Daily Rumbles: Thunder have tough 6 day test ahead.

Good day Thunder Nation!!!

The Oklahoma City Thunder have 3 games in the next 6 days and all of them are against teams with better records. Two are on the road, two are against perennial Western Conference powerhouses, and all three will give a pretty fair barometer of where the Thunder stand now.

RECENT RUMBLINGS

Kwahi out, Parker out, but the Spurs are still the Spurs

Like the Thunder, the Spurs season hasn’t started easy, but for different yet similar reasons. After adding Carmelo Anthony and Paul George, the Thunder are struggling to find a balance between the old and the new, while the Spurs are looking for balance while Tony Parker and Khawi Leonard are mending.

The good news for the Thunder is that Adams is no longer listed as “OUT” on OKC’s media game notes and Rotoworld has upgraded his condition to “probable”. My guess is the Funaki is back and not a moment too soon as the Spurs front court features 6’9” Kyle Anderson, 6’11” Lamarcus Aldridge, and 7’0” Pau Gasol.

Dakari Johnson filled the void (and it was a big void) left by Adams’ recent 3-game absence and did so admirably. The big ex-Wildcat should get some more burn against the Spurs. In fact, the Spurs provide a perfect test for the rookie. They are big and disciplined, but they are slow. If Dakari can stay out of foul trouble, he could prove invaluable against San Antonio.

The Spurs are coming off a loss and the Thunder are trying to earn respect. Look for a slug-fest between these two. The Thunder are going to try to run and the Spurs will milk every second out of a shot clock possible, something has to give.

From Big to Boogie and the Brow

The Pelicans fell to the Thunder 102-91 during the pre-season which tells us exactly zero about what to expect Monday night. For one thing, Rajon Rondo was not in the Pel’s lineup. The match-up with the Thunder will only be the veteran point guards fourth game back, but he is learning how to best use his big front court of Anthony Davis and Demarcus Cousins very quickly. Boogie and the Brow are averaging 53.6 pt/gm this season.

The Thunder need to stay focused and not give in to the temptation to look ahead if they want to gain ground on the 8 and 7 Pelicans.

Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

Please, Someone get this Man some Cheese to go with his Whine

Durant’s list of reasons for signing with the Warriors.

First it was Russell, then it was the Thunder fans, then the organization, then Billy Donovan, and now home-sickness? For Seattle?

If there has ever been a NBA Finals MVP that whined more than Kevin Durant.... no... scratch that.....the shoes, the Tweets..... no.... there has never been a NBA Finals MVP whine as much as Kevin Durant.

Thunder Nation, if you want to send a message, give this guy something as foul as the whine he’s drinking and the F-bombs he’s dropping; Limburger cheese and silence.

And for the record, Ric, Westbrook has more than his share of admirable qualities. He doesn’t make promises he doesn’t plan to make good on, he has never run from a fight, and not DMing little children is a good thing. Oklahoman’s love his wardrobe, that he doesn’t air his business in public, and absolutely adore the snarl. Rather than wasting a paragraph assuming something you know nothing about, put that space to good use and ask a real question like, “why does your story keep changing?” or “is this the last excuse?”

Anyway, Wednesday night, the Golden State Warriors and the Thunder meet for the first time this season at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Loud City, don’t “boo” Durant. He’s really not worth the effort and besides, dead silence will say more and have a bigger effect on that ego than you could ever imagine.