well in the two games in Texas. Forget how well Jeff Green and Kevin Durant played. It's freaking time to win at home. It's no secret that OKC fans are getting very restless. It was obvious the team would struggle before the season, but there's no reason for this. The Clippers are playing as good as they have this year, but they're still beatable. But heck, I've said that before and OKC has choked one away. Russell Westbrook, Durant and Green must play well together and the supporting cast has to chip in. It's the only way. The Thunder has to play a complete game in every way. That's what its come to - a complete, great effort to beat a 6-17 team at home. But reality is real. And the reality is this team is no good and these fans desperately need a win.

Thunder... well, they lost again - let's just leave it at that

BOX SCORE

It's a good thing I don't keep a stack of bricks next to my couch. Otherwise, my television screen would have one right in the middle of it.

It's not that the team is losing. We knew that would happen. It's the way the team is losing. You often don't see a team regress, but honestly, I don't think anyone can say that this team is better today than it was four weeks ago. I understand youth and inexperience. But I also understand bad basketball.

Just like most other nights, there was a fun half - whether it be the first or the second - where Oklahoma City (1-11) plays with some gusto and like they actually can. The Clippers (2-9) couldn't hit shots, couldn't rebound and couldn't play defense in the first half. They... reminded me of someone. But then in the second, the two teams switched roles. Los Angeles started hitting shots, forcing turnovers and playing defense. The Thunder countered by throwing the ball away like it was a piece of trash, missing open looks and playing poo-poo defense.

And while OKC was outscored 59-36 in the second half, this game was really given away in the last five minutes of the first half. The Thunder had built a nice 15 point lead. They were playing loose, hitting shots, having fun. The Ford Center was ballistic. Russell Westbrook had a sweet open-court slam. Kevin Durant soon followed with an awesome rim-rocker. Everything was wonderful.

And then it was like the entire team looked up at the scoreboard, saw the 15 point cushion and collectively thought, "Oh crap! Look at us! What the eff do we do? Can we just stop playing now?" Because the Clips promptly went on a 12-0 run to make it 52-49 going into the break.

What do you even second guess tonight? I'm looking at my first half notes and I'm seeing stuff like, "Jeff Green is playing really good again. I love his jumper right now. He gets his body so square and his hands are perfect on the release," or "Man, what a difference Chris Wilcox makes! He's totally changed us on the defensive end," or "The Clippers look like they have no confidence; I think they're giving up." Kind of funny now.

I'll tell you, rumor has it the Clips are shopping Chris Kaman and his huge $40 million contract and you know who I think should make a deal and take it? Yeah, you know who. Kaman is like everything Robert Swift (or Thunder fans for that matter) wishes he was. A subtle scorer and solid rebounder that is deadly in the post and finds ways to squirm free for an open dunk. We'll take him. Please.

Typically, I'm Mr. Positive and I'll look for encouraging things to take away from a game. But I really just don't feel like it tonight. I expected OKC to win this game (and I think the team did too) and they didn't. Now I don't know when they will. Busting out of a losing streak is tough, because the hardest thing about it is the mental anguish it puts on you. You just feel like it will never happen and you're just waiting for something else to go wrong. Even when you're up 15 (like tonight) you start feeling that little tingle in your body like, "Oh, could we break out of it tonight? Rats, there's still two quarters to go. I hope it happens though! But I bet we screw it up."

Well, I will say one positive thing and that is Russell Westbrook got 30 minutes tonight. Clearly Coach Peej is slowly working his minutes up, which I'm happy about.

To summarize, a complete two and a third quarter collapse. The team fell flat on its face. What happened? Well, 19 turnovers happened including four consecutive ones in the third quarter. A complete inability to rebound (the Clips had 14 offensive boards) and an overall lack of focus for the entire second half. Tonight was bad. Nothing much else to say.

The Thunder gets Oklahoma City's first born, the Hornets Friday night. Should be a special night, until the Thunder starts bouncing the ball. (Ok, negativity over. I just had to get it out.) As we all know, going through these horrible, horrible growing pains will make it that much sweeter when we turn this thing around. Right now! (Cue Eddie Van Halen solo...)

LA Clippers vs. Thunder: Pre-gamer

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Los Angeles Clippers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
Wednesday, November 19
Ford Center
Oklahoma City, OK
7:00 PM CST

TV: Fox Sports Net Oklahoma (Cox 37, HD 722)
Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1 FM, 640 AM)

Game thread
Clips Nation preview / ClipperBlog preview

In a car accident type of way, this Clippers vs. Thunder matchup is becoming must-see TV. People all around the media and the league are hyping this one up, sarcastically dubbing it the "Clash of the Titans" and whatnot. And why not? The two teams are a combined 1-19. So somebody has to pick up win No. 2. Has to. Right?

So this is kind of a big home game. Big for the reason that this is maybe the Thunder's best chance for a bit to get off this nasty eight game losing streak. Right now, OKC is 1-5 at home. And before the season, a lot thought (including myself) that this team would received a nice little push from the hometown fans and put together some nice home wins.

But upon further investigation, OKC fans have yet to really have a chance to make a difference. While the Ford Center patrons are louder than most crowds through the first three quarters and are filling up the arena, the time to really make a difference is money time - the fourth quarter. But in OKC's six home games, the Thunder has trailed by an average score of 74-65 has led only once (62-58 against the Hawks) and has only been within single digits once (73-70 against the Timberwolves). So you take those two games out which OKC played probably its two best games and the Thunder are trailing by an average of 16 points heading into the fourth. Tough to get loud and rowdy when the game has basically already been decided.

So tonight, please just give the fans a chance to make an impact. Play hard, play fast and play well - for more than a quarter and a half. On paper, I really don't know why the Clippers are this bad, but they are. On paper, I understand why Oklahoma City is this bad, but come on, 1-10? Against the Rockets, the Thunder played excellent ball for a half before falling on their faces in the second. But the Rockets are a pretty good team. If OKC can keep up the intensity and fight for 48 minutes, maybe they can pull this one out. Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Jeff Green were all at Lloyd Noble to watch Stephen Curry and Blake Griffin duke it out last night. Maybe that display of fire and intensity will give them a little encouragement heading into tonight. A reminder like, "Oh yeah... that's why I play this game. Well, and because of the money of course."

And you've got to love the Chris Kaman/Robert Swift matchup. That's where my eyes will be all night.

Someone walks away with their second win. Thunder. Clippers. The NBA on FSN Oklahoma. Where someone has to win happens.