Thunder lose to Clippers; if only they had Jeff Green

[cdif911]

I wonder if Thunder message boards/blogs are blowing up after a loss to the lowly clippers?  People pining for Jeff Green to come back, blaming Perk for not helping enough.  For some reason I'm doubting it

[Chief]

6 pts and 8 rebounds in almost 30 minutes. That does not look like the HOF #s he was putting up here in Boston. He must still be hurt.

[Fan from VT]

Somehow i don't think that a loss at the clippers dropping them to 14-6 since the trade and 8-3 in games that Perk plays is really going to make OKC fans regret the trade as much as Boston fans will regret the trade that broke up a title favorite and allowed them to go 11-8 since the trade.

[Roy H.]

When the Thunder lose to the Nets, Bobcats, Grizzlies, and Pacers, as well, I might buy into this argument.  

[Roy H.]

Somehow i don't think that a loss at the clippers dropping them to 14-6 since the trade and 8-3 in games that Perk plays is really going to make OKC fans regret the trade as much as Boston fans will regret the trade that broke up a title favorite and allowed them to go 11-8 since the trade.

11-9, if you count the Nuggets game.

[vinnie]

6 pts and 8 rebounds in almost 30 minutes. That does not look like the HOF #s he was putting up here in Boston. He must still be hurt.

I am still waiting for someone to show me the examples of the posts where people called Perk a hall of fame player, compared him to Bil Russell, etc. However, since none of those exist, I won't have to hold my breath waiting.

14-6 versus 11-9 since the trade. I would take that. Celts would be tied with the Bulls for the 1 seed if they had been 14-6 over those 20 games.

[Steve Weinman]

I wonder if Thunder message boards/blogs are blowing up after a loss to the lowly clippers?  People pining for Jeff Green to come back, blaming Perk for not helping enough.  For some reason I'm doubting it

Credit Thunder fans, then, for understanding that Green was not all that effective while playing for Oklahoma City and that the team was better both offensively and defensively with him off the court.

-sw

[gar]

Love it!

Was a difficult trade in both locker rooms; but Perk has been able to endear himself to the players and to the fans. He certainly continues to get a lot of props from commentators and analysts in the media. Hard to win when you point guard is 1-12. Not sure it was Perks fault. He has struggled offensively; but his rebounding and blocks have been consistent.

Perk is a Beast!

[BballTim]

6 pts and 8 rebounds in almost 30 minutes. That does not look like the HOF #s he was putting up here in Boston. He must still be hurt.

I am still waiting for someone to show me the examples of the posts where people called Perk a hall of fame player, compared him to Bil Russell, etc. However, since none of those exist, I won't have to hold my breath waiting.

14-6 versus 11-9 since the trade. I would take that. Celts would be tied with the Bulls for the 1 seed if they had been 14-6 over those 20 games.

  If the Celts hadn't made the trade they might be fighting off the Magic. Look at the Nuggets game after the trade, we'd have trotted out similar lineups to a lot of games.

[Roy H.]

6 pts and 8 rebounds in almost 30 minutes. That does not look like the HOF #s he was putting up here in Boston. He must still be hurt.

I am still waiting for someone to show me the examples of the posts where people called Perk a hall of fame player, compared him to Bil Russell, etc. However, since none of those exist, I won't have to hold my breath waiting.

14-6 versus 11-9 since the trade. I would take that. Celts would be tied with the Bulls for the 1 seed if they had been 14-6 over those 20 games.

  If the Celts hadn't made the trade they might be fighting off the Magic. Look at the Nuggets game after the trade, we'd have trotted out similar lineups to a lot of games.

We may have lost more games while Perk was mending, and would have won more games when he came back.  Also, I doubt the team would have been experiencing the same chemistry issues or softness issues that Doc and the players have talked about.

[bello_man09]

just checked out the highlights Perk and Ibaka....are really going to be a solid front line.....they blocked blake griffin and Jordan a couple of times...but Perk can't run with this thunder team.

[More Banners]

6 pts and 8 rebounds in almost 30 minutes. That does not look like the HOF #s he was putting up here in Boston. He must still be hurt.

I am still waiting for someone to show me the examples of the posts where people called Perk a hall of fame player, compared him to Bil Russell, etc. However, since none of those exist, I won't have to hold my breath waiting.

14-6 versus 11-9 since the trade. I would take that. Celts would be tied with the Bulls for the 1 seed if they had been 14-6 over those 20 games.

  If the Celts hadn't made the trade they might be fighting off the Magic. Look at the Nuggets game after the trade, we'd have trotted out similar lineups to a lot of games.

We may have lost more games while Perk was mending, and would have won more games when he came back.  Also, I doubt the team would have been experiencing the same chemistry issues or softness issues that Doc and the players have talked about.

Look, the thing is, Perk wasn't playing when this team was winning and had "chemistry" and "toughness" on the court this year.  If we work a little Aristotelian logic, losing a player that was a complete non-factor this season (due to injury) simply cannot be the reason for the issues that are being claimed here.

If anything, we should be blaming our alleged softness on the loss of Semih Erden, which would really make no basketball sense, either.

The softness is from lack of consistent intensity, plain and simple.  "Resting on the court" is total BS, but it's what our veterans do and get away with!

[Jon]

6 pts and 8 rebounds in almost 30 minutes. That does not look like the HOF #s he was putting up here in Boston. He must still be hurt.

I am still waiting for someone to show me the examples of the posts where people called Perk a hall of fame player, compared him to Bil Russell, etc. However, since none of those exist, I won't have to hold my breath waiting.

14-6 versus 11-9 since the trade. I would take that. Celts would be tied with the Bulls for the 1 seed if they had been 14-6 over those 20 games.

  If the Celts hadn't made the trade they might be fighting off the Magic. Look at the Nuggets game after the trade, we'd have trotted out similar lineups to a lot of games.

We may have lost more games while Perk was mending, and would have won more games when he came back.  Also, I doubt the team would have been experiencing the same chemistry issues or softness issues that Doc and the players have talked about.

I understand and sympathize with those concerned about Perk's absence come playoff time.  But I don't understand this notion that Perk's loss is effecting chemistry right now.  If Perk was so instrumental to chemistry, how did we have the best record in the East without him?  How did we win games with Semih Erden starting at center for us and sporting lineups of Big Baby, Pierce, Daniels, Wafer, and Nate Robinson at times?  

I am very unhappy with how they're playing right now and I have some concerns about Perk's absence come playoff time, but I really think that the current problems have a lot more to do with a) the poor play of our 4 superstars (particularly Ray and Rondo) and b) the absence of legitimate 7-footers (something Kendrick could've helped with, but not something exclusive to him).  

[Roy H.]

. . . I don't understand this notion that Perk's loss is effecting chemistry right now.  If Perk was so instrumental to chemistry, how did we have the best record in the East without him?  How did we win games with Semih Erden starting at center for us and sporting lineups of Big Baby, Pierce, Daniels, Wafer, and Nate Robinson at times?  

The players have talked about the loss of chemistry, toughness, and physicality.  It's as psychological as anything else.  However, this notion that Perk wasn't playing, so he had no effect on the team makes no sense to me.  He was there with the team, rehabbing and supporting them.  They saw him busting his butt to get back, and a lot of the players really bought into Doc's "this starting lineup has never lost a playoff series" mantra.  When Perk was sent away, I think it reminded the players that they're all assets, rather than integral parts of "ubuntu". 

Again, maybe the players should have been able to "get over it", but a lot of them weren't able to right away.

[Jon]

. . . I don't understand this notion that Perk's loss is effecting chemistry right now.  If Perk was so instrumental to chemistry, how did we have the best record in the East without him?  How did we win games with Semih Erden starting at center for us and sporting lineups of Big Baby, Pierce, Daniels, Wafer, and Nate Robinson at times?  

The players have talked about the loss of chemistry, toughness, and physicality.  It's as psychological as anything else.  However, this notion that Perk wasn't playing, so he had no effect on the team makes no sense to me.  He was there with the team, rehabbing and supporting them.  They saw him busting his butt to get back, and a lot of the players really bought into Doc's "this starting lineup has never lost a playoff series" mantra.  When Perk was sent away, I think it reminded the players that they're all assets, rather than integral parts of "ubuntu". 

Again, maybe the players should have been able to "get over it", but a lot of them weren't able to right away.

Maybe.  But this also looks a lot like last year when the effort was questionable and the team settled for a ton of jumpers.  I mean does Ray's shot not falling have anything to do with Perk?  I don't think so. 

I think that explanation is about as plausible as any other at this point.