Steven Adams Says Goodbye to Oklahoma City

Always a class act Steven Adams:

https://www.kjrh.com/sports/steven-adams-tweets-goodbye-to-okc-thunder-after-trade-to-new-orleans

NBA Right Now

The NBA season is really close this season, it's hard to keep up with results, any team can beat any other team on the day and often does. It's closer than last year, which was amazing in itself.

What of Steven Adams and his tenure at OKC? Apparently he has a trade bonus clause in his contract and the management are loath to trade him while this is in place. They'd have to pay him a sum, which is something like 7.5% of his outstanding contract if he's traded (don't quote me on the percentage). However that won't apply in his last year, and that will be next year. So next year is when he'll be traded. For his sake he must hope to be traded to a team with a realistic chance at a title, and that would be Boston who need a big man in the middle, or possibly Portland who need the same.

Steven Adams for the Celtics

The Boston Celtics are meant to be interested in Steven Adams. It just so happens that Enes Kanter is now with the Celtics and Adams and Kanter are mates. My suggestion is get a deal done and let's see Adams at the Celtics. Why would this be a good move?

1. The Celtics are winners,
2. They like to play big nasties on the inside,
3. They've got the money to pay luxury tax,
4. They need Adams for what he offers defensively.

NBA: Kawhi Leonard and Paul George to the Clippers

I just heard the lead sinker fall to the floor. Oh no, hearing the news Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are signing with the Clippers has got to be the worst move ever or they're both geniuses.

For Leonard, he has nothing to prove having won titles with the Spurs and Raptors. But George is taking a much bigger risk as he's linking up with an outfit that has never won an NBA title and never looked like winning one. The Clippers have never advanced past the second stage of the playoffs (correct me if I'm wrong, I didn't look it up).

The Clippers play in the Staples Center and get second choice on all the booking slots. That's because the owner of the Staples Center also owns a share of the Lakers and the Lakers play at Staples. For Leonard and George they're effectively wilfully choosing to play for the B team.

Compare with Durant and Irving going to Brooklyn. The Nets have at least won two titles when part of the ABA, and they've got hot talent brought together by the savvy Sean Marks. And add DeAndre Jordan to the list at Brooklyn.

So Leonard and George may be making a huge belly-flop into the pool. I never rate the hapless Clippers, if there is a way to lose, they'll find it.

The Ugly Side of the NBA

I like this YouTube look at the cynical stat padding that occurs in the NBA:



Then below is more depth on the Russell Westbrook factor. He hurts his team by insisting on taking rebounds away from Steven Adams, who incredibly has more offensive rebounds than defensive boards. This hurts the OKC as Westbrook is not putting the team into a situation where they can get an offense going fast, Westbrook prioritises his own stats ahead of the team...



Note that I've previously posted about how regular season games are orchestrated to ensure key players get open looks.

NBA: Steven Adams Trade Rumours

OKC have been knocked out of the 2019 playoffs and once again we have Steven Adams being blamed for the losses. People commenting are mostly keyboard warriors who know little or nothing about the game of basketball.

Firstly, let's deal with why OKC were always going to be eliminated. It's because the team is not stacked with talent, that's why. They only have three top players, Russell Westbrook, Paul George and Steven Adams. You can't go deep in the NBA playoffs so light handed. Teams that win NBA championships are brimming with shooters and top defenders.

If we look at Westbrook, he's been a flop in the post season without Kevin Durant. But who is worse? The coach. Who in their right mind would bench Steven Adams in the final quarter of game 5 against Portland. He's the starting centre, you go to your best players and trust them when it matters. The coach is toast, likely now looking for a new job. If he isn't then the owner is a fool too.

Many people say that players like Adams can't defend the pull up 3, they can't space the floor etc. They're implying that the days of genuine bigs are over. Oh really, then why do Golden State have Andrew Bogut starting at centre, explain that! There is simply no replacing the big nasty man in the middle doing the hard work. Deal with it.

So assuming OKC will trade Adams, given they're a team of losers and wish to remain that way; my suggestion would be to look at the Lakers. They need an Adams and if a championship beckons they're usually happy to pay the luxury tax that applies to exceeding the salary cap. They'll put a team around LeBron James and Adams could be one of the support cast. Or look to other big market teams that can afford Adams on US$25mil annually.

NBA Predictions 2018/19

How are my predictions earlier in the season doing now? My predictions were:

https://kenhorlor.blogspot.com/2018/10/nba-201819.html

Now: the race to the play-offs is still very close in the Western Conference, my picks overall are turning out to be not too bad. The only one I got badly wrong is the New Orleans Pelicans, but then they lost one of their stars.

Current NBA Standings: http://www.espn.com/nba/standings

NBA 2018/19

The new season is under way and these are my picks:

Surprises

Eastern Conference: Detroit Pistons
Western Conference: New Orleans Pelicans

Disappoints

Eastern Conference: Boston Celtics
Western Conference: Oklahoma City Thunder and Los Angeles Lakers

Even Better (than last season)

Eastern Conference: Philadelphia 76ers
Western Conference: Portland Trailblazers

Still No Chance - Ever

Eastern Conference: Orlando Magic
Western Conference: Los Angeles Clippers

OKC Out

The OKC Thunder have lost the playoff series against the Jazz. In the sixth game look at the Stats for the OKC starting five; Carmelo Anthony 7 points and 3 rebounds, Paul George 5 points and 3 rebounds. Are these two the worst acquisitions in the history of the NBA? If you look at my earlier posts I certainly have never rated Anthony, there's the proof, 7 measly points when it really mattered.

Why Westbrook Should Have Left OKC

Have a look at the following video from ESPN. It covers the same ground addressed by me in earlier posts to this blog, pointing out that the Thunder have traded and got little back in return. The argument here is that's because the owner is too tight. Westbrook if he had any sense would get himself to the Lakers and a bigger media market - Los Angeles

http://www.espn.com/video/clip?id=22760850

NBA: OKC's Playoff Chances

I'm still not convinced the Oklahoma City Thunder will make the playoffs. They're just barely hanging on to fifth place in the western conference. The Clippers and the Jazz could easily qualify in the top 8, and the Pelicans, Timberwolves and Nuggets are playing well at the business end of the season. I put the patchy form of OKC down to the Carmelo Anthony factor.

NBA: OKC Look Average

The Oklahoma City Thunder have lost their last two games in the NBA. Two words explain their poor form - Carmelo Anthony.

That's it really, nothing  more to say, apart from noting that they're now a team of ball hogs, everyone playing for themselves and not the team as a whole. There is no "i" in team.

2017-18 NBA Season

The new NBA season is under way and the season promises to be a good one with more close games. The usual easy beats aren't so easy to beat this season. For instance, the Washington Wizards look very promising despite going down to the Golden State Warriors in their latest game. Also looking good are the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Across the league more pressure is being applied by defenses to perimeter shooters, about time I'd say. This kind of pressure was evident from the Golden State/Wizards game, with shot selection being the decider in my opinion. Questions would need to be asked of the Wizards coach too, his was a poor display, allowing his team to give up a considerable lead.

I'm going to predict the OKC Thunder will struggle and may not even make the playoffs. A big call I know but I'll explain my view in two words, Carmelo Anthony.

OKC Clutching at Straws

What are the Oklahoma City Thunder thinking? They've just traded to acquire Carmelo Anthony from the New York Knickerbockers. Will this be the worst trade of the year, worse even than the Sacramento Kings giving up Demarcus Cousins. Maybe.

If we look at the Thunder, they've lost a lot of talent over the years and got back little in return. First they lost James Harden to the Houston Rockets. What a gain for the Rockets that was. Then with a depleted roster Kevin Durant does a runner to Golden State and finally picks up his title. Now the Thunder have only Russell Westbrook as a true class athlete, along with Paul George and Carmelo Anthony who are not anywhere near the Hardens and Durants of this world.

Enes Kanter must pinch himself when waking up in New York. How could such an average big man now be in the world's largest media market? He's certainly landed on his feet. And feel a little sorry for Steven Adams, stranded amongst ball hogs in Oklahoma City, where people compare their tractors and it's a long way to anywhere else. But not too sorry as he's a businessman and has never pulled on the black singlet for his country as an adult, so no doubt Adams will be checking his bank balance and not worrying too much about winning (and just so you know my thoughts on the subject, it's fine that Steven Adams is NZ's top athlete but he's not a great until he plays for his country. Until that happens he's just making up the numbers).

Kevin Durant

Woh, Kevin Durant signs with the Golden State Warriors soon after losing the series with them while playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Anyone a little, how shall we say it, somewhat uneasy about that? 

Western Conference Finals Game 7

OKC rebounded well but their three point shooting let them down. The two key players, Durant and Westbrook's ball security was just awful. And Waiters was shooting bricks too. GSW by comparison nailed it when they needed to, their three point shooting is what clinched it for them. Plus, their bench chipped in nicely. Can GSW go back to back? Cleveland look the better team.

Western Conference Finals Game 6

OKC choked in game 6. Congrats Golden State, you did a very professional job. OKC should have closed out the match but they were the ones rushing shots, coughing the ball up and Kevin Durant, Mr Unreliable.

Western Conference Finals Game 5

GSW were pumped for a do or die effort and they delivered. OKC weren't boxing out and their shots weren't dropping. That probably accounts for the winning margin right there. How many offensive boards were scored by GSW off a failure to box out by OKC? They'll have to address these lapses if they hope to win the series. If they lose at home, look for GSW to take it out on their home court. So the result is likely either 4-2 to OKC or 4-3 GSW.

Western Conference Finals Game 4

OKC have exploited a Steph Curry weakness, he can't guard a man much bigger than himself. And OKC are even getting their bigs out on the perimeter shooters. With their height, arms outstretched = no easy looks for the Warriors. To top it off, the game is being played at OKC pace, the run and gun Warriors just get frustrated and revert to fouling. The OKC look like a different team now than during the regular season.