NBA Preview - Oklahoma City Thunder

Welcome to the inaugural version of my blog.  I enjoy sports, watching, playing and reading about them.  This blog is my way of sharing my personal insights about sports.  I hope you enjoy reading my blog and will give me feedback and comments. 

The Oklahoma City Thunder

Key Additions: Paul George (trade IND),Patrick Patterson (free agent),Raymond Felton (free agent),Carmelo Anthony (trade NYK)

   


Key Subtractions: Victor Oladipo (trade IND),Domantas Sabonis (trade IND),Enes Kanter (trade NYK),Doug McDermott (trade NYK)

Oklahoma City had one of the best off seasons in the NBA. Sam Prestis is widely regarded as one of the best general managers in the NBA.  Prestis made it his mission to get some running buddies for Russell Westbrook, last year's MVP. The Thunder got Paul George and Carmelo Anthony, two guys who where in the top ten in isolation points. This experiment could work, but all three of these guys roles will change drastically.

Number one, Westbrook can't dominate the ball and go one on one. He needs to draw more double teams so when Anthony plays outside the three point line, Russ can kick it out to Melo for an easy three.

Number two, Anthony can't be the go to iso scorer; he was with New York. He needs to become a spot up shooter and a better team mate. He also can't be the guy that teams eat up on D.

Number three, Paul George needs to be happy watching Westbrook go one on one when its clutch time because if he thinks he will get to take the big shots, he's crazy. Even if Westbrook can't deliver in the clutch and go one on one iso and take crazy shots over four people like last year in the playoffs, they will still give it to Russ Westbrook in contract year. Come on, no way George gets those kind of shots.

The Thunders bench is going to be a huge problem aftar trading their sixth man Enes Kanter and promising young prospects, Doug McDermott and Domantis Sabonis. With Kanter gone they will have a huge problem with points off the bench; Patrick Patterson and Raymond Felton will be the first guy's off the bench and that is a huge problem, especially since Patterson is injury prone. I would like to see OKC use smaller lineups with the second unit like having Andrea Roberson at the three, Jerami Grant at the four, and Patterson at the five. This would be good playing against teams like Golden State and the Trailblazers.

STARTING LINEUP                      Ball Handles   Shot    Passing   Rebounding   Defense
PG  Russell Westbrook                         (B+)          (A+)       (A)              (A)              (B)
SG  Andre Roberson                             (D)            (F)        (D-)             (C)             (A+)
SF  Paul George                                     (B)             (A)        (A)              (B)              (B)
PF  Carmelo Anthony                            (B+)           (A)        (B-)             (C)             (D)
C    Steven Adams                                  (D-)           (D)        (C)               (B)            (B+)

BENCH                                             Ball Handles   Shot    Passing   Rebounding   Defense
F-C Patrick Patterson                             (C)              (A)        (A)             (B)               (A)
PG  Raymond Felton                              (B)              (B-)       (C)            (D)               (C)
G    Alex Abrines                                    (C)              (C-)       (C)            (C)               (C)
F    Jerami Grant                                     (B+)             (B)        (C)            (A)              (A-)
G-F Tarrence Ferguson                           (B)               (A)        (D)           (C-)              (C)
C    Nick Colison                                    (D)               (D)        (B)            (C)               (C)
PG  Isaiah Canaan                                   (B)               (C-)       (C)            (C)               (C)
G-F Kyle Singler                                    (B-)              (C)        (B)             (C)              (B)
C    Dakari Johnson                                 (D)              (C)        (C)             (B)              (C)




MAIN  POINT

Can Westbrook play with other superstars? Will Carmelo go iso on every play? Will George be upset with not being "the Man"? It is up to Billy Donaven to make this work. This is not even the scary part .  The scary part is injuries. George has had a major injury Westbrook plays at pace where he could have a major injuries and Anthony is injury prone. Injuries could be the death of the Thunder. OKC pretty much said when they got George we can't beat the Warriors with the team we have now so we have to take a chance and get Carmelo  if we have any chance to beat the Warriors.

Projected season
record: 53-29
position in the west: 4
position in division:1
playoff run: Western Conference semis
team MVP: Russell Westbrook