Thunder vs. Grizzlies Series Game Thread

[BudweiserCeltic]

Notice that Perkins is getting killed by mobile big men Zachary Randolph and Marc Gasol?

OKC has actually been okay with Perk in there, only getting outscored by 1.  The bigger issue has been when Perk has been on the bench (-12).

Awesome stat with Perk walking down the floor on defense quite a few times in the 3rd.

I just think it's hard to blame Perk's defense, when the Thunder are getting blown out when he's on the bench but are playing even when he's in the game. 

That doesn't mean that Perk has been great, but it does mean that he's not the reason they're losing by this margin.

It goes both ways. Plenty of times I've seen here Perk having a poor game, yet giving him a ton of credit for the win, which makes little sense to me.

Also, for better or worse, Perk plays most if not all of his minutes with the main unit of OKC. Then you figure how the OKC bench has been out matched, and you see how it skews his +/- a bit compared to the rest of the team.

Is it so hard to fathom that Perk at the moment is not all there? Do we have to credit Ibaka's good play being due to Perk? Why do we have to go to that extent to judge how Perk is playing?

I liked what he did defensively for a bit there against Randolph, but Randolph was just too good offensively regardless. But other than that, I've been underwhelmed with his game.

If Gasol and Randolph were destroying the Celtics as they are currently destroying the Thunder you bet the first reaction by everyone would be "if Perk was here this wouldn't have happened". Well it happened against Memphis, who everyone argues have the best defensive big man combo in the NBA.

All in all, Perk is simply a solid player to have, but overall a low impact one regardless.

[fairweatherfan]

Nice win for the Grizzlies, they're heating up at exactly the right time.

Crazy that they're doing it without their max salary guy too.  If Bill Simmons was 10 years younger, would the Ewing Theory be called the Gay Theory?

[snively]

Shocking playoff performance so far from Memphis.  A dominant 8th seed? 

[PosImpos]

I now believe this Grizz team has a great chance to win this series.  8 seed in the WCF?  Unthinkable, but it could happen.

Very skeptical they could beat the Lakers, though.

[GreenFaith1819]

Could OKC have used Jeff Green today? Seems as if they were short a scorer today.

[ManUp]

Hot dang they might just make it to the WCF!

[OsirusCeltics]

Maybe they don't need Rudy Gay after all....

wrong. Rudy Gay makes them scarier. He won the Grizzlies a lot of games before he went down.

He would kill ball movement and take touches away from the guys in the paint, though.  He's also nowhere near the defenders that Battier / TA are.

Pos - good point. Took the words right out of my mouth.

Rudy Gay is certainly a fine player..top 6 or 7 SF. But the way MEM is playing right now is descriptive of how different MEM is with the offense going through Z and Marc vice Z and Rudy.

This is the same reason why Lakers would be a way better team if the offense ran through Bynum and Gasol

[Roy H.]

If Bill Simmons was 10 years younger, would the Ewing Theory be called the Gay Theory?

Haha.  Not touching that one.

Great game by the Grizzlies.  The biggest reason I'm rooting for OKC is that I think they'd give the Lakers more trouble, but if the Grizzlies play like they did in Game 1, they can beat anybody.

[GreenFaith1819]

Could OKC have used Jeff Green today? Seems as if they were short a scorer today.

I say this because even though Serge had 16 today, he's only averaged 10 in the postseason.

I just don't see where OKC will get more offense this series.

[PosImpos]

When was the last time an 8 seed made the conference finals?  Has an 8 seed ever made the finals?

[GreenFaith1819]

Maybe they don't need Rudy Gay after all....

wrong. Rudy Gay makes them scarier. He won the Grizzlies a lot of games before he went down.

He would kill ball movement and take touches away from the guys in the paint, though.  He's also nowhere near the defenders that Battier / TA are.

Pos - good point. Took the words right out of my mouth.

Rudy Gay is certainly a fine player..top 6 or 7 SF. But the way MEM is playing right now is descriptive of how different MEM is with the offense going through Z and Marc vice Z and Rudy.

This is the same reason why Lakers would be a way better team if the offense ran through Bynum and Gasol

Haha - won't happen - as long as Kobe is there. I promise you he'll try hero ball against Boston in June and come up short once again.

[fairweatherfan]

When was the last time an 8 seed made the conference finals?  Has an 8 seed ever made the finals?

99 Knicks, but that was the weird lockout year, they weren't really a typical 8.

[PosImpos]

When was the last time an 8 seed made the conference finals?  Has an 8 seed ever made the finals?

99 Knicks, but that was the weird lockout year, they weren't really a typical 8.

Not sure the Grizz are your typical 8, either.

[OsirusCeltics]

Maybe they don't need Rudy Gay after all....

wrong. Rudy Gay makes them scarier. He won the Grizzlies a lot of games before he went down.

He would kill ball movement and take touches away from the guys in the paint, though.  He's also nowhere near the defenders that Battier / TA are.

Pos - good point. Took the words right out of my mouth.

Rudy Gay is certainly a fine player..top 6 or 7 SF. But the way MEM is playing right now is descriptive of how different MEM is with the offense going through Z and Marc vice Z and Rudy.

This is the same reason why Lakers would be a way better team if the offense ran through Bynum and Gasol

Haha - won't happen - as long as Kobe is there. I promise you he'll try hero ball against Boston in June and come up short once again.

My thoughts exactly lol