Oklahoma City Thunder: Fans’ passion reaches irrationality

A common debate in Oklahoma is the extent to which the Thunder has motivated the fans. Are they as passionate as Sooner football fans?

The answer is no, not yet anyway, but they are getting there. Boy, are they getting there. Including the lost-their-mind, fire-the-coach-after-a-loss crowd.

I got this email Wednesday morning from a guy named Bob. The last name is omitted to protect the demented. Here you go:

“You media are ‘homers;’ REASONS for losses:

Durant at 6’9″ is lazy on defense. Had 2 RB (rebounds) while playing 46 minutes; Terrible hustle on his part. An all-star 6’9″player shud get at least 8-12 RB a game – He couldn’t even stop Chalmers on defense; Too much double teaming & leaving ‘your’ man open ; (eg; chalmers, battier & even cole ; This porus defense has cost thunder 3 games Man to man defense means just that ; ‘stick with your man.’ If you can’t stop him than go sit on the bench.

Up 17 pts THAN BROOKS starts subbing – You have 4 players 23 years old that never tire ; LEAVE THEM IN & CONTINUE PLAYING TILL YOUR UP 25. Collison was fantastic in 1st half & Brooks takes him out; why ?? In my opinion – Presti hire Jerry Slone & let Brooks go; Been out-coached thus far in the series; His substitutions are killing the thunder.

Nxt year shud get a center that can score & rebound plus a point guard that distributes the ball – ( thunder has no 1/2 court offense )

Move Westbrook to shooting guard, where he belongs; his average 5.5 assists during season doesn’t cut it for what a PG requires.

They will never win a championship with Perkins at center & Westbrook at PG.

Wouldn’t hurt to get Durant on wght lifting nxt yr – too weak in traffic which is why he leads in top 50 players with WORST TO/Assist ratio for the season. His shot is 15-17 ‘ jumpers – why they don’t exploit this is questionable – 28′ jumpers doesn’t cut it.

This team shud have won the series but with the way they blow leads (thru-out season) I predicted heat in 6 games earlier – maybe wrong tho ; could be in 5 games.

Thought for the day? Nash is a free agent ; get him nxt year & win it all – everybody else in the league is getting old – Nash has a few years left – He probably could average 12-14 assists per game, which is what is needed on this team . Jitterbuging Westbrook could than fight Durant for shots while at shooting guard.

Go thunder & make me wrong”

I’ve got to tell you. I might have done OU fans a disservice. Not sure I’ve ever heard any Sooner call for the dismantling of a team to this degree. Scrap Bob Stoops and bench Landry Jones? That doesn’t reach the level of dogging Kevin Durant, Scotty Brooks, Russell Westbrook and Kendrick Perkins.

I thought it would be good for us all to consider each of the points, though. Maybe Bob isn’t crazy.

Durant is lazy on defense.

The truth about Durant is that his greatest strength on offense is his liability on defense. He’s so much taller than most everyone else on the perimeter, it’s a huge advantage. But it’s a huge disadvantage when asked to guard someone like Mario Chalmers, who is 7-8 inches shorter.

Durant’s rebounding in Games 3 and 4 has not been good, but his overall rebounding this season and these playoffs has been outstanding. He leads the Thunder, a team with Serge Ibaka and Perkins, in rebounding.
As for too much double-teaming, no, Bob, man-to-man defense does not mean never leaving your man. Man-to-man defense means helping out ALL THE TIME on players like LeBron and Dwyane Wade, then recovering back to Chalmers or whoever, or even rotating while someone else takes your man. Man-to-man defense is not an island situation. That’s elementary basketball.