Tag Archives: Oklahoma City Thunder

Jamal Crawford wins Sixth Man of the Year award record third time

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Jamal Crawford won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award for a record third time. (Rick Bowmer/The Associated Press)

Jamal Crawford on Tuesday won his record third Sixth Man of the Year award/AP photo by Rick Bowmer

 

Jamal Crawford of the Clippers on Tuesday morning was named Sixth Man of the Year a record third time. Crawford, 36, broke his own record by becoming the oldest player to win the award. Crawford was 34 when he won it two years ago. He also won the award in 2009-10 with the Atlanta Hawks.

Crawford tallied 51 first-place votes and 341 total points from a panel of 130 sportswriters and broadcasters. He averaged 14.2 points, 2.3 assists and 26.9 minutes while playing in 79 of 82 regular-season games for the Clippers.

Andre Iguodala of Golden State finished second with 33 first-place votes and 288 points and Enes Kanter of Oklahoma City was third with 19 first-place votes and 182 points.

 

 

VIDEO: Jamal Crawford kisses one off the glass at Oklahoma City

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Jamal Crawford is known as someone who can knock down a long 3-pointer with a defender in his face. He does it in the clutch, too.

But Crawford is more than just a long-distance shooter. He is a shot-maker, period. Sometimes, they’re real pretty. Like this one in the Clippers’ 119-117 loss Thursday at Oklahoma City. Crawford scored 32 points:

VIDEO: Check out this lob and dunk pulled off by Thunder in their win over Clippers on Thursday

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A lot is made of the lob passes from Clippers point guard Chris Paul to center DeAndre Jordan that result in booming dunks by Jordan.

Well, the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday displayed their prowess in this regard on this rather beautiful play during OKC’s 119-117 victory over the visiting Clippers at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Check out the connection between Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook and forward Kevin Durant. That’s the Clippers’ Jeff Green on defense:

Five things to take from Clippers’ 119-117 loss at Oklahoma City

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Jamal Crawford, center, of the Clippers shoots a 3-pointer during the Clippers’ 119-117 loss Thursday at Oklahoma City/AP photo by Alonzo Adams

 

– The Clippers rested starters Chris Paul, J.J. Redick and DeAndre Jordan and still nearly pulled off what would have been quite an upset had they emerged victorious at Chesapeake Energy Arena. That, alone, is impressive.

– The Clippers were close due in large part to the play of Jamal Crawford and Austin Rivers. They started at the guard spots for Redick and Paul and came through with 32 points apiece. Crawford also had seven assists and two steals. Rivers also had four rebounds, five assists and two steals. Crawford played 39 minutes and 57 seconds, Rivers played 39 minutes and 13 seconds. Rivers shot 7 of 9 from 3-point range.

– One has to wonder how the Clippers could get outrebounded 46-26 and still have a shot at winning the game. Well, it helps when you shoot extremely well. The Clippers shot 55.3 percent overall. More importantly, they went 16 of 29 from 3-point range, a tremendous 55.2 percent. By contrast, OKC shot just 31.2 percent (10 of 32) from beyond the arc.

– While the Clippers (47-28) were resting their stars, the Thunder (53-23) did not. Starters Kevin Durant (31 points), Russell Westrbrook (26) and Serge Ibaka (16) combined for 73 points. And the Clippers still almost beat them.

– By the time Thursday night was over, there was one very interesting item noted in the playoff standings. That would be sixth-place Portland now being just 1 1/2 games behind fifth-place Memphis in the Western Conference standings. If the Trail Blazers pass the Grizzlies, they will play the Clippers in the first round of the playoffs, which begin in about 2 1/2 weeks. Portland (40-36) has six games left in the regular season, Memphis (41-34) has seven.

Jamal Crawford marvels at terrific game had by Austin Rivers at OKC

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Adams' late basket lifts Thunder past Clippers 119-117

Austin Rivers, 25, of the Clippers takes a shot during the Clippers’ 119-117 loss Thursday night at Oklahoma City/AP photo by Alonzo Adams

 

Jamal Crawford scored 32 points in the Clippers’ 119-117 loss Thursday night at Oklahoma City. The Clippers, mind you, nearly won without the services of starters Chris Paul, J.J. Redick and DeAndre Jordan. They all rested. That’s not to mention that Blake Griffin again was out, though he is slated to return Sunday at home against Washington.

As good as Crawford was – he was 10 of 20 from the field, 5 of 8 from 3-point range and also doled out seven assists – Austin Rivers was at least as good. Rivers also scored 32 points. He shot 12 of 19 – a magnificent 7 of 9 from deep. He also had four rebounds, five assists and two steals in 39 minutes.

Crawford, who also had two steals, marveled at his much younger teammate.

“He was spectacular,” Crawford said. “He really was. He made play after play. He read the defenses, he did a great job. He competed, he really did.”

The Clippers (48-27) had won four consecutive games.

Doc Rivers, Chris Paul and J.J. Redick all agree that lack of defense reason for loss at OKC

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Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook, center, shoots between Clippers forward Wesley Johnson, left,, center DeAndre Jordan, rear, and guard Austin Rivers during the third quarter of Wednesday's game. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Russell Westbrook of Oklahoma City goes up for a shot during Wednesday’s game against the Clippers at Oklahoma City/AP photo by Sue Ogrocki

 

Russell Westbrook was one of the goats on March 2 when his Oklahoma City Thunder team led the L.A. Clippers by 17 points entering the fourth quarter of their game at Staples Center, before the Clippers came back and won by five (103-98).

Westbrook shot 0 of 6 in that final quarter, but he more than made up for that by coming through with a heck of a triple-double in OKC’s 120-108 victory over the Clippers on Wednesday in Oklahoma City. Westbrook had 25 points, 20 assists and 11 rebounds to become the first player since the Lakers’ Magic Johnson in 1988 to have a triple-double consisting of at least 25 points, 20 assists and 10 rebounds.

No one can take that away from Westbrook. But Clippers coach Doc Rivers and a couple of his key players intimated their lack of defense is why the Thunder won the game.

“I thought our defense overall from the tip was bad,” said Rivers, whose team plays host to the New York Knicks on Friday night at 7:30 at Staples Center. “One of the rare games where we just didn’t establish ourselves defensively, I thought it bled over to our offense so give them credit.

“I thought they moved the ball, they trusted their offense the entire game, made the extra passes, but I just thought we were horrible defensively tonight. It happens.”

Point guard Chris Paul concurred.

“We gave up 39 (points) the first quarter, 60-something (64) in the first half,” he said. “We just never impacted the game defensively. I feel like Russ (Westbrook) went wherever he wanted to go, and that’s on me. But we’ve got to be better.”

Shooting guard J.J. Redick gave his take.

“They played a great game,” he said post-game. “They played a great 48 minutes. Even when we would make a run, they would always respond. They got off to a great start – 39 points in the first quarter is unacceptable. We’ve been a good defensive team, but we were just awful tonight.”

All that said, Rivers made sure he gave Westbrook his due. Sort of, anyway.

“He was great,” Rivers said. “I mean, he didn’t have a lot of resistance, though, you know? We were sending him certain ways and there was nobody there to help. But he still has to do it and you can do half the league and play with wrong coverage and they still can’t get those numbers, so give Westbrook credit.”