Midwest Sports Fan Blog

Back when the Thunder were 3-29 last season, the notion of the playoffs coming to Oklahoma City any time soon was unimaginable.

But it was that same miserable stretch that made general manager Sam Presti confident that coach Scott Brooks was the right man to lead his team into the future.

While Oklahoma City struggled to the worst start in the NBA, Presti was impressed by the way Brooks stayed the course and never tried to force immediate changes in hopes of making the Thunder better. He now has taken the youngest roster in the league and turned the team into a 50-game winner and a playoff team just one season after the horrendous start.

Click here to read the full article – By Associated Press of ESPN.com

It would be nice if they could have closed out the final night of the regular season in finer style.

It would be nice if the Oklahoma City Thunder offered a little more of the way they were playing before and after the All-Star break than they managed down the regular season’s final stretch.

On the other hand, who thought they’d get here so fast? Who thought the Ford Center would be the site of meaningful April basketball?

Wednesday night it was Memphis visiting.

Click here to read the full article – By Clay Horning of The Norman Transcript

About the time the Milwaukee Bucks began making their move toward the playoffs, I saw Herb Kohl at an east-side diner. He was sitting at the counter with a stack of papers.

It being a weekend, I halfway wondered if the senator might be using his free time on the country’s business. When I went over to say hello, I noticed he had been studying box scores.

Never let it be said that Kohl and the team are ever really separated.

That’s always been the good thing and the bad thing about the senator during his 25-year ownership of the Bucks.

When things are going poorly, as they often have, he’s too involved, too meddlesome, even if it is his team, his money and he’s free to do with both as he pleases.

But when things are going as they are at the moment, the low-profile owner never gets credit.

Click here to read the full article – By MICHAEL HUNT of http://www.gazettextra.com

After the most prolific three-year career in Oklahoma State history, Big 12 player of the year James Anderson plans to skip his senior season and enter the NBA draft.

Anderson announced his decision Monday at a news conference at Gallagher-Iba Arena, saying “I believe now is the time for me to pursue my dreams by playing in the NBA.”

Anderson averaged a Big 12-best 22.3 points per game while leading the Cowboys into the NCAA tournament for a second straight year. The versatile 6-foot-6 guard was an overwhelming choice as the league’s player of the year, earning the selection ahead of such stars as Kansas’ Sherron Collins and Cole Aldrich, and Kansas State’s Jacob Pullen.

“I believe now it’s time to test my basketball skills against the best players in the world,” Anderson said. “I have worked hard to improve my abilities over the last three years. … I believe that I am fully prepared both athletically and emotionally for the challenge of playing in the NBA.”

Click here to read the full article – By Associated Press of ESPN.com

The Oklahoma City Thunder seemingly have found a winning formula — Kevin Durant and a lot of defense.

Durant matched his season high with 40 points and the Thunder defeated New Jersey 105-89 Monday night, sending the Nets to their 10th straight loss — their second double-digit losing streak of the season.

The key for the Thunder was the final 17 minutes when they limited New Jersey to 17 points, including 13 in the final quarter.

“I was so pleased with the how we played in the fourth quarter,” said Durant, who made 15 of 22 shots and excited the road crowd with a couple of big dunks. “No matter if I got 40 or not, we played so hard in the fourth and limited their touches, limited them to one shot and out and we got some easy baskets. That was a great effort in the fourth.”

The win was a season-high third straight for the Thunder (16-14).

“We have a long ways to go,” Durant said. “We still have a lot of slip-ups in games, but we are getting better. Hopefully, we peak at the right time.”

Click here to read the full article – By Associated Press of ESPN.com

Brandon Jennings knew it was a gamble. So far, all the odds have been in the rookie’s favor.


Jennings made a swipe and slam past two stunned Nets during a 15-0 run to start the second half, Andrew Bogut and Carlos Delfino each scored 21 points, and the Milwaukee Bucks beat winless New Jersey 99-85 on Wednesday night.

“He saw the whole thing develop,” Bucks coach Scott Skiles said. “That was a big momentum break for us. It was a big steal and you got to see the little fella down there dunk the ball.”

Jennings, who jammed a finger and got kneed twice that left him limping in the fourth quarter, said he took a beating against the Nets. But his nifty steal between Chris Douglas-Roberts and Rafer Alston was the more demoralizing blow.

Click here to read the full article – By Associated Press of ESPN.com

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Rookie James Harden scored six of his 11 points in overtime, helping the Oklahoma City Thunder salvage a 30-point outing by Kevin Durant and win their preseason home opener by beating the Phoenix Suns 110-105 on Monday night.


Amare Stoudemire scored 20 points for the Suns, who twice rallied from double-digit deficits — the second time with backups — and never led until overtime. Phoenix was up 103-100 before the Thunder closed the game on a 10-2 run. D.J. White put Oklahoma City ahead for good at 104-103 with a jumper with 2:55 left and Michael Harris followed with a three-point play.

Durant went 5 of 5 from 3-point range as the Thunder finished 9 of 17 from behind the arc.


Click here to read the full article – By MURRAY EVANS of dc50tv.com

Below are links to memorabilia available for Kevin Durant.

Carlos Delfino has played basketball in Italy, Russia and his native Argentina.

So it’s little wonder that the 27-year-old wing player is already quite wise in the ways of the game.

And Delfino has four years of National Basketball Association experience, too, including three seasons with a winning Detroit Pistons franchise that reached the NBA Finals in his first year and the Eastern Conference finals the next two years.

Now the 6-foot-6 forward will try to use his court savvy, perimeter shooting skill and passing ability to help the Milwaukee Bucks take a few positive steps in the Eastern Conference this season.


Click here to read the full article – By Charles F. Gardner of Journal Sentinel

Milwaukee Bucks Sports Memorabilia
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