tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-102327997051254703.post491211499673460374..comments2023-10-31T06:31:41.395-04:00Comments on Bottom of the Barrel: Bill Simmons Attempts to Get All Sentimental about the Oklahoma City ThunderBengoodfellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09401971573776672570noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-102327997051254703.post-90858281086948676892014-05-27T08:17:13.806-04:002014-05-27T08:17:13.806-04:00Anon, it would depend on the FG% of other players ...Anon, it would depend on the FG% of other players during that era on whether that's a low percentage or not. It doesn't seem very high. <br /><br />And yes, if he were discussing the girls from Nigeria then he would make a reference to the Celtics at least twice. He probably would refer to the girls being kidnapped like the way "Doc Rivers kidnapped Player X to the bench" followed by whining. Bengoodfellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09401971573776672570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-102327997051254703.post-84035249957156252402014-05-23T13:06:00.464-04:002014-05-23T13:06:00.464-04:00This column would have been a lot more interesting...This column would have been a lot more interesting if it had been about team-building rather than some long-winded Durant/Westbrook pop psychologist thing. With Ibaka out, the Thunder are routinely putting out a lineup with Sefolosha-Perkins-Collison, which is three non-entities on offense at one time. What could the Thunder have done differently to better absorb the loss of Ibaka? That's a much more interesting question to me.<br /><br />I'm also calling bullshit on the idea that the Thunder could have EASILY afford Durant, Westbrook, Harden and Ibaka. I'm not an NBA capologist, but I don't think you can afford 4 expensive players like that without going way over the luxury tax, which the Thunder can't pay.<br /><br />This has nothing to do with this post, but I've been reading some of the Book of Basketball recently, and that Russell vs. Chamberlain chapter really infuriates me. It's basically just an excuse for Bill to blow Russell in print. So I did a little research, and it turns out Bill Russell for his career was a 44% field goal shooter. I'm pretty sure most of his shots were near the basket, and the league wasn't fully integrated yet so I don't think he was being guarded by Roy Hibbert or even Kendrick Perkins, and yet he only hit 44% of them. That seems atrocious to me. Am I wrong in thinking that?<br /><br />Ben, how far away from sports do you suppose a topic has to be before Bill would stop referencing the Celtics? This column about OKC's window is littered with Celtics references. His playoff preview featured the Celtics a couple times, even though they weren't even close to being a playoff team. Do you suppose if he wrote a column about the missing girls in Nigeria that he'd still find a way to incorporate the Celtics? Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-102327997051254703.post-81469725204379532612014-05-23T08:30:39.914-04:002014-05-23T08:30:39.914-04:00Rich, if it's so hard to win a championship TH...Rich, if it's so hard to win a championship THEN HOW COME THE CELTICS HAVE SO MANY? <br /><br />If anything has set the Thunder back it's what Bill didn't really mention much at all, which is injuries. They have had Westbrook and Ibaka go down in the playoffs over the last two seasons. That's not easy to recover from. <br /><br />See Bill wouldn't talk about the titles the Sixers didn't win, but talk about all the ones they lost. He loves misery and his favorite song is probably Misery by Soul Asylum. <br /><br />I think Durant could leave if he thinks Westbrook would leave. Bill completely misses the idea that a team's "window" can open randomly and close randomly, like you said. I think Westbrook could decide he wants to test the FA market and if Durant gets that feeling why wouldn't he test the market in 2016? <br /><br />I hate his use of "we" all the time. It's annoying. Bengoodfellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09401971573776672570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-102327997051254703.post-28473943047640045382014-05-22T22:08:43.550-04:002014-05-22T22:08:43.550-04:00Bill really has become a caricature of himself. B...Bill really has become a caricature of himself. Beyond the "we" thing you pointed out so well Ben, it's amazing that he thinks OKC fans are wandering around confused as to how this team may not win multiple titles.<br /><br />Not a title mind you, multiple titles. Those OKC fans have really high expectations!<br /><br />How a man who supposedly loves sports as much as Bill says he does seems perpetually baffled by the fact that it's hard to win a fucking championship is beyond me.<br /><br />Bill, who "follows" a baseball team that went a century without a title, a hockey team that went almost 50 years without one, a basketball team that had a five year window resulting in a championship and a football team that had a brief flash of brilliance and then sucked for 20 years.<br /><br />The Thunder have made the conference finals three times in the past five seasons. but does that mean that they'll win a title? Nope. Does it mean their window is closing if they don't win this year? Nope.<br /><br />They could easily get bounced this year, watch SA and Miami get a year older and win next year. They could also be like the McNabb era Eagles, constantly good enough to compete, but never good enough to win.<br /><br />Dr. J struggled to win a title despite having several chances at one and it's not like Moses was the fist good player Dr. J played with. However, and this is where I think Bill is acting like a douchecanoe, no Sixers fan talks about all the titles Dr. J didn't win. Why? <i> We're too busy talking about the one he did win.</i><br /><br />No matter how talented a team is and no matter how big the team's "window" is, not winning sucks and if you have the chance to see a winner, you should enjoy every minute of it because it's hard to win.<br /><br />It's also amazing how in all this discussing of "windows" and "titles," Bill never brings up the Dallas Mavericks. Honestly, how long was that team's window? And they managed to hold off the Heat for an additional year. <br /><br />Bill points to the fact Durant is a good teammate, that he has a good thing going with Westbrook and that Durant's all about winning, but also discusses how random winning is. So he makes the obvious point and then overlooks it. <br /><br />Why would Durant leave? Because after almost a decade of not winning with Westbrook, why wouldn't he consider going somewhere else if he thinks it'll help his odds of winning?richnoreply@blogger.com