Thundercutting Lotto Odds

By: Sherwood Strauss

Does anyone know how to drive this damned tank? We were chugging toward Top-3 pick status until Jeff Green & Co. blocked us like the Tiananmen Man.

Jeff Green may be a player and he may not be a player. Either way, he’s been a vastly overrated player (so far). Or, to paraphrase Big Pun: He’s not a player—he just chucks a lot. One day, I’ll construct an over-arching theory of ratedness, and “Big Three Bias” will get considerable ink.

Big Three Bias: If the media attempts to construct a “Big Three” from a given team, the least talented member of the triad will ride his teammates’ fame coattails.

Jeff Green is a prime example. He gets touted as a valuable pillar in some mixed-metaphor of a nucleus, despite producing a third year of “meh.” Green isn’t a power forward, and he sure isn’t replacing OKC’s small forward. Wrapping him into the positive “Thunder on the rise!” story feels warm and fuzzy until you realize this PF averages six boards per game. “Maybe it’s his defense?” I wonder as the mouse clicks 82games.com.  Nope, Green’s team is surrendering +9.6 points with him on the court.

The media sees success and thinks the Thunder can do no wrong. I see a team that lucked into Kevin Durant, smartly focused on defense, made a great pick with Westbrook, but whiffed on Jeff Green. Think OKC would be better with Joakim Noah? Well, at least they didn’t pick Brandan Wright (who’s primed to make a surge if and only if the Warriors dump him).

Related: What are the chances the W’s a make a move for Jeff Green?  He’s a “power forward” who chucks poor-percentage threes, and can’t board or play defense. The streaming rain outside my window probably can’t equal the current Jeff Green salivation over at Warriors HQ. JGs a perfect Warrior.

And he’s the first guy we can thank for decreasing our Evan Turner/John Wall odds. Jeff Green, he of the 7-17, 3 TOs, 3 Rebound performance, has kicked us in our ping pong balls. “Thanks, Jeff,” I hiss between gritted teeth

I’m almost angry at the Thunder. How could you lose to us?  We’re supposed to take a dive—you’re not supposed to trip into our fists. Anthony Tolliver and Reggie Williams played superstar minutes for God’s sake.

The game looked hopeless in the early going (or hopeful, depending on lotto perspective) as Kevin Durant looked set to challenge Kobe’s 81 points.  He’s the number two player in the league, though I’ll accept arguments for Wade or Paul. Again, Kobe lovers would do well to update their calendars—he’s just not that guy anymore.

After I tout Durant’s credentials as second best, I undercut my argument: Monta D’d Durant up just fine for some second half spells.  I can’t explain it and I doubt God could either. This entire game—the comeback, Monta’s surprise return, Maggette’s odd minute patterns, all of it hurts my brain. Perhaps the Warriors won because Devean George spent a lot of time collecting splinters?

Curry vs. Harden

This was probably another botched draft pick for the Thunder. It’s still early and Harden played well. It wasn’t just the early sharp shooting—he was moving quickly in a controlled way.  I’m feeling “Rashad McCants with a better attitude.”

Stephen Curry looked better, and I’ll restrain myself from waxing faux-etic about the experience. At this point, I would watch a Warriors scrimmage involving Curry rather than watch a Warriors game without him. It was also nice to see Steph hit a big mid-range jumper down the stretch.

Frenetic Endings

Near-choke jobs have been the story of this season’s end. The Warriors did everything possible to fall apart on the final play, but OKC played hot potato. Finding KD for the final shot is good in theory—but not when you’re open and he’s covered. It says volumes that Durant earned such respect, though.  What does this game say about the Warriors? It’s something between a one-handed clap and an unheard tree falling in the woods.

Youtube’n It

WarriorsWorld TV featuring Ronny Turiaf

Fitz interviews Monta

Stephen Curry Mini-Movie

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Rasheed Malek @Warriorsworld

Sherwood Strauss @SherwoodStrauss

Lucena Herrera @Lucena21

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2 Responses

  1. Davey Gross

    Green isn’t terrible. With the chemistry, stars, and team defense, I don’t think they need Green to do that much. Just manage the team and not take anything off the table. He’s still young. No way they’re trading him just yet.