Westbrook is by far the best player in the league right now. He'll carry them into the playoffs himself.

Waiters is shooting 38% from the field, including 28% from 3, and the Thunder allow 109 points/100 possessions with Kanter on the court. Their starting lineup scores 92.5 points/100 possessions. So much for those touted acquisitions.

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Waiters is shooting 38% from the field, including 28% from 3, and the Thunder allow 109 points/100 possessions with Kanter on the court. Their starting lineup scores 92.5 points/100 possessions. So much for those touted acquisitions.

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Waiters is a train wreck most of the time yes.

The quip about the starting lineup is useless, because that figures in Ryan Bowen-like Andre Roberson, who other than starting doesn't get a huge chunk of minutes when it matters.

As far as Kanter goes, it appears you cherry picked some numbers out of an article to help your argument, but according to the stats I found on Basketball Reference for per 100 possessions for Kanter, they allow 105, but score 121. We know Kanter's defense sucks, but he's one of the more gifted offensive centers in the league.

I'm using the numbers that Zach Lowe printed. Kanter is gifted offensively but just awful defensively. He has the worst DRPM by far among centers. -3.38 to Bonner's -1.77. 10th worst in the league among all positions. He's 2nd worst in blocks/48 among centers, above only Boris Diaw who I wouldn't classify as a center. Even Bonner averages more. Say what you want about RPM, but every stat indicates that Kanter is absolute sieve defensively at arguably the most important position for a defense.

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I'm using the numbers that Zach Lowe printed. Kanter is gifted offensively but just awful defensively. He has the worst DRPM by far among centers. -3.38 to Bonner's -1.77. 10th worst in the league among all positions. He's 2nd worst in blocks/48 among centers, above only Boris Diaw who I wouldn't classify as a center. Even Bonner averages more. Say what you want about RPM, but every stat indicates that Kanter is absolute sieve defensively at arguably the most important position for a defense.

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I don't even know what DRPM is. I'm not arguing he's not terrible defensively, but I'm also not of the school that lives and dies by advanced metrics. So if that's your game, then good for you. I don't have the time to sort through it all.

Obviously now without Ibaka it's an even bigger issue. But to argue that Kanter's acquisition hasn't "worked out" is pretty weak. He's made Westbrook a better player (shocking what a center who can catch can do) as well.

He is right now. ILebron could flip that switch at anytime and instantly be better but right now, no player is doing more for their team or playing betting than Westbrook. Would anybody take him over Levron? Hell no, but right now he's playing at a level most players never even have the capability of reaching during their careers.

he's also shooting 30% from 3

#mvp....

OKC annouces Durant is out for the season and needs another surgery.

While I agree. He hasn't had much of an option being the injuries of the team. They are in the playoff race and maybe management/coaches are encouraging him. He's simply trying to put the entire team on his back.

Durant will never be the same, I have a feeling this is a Brandon Roy type of thing.

He shoulda never participated in All Star game activities.

I didn't really pay attention to the All-Star game. Did he reinjure himself there or something?

No but while other players who had Been nursing injuries set out Durrant decided to participate

OKC has a great set up for the future, if Durant can ever return.

That front court of Ibaka, Kanter, and Durant with "Porn Stache" Adams and McGarry.

Not sure what Waiters will be, but a backcourt with Westbrook is fine.

Plus solid role players developing now because of injuries.

However, injuries don't just go away, as Portland and the Ralph Sampson rockets can attest to.

More importantly, the Thunder and Pelicans are tied in the los column and the Pels have the tie breaker. But the Pelicans have a much more difficult schedule down the stretch than the Thunder.

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More importantly, the Thunder and Pelicans are tied in the los column and the Pels have the tie breaker. But the Pelicans have a much more difficult schedule down the stretch than the Thunder.

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Next two are against HOU and SA, so those are defin losses. I fully expect to miss the playoffs now. That's okay though, if they make it my four year old gets to paint her toenails. Made a bet with her she could do it if we made the playoffs (wife gets Thunder colored nails with her friends every playoff)

Pelicans have played the rockets really strong this season...certainly not a given loss for them (but I hope it is)

I was talking about the Thunders next two

Which schedule would you rather play for the rest of the season:

2NBTB = 2nd night of a back to back

Team A:

vs Houston
vs San Antonio
vs Sacramento
@ Indiana
vs Portland 2NBTB
@ Minnesota

Team B:

@ Portland
vs Golden State
@ Memphis 2NBTB
vs Phoenix
@ Houston
@ Minnesota 2NBTB
vs San Antonio

I think the Thunder lose less in that schedule than the Pelicans do.

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I was talking about the Thunders next two

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Ahhh gotcha, read that wrong

First I have seen NO's slate...yeah I guess ours is one game easier, but we just so bad on the road I just chalk those up as automatic losses

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First I have seen NO's slate...yeah I guess ours is one game easier, but we just so bad on the road I just chalk those up as automatic losses

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Yeah, but your road game opponents have a combined record of 49-103. Three of your six teams are not playoff teams, including both away games.

New Orleans has four road games left, including the second night of back to backs twice. Only 2/7 of New Orleans' games are against non-playoff teams and one is against Phoenix, who has a .500 record. One advantage NOLA has is SA may have locked in their playoff spot by the last game of the season, so the play the d-leaguers against NOLA if NOLA is still playing for a playoff spot.

Yeah they should beat MIN but being a 2NBTB is tricky for them

Thunder fall to 9th.

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Thunder fall to 9th.

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That was a pretty rough fall tonight.

They have a much easier schedule than New Orleans but they have looked bad lately. Spurs are rolling.

So is Scotty Brooks done if OKC does not make the playoffs? Hello, Billy Donovan?

He should be but he will get a pass

At this point I would rather not make the postseason

Why does Scotty keep getting passes? And why is Presti now getting passes for keeping Scotty?

The announcers constantly mock the fact that OKC doesn't even have an offensive system and it's been like that for years. I'm happy they don't hire a real coach, but I don't understand it.

It's very similar to us keeping Billy Kennedy employed.

I'll tell you why, Russell and Kevin

Scott Brooks the person...great guy, met him several times in some private settings and heard him speak for about an hour to a group of 20 season ticket holders. The coach? I don't know, it's not like he's devoid of basketball knowledge, but you look at the constant issues: the inability to draw up effective late game dead ball plays, weird substitution patterns, it's all weird. I know everyone says the biggest issue is how he doesn't force Russell to be some traditional PG, but that's not even close to the issue. I think he's starting to lose the confidence of some of the players, that's the only way you can explain the last 6 weeks and the lack of defense.

Honestly, I wish they'd fire him and hire Ron Adams, who was an assistant here when the Thunder first started. He's a defensive guru.

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Billy Kennedy confirmed to OKC

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Christmas in April?