A photo with Kevin Durant from Monday afternoon, as the Thunder were walking back to their Santa Monica (CA) hotel after shootaround. Durant might very well be the most down-to-earth, unaffected sports star in the country.

This is a breakdown of the Durant-Westbrook pick-and-roll used so much in the fourth quarter against the Warriors Friday night.

I can see Larry bird but I'm not sure about Elgin Baylor. His got a whole list of question comparisons.

Why the Thunder are contenders, not pretenders.

A link to my thoughts on what has created the "combo-guard" in the NBA and why it won't stop unless something changes.

The "altercation" in Memphis was blown way out of proportion, and this is why.....

Video and story chronicling James Harden’s increased popularity. Fans want more than just Durant’s and Westbrook’s autograph these days.

This is our year! (Insert player here) gonna take off this year!
Every year every fan clamors about how this is the year. Some teams have real reasons for it. Clippers. Knicks. Heat. Mavericks. Some teams are used tot hat feeling. Spurs. Lakers. Celtics. And some lose that feeling before it starts. Kings. Warriors. Nets. But we are all champions before that first game and we all know exactly why. Well, let me be the one to further fan that preseason fire.

I have put together a list of teams players and whys for those players as to how that vaunted preseason championship will be won. So with further ado. Let your wildest dreams, run WILD.

But first, a reminder of what it looks like when THAT player does lead THAT team all the way.

2007 - San Antonio Spurs - Manu Ginobili - Fearless - Fight - Aggressive - Everything Greg Popovich would want in a player, Manu was in 2007 for the championship Spurs. His play signified what the Spurs were and won with.

2008 - Boston Celtics - Kevin Garnett - Focus - Passion - Immovable - No gimmes. No shooting for the other team after the whistle. No scoring on him. No way anyone could have beat the Celtics team that bought into KG's passion and D and played with it all year.

2009 - Los Angeles Lakers - Trevor Ariza - Chaos - Dunks - Defense - Ariza did and caused all three and seemed to never run out of energy. With Ariza contributing in a big way, The Lake Show were 3rd in 3 point percentage, 6th in Overall Defense and 2nd in steals and 4th in turnoevers caused on their way to the Ship.

2010 - Kobe Bryant - Never - Say - Quit - You can look at the Finals and see why the Lakers won it all. Kobe finally got, or made, his team play like him. He never let them quit and was as fierce on them as he was on the opponent. They took the Celtics best punch them knocked 'em out in 7.

2011 - Tyson Chandler - J.J. Barea - Big - Small - Underrated - Chandler and Barea were the odd couple that looked way different, play way different but signified the Mavs in the first ever Championship season. They played with confidence, played amazing under the radar and were chock full of intangibles.

So who are the guys that will be the ones to bring the game that their team will embody? Which one's will we be talking about if their team is the last one standing in June?

Less talk, more list.

For your team plus all other 29 teams click the title.

I ran across this link this morning and wanted to wish Jeff a speedy recovery and return to health.