Time to Thunder Up

I caught the OKC Thunder for the first time this season last night on TNT at the Portland Trailblazers. Reggie Miller was calling the game, but it was still thoroughly enjoyable, despite the Thunder blowing an early lead to go down big in the third quarter.

If I've learned anything about NBA basketball though, the good teams are the ones that are resilient. And getting two offensive boards in the expiring seconds of the fourth quarter to force overtime is certainly a sign of resilience, as is Russell Westbrook's three quarters of inspiring play (discounting the disappointing third period). In fact, Westbrook's highlight reel post-International play is nothing short of a top three point guard in the NBA (fuck you, Rondo).

One unfortunate trend that was appropriately noted by Miller and company is Kevin Durant's tendency to turn the ball over coupled with his lack of assists. Surely the two are connected, and you have to believe Durant will re-adjust to NBA play before too long. His teammate are getting it done, and sooner or later Durant will play a game in which he has as many assists as points. Go ahead and quote me one that.

One of his teammates getting it done of the bench is Dank Game favorite Serge "the Congolese Squeeze" Ibaka (it's gonna stick, just give it time to sink in). As the sixth man, Ibaka came off the bench in both halfs and provided lights out defensive play, keeping the Thunder in a game in which they gave up an atrocious number of offensive rebounds and let the 'Blazers shoot an absurdly high percentage in the second half.

More could be said about the Thunder's effort, including Jeff Green's 20+ points and Cole Aldrich's scrappy, albeit limited play (he didn't really do much, but Slim McFavorite feels like I'm supposed to be some big fan of his). But sitting at 3-2 and slowly cleaning up the mistakes, OKC next heads to Boston for their biggest game of the young NBA season (have I said fuck Rondo yet?)

*note - I'm pretty sure that picture isn't from last night's game, but I'm also pretty sure it's awesome.

A Belated OKC perspective on "The Decision"

I'm not here to lampoon LeBron James and his ludicrus "The Decision" ESPN special. Dank Game, among many, many others, has done that plenty already.

Instead I've allowed a little time to pass, hopefully instilling reason into my OKC-themed reaction. So here it goes:

Kevin Durant will be the 2010-11 NBA MVP. And the runner-up will probably be Kobe Bryant.

Here's why:

James won MVP honors as the defacto leader of a Cavaliers team built around him. And it is a regular season award, so any talk of him not truly stepping up in the playoffs is inconsequential. LeBron was the undisputed focus of the team that won the most regular season ball games in the NBA in the 2009-10 season.

And the runner up was Kevin Durant, from the somewhat more team-oriented Oklahoma City Thunder. OKC was only able to muster an 8th seed in a crowded Western Conference, but coming off a truly bad debut season for the OKC franchise the year before, Durant quickly reestablished himself as a young superstar. He cemented this status by supplanting James as the NBA scoring leader and again winning the All-Star weekend HORSE competition (I know nobody cares about that, but I love mentioning it).

So now, with the "Three Headed Monster" in Miami, how can James (or Wade and Bosh for that matter) truly put up MVP stats? LeBron's points per game will almost have to go down, as the offense will no longer depend on him nearly every possession; the days of him playing point-forward should be over. Although his post-season aspirations should benefit as a result of this, the fact remains James is no longer the heart and soul of his team.

But Durant is. And unless Kobe has a season that makes him look a decade younger, Durant should easily be able to repeat as scoring champion. With the Lakers getting another year older, the window is opening for the Thunder, and I definitely see them enough games (55?) to put them in the top half of the West. That coupled with his prolific scoring ability will push Kevin Durant to an MVP season.

And Kobe, the likely runner-up, will have to watch as the West begins to slip away from his Lakers.

A Miami Heat Fan's Reaction To "The Decision"

If there's one word to describe how I feel about the arrival of LeBron James to South Beach, it's conflicted. Obviously bringing LeBron to the Heat is an excellent basketball move, and Pat Riley deserves all the praise in the world for pulling off the greatest heist in NBA history, but as a Heat fan soaking this all in right now I just feel, well, dirty.

I feel dirty for rubbernecking through that entire broadcast last night, watching as Cleveland fans' hearts were scraped from the asphalt after LeBron announced "The Decision." I feel dirty because, at the expense of the Cleveland faithful, my favorite team has transformed like Voltron into a Yankees-esque super team.

While true Miami Heat fans like myself do deserve a winning team after sitting through one year of atrocious Heat basketball (2007-08) and the following two years of expiring contract mediocrity, Cleveland fans certainly don't deserve this. I would have been completely content with Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade surrounded by role players in Miami, while LeBron continued to toil away in Cleveland. But clearly, LeBron wasn't content with that fate.

Now my favorite team will forever be linked to that ridiculous broadcast last night. It seemed as if the King was a mere pawn during The Decision, as many are speculating that LeBron's marketing team LRMR pushed him into making his choice on live television. LeBron was clearly uncomfortable and flustered with his speech, at one point saying, "One thing you can't control is you never know." Maybe that's some way out there transcendental shit that's over my head, like some George Harrison lyrics or something, but my best bet is that LeBron was so caught up in the moment that he hardly knew what he was saying.

I understand and respect LeBron's choice to join Wade and Bosh with the Heat, but the television special was a huge misstep by him and his camp. Although it did raise millions of dollars through advertising for the Boys and Girls Club of America, there has to have been another way to give back to charity that spared LeBron's former fan base. As Dank Game's own Teenage Soul Patch has been quick to point out, Kevin Durant signed a lucrative long-term contract with the Thunder without any of the hype. Of course LeBron's decision carried a lot more weight, but he certainly could learn a thing or two from Durant's humility.

Feelin' Pretty Good About Miami's Draft

The NBA Draft happened last night and due to my extreme ignorance of college basketball, I'm not about to act like I know a damn thing about any of these players. If you're interested in reading about the overall outcome of the draft, I suggest you take a look at nbadraft.net's Instant Analysis and/or Tom Ziller's Draft Grades on NBA Fanhouse. I will instead focus my attention on my beloved Miami Heat's seemingly decent showing in the second round. I expect Teenage Trashstache will deliver his insight and analysis on the Thunder's draft night very soon. It will probably be something like twelve paragraphs of him raving about Cole Aldrich and how much heart he has. He'll also probably talk about Daequan "The Dayton Kid" Cook some more.

Now, onto the Heat's draft.

With the #32 pick Miami selected Dexter Pittman, a 6'11" 300 pound center from Texas, who apparently weighed almost 400 pounds in high school. He managed to drop 100 pounds, which supposedly earned him the admiration of none other than Sir Charles Barkley. At first, I was like, "why did Miami just pick some fat guy?" I was hoping they would pick up one of two 7-footers in Hassan Whiteside or Solomon Alabi, but after reading a bit and watching some video of Pittman, he seems to be a pretty athletic and skilled guy with a monstrous 7'6" wingspan. I know, I know. Watching youtube clips never tells the whole story, but I'm still excited to have a big body to man the paint. I'm hoping he'll be something like a hybrid of Big Baby and Kendrick Perkins, with Baby's motor and Perkin's D. Probably wishful thinking, but a Heat homer can hope, can't he? It's also worth noting that Pittman was a senior, so hopefully that experience at the college level will translate to the NBA. Also, this is a total buzzkill, but his fifteen year old brother was shot and killed just over a month ago, causing him to leave the NBA Draft combine.

With the #41 pick Miami selected another senior with freakish wingspan (7'4" and he's only 6'9" tall!) out of Mississippi State named Jarvis Varnado. Somehow the Heat managed to use their second pick on a player with an even sweeter name than their first draft pick, Dexter Pittman. I'm sure I'll eventually come up with a nickname for Varnado... like maybe something to do with tornados? In addition to having a totally sweet name, Varnado is the ALL-TIME LEADER FOR BLOCKS IN NCAA HISTORY!!! Yeah, sorry for writing that in all caps, but that kinda blew my mind upon reading it. He also is the only college player in history to record 1,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, and 500 blocks. I've been trying to keep from getting overly excited about this guy, but to get him in the second round seems like a pretty good pickup. Apparently his offensive game is very limited, but at the very least he provides an insurance policy should shot blocking specialist Joel Anthony leave Miami in free agency.

Somebody Up There Really Wants Me to Love the Thunder

Holy shit! Suddenly it makes sense for someone from Dayton, Ohio to root for the OKC Thunder.

Just when I was really starting to like the Thunder instead of just rooting for them on a whim, they go and do something to endure themselves to me forever. They call up SlimMcFettuccine's Miami Heat and say "Hey, can we have Daequan "The Dayton Kid" Cook, plus a better draft pick?" So Miami gave up an extremely valuable (read: marginal) player plus the 18th pick in the draft for the 32 overall pick.

I'm not even going to pretend that it makes sense to give up a player and a draft pick for a lower draft pick, but such is the way of the salary cap in the NBA. This guy from Bleacher Report says that he thinks the Heat want out of the first round so they don't have to guarantee any salaries for draft picks next year. What I want to know (hint, Slim) is who they do plan on paying to play in 2010-11?

Anyway, the Thunder now hold the 18th, 21st, 26th and 51st overall picks. So they'll pretty much be kicking everyone's ass (Miami's included) for the next decade. The best thing about it though is that I get to steal Slim's nickname!

*******

As an unrelated sidenote, I recently watched the classic musical Oklahoma. It was pretty gay but kind of cool in parts. Not so much the ones where they're singing though.

Brooklyn Thunder? Not Gonna Happen

For the first time in Dank Game history, one of our popular conspiracy theories has been lobbied at yours truly, teenage_mustache.

Specifically (if you don't feel like clicking the hyperlink above or the "read more" link on the post below), SlimMcBitchTits and some hack co-conspirator Andy "the turd" Young have suggested that LeBron's looming free agency could impact my beloved Oklahoma City Thunder. The suggestion is as laughable as the Cavaliers' defense against Garnett and Rondo.

While I appreciate Andy and Slim trying to look past the obvious - recognizing OKC, Northern Ohio and NYC interests convening at an opportune time - let's look at the facts. First off, the Thunder is one of the few teams that truly doesn't need King James. I'd like to remind you that Durant actually outscored LeBron this season. I don't see Durant and LeBron on the same team outside of the Olympics. Someone even asked Durant via Twitter (KDthunderup) if he'd like to see the Thunder sign LeBron and he responded more or less to the tune of; 'no, this is my team.'

End of an Era in Cleveland?

I know, the Cavs are out of the playoffs and there's still more basketball to be played until someone hoists up the Larry O'Brien Trophy in early June, but until then, here's another post on the last Dank Game-endorsed squad to be eliminated from the playoffs. This is a collaboration between myself and guest writer/Dank Game loyalist, Andy Young.

So this is a post I have wanted to make for quite sometime and maybe it’s a bit late, just like the Cavs' performances in the last three games. Enough has been said about LeBron, but now speculations that crazy Delonte West had an affair with LeBron’s mother have begun to surface. The authorities are citing this as the reason why LeBron went from averaging over 30 points per game in the playoffs to just over 21 points and over 6 turnovers for the final three games. I mean really, West having intercourse with Miss James is like Peter and Paul running a train on Mary. (The biblical Peter, Paul and Mary, not the shitty folk band from the 60’s) The “WITNESS” shirts might have to be recalled until this scandal subsides. I’m sure West was too busy freestyling about barbecue sauce to sweet talk Miss James into something that's finger lickin' good, but then again, maybe she is trying to conceive the next greatest thing to ever happen to basketball.

But let's talk about the rest of the team. Shaq Fu, I love you but you're old. Just about as old as the original Aristotle. Like his free throw shooting, Osama Bin Shaq was just too slow to make a difference defending in the paint against Jake Sully (Kendrick Perkins looks like an avatar) and Big Baby, who won’t be crying until he faces Dwight Howard or is yelled at by Kevin Garnett. Speaking of Garnett, let’s not also forget the Big Ticket's fade away jumpers that no one could defend. Not even "Wild Thang" Varejão could stop KG, who did come up pretty big with his frantic offense and constant effort, excluding the time he quit playing because he was bleeding and begging for a foul call. Overall, the Cavs just looked about as pathetic as the Flats in Cleveland.

It Was a Great Ride While It Lasted

All's quiet on the Dank Game front.  I assume everyone is simply bummed out about the Cavs burning out.  I had a weird feeling before the game last night that it would be LeBron James' last game in a Cavaliers uniform.  Obviously it's too early to make any strong predictions on impending free agency, but the feeling lingers.

Dwyane Wade might leave Miami.  James might leave Cleveland.  But Kevin Durant will not be leaving the Thunder.  Nor will Russell Westbrook or even Serge "The Congolese Squeeze" Ibaka.  The Thunder are the only Dank Game approved team on the way up.

So now is the time Dank Game.  Get on board the Thunder train.  The Flaming Lips are from Oklahoma City - it can't be that bad.

And in the meantime you might as well root for the Suns or even the Magic.  I will not tolerate another Lakers-Celtics Finals.

Farewell 2009-2010 Thunder

Alas, the former champs finally did get the best of the up-and-coming Oklahoma City Thunder. Two Dank Game teams down, one to go.

Having been a lifelong fan of Cincinnati sports, this is the least I've ever felt badly about a promising season coming to an end. With the Reds and the Bengals, you always kind of know that a winning season will not be followed by another.

So maybe it's a blessing that Cincinnati lost the Royals. It frees up SlimMcFavorite and myself to become free agent fans. Also fortunate is that we weren't douchey enough to become Celtics or Lakers fanboys (or have hair like the pictured Thunder fan).

So unlike the Cincinnati teams, I know I won't have to wait twenty years for another solid Thunder squad. Only seven regular season wins separated them from the defending champ Lakers. And in their series against the best in the West, the Thunder took two games, and lost by a basket or less in two others.

And here's the real kicker: This is about as young as an NBA team could possibly be. Every core member of the team hovers within a year or so of 21. And unlike almost every other team in the league right now, the Thunder aren't about to implode amidst the much ballyhooed 2010 free agent sweepstakes.

So I feel I can safely say this team is only a few years away from at least threatening a deep playoff run - conference finals or further. Meanwhile I'm just hoping the Bengals can post back-to-back winning season for the first time in 28 years.

Ron Artest's Mustache Smothers Durant/Thunder

After a convincing 110-89 game 4 victory in Oklahoma City on Saturday, the Thunder appeared overwhelmed by the Lakers last night in Los Angeles. What made the difference in the Lakers' 111-87 win? While many people are crediting Kobe's defense on Russell Westbrook, the real difference was Ron Artest's mustache.

"When Ron had the fucked up dyed hair in games 3 and 4 in Oklahoma City, I was able to get into a good rhythm. His shit just look so botched that I got into a mindset like, 'Can't nobody with fucked up hair like that stop me,' and I was able to just take it to him," said Kevin Durant in his post-game interview.

"Tonight though, I guess I just wasn't prepared for the mustache and bald head. That shit was mad intimidating. I'm just going to have to watch some tape with coach and figure out how to overcome it. He might come out with a totally new look though, so I have to be prepared for anything."

Ron Artest also gave credit to his mustache for getting into Durant's mind.

"I could tell that the dyed hair was losing its power after games 1 and 2, so I knew that I had to come back into LA with a new look that would throw Durant off his game," said Artest.

"As soon as I finished shaving my head and getting my mustache right, I looked into the mirror and said to my mustache, 'You're going to be the X-factor tonight, 'stache. Can't nobody get by you.' From that moment on, I just knew we were going to take them out. As great as my mustache was, I think my bald head deserves a lot of credit for this win too."

While Artest's 'stache proved to make the difference last night, can it continue to slow down the Thunder on their home court? Lakers' coach Phil Jackson is already planning what Artest's next look will be for game 6.

"Now that Ron is bald, we're starting to run out of options as far as what to do with his appearance," said Jackson, "but we've been tossing around some ideas on how he can come into Oklahoma City with a new, and even more intimidating look. Our first idea was to bring in a professional make up artist to make Ron look like one of the zombies from Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' music video, but that little bitch David Stern caught wind of that and threatened to fine me again. It's a real shame too, because we a had whole dance routine in the works for the announcing of the starting line-ups. At least we have Pau who basically looks straight out of the 'Thriller' video."

Because he's a big fan of mustaches and the Thunder, I tried to get a comment from Dank Game's Teenage Mustache regarding Ron's 'stache and the Thunder's loss last night. Thus far he hasn't answered his phone or responded to e-mails. I suspect that he's jealous of Ron's mustache and embarrassed by how much crazier Artest has proven to be than the Cincinnati Bengal's Chad Ochocinco.

The Dunk Heard 'Round The World

Russell Westbrook welcomes Lamar Odom to Oklahoma City.

Thursday Throwback Posterization: Shaq Crushes The Dream

It's already Thursday again Dank Gamers, so you know what that means... Throwback Posterization time! This week's throw down is courtesy of Shaq Diesel, as he absolutely destroys Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon. Because Scott Skiles was still with Orlando in this video, this is either from Shaq's first or second year in the NBA. Just a year or two later these two teams would meet in the Finals, with the Rockets sweeping Orlando for their second title in a row.

The Magic run a great play here to get Shaq the dunk. Scott Skiles cuts to the basket and gets a nice a bounce pass from Jeff Turner. Because Skiles beats his man Scott Brooks on the cut, Hakeem is forced to help on defense. Skiles notices that Olajuwon left Shaq open and immediately dishes it to him. Brooks makes a half-assed attempt to steal the ball from Shaq, and Olajuwon does his best to contest Shaq's dunk, but the Diesel is just too powerful. It's a great posterization by Shaq, who hangs on the rim with one hand to rub it in.

One thing worth noting is that both point guards in this video are candidates for this season's Coach of the Year Award. Both Scott Skiles and Scott Brooks have led young teams to unexpectedly successful seasons, with the Milwaukee Bucks and Oklahoma City Thunder, respectively.

Oh, It's On

That's right Dank Game, the moment has arrived. With the NBA playoffs only a few days away, the first official match-up is our beloved Oklahoma City Thunder vs. the hated Los Angeles Lakers.

Now I don't want to hear any guff about how the Lakers are defending champions, number one in the West, or a certain number 24. Because none of that is going to matter. The Thunder are too hungry.

Durant is the reigning scoring king of the NBA. Kobe Bryant is a pathetic fourth in the league. Russell Westbrook has 645 assists on the year. The closer Laker is this Kobe Bryant fellow again, with 365.

These stats tell me that the Lakers have only one legitimate offensive threat. Tell me how the Lakers are going to keep up with the Thunder air show with Serge "the Congolese Squeeze" Ibaka blocking half of everything Kobe tosses up with? (Ibaka has 91 blocks on the season as a rookie - he's also from the Democratic Republic of Congo - I'm trying to invent a nickname for him)

So that should settle it. Thunder over the Lakers. In six.

The only remaining question is whether it will be the Dank Game approved Miami Heat or Cleveland Cavaliers taking on the Thunder in the finals.

Stats provided by NBA.com

Thunder F*cked!

After the Thunder beat Boston last week, Kevin Garnett said that he "thought [the Celtics] were playing Michael fucking Jordan" with the way Kevin Durant was getting the whistle. This week, Durant got no call after being fouled in overtime by C.J. Miles on a potential game winning three-pointer against the Jazz. Normally KD is a pretty laid back, easy going guy, but after the no-call he was absolutely livid.

The NBA announced today that Durant was in fact fouled on the play by Miles, robbing the Thunder of a game that very much could have been theirs.

Needless to say, Teenage Mustache is busy writing an angry letter to David Stern.

Even though the officiating was less than ideal, this was still an instant classic. With a final score of 140-139, it was the most points scored in a game this season. Deron Williams and Kevin Durant both took their game to another level, with Williams finishing with a career-high 42 points and Durant finishing with a season-high 45 points.

After the Jazz seemed to have pulled away in the fourth, Durant went off for 12 points in the final three minutes. Jeff Green also made some key plays down the stretch, including a game-tying three-pointer to knot the game at 129 with 8.3 seconds left in regulation. In the end, Deron Williams would make the game winning shot with 1.1 seconds left off of a Boozer hand-off and screen. After watching this amazing game, I'm praying for a Thunder vs. Jazz matchup in the first round.

Kevin Durant Is Top Dog

Quick question:

What NBA player to date has scored the most points this season?

It isn't Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade or even LeBron James. As diehard Thunder fans who frequent the site likely already know, it's OKC forward Kevin Durant! (pictured)

Durant has scored 2,195 points through 74 games played. King James is trailing by 25 points with one fewer game played. The two each have an impressive 29.7 points per game average.

As a side note, I am pleased that in Dank Game's first NBA season, it appears every team we represent will be in the playoffs, barring an epic collapse by either the Heat or the Thunder.

Playoff Picture: Bottom of the West

The Suns are in the midst of a 5-game winning streak and hold the 5th seed in the West, just a game behind the Jazz. They could easily extend their win streak to ten games, as the rest of March is against teams currently out of the playoffs. April could be a tough month for them with games against the Bucks, Spurs, Thunder, Nuggets, and Jazz.

It's definitely possible that the Suns make it out of the first round, but I doubt they can go any further. Despite having the best offense in the league, they're still a lousy defensive team, ranking 22nd in the league. They also rely heavily on their three-point shooting, which will be hard to maintain throughout an entire seven-game series. It will be interesting to see if this team's core remains intact after this season, as their championship window is closing if it's even open at all anymore. Steve Nash is still one of the best point guards in the league at age 36, but I get the feeling he might be moved for younger talent if they're bounced in the first round. As for Amare, who knows what'll happen with him.

Projected Record: 52 - 30

Opponent if Playoffs Started Today: Utah Jazz

The Spurs sit two games behind Phoenix, tied with the Thunder for the 6th seed. They have a rough schedule ahead of them, so the Thunder could squeeze past them. In March, they face the Lakers, Cavs, and Celtics. In April, they have games against the Magic, Lakers, Suns, Nuggets, and Mavs. They also will face the Grizzlies in April, who could be fighting for their playoff lives.

Tony Parker's broken right hand at the beginning of March was a big set back for the Spurs, but they were struggling after the All-Star break even before he went down. George Hill has filled in capably and Ginobili has also taken on some point guard duties in Parker's absence. Parker is expected to return before the end of the regular season, which is good news for San Antonio, but I still have trouble seeing them as a real threat in the playoffs. They just aren't the same team they used to be. They haven't been the same on defense since Bruce Bowen retired, and Richard Jefferson hasn't seemed to fit in their system. They still have Duncan, Ginobili, and Parker though, so you can't count them out.

Projected Record: 49 - 33

Opponent if Playoffs Started Today: Dallas Mavericks

The Thunder are tied with the Spurs for the 6th seed and have a chance to pass them up. They'll have to close the season strong though, as they have a difficult schedule down the stretch. In March, their toughest games will be against the Lakers, Blazers, and Celtics. In April, they'll face the Mavericks, Jazz, Nuggets, Suns, Blazers, and finish the season against the Grizzlies. They'll have to do it largely without injured rookie James Harden, and his beard. The beard is clearly the bigger loss.

Everyone knew the Thunder would eventually be good, but nobody knew they'd be this good this soon... except for Teenage Mustache, of course. Many people have compared this year's Thunder to last year's Blazers, who made the transition from talented bunch of youngsters to playoff threat quicker than expected. Portland went into the playoffs last year with a "nothing to lose" mentality, and were put in their place by Artest and the Rockets in the first round. I think the Thunder will have more of a collective focus than last year's Blazers, but will ultimately have the same fate. They'll need a better bench and a more imposing presence at center than Nenad Krstic before they take that next step. I'll still be watching and hoping they prove me wrong (if they play someone besides the Nuggets).

Projected Record: 50 - 32

Opponent if Playoffs Started Today: Denver Nuggets

The Blazers sit just a game behind the Thunder at the 8th spot, with the Grizzlies four games behind them. I'm going to assume that the Grizz won't sneak in the playoffs, but it ain't over 'til it's over. Portland has a road heavy schedule ahead of them, which isn't a huge concern since they've been decent on the road. In March, their toughest games are against the Mavs and Thunder. They're schedule in April is manageable other than games against the Nuggets, Mavericks, Lakers, and Thunder.

It's been a tough year for Portland, as injuries have taken out several important players. Not long after losing Greg Oden for the year, center Joel Przybilla also had a season ending injury that has forced them to use 37-year old Juwon Howard at center. Not only is Howard old, but he's also not a center. Despite these and other setbacks, Portland has maintained playoff positioning throughout the season. Unfortunately, they'll probably end up getting bounced in the first round yet again at the hands of the Lakers or Nuggets. Even if everyone was healthy, I still think they lack the type of gritty, hard-nosed player you need in the playoffs.

Projected Record: 49 - 33

Opponent if Playoffs Started Today: Los Angeles Lakers

John Mayer is Stealing Teenage Mustache's Thunder

Anyone that follows Dank Game with the slightest bit of regularity knows that Teenage Mustache is as big of a Thunder fan as you can find. When it was announced the Thunder's mascot Rumble the Bison (quickly becoming a Dank Game hero) won NBA Mascot of the year, he brought you the news. When the Thunder, um... wait, that's about the only relevant news regarding the Thunder that 'Stache has ever posted here on Dank Game. But still, believe me, this guy bleeds Thunder cyan, orange, navy and marigold... I guess that metaphor works better with teams that have a limited color palette, but you get my point. 'Stache is devoted to the Thunder. I mean, would a fair weather fan drive all the way to Oklahoma City from Atlanta for every Thunder home game dressed likes this? I don't think so.

Which brings me to John Mayer.

John Mayer has revealed his allegiance with the Thunder and it seems he's more than just a casual fan. Not only does he sport a Thunder jersey, but it appears that he sports a customized Thunder jersey. That's a number 1 on his jersey, which no player on the Thunder wears. This leads me to believe that his jersey reads "MAYER" on the back and the number 1, of course, indicates that he is the Thunder's #1 fan.

It's time to take your Thunder fandom to new heights, 'Stache. This is supposed to be your team. A few years down the road when the Thunder become a legit title contender and you can finally grow a full mustache, you could become that unmistakable figure sitting courtside at every game. You could be to the Thunder what Spike Lee is to the Knicks or Jack Nicholson is to the Lakers. They play in Oklahoma City, so you probably have as good of a chance as the next guy. Only problem is that John Mayer stands in your way. Are you going to sit back and let some douche like John Mayer represent your team? I would hope not.

Do the Rumble!

Not only is the Oklahoma City Thunder's mascot Rumble the NBA's best mascot, but he can also rap. Yup, that's right. A superhuman bison that can rap.



If you have any further questions about Rumble the Bison, please view this informative video.*



*You actually shouldn't watch the video or listen to the song, because they're both stupid as fuck.

"Do the Rumble" via Trey Kerby at Ball Don't Lie

All Good Things Come to an End

One by one, the Thunder's streaks have both been stopped. On Tuesday, their 9-game winning streak was brought to an end at the hands of the Suns (without Steve Nash) after a last second floater by Jason Richardson. Jeff Green nearly hit a desparation three with under a second remaining, but it just missed.

And last night, Kevin Durant's streak of scoring at least 25 points or more was ended at 29 games in a 95-87 loss to the Spurs. Durant appeared to be on track to keep his streak alive as he finished the half with 17 points, but in the second half the Spurs held him to just 4 points.

Despite not reaching 30 games of 25 points or more, KD's streak puts him in good company. Allen Iverson (ok, maybe A.I.'s not the best of company) had a streak of 27 games with 25 points or more, while Jordan managed two 40 game streaks in his career.

I have a feeling KD's name will end up near the top of that list again.

To add insult to injury, with just under three minutes left and the Spurs up by one, Manu Ginobli somehow managed to do this:

Thursday Throwback Posterization: Kemp embarrasses Alston Lister

It has taken me all week to sift through the thousands of e-mails from Dank Game readers expressing their shock and disgust that I forgot to post a Thursday Throwback Posterization last week. Look guys, I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it to happen, and now I'm back on it. So let's just forget that it ever happened and move on.

For this week's classic posterization, I give you the "Reign Man" Shawn Kemp dunking on Alston Lister. After reading 'Stache's recent post claiming that the Supersonics would be forgotten in a matter of two years, I felt obligated to remind everyone just how sweet the Sonics were during the Kemp and Gary Payton heydays. Although I was a loyal Heat fan during my preteen years, the Sonics were my team in the West. I even had one of the ugly mid-90s forest green and maroon Kemp jerseys. I was glued to the television during the Sonics' run to the Finals, which of course ended in disappointment as they fell to MJ and the Bulls.

Now onto that dunk. As Chris Mullin indecisively attempted to man the paint and keep his defensive cover in sight, Kemp took advantage as he drove past one defender to create the open lane. As Kemp approached him, Mullin decided to get out of his way in hopes that one of his fellow Warriors had his back with the help defense. Alston Lister did try to help by attempting to draw a charge, but well... I think you can figure out the rest. I love the way Kemp cradles the ball as he drives to the hoop, and the finish with the legs spread makes it one of the most memorable posterizations of all time. Of course, the post-dunk "you just got dunked on!" taunt has helped seal this slam's legacy, but even without that I still think this one would've been remembered. In my opinion, this is the best taunt in NBA history. It's just so comical. Unfortunately, David Stern won't allow that nowadays. What a lame.

To make up for missing out on last week's Thursday Throwback Posterization, here's Kemp's Top 10 Dunks. There's just some absolutely ridiculous dunks on here including one of the best oops of all time courtesy of Gary Payton.