Author: John Paulsen (Page 33 of 937)

The Thunder’s fourth-quarter woes continue. OKC led by 13 points heading into the final period and still found a way to lose. After taking a lot of heat for his shot selection in the playoffs, Russell Westbrook still hasn’t adjusted his game, and after coming into the game with 9:55 to play, he went 1-for-7 from the field (0-for-1 from 3PT), scoring four points to go along with two assists and five turnovers in the fourth quarter and overtime. OKC went on to lose, 101-93.

The Thunder simply haven’t been getting good shots down the stretch, thanks to Westbrook’s decision-making and inability to get his teammates going. From an accuracy standpoint, Kevin Durant wasn’t any better, hitting just 2-for-10 from the field (0-for-3 from 3PT), scoring just four points in the final period and overtime. Credit Tony Allen’s defense for harassing Durant into tough shots. For a tall, lanky scorer like Durant, it can be tough to face a defender that is shorter and a lot quicker, which is the case here. Scott Brooks and/or Durant needs to find a way to use his size as an advantage either by posting up in the paint or by catching the ball on the mid-wing and backing Allen down. Unfortunately, with Westbrook pounding the ball for most of the shot clock, a few of Durant’s attempts came as the shot clock was winding down.

Looking at the box score, the difference in the game was the Thunder’s poor shooting from long range. They hit just 4-for-21 shots from 3PT and were settling for threes even when they weren’t falling.

The Grizzlies definitely deserve credit for not quitting and taking advantage of the opportunities that Westbrook and Co. gave them. They played tremendous defense, especially in the final 17 minutes, while Zach Randolph (21 points, 21 rebounds) led five Memphis players in double digits.

Game 4 is on Monday night on TNT.

T.J. Simers, LA Times: Allen Iverson goes off in Game 1, the 76ers win, but never again. Chris Paul runs around making the Lakers look vulnerable, but then disappears. Now he has to stop Nowitzki. What a wonderful way for the best coach in the NBA to go out, handed one of the greatest challenges in league history. Given his resume, why should folks think it’s too much to ask? … Down 0-2, the Lakers have the Mavs right where they want them — in a position to prove Dallas is short on championship heart. I expect we will see that. The Lakers are still the better team and ordinarily get better in a playoff series with Jackson in command. I cannot imagine the Lakers rolling over and playing dead in Jackson’s final days as a coach.

David Haugh, Chicago Tribune: To a man, Bulls players and coaches blame most of Boozer’s inconsistency on accumulating health issues. If that plausible explanation indeed is true then the Bulls need to address it now. Don’t put Boozer on the bench for Taj Gibson in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. Put him in a fancy suit and make him watch from the Scalabrine seats with others on the inactive list. The Bulls can win the Hawks series without Boozer. But the Bulls can’t beat the Heat or the Celtics without a meaningful contribution from their $75 million man. If Boozer continues to gut out a toe injury that limits him and appears to get worse the more he plays, he won’t be in the best condition to contribute when the competition stiffens. Bulls doctors wouldn’t allow Boozer to play now if he were at risk, yet I wonder if a week’s rest would help him more than it hurts his team.

Randy Galloway, Star-Telegram: The man who went to LA for four days, was the center of Southern California media attention, particularly since the Dodgers need a new owner, and basically zipped it for his entire stay out there. Didn’t say spit. The only way we knew Cuban was still alive was when the TNT cameras picked up a big smile that kept popping up behind the Dallas Mavericks’ bench at the Staples Center. I’m wordless over this development, being someone who spent the last decade telling Mark to shut up. He finally did, and improbable stuff has happened to his Mavs. Never thought I’d say this: Everyone needs to now take a behavioral cue from Cuban. Lay low.

Ken Sugiura, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Somewhere right now, Joakim Noah is nudging someone out of a buffet line, outhustling a teammate to the hot tub or maybe sealing off the magazine rack in his hotel gift shop. The NBA’s top offensive rebounder in the postseason drove the Hawks to madness Wednesday in the Chicago Bulls’ Game 2 victory. If the Hawks don’t counteract Noah and his ball-hawking teammates Friday in Game 3 at Philips Arena, trouble awaits. The Bulls outrebounded the Hawks 58-39 in their series-tying win Wednesday. The Hawks’ problems hardly ended there — see more below — but among the primary goals Friday will be not to get hammered on the glass.