Thanks for the memories.

So James Harden's finally gone. The free agency saga was over before it even began. I think it's all good for the team, so OKC can move on right away. And hey, we even got some picks and a lotto rookie out of the deal. Not a bad deal, Sam Presti.

Kevin Durant vs. LeBron James: Who’s Number 1 in Fantasy NBA?

Every year, many basketball fans flock to their favorite Fantasy Sports sites [mine is Yahoo!] to play Fantasy NBA, a contest that combines NBA knowledge, GM aptitude, strategy, and luck. Every year, some lucky guys are faced with a nice little problem: who to pick number 1 in their respective fantasy drafts.

This year, that unenviable task involves two choices: you can either roll with LeBron James, or you can take Kevin Durant. I play in Yahoo! Leagues, and for this year, LeBron is ranked #1 overall while KD is slotted at #2. That’s about the proper ranking right now.

Let’s check some stats from last year's lockout shortened season:

LeBron: 62 games – 27.1 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 6.2 apg, 1.9 spg, 0.8 bpg, 53% fg shooting, 77% from the stripe, 0.9 3fg made per game, 3.4 TOpg

KD: 66 games – 28 ppg, 8 rpg, 3.5 apg, 1.3 spg, 1.0 bpg, 49.6% fg shooting, 86% from the stripe, 2 3fg made per game, 3.8 TOpg

LeBron is obviously the superior fantasy NBA player. KD has marginal advantages in points, FT%, and 3fg, and negligible advantages in bpg and rpg. The rest of the categories are easily won by LeBron.

Plus, the mere fact that LeBron plays more fantasy positions (SF,F,PF) compared to KD (SF,F), he’s more versatile. It’s always an advantage to get multi-position guys. (Although I do think they’ll give KD that PF eligibility midway through the season).

So yeah, as much as I hate to admit it and as much as I love Kevin Durant, LeBron James is hands-down the go-to number 1 pick in Fantasy NBA this year. No one else approaches the numbers he puts up night in and night out. Barring injury, he’s going to keep fantasy teams in the thick of things every week (for head to head leagues). Let’s not even go to how insane James’s numbers are for Roto leagues.

Now, as a Thunder fan, I might still consider taking KD with the number 1 pick. It’s not the logical fantasy NBA pick, but it’s a sentimental pick. Maybe if I’m in some private leagues and have the chance to do so, I’ll take KD just because it’s more fun to win with your (actual NBA) team’s players. But for competitive leagues? I know I’ll be taking LeBron no matter how much I hate him. Worst case, you can ship him for maybe a first-rounder and another player from later rounds, maybe even KD + a 12th-rounder. It’s up to your approach.

OKC Loses to Heat in NBA Finals

It was a good run for the Oklahoma City Thunder, but there can only be one NBA Champion.

It hurts. It stings. But the future is bright for this team.

I'm looking forward to the 2012-13 NBA season. Here's why:
- Eric Maynor will be back
- The team gets a full training camp to work out all the glaring weaknesses that were exposed against the Spurs and the Heat
- Scott Brooks (if resigned) can work on his sub patterns and adjustment approaches
- We have a first-rounder in what is projected as a deep draft, though we can't expect Jared Sullinger to fall to 28th now, can we? Quincy Miller sounds good, though
- I don't really know which position will be filled in the draft because we are two- or three-deep at every position already
- KD and Russell Westbrook, having gotten a taste of Finals action, will definitely be hungrier for it next season
- James Harden will work hard to make up for his disappearing act in the Finals and to prove that he deserves the sixth man of the year award
- Ibaka will gain more experience as he plays for Spain in the Olympics
- Perk will... I don't really know... maybe work on his scowling some more and let's just hope he gives up on demanding more minutes


Anyway, it is what it is. We lost our championship shot this year, but we'll be back next year. I still love you guys. Thunder Up!

Congrats to the Miami Heat, by the way.

First Post. Thunder Up!

You're probably thinking this is stupid.

One decides to make an fan blog dedicated to the Oklahoma City Thunder, a couple of hours before they face an elimination game against the suddenly well-liked (adjective used loosely here) Miami Heat. The Thunder are down, 1-3, on the road, against a team led by a surging LeBron James, who couldn't be defeated despite Russell Westbrook's best game so far (43 points, 20-of-32 shooting, 7-of-9 in the fourth quarter).

I guess this is my way of saying, no matter what happens tonight (or this June 22nd morning, PHL time), I'm in this for the long haul. I've committed myself to watching this team for over 3 years, and this is my way of consummating that commitment to the outside world.

I'm in it for the long haul, even though 2 or 3 years down the road, I know there will be an inevitable walkout of one or two of our free agents (Serge Ibaka or James Harden). Who knows if Scotty Brooks would still be the Thunder coach by then? Who knows if Westbrook won't get traded? It's all up in the air after next season. 

So far, I haven't even mentioned Kevin Durant yet, simply because he's the one that convinced me that this is a good team to root for when he unceremoniously signed his extension in contrast to LeBron's Decision. He's the one that gives me hope, now and for the future.

My focus, however, is on this game. Just an hour and a half to go before tipoff, I think. Whatever happens, happens. I'm still not ready to give up on our 2011-12 season just yet, not until there's absolutely 0 percent chance of us getting a win, whether it's for game 5 or the series.

Don't count us out yet. Thunder Up!