SB Nation Kansas City - NBA Power Rankings: Bulls, Thunder Battle For Best Recordhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48935/kc-fave.png2012-04-21T14:16:38-05:00http://kansascity.sbnation.com/rss/stream/27186832012-04-21T14:16:38-05:002012-04-21T14:16:38-05:00Russell Westbrook Rates As The League's "Second Most Valuable Player" Over Dwyane Wade
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.welcometoloudcity.com/">Oklahoma City Thunder</a> have faced the question on whether <span>Kevin Durant</span> and <span>Russell Westbrook</span> can co-exist on the same team for the last couple of years. Reason being? Westbrook's credentials have risen along with Durant's, and Westbrook has shown that he isn't always interested in deferring to Durant in key moments.</p>
<p>This isn't a knock on Westbrook, personally, although many in the public eye think otherwise. Westbrook is not only pushing Durant as the best player on his own team, but Westbrook is also pushing the others in the league as being the most valuable. He's that good. However, Westbrook is still the second-option in the Thunder offense, and <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nba.com/2012/news/features/steve_aschburner/04/19/second-mvp/">NBA.com's Steve Aschburner makes a compelling case</a> that the Thunder PG is the league's "Second Most Valuable Player" in 2012.</p>
<p>Let's go into this in further detail, shall we?</p>
<p>Aschburner has defined this mythical award as who is the league's most valuable second player on a given team, and in this theoretical discussion Westbrook edges out <span>Dwyane Wade</span> for the top honor. Here's Aschburner on Westbrook:
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<p><b style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: #ffffff;">1. Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder:</b><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; background-color: #ffffff; display: inline ! important; float: none;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Westbrook and Kevin Durant are not exactly Mr. Inside and Mr. Outside for the Thunder. More like Mr. End-to-End and Mr. Everywhere. But they provide the same sort of "Oh no, where's it coming from next!" headaches for OKC foes. They became the only teammates in NBA history to each score 40 points in the same game on two separate occasions in the same season (vs. Denver in February, vs. Minnesota in March). Westbrook might exhibit a little more sibling rivalry than Pippen did toward Jordan -- a little -- but the biggest snag to Westbrook's case as NBA 2MVP is the likelihood that, if he were to wind up playing elsewhere, Harden has the skills package and demeanor to bump from the league's Sixth Man to the Thunder's second man.</span></p>
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<p>Westbrook is now only 23 years old and has ascended into the NBA's elite as one of the top players in the game, and as long as Thunder head man <span>Scott Brooks</span> can continue to maneuver his chess pieces accordingly, the Thunder's future in the NBA playoffs could be a bright one.</p>
<p><i>For more on the Thunder, be sure to check out <b><a href="http://www.welcometoloudcity.com/" target="_blank">Welcome to Loud City</a></b>.</i></p>
https://kansascity.sbnation.com/oklahoma-city-thunder/2012/4/21/2965121/russell-westbrook-rates-as-the-leagues-second-most-valuable-playerEddie Maisonet2012-04-17T09:45:49-05:002012-04-17T09:45:49-05:00NBA Power Rankings 2012: Thunder Ranks Third In The League
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.welcometoloudcity.com/">Oklahoma City Thunder</a> no longer have the best record in the Western Conference. That title belongs to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.poundingtherock.com/">San Antonio Spurs</a>, the team that leads the way in the latest NBA Power Rankings <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2012/4/17/2954344/nba-power-rankings">as framed by Tom Ziller of SB Nation</a>.</p>
<p>The Thunder are ranked third in the league, behind the Spurs and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.blogabull.com/">Chicago Bulls</a>. Oklahoma City is still the favorite to win the Western Conference, but as Ziller notes, the road to get there won't be a particularly smooth one. </p>
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<p>"If the Thunder pull back ahead and claim the No. 1 seed, their likely second-round opponent would be the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.clipsnation.com/">Clippers</a> (who just beat them twice in two days) or the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.grizzlybearblues.com/">Grizzlies</a> (who took them to what seemed like 17 games last spring). Neither poison looks particularly appetizing."</p>
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<p><i>For news and analysis on the Thunder, be sure to visit <a href="http://www.welcometoloudcity.com/">Welcome to Loud City</a>. Read more about the NBA at the SB Nation <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba">hub page</a>. </i></p>
https://kansascity.sbnation.com/2012/4/17/2954661/nba-power-rankings-2012-thunderBrandon Scott2012-04-16T10:53:30-05:002012-04-16T10:53:30-05:00NBA Power Rankings: Bulls, Thunder Battle For Best Record
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<p>Many teams are ending the season strong while the Heat continue to have highs and lows. </p> <p>Early in the season, the power in the NBA was very Eastern Conference-slanted. Things have shifted to the Western Conference as the season draws to a close. This week in the NBA will add some clarity to the playoff picture.</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">1-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"> </span><b><a href="https://www.blogabull.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Chicago Bulls</a> (46-14)</b> Remember when the Bulls were bad? Can’t blame you if you don’t. It was very short lived.</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">2-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"> </span><b><a href="https://www.welcometoloudcity.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Oklahoma City Thunder</a> (44-16)</b> Aside from having their starting frontcourt co-starring in some new <span>Blake Griffin</span> dunk posters, the Thunder is in a great position for a deep playoff run.</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">3-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"> </span><b><a href="https://www.poundingtherock.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">San Antonio Spurs</a> (42-16)</b> Of the two games the Spurs lost this week, they only played their star guys in one. They have learned from missteps in years past and are all about the playoffs.</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">4-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"> </span><b><a href="https://www.hothothoops.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Miami Heat</a> (42-17)</b> The losses to the Celtics and Bulls don’t bother me. They are not an omen for future failure. Same thing happened last season and the Heat fared just fine once the playoffs rolled around. I have said it before and will say it again: the Heat just looks bored with the regular season. They know they are judged on what happens in May and June.</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">5-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"> </span><b><a href="https://www.silverscreenandroll.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Los Angeles Lakers</a> (39-22) </b>No <span>Kobe Bryant</span> + more touches for <span>Andrew Bynum</span> = four-game winning streak. If anyone had that equation correct, then I demand that you show your work.</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">6-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"> </span><b><a href="https://www.clipsnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Los Angeles Clippers</a> (37-23)</b> It is hard to quantify what another victory over the Thunder will do to Lob City’s swagger as the playoffs near. If these two teams meet up in the playoffs we will get to see what lasting effect those wins had.</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">7-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"> </span><b><a href="https://www.indycornrows.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Indiana Pacers</a> (38-22)</b> The forgotten team in the East is closing out an impressive and surprising season of success in a great way. Or as I like to call it, the exact opposite of the <a href="https://www.libertyballers.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">76ers</a>. Right now the Pacers are slotted to play said Sixers in the playoffs. As I shake my <a href="https://www.orlandopinstripedpost.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Magic</a> 8 ball and ask if the Pacers are going to win a playoff series it says: outcome looks promising.</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">8-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"> </span><b><a href="https://www.grizzlybearblues.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Memphis Grizzlies</a> (35-25)</b> This team was a tough out in the playoffs last season without <span>Rudy Gay</span>. I don’t see teams lining up to play them once May rolls around.</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">9-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"> </span><b><a href="https://www.celticsblog.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Boston Celtics</a> (36-25)</b> The old men have followed up an impressive road win against the Heat by no-showing at <a href="https://www.raptorshq.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Raptors</a>. Yeah, sounds par for the course for this team.</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">10-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"> </span> <b><a href="https://www.denverstiffs.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Denver Nuggets</a> (33-27)</b> The Nuggets will provide an entertaining playoff series no matter whom they play. When I asked my Magic 8 Ball about <i>their</i> chances of winning a playoffs series it said outcome seems unlikely.</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u>Player of the Week:</u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u></u></b>Andrew Bynum, Los Angeles Lakers -- I am not the biggest fan of Bynum’s antics on the court. He often plays selfishly and immaturely and has cost his team in crucial moments of games. See the <a href="https://www.thedreamshake.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Rockets</a> game two weeks ago - <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VghNpUJ3qys">with Rick Grimes on the sideline, Shane Walsh stepped up in a big way.</a> If you haven’t read The Walking Dead books or watched season two of the TV series do not click on the link. That is my spoiler alert.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u>Best Game of the Week:</u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Spurs at Lakers (Tuesday 9:30pm CST on TNT)</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Lakers at Spurs (Friday 8:30pm CST on ESPN)</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Kobe should be back for both games and I would bet a six-pack that Coach Popovich plays his starters in both games.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u>Worst Game of the Week:</u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Cavilers at <a href="https://www.detroitbadboys.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Pistons</a> (Tuesday 6:30pm CST):</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Man, this game would have been an awesome late season game back in 2007.</p>
https://kansascity.sbnation.com/oklahoma-city-thunder/2012/4/16/2952212/nba-power-rankings-bulls-thunder-battle-for-best-recordCraig Brenner