"For me, social media and Twitter is all about connecting with your fans," James said. "From day one, that's why I got to Twitter, to connect to my fans."I would never apologize for anything like that when I'm connecting with my fans." James said he certainly never "called out" Perkins."I can see why he may have felt embarrassed," he said. "I don't think I was the only one that reacted to that unbelievable play by Blake, and that's what it was all about, me acknowledging how great of a play it was. If Kendrick Perkins had dunked on somebody else on the other end, I would have done the same thing. "I'm an easy target, let's leave it at that."

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HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: Kendrick Perkins and LeBron James have no problem telling us how they feel, especially about each other.

Clearly, Perkins didn't like James teasing him on twitter after he got poster-jobbed by Blake Griffin in a recent game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Los Angeles Clippers.

So Perkins responded. Now it's James' turn. Of course, the back-and-forth between these two isn't surprising.

Perkins and James have history. They two spent years battling each other for Eastern Conference supremacy with the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers.

They may have changed teams, but are still rivals. 

James' Heat could meet Perkins' Thunder in the NBA Finals. Both players know this. And both players are attempting to gain an edge during the dog days of the regular season. 

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

“It’s a different team,” said O’Neal, at All-Star weekend as part of the TNT broadcast. “They (the Boston Celtics) miss me.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Shaquille O’Neal will thrive as a broadcaster once he gets over his shyness.

O’Neal, the new darling of TNT’s Emmy-winning cast, is declaring that the Boston Celtics 'miss' him.

On the one hand, he’s right. O’Neal provided a post presence in limited minutes for the green-and-white.

On the other hand, he’s forgetting about Kendrick Perkins, the club's heart and soul.

O’Neal was signed, in large part, to fill in for Perkins who was out with knee troubles. The Celtics then dealt Perkins to the Oklahoma City Thunder at the deadline for Jeff Green because they believed O’Neal would be healthy.

Well, The Big Shamrock wasn’t healthy. He got hurt in February and never played again. So, the Celtics were without their heart-and-soul down-low, Perkins, and O’Neal in the playoffs. Not surprisingly, they lost in the second round.

And GM Danny Ainge hasn’t replaced either -even if Brandon Bass can score.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

"Our goal is to win a championship. Tim Duncan and I haven’t got a lot of time left. The Spurs made the right moves by signing Stephen Jackson, Boris Diaw and Patty Mills. We have a complete team now. We know we can beat everybody in the West, we proved it by beating OKC two times already. Winning another title is something we can do this year. (…)

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: In the last month, the San Antonio Spurs have added Boris Diaw, Stephen Jackson, and Patty Mills to take, perhaps, their final run at an NBA championship.

This has All-Star point guard Tony Parker excited -and with good reason.

The black-and-silver has accumulated a potentially potent mix of youth and experience. They still have their ‘Big Three’ in Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker, while DeJuan Blair, Kwahi Leonard, Gary Neal, and Tiago Splitter are all young and athletic.

The key could be Jackson. If he finds his past form -something that shouldn’t be too difficult as he won a championship with the Spurs in 2003- then Gregg Popovich’s crew could give the Oklahoma City Thunder and Los Angeles Lakers competition out west.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

Brooks has never subscribed to sitting players. He has likened the strategy to “cheating the game” and the fans. And on Sunday, he confessed that his team's youth plays a part as well. “If we had a bunch of veteran guys in their 30s, there's no question things would be different,” Brooks said. “But our guys, if you take out some of the guys, they'll think I'm benching them twice a game. They want to play every minute. They love to play and they want to keep playing. It's like pulling teeth to get five or six minutes out of them per half.”

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Scott Brooks may be right. But it doesn’t matter.

In a way, resting players for the playoffs is cheating fans and, in turn, the game. Still, Brooks, the Oklahoma City Thunder’s head coach, isn’t a caretaker or advocate for basketball.

He has one job: to win. He is accountable to Clay Bennett and the other owners of the Thunder, who want to win.

So Brooks -- although his intentions are good -- should focus on getting the most from his players and beating the Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs, and all other foes in the Western Conference.

Simply put, nothing else matters -like the good of the game.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: They win together and enterain together.

Watch Kevin Durant lead the break and toss a picturesque alley-oop to partner in crime Russell Westbrook, which naturally sends the masses in Oklahoma City into a frenzy.

--Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

Using quantitative analysis three Norwestern University researches can figure out what coaches know how to call timeout and what coaches don't.

HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: I love when sports and nerds collide. Very cool stuff.

Here are your position-by-position Finals matchups.

HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: It all starts with Lebron vs. Durant. The matchup of the year. This is the head-to-head mathup everyone wants to see.

CENTER: Kendrick Perkins vs. Udonis Haslem.

Perkis is tough as nails, but isn't much of an offesnive threat. Haslem's been battling it out with Garnett for 7 games, so it's difficult to see Perkins bing any more intimidating that KG. Plus, Haslem has a mid-range jumper he can knock down. Edge: Heat.

POWER FORWARD: Serge Ibaka vs. Shane Battier or Chris Bosh.

Ibaka has always been regarded as a shot-blocking machine and with his recent addition of consistent mid-range shooter he is a true threat on both ends of the court. The real question is whether he can continue to shoot lights out or if his 11-11 night of shooting was a fluke. Bosh is still getting his legs under him, but dropping 17 points and 3 3-pointers in game seven is only going to help. Edge: even.

SMALL FORWARD: Kevin Durant vs. LeBron James.

Durant shoots the 3-pointer better than Durant, but will he be able to get the looks he needs with LeBron on him. LeBron is unstopable from 17-feet and in, but tends to settle for too many outside jumpers, instead of taking the ball to the rim. The real benefit of Durant is he is better at getting his entire team involved. LeBron's the MVP, but Durant is a better franchise player. Edge: Thunder (barely).

SHOOTING GUARD: Thabo Sefolosha vs. Dwyane Wade.

Dwayne Wade hasn't exactly been himself this playoffs. He's been putting up descent numbers, but never really taking over. Sefolosha will put the defensive clamps down on Wade, but Sefolosha lacks offensive skills Wade bring to the table. Edge: Heat.

POINT GUARD: Russell Westbrook vs. Mario Chalmers.

Chalmers is quick by normal standards and a descent shot, but Westbrook is lightening fast and a better shooter. Chalmers will have his hands full trying to keep Westbrook from penetrating at will. Edge: Thunder (By far). 

With LeBron sidelined, Chalmers comes through to dominate the 4th quarter.

HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: Mario will not be denied.

One thing Mario Chalmers has never lacked is confidence. On a team star studded with sure-fire Hall-of-Famers, he still humbly sees himself as a go-to option and in game 4 he showed the world why. 

Game 4 was like a lot of the Thunder vs. Heat series, ugly, grinding, hard-nosed basketball. These are the types of games where it's tough for the refs to not get involved. On every play bodies are going flying. This is a Finals dominated by names like Wade, Durant, James, Westbrook, Bosh, and Harden, but Mario added Chalmers to the mix in a big way Tuesday night.

Chalmers came into a virtually tied game and dominated the 4th quarter wit h 12 points including a clutch layup with under a minute to go to push Miami on to victory. He ended the game with 25 points on 9-15 shooting and 3-9 from downtown. When LeBron went out of the game with cramps, it wasn't Wade, but Chalmers that took over the game. His confidence is perhaps his greatest strength. And although he's the 4th or 5th option on this high-powered offense, he knows how to turn it on when it counts. If Miami goes on to win the NBA Championship this year, let the record show it was Chalmers that brought them game 4.

For more info, updates, and babble follow on twitter @HoopsVibe

Photo Credit: AP NEWS

Rumor: Thunder looking to trade James Harden.

HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: He might be too expensive now that he's one of OKC's Big Three.

The identity of Kevin Durant's girlfriend is finally uncovered.

HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: So she's the one none of us remember from Destiny's Child?

With the fresh wound of coming "oh so close" to signing Eric Gordon away from New Orleans yet to heal, the Suns remain on the prowl for a perimeter scorer- enter James Harden.

HoopsVibe Very Quick Call: Maybe it is a bit premature to think about a final landing spot for Harden considering he is signed through the end of the upcoming NBA season, but there are a lot of things that make sense about him ending up in Arizona.

Kevin Durant's Thunderstruck confuses more than entertains.

HoopsVibe Very Quick Call: Color me confounded.

Rapper Lil B and Kevin Durant mix it up and we got the tweets to prove it.

HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: First it was James Harden and Lil Wayne, now Lil B and Kevin Durant?

The following article profiles the top five free throw shooters in the NBA today.

Hoopsvibe's quick call:  Free throw shooting is a crucial aspect of the game and is often the difference between winning and losing.

Love him or hate him, Lebron James is putting together one of the best seasons of basketball by any player in history.

Hoopsvibe's quick call:  His superstar season continued with a big win over the Thunder Thursday night.

Mark Cuban boos Derek Fisher and declares his hate for his former player.

HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: As much as I like Fisher, it looks like he pulled a punk move on Mark Cuban and the Mavs.

Kevin Durant may be tall and lengthy, but the dude still has ridiculous handles.

Hoopsvibe's quick call:  Vince Carter probably needed to ice his ankles this weekend after Kevin Durant broke them.

In the most recent data gathered, Lebron James topped the list of the NBA's most popular jerseys.

Hoopsvibe's quick call:  Here is the list of the top 5 most popular NBA jerseys.

Seattle based rapper Macklemore doesn't want Durant and the Thunder using his music for inspiration.

HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: Maybe it will make Macklemore feel better that his music is inspiring OKC to get eliminated?

The Quick Hit: It was supposed to be case of master versus student. It has become a case of student challenging master.

Quite simply, the Los Angeles Lakers, with all their star power and glitz, were expected to handle the talented but inexperienced Oklahoma City Thunder. After all, the Lakers had that Larry O’Brien swagger; the Thunder were unproven upstarts.

HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Anything LeBron James can do Blake Griffin can do better, right?

During Sunday‘s clash between the Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls, James hurdled John Lucas III on a backdoor alley-oop that left fans in awe.

The highlights were just starting, though.

Just one day later, Griffin left Staples Center speechless with his poster-job on Oklahoma City Thunder post Kendrick Perkins.

So, which dunk is play of the year? LeBron making like Vince Carter on that French dude at the Sydney Olympics or Griffin giving Perkins the ‘Mozgov’ treatment?

Watch both videos and get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

The Quick Hit: It’s easy to overlook Serge Ibaka.

After all, the Oklahoma City Thunder is loaded with young stars: Kevin Durant is becoming an elite player; recently Russell Westbrook has shown the skill-set of a top table-setter; Jeff Green, in typical Georgetown Hoya fashion, is tough as nails; and James Harden has the makings of a smart, efficient scorer.

This can be discussed even during a lockout. Dirk and the Mavs are still riding high from their hard earned 2011 NBA title. They swept Kobe’s Lakers, beat Durant/Westbrook Thunder, and then took out the Miami Heat. The team is battle tested especially with the grand fail against the Golden State Warriors in the 2007 playoffs. The Mavs lost a lot with a solid roster in the past. They overcame all of that in 2011.What’s next? Repeat. Duh. 

Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder’s feel good season could soon become complicated.

HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: What altercation with his co-star?

The world wide web is abuzz with reports that Oklahoma City Thunder stars Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook got into a dispute on the bench of Wednesday’s game.

Well, Durant was so distracted he hit the game-winner on Thursday evening against the world champion Dallas Mavericks.

Watch the video, form an opinion, and get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Yesterday Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook blew by Minnesota Timberwolves table-setter Luke Ridnour.

Here’s the question: did Westbrook break Ridnour’s ankles with a killer crossover or did the T-Wolves reserve lose his footing?

Watch the video, form your opinion, and get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below. 

--HoopsVibe News.

Oklahoma City is close to completing a buyout of guard Nate Robinson's contract and the seven-year veteran is likely to become a free agent as soon as Saturday morning, a source close to the situation told SI.com.

HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: It’s all caught up with him. And now he’s without a team.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have decided Nate Robinson isn’t worth the hassle, buying-out the controversial but talented combo guard.

Robinson, who can score in bunches, may be hard pressed to find a team, and if he does get a contract he won’t have a major role.

After all, the Thunder, who are one of the best teams in the Western Conference, decided they’re better off without Robinson.

They don’t want the distraction. They don’t want his drama. And they don’t want his shot first approach.

--Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

This is an intriguing challenge because ever since the Los Angeles Lakers acquired Pau Gasol as a gift from long time former general manager Jerry West, the team is unbeatable. The squad can be beaten in one game because it’s just one game – mad random. In a seven game series, however, no team in the West can knock off the Purple and Gold. I just do not see this happening as long as Kobe Bryant is at his peak running the team. What does a team have to have to be able to defeat them?

HoopsVibe is proud to welcome Marija Kero, better known to many of you as The Knicks Chick, to the team. Marija will be checking in with videoblogs covering everything from her beloved Knicks to Ron Artest's latest hair-related mishap. In her first piece, Marija shares her thoughts on Boston's bad temper, the surging Mavs and the ghosts of NYK past appearing in the postseason. 

“Hurt, surprised, I think it really still hasn’t hit me yet — not really,” he said later. “I think everything happened so fast, last year coming back from my ACL injury and getting traded to Oklahoma City where I had to be a leader. “It still hurts that I got traded, but then the city of Oklahoma has been great to me. They’ve embraced me with open arms, and I have no complaints about the city of Oklahoma and the whole organization.”

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Kendrick Perkins reminds me of John Starks.

There are differences: Perkins is a center, Starks was a guard; Perkins is a defensive anchor, while Starks played both ends of the floor; Perkins won a championship with the Boston Celtics and Starks’ New York Knicks fell short in the NBA Finals.

However, Perkins and Starks are both fiery and have massive hearts.

Consider that the veteran-laden Celtics fell apart after Perkins was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder last February. Part of this had to with the hole Perkins left down-low, but this was more about the hole he left in the locker room.

Rajon Rondo missed Perkins, his best friend. Kevin Garnett cried when told of the trade. And the green-and-white never recovered.

Yesterday Perkins received a massive ovation while at an exhibition game near Boston.

Starks, a real life Rocky, had a similar impact in New York. He played at several colleges, semi-pro leagues, and bagged groceries before sticking with the Knicks.

Fans could relate to Starks` blue-collar work ethic. Eventually, he became an All-Star and a key part of some rugged Knick teams.

He was immortalized with his dunk on THE GOAT and when the Beastie Boys declared 'I got heart like John Starks'.

The lockout has shown what’s wrong with the NBA. The league needs more players like Perkins and Starks.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

I'll be taking quick notes as I watch the game here. Feel free to drop in your comments below. They update in real time.

- What is Andrew Bynum drinking? A pre-game shot shows him chugging a foaming red liquid from a water bottle.

- OKC tosses the ball to Durant for the first play.  He dribbles around for a few seconds before tossing up an awkward brick. Bad opening.

- Pau connects on a shot with so much arc the ball came down with snow on it.

- That red stuff is obviously working for Bynum, who connects on his first attempt.

- Durant botches an open layup. Let's hope that's a fumble and not a sign of the pressure getting to him.

Brought to you by the makers of Michael Jordan versus series, LeBron versus line, Kobe versus and the barely visited Dwayne Wade versus LeBron debates, we bring to you the latest and greatest in the long line of internet debates, Kevin Durant versus LeBron James. Yes, it is another one in a classic barn burner debates spark by large usage of extreme GIF images to represent reaction and smart witty remarks with people using a lot of free time to dissect statistics.

Dan asked if he was going to introduce him before the game, what position would he say. “You’d say at point guard,” Westbrook said. “That’s my natural position.”

Dan asked why Westbrook thought he was criticized so much last season for not being a true point guard. ’I really don’t know. That comes along with playing in this league,” Westbrook said.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: The great Chuck Daly believed the turning point for the Detroit Pistons was when Isiah Thomas decided he'd sacrifice his individual numbers for the collective good of the team.

Thomas could have easily averaged 25-30 points per game, however, his lofty scoring average made it difficult for the Pistons to climb the Eastern Conference standings.

The Pistons only evolved from good to great to two-time champion once Thomas scaled back his individual numbers and engaged his much-improved supporting cast.

Now Russell Westbrook is not Thomas, the Hall of Fame point guard. And his Oklahoma City Thunder are not the Detroit Pistons of the late eighties.

Like Thomas, Westbrook, a score-first point guard, must decide if he too will sacrifice. After all, he looked for his own offence at the expense of teammates during last year's playoff, which led to coach Scott Brooks pulling him in key situations.

That said, it’s a positive that Westbrook considers point guard his 'natural' position, and hopefully he has decided to set-the-table for teammates.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

“They’ve been together for a number of years,” Green said of the Celtics. “They’ve already won a championship, they’ve already have a system, they already have their chemistry and that bond on that team. “It was tough to go into that situation.”

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HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: Three future members of the Hall of Fame. One All-Star point guard. One championship. One NBA Finals appearance. And a heap of pressure on a young forward to replace the team's heart-and-soul.

Welcome to Jeff Green's world last February.

The Boston Celtics acquired Green from the Oklahoma City Thunder at the trade deadline. The green-and-white gave up Kendrick Perkins, their burly center, in the deal. 

It didn't matter that Perkins was coming off knee surgery or that his contract demands were impossible to meet.

Trading Perk' didn't go over well. Kevin Garnett cried, Rajon Rondo went into a funk, and the team lost their tough, blue-collar identity.

Worst of all, fans and players felt GM Danny Ainge had given up on 2011 to prepare for the future.

All of this impacted Green, who came into an impossible situation. The expectations were sky-high, while fans and teammates were slow to embrace him.

The Celtics, however, will make every effort to re-sign Green, a restricted free agent. In time, this trade could work out.

After all, Green has talent. He can guard multiple positions, score, and stuffs the stat-sheet with the all-important little things.

For now, things are tough, though.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

"I haven't stopped working out really since May," Griffin said. "It's been every day, sneaking it in whenever I can." Griffin says it's frustrating for him to think that the NBA games may be interrupted after his first season playing in the league. Griffin missed all of the 2009-10 season with a broken kneecap after he had been the No. 1 draft pick out of Oklahoma. "Now my first three seasons, I could play 82 games," Griffin said. "So, we'll see what happens."

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Last year was overwhelmingly positive for the NBA.
 
The sporting world was galvanized by Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade, and LeBron James joining forces and becoming the ‘Heatles’ in Miami.

Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd’s hard work was rewarded with an NBA championship, guaranteeing both immediate entry into the Hall of Fame when they retire.

Derrick Rose won the MVP award, leading the Chicago Bulls to the league’s best regular season record and a place in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder took another step winning two playoff series before falling to Nowitzki and Kidd’s Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals.

The Memphis Grizzlies made the playoffs and upset the San Antonio Spurs. After years of futility, the Indiana Pacers and Philadelphia 76ers were relevant and entertaining.

There are other storylines I’m missing.

For instance, high on this list is the emergence of Blake Griffin, whose aerial antics reminded the world there’s a professional basketball squad in Los Angeles not called the Lakers.

(And this squad, the Clippers, can compete and delight despite being owned by the twisted and incompetent Donald Sterling.)

Suppose there’s a lockout. One that wipes out the entire season. Griffin, who missed 2009 with injury, will have played just eighty-two games in his first three seasons.

Fans would have to wait a year to see Griffin assault the rim. Fans would have to wonder what Griffin would do to defend his crown at the 2012 Slam Dunk Contest. And fans, the purists, would have to wait a year to see Griffin’s above average passing and skill-set develop.

This is tragic. And just another thing Commissioner David Stern, the owners, Union Head Billy Hunter, and the players are risking with their posturing and rhetoric.

I hope they know what they’re doing. Griffin missing another year should be a last resort.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

Westbrook also argued with his coach, Scott Brooks, and his star teammate, Kevin Durant, on the court, leading to speculation that he was feuding with both. And when the Thunder were eliminated by the Dallas Mavericks, Westbrook shouldered most of the blame. In the two months since, Westbrook hasn’t lost much sleep worrying about the criticism.

“I refuse to let myself do that,” Westbrook told Yahoo! Sports. “I’ve been working too hard to get to the position we were in last season to worry about anything somebody else was saying.”

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Superstars need each other.

In today’s NBA, one superstar isn’t enough to win a title. The crème de la crème of talent know they must partner up to hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy in late June.

For instance, the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, and San Antonio Spurs have a few premier players working towards a collective goal.

(The 2011 world champion Dallas Mavericks were, perhaps, the exception, surrounding their sole superstar, Dirk Nowitzki, with five or six very good players.)  

The Oklahoma City Thunder, if they are to join the ranks of legit contender, need Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook working together. Durant knows this. Westbrook knows this, too.

These two will never tell media or fans if there was tension over Westbrook’s questionable shot selection in the playoffs. They’ll keep it in-house, which shows they’re mature beyond their years.

However, coach Scott Brooks may want to clarify roles by reminding Westbrook that he is Robin and Durant is Batman. Not the other way around.

Brooks might also want to remind Westbrook he needs to focus on setting-the-table for teammates -as well as getting his own points.

Of course, this could be tricky. Once the lockout is settled, Westbrook and the Thunder will be ironing-out the details on a new, long-term extension.

Such declarations, if handled poorly, would do permanent damage to the Thunder‘s relationship with Westbrook.

All parties must proceed with caution. They need each other.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

Three-time NBA slam-dunk champ Nate Robinson was busted early yesterday for relieving himself on a downtown White Plains street, police said. Cops caught the ex-Knick, whose 5-foot-9 height belies his 43½-inch vertical leap, in flagrante delicto at 1:53 a.m. across the street from City Hall.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: The problem isn’t public urination. The problem is it happened at 1:53am.

If Nate Robinson was serious about his craft, if he was serious about being more than a marketing gimmick, he’d be living like a professional athlete.

The key word is professional. That means early to bed, early to rise, and dedicating himself to improving every summer.

Nothing good happens in the wee hours of the morning, especially if you’re an athlete. You’re either drunk, fighting, or wooing a member of the opposite sex, who isn’t you’re significant other.

In today’s interconnected world, Robinson can’t be out doing god knows what at 2am in the morning. It will be on twitter, facebook, the net, or all three in a matter of hours.

Of course, Robinson’s career is in a lull. He revived things with his play in the 2010 NBA Finals, only to end up injured and on the bench for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

This won't help. Not one bit.

Eventually, he’ll run out of chances. And nobody will care what time, when, or where Robinson urinates.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

On the biggest play of the series, the final play of regulation, Kevin Durant caught the ball at halfcourt, but when he looked toward the basket, he saw three Mavs coming at him. So, he shot from at least 8 feet behind the three-point line. “I didn't know what else to do,” he said, the frustration obvious in his voice. “I didn't want to run into their defense and get another turnover.”

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Choke job. This is the only way to describe the Oklahoma City Thunder squandering game four of the Western Conference Finals to the Dallas Mavericks.

The Thunder held a massive lead in the fourth quarter before losing 112-105 in overtime. Bottom line: they lost their focus.

For instance, the Thunder had the ball with 6.5 seconds remaining. The score was tied. However, all they got was a Kevin Durant heave off a broken play.

The Mavericks now lead the series 3-1, and are on the verge of returning to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2006.

Click the link to watch the video highlights of game four and get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.   

--Oly Sandor.

The Thunder has toyed with this disturbing trend throughout the playoffs. Oklahoma City has trailed after one quarter in 11 of its 15 games this postseason. But this was as bad as it's ever been. “Tonight, we didn't trust each other,” said Kendrick Perkins. “We just got to have trust in each other. That's the bottom line.”

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Is Kendrick Perkins a touch too assertive right now?

Yes, he has playoff experience. Yes, he has a championship. Yes, he has a tell-it-like-it-is personality.

Still, it's a bit harsh to publicly declare that the Oklahoma City Thunder didn’t trust each other in game three.

Perkins, after all, is new. He joined the Thunder at the trade deadline. He’s a valuable player, but hardly a superstar. That role belongs to Kevin Durant, who isn’t calling out teammates to reporters.

So why should Perkins?

Another question: why is Perkins calling a timeout early in the third quarter of game three? That's the coaching staff's job. Only a few great players can get away with calling for a stoppage in play.

To be fair: I like the burly center. I like the simplicity of his game. If healthy, he’s probably the difference between the Boston Celtics winning and losing game seven of the 2010 NBA Finals.

He just needs to take it down a notch.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: I like James Harden. I do. However, I disliked his flop in game three of the Western Conference Finals. 

For those that missed it: Harden’s face gently grazed Tyson Chandler’s elbow, but he still hit the floor like a member of the Italian national soccer team.

Chandler got a technical. Oklahoma City went to the free throw line.

Two things are worth noting. First, Harden’s ‘performance’ could’ve changed the series. Suppose Chandler already had a technical; something that was not unlikely given his battles with Oklahoma City Thunder center Kendrick Perkins.

Harden’s flop job would have led to Chandler getting ejected, which would have had ramifications on game three and the series.

Second, Stern and the suits at head office should fine and/or suspend players for flopping. Other sports like hockey and soccer punish players for embellishing infractions.

The NBA should do the same, which may deter flopping.

Anyway, watch the video and get at us with thoughts on Harden in the comment box below. 

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

Westbrook, the Thunder's most misunderstood, puzzling or overanalyzed player, depending on your perspective, wouldn't flame the scrutiny on coach Scott Brooks' decision not to play him a single second of the fourth quarter in OKC's Game 2 win over Dallas on Thursday. The play of the Thunder's second-best player has been publicly picked apart throughout the postseason. Does he shoot too much, take bad shots and not pass enough?

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Russell Westbrook has a giant bulls-eye on his back.

The critics allege the Oklahoma City Thunder point guard shoots too much, knocks heads with Coach Scott Brooks, and wants to establish himself at the expense of his team.

The critics argue Westbrook should be the Thunder’s third option, with superstar Kevin Durant and super-sub James Harden as primary scorers.

Perhaps this is fair. Perhaps, the Thunder would be better with Westbrook using his athleticism to set-the-table for teammates and averaging a balanced 15 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists.

The criticism is, to an extent, unfair. Especially since the Thunder won game two of the Western Conference Finals in Dallas. 

Sure, Brooks sat Westbrook for the entire fourth quarter. Sure, the Thunder won in spite of Westbrook, not because of him.

They still won, though. They still achieved a split on the road. And they have home-court advantage.

The world isn't ending. Westbrook isn’t the devil. He’s just a 22-year old point guard, who sometimes struggles with when to pass and shoot.

Others have had issues with decision making. Like Isiah Thomas of the Detroit Pistons. Like Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers. And like Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls.

By the way, these three figured 'it' out and won a combined 13 NBA championships.

Don’t get it twisted: Westbrook is not the next Zeke, Kobe, or MJ. It takes time for players, specifically point guards, to figure ‘it’ out.

Take Chauncey Billups. Before he became Mr. Big Shot with the Detroit Pistons, Billups was a nomad, playing on four teams between 1997 and 2002.

Critics said he lacked a position, couldn’t involve teammates and was a bust. Billups suddenly figured 'it out. Over the last ten years, he has won an NBA championship, been a Finals MVP, and made regular appearances in the Conference Finals.

Bottom line: Billups has had an excellent career. And he isn’t done. Like Westbrook, he needed time. Westbrook, at this age, is mch further along than Billups.

Critics need to appreciate Westbrook for what he is and can do. Soon enough, he’ll figure ‘it’ out. Then opponents will have to watch out.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

Asked if any inch of him wanted to someday experience his own summer of LeBron, Durant said: "You said an inch, so I'll take that inch. One inch of my mind just wants to experience that, see what it's like, you know. I've been through the recruitment process, of course, going to college, but I want to see how that is. I'm not saying that I want to go to another team or I want to go to a greater market. But just how much it was publicized this summer, I just want to see what that's like. I'm an interested person, I'm a curious person. And once again, I'm not trying to say I want to leave or anything. But I just want to see how that is.

"I'll be 27 when my contract's up. So maybe when I'm 27 … But you never know. Two or three years down the line, I might sign another extension here. So we'll see. We'll see. But right now, I'm happy where I'm at, I'm glad I'm locked in for five years."

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Kevin Durant, don’t do it. Don’t pull a LeBron and hold ‘The Decision 2.0’ when you become a free agent in a few years.

Don’t announce your future on national television like a raving egomaniac. Don’t pull Jim Gray out the ‘reporter’ scrap heap for a paid gig. And finally, don’t ruin your nice guy persona in an afternoon by acting like a jerk.

Just don’t. Don't even think about it.

In a few years, you’ll be a free agent. You have the right to pick where you play. Nobody can take issue with what you decide. As James learned the hard way, how you decide is everything.

For instance, James had given Cleveland seven years. They couldn’t provide a legit’ co-star, so he left. Fair enough. He had that right.

However, the backlash occurred mostly because James acted like a diva. ‘The Decision’ was unprofessional; his image has yet to recover.

Hopefully, Durant was misquoted. And hopefully, Durant has learned. One bad decision –like 'The Decision'- can change years of goodwill.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.
 

HoopsVibe`s Very Quick Call: Yes, the Memphis Grizzlies beat the Oklahoma City Thunder yesterday to force a do-or-die game seven on Sunday.

The real debate will be this: charge or block?

After all, Memphis reserve Darrell Arthur threw down a facial for the ages on Nick Collison, but the basket was disallowed because the referees called a charge.

Nobody disagreed more than Memphis` Marc Gasol, who, through his facial expressions, either thought it was a block or finally saw the replay of Lakers coach Phil Jackson abusing brother Pau in game three against the Dallas Mavericks.

Charge or block? Watch the video, make the call, and get at us with thoughts in the comment box below.  

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

Krstic left with 2:18 left in the first half of Thursday's game after landing awkwardly on his right leg. His knee became bent out of shape and he immediately felt the pain. With the help of Celtics trainer Ed Lacerte, Krstic limped off the floor. Krstic will return home to Boston where he will undergo an MRI on Friday.