Thunder Resting on Their Laurels

[cdbthunder]

Ok guys/gals don't misconstrue this but is it just my imagination or does it seem like the team has lost some of their edge since finding out they were going to the playoffs ? I know their offensive output has improved but our defense seems to be lagging. I know this sounds like a cliche' but you win championships with defense, don't get me wrong I still love the team and they are still a lot further along in their development than I had expected.

I mean they were manhandling the Warriors last night, almost to the point of it being comedic. I went to bed at 9pm ( I have to be @ work by 6am ) and thought man we got this one wrapped up. Then I wake up this morning and find out the 25 win Warriors hung 120 pts. on us and won by 3, it ruined my whole day J/K. Does anybody know the answer to this ? What has been the Thunders record since finding out they were going to the playoffs ?

[Blaine4oh5]

there 2-3 since clinching a playoff spot. And they havent really been playing very good defense at all latley. Its killing me watching the games and were making alot of shots and then the 4th quarter comes around and we cant buy a basket. And it seems thats when everyone catchs up with us.

[Wooldoor Sockbat]

I used to rest on a girl named Laura.

[Thunderstruck83]

Of those 3 losses, the first was the Utah ripoff, then we played the Nuggets thenext night after they rested for 4 days, and we had a late lead and ran out of gas. Last night was inexcusable, but it's not like they lost to the Nets and the T-Wolves, every team goes through lapses but we've played close games and just haven't pulled some of them out. Need to keep our focus these next two games though, have to try and miss the Lakers this season.

[Colonel Thunder]

I used to rest on a girl named Laura.Thank goodness that's all behind you now.

[Wooldoor Sockbat]

Thank goodness that's all behind you now.
That's what I said to her...

[Colonel Thunder]

In hindsight, maybe I shouldn't have said that.

[Wooldoor Sockbat]

In hindsight, maybe I shouldn't have said that.

http://www.boycevoice.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/goat-woman.jpg

[KD 4 MVP]

It seems like KD needs a night off because he starts out good and then shoots everything short near the end of the game. That is a sign of his legs being tired and I see him with wraps on his legs on the bench so I think he's probably a little banged up or wore down.

[jumperstop]

there 2-3 since clinching a playoff spot. And they havent really been playing very good defense at all latley. Its killing me watching the games and were making alot of shots and then the 4th quarter comes around and we cant buy a basket. And it seems thats when everyone catchs up with us.

Seems like you predicted the future...couldn't finish the blazers off like we should have finished a few of the last teams.

[MJL1]

Ok guys/gals don't misconstrue this but is it just my imagination or does it seem like the team has lost some of their edge since finding out they were going to the playoffs ? I know their offensive output has improved but our defense seems to be lagging. I know this sounds like a cliche' but you win championships with defense, don't get me wrong I still love the team and they are still a lot further along in their development than I had expected.

I mean they were manhandling the Warriors last night, almost to the point of it being comedic. I went to bed at 9pm ( I have to be @ work by 6am ) and thought man we got this one wrapped up. Then I wake up this morning and find out the 25 win Warriors hung 120 pts. on us and won by 3, it ruined my whole day J/K. Does anybody know the answer to this ? What has been the Thunders record since finding out they were going to the playoffs ?

Exactly. This is the time of year when we were supposed to be at our best becuz we needed to play with a sense of urgency, but we've been the complete opposite. Other than a sneaky win against Phoenix, we really haven't been very good lately. We've had so many opportunities to handle business and keep ourselves out of the 8th spot, but we choked. We love to show what were capable of early, and then piss it all away. It's like we're dangling our talent and potential in front of the world and then when they try to grab it, we yank it back and go right back to looking like the team we were last year. If you were to watch our team play on one night, you might say "damn, this team only has 49 wins?" But then you might watch us on another night and say "how in the heck did this team even get to 30 wins?" It kinda sucks when you know what you're capable of but you don't finish becuz you're not mentally focused. That's what's happened to us lately. I don't know if the players are just getting lazy, cocky, overconfident or what....maybe Brooks has done the same. They're not tired so we can forget about using that as an excuse. We're one of the youngest teams in the league, so fatigue doesn't work. It's just a mental breakdown. But I can promise these guys one thing......they better find that swagger that they had or we're gonna get swept like it's nobodys business by LA. It's not a game anymore, now it's serious business. I'm just hoping we can find a way to get a win on Wednesday so we can get to 50 wins. But still......what a heck of a year it's been. There's definitely reason to believe we'll be even better next year. Hopefully, we're just getting started.:cool:

[Betts]

I don't want swagger.....I want quiet confidence and seriousness. As I've said in the point guard thread, swagger can be dangerous in young athletes. We don't want prima donnas who think they're all that because a few articles have been written about them in sports magazines. We want players who've been taught to approach sports in a business-like fashion.....not to forget how much fun it is to play, but to remember what goals they've set for themselves and work to achieve them. Losing gives the team new goals for next season, and I don't think that's such a bad thing. You can have too much too soon.

[cdbthunder]

http://www.boycevoice.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/goat-woman.jpg

Is that a pic of Laura ?