Thunder falls to Suns 113 - 110

If I had a penny for every time the Thunder let me down...I'd be very poor.

OKC lost last night's game against Phoenix Suns with a result 113-110. The man of the hour was Suns' forward Grant Hill who scored a season-high 30 points. Those points were also his 30 point game since 2000.

During the first half, the Thunder was showing a fragile offensive. The only one who was trying to keep up with the Suns was James Harden. Shots were definitely lacking except for Todd Lafferty who made the Midfirst Bank half court shot for $20,000.

The Thunder turned things around during the third quarter. OKC's offensive started their engines and scored 40 points. In the fourth quarter they took the lead by three points. Although OKC was doing a good job, in the final minutes they were unable to close out the game.

Westbrook was fouled with only 30 seconds left and scored two foul shots. This game's destiny was written when the Suns were fouled which "helped" them lead by three points. At the buzzer Jeff Green tried to score but the ball merely hit the front of the rim.

Durant finished the game with 28 points, while Jeff Green, Russell Westbrook and Nick Collison all had 19 for OKC.

This loss marked the end of the Thunder’s five game win streak. OKC's next game is against Charlotte Bobcats. Let's hope that our guys will start a new winning streak from this game and continue it until the season is over.

THUNDERUP!!!

Kevin Durant 2010 USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year

It's good to see a man proud of the place in which he lives. It's good to see a man live so that his place will be proud of him.

It all started several months ago when Kevin Durant led team USA to win golden medals in the 2010 FIBA World Championships. Humble Durant had a dynamic performance and set numerous records for the U.S. team.

During the World Championships, Durant had an average of 22.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.4 steals per game which were a strong catalyst to an impeccable victory in Turkey.

And to think that all of this was done without the help of LeBron James, Kobe Bryant or Dwight Howard.

KD is definitely enjoying more than 15 minutes of fame. He is doing a great job at leading Oklahoma City Thunder - 1st in the Northwest Division.

After receiving his award, Durant scored 32 points to mark an important victory over Houston Rockets, 117-105.
“It means a lot,” Durant said. “My goal was to represent my country to the best of my ability. I really appreciate all the coaches and players that I got to share that experience with. I’m very humbled by this honor.”
Humble Durant joined previous winners such as Jason Kidd, Carmelo Anthony, Tim Duncan, etc.
He will also be submitted for the U.S. Olympic Committee’s 2010 Sportsman of the Year Award, which will be announced in January.

His phenomenal performance has also put him in the lead of all West Conference forwards for this year’s All-star game with 471,000 votes.

KD recently reached his 250th game in the NBA with 6,360 points. Shaquille O’Neal (6,830) and LeBron James (6,638) were the only ones who managed to score more points in the same amount of games.

Of what shall a man be proud, if he is not proud of his friends? -Robert Louis Stevenson.

Everyone who had the chance to follow KD on facebook or even twitter can notice his humbleness - he never takes credit for victories. He's always praising his teammates and helping them to climb the ladder of success, be it for team Thunder or team USA .

Since Durant can't thank enough everyone for the support, I think we should do our best to let him know how much we thank him.
If you can't find a good reason, let me to give you one: when a Thunder game is on and KD is playing, we should thank him for a very simple thing, such as allowing people to check their problems at the door, sit down and have a good time.

We can no other answer make, but thank you, thank you and thank you.

We are proud of you KD!

Bad weather for Cleveland Cavaliers - Thunder ahead

There are two alternatives that explain OKC's victory against Cleveland Cavaliers:

No. 1 - the Thunder is a helluva team and
no.2 - the Thunder is a HELLUVA team!

Last night's game was phenomenal. OKC won over Cavs with a result 106-77. The Thunder dominated all the time which led to the biggest victory of all season - so far.

Kevin Durant played for 3 quarters and scored 25 points and seven rebounds. James Harden and Jeff Green added 19, while Westbrook scored 14 points and eleven assists.

Except the wonderful team-play, the one that stood out from the rest of the guys was James Harden. He played for 20 minutes and scored 20 points. If you add the three magical assists and rebounds, you can definitely consider him a magician.

Speaking of magicians, KD did an astonishing job at the last night's game. As the initiator of the victory, he made a 3-pointer to put the Thunder ahead in the first quarter.

Now, if you watch the picture I posted carefully, you will agree with me that Durant should be the Old Spice NBA guy. Just think about it and picture KD saying this to other NBA players:

Look at your team, now back to mine. Now back to yours, now back to mine.
Sadly, yours isn't mine. But if you stopped playing like that and watched how we play, your team could be like mine.
Look down, now back up. Where are you? You're watching TV, watching me play the game that you could play.
I'm on air.

Back to serious stuff.

As mentioned above, this game was the biggest victory of the season for the Thunder. But the season is still young. Who knows, maybe the Lakers will have a surprise from OKC.

Thunder's next game is against Houston Rockets on Wednesday. We hope OKC will keep up the good work and never cease to amaze us.

THUNDERUP!!!

OKC Thunder vs. Minnesota T-Wolves

Out with the dark blues and in with the OKC colors!

After a tough loss in Chicago, the Thunder got back by winning the game against Minnesota Timberwolves 111-103.

The first quarter definitely wasn't an indicator that OKC would win - the Wolves kept a deficit by 19 points. OKC's game during the third and fourth quarter proved instrumental at this victory.

The one that made the difference was Kevin Durant. He tied the score with a 3-pointer with only 34 seconds left. After that, humble Durant made his way back to the defense while clapping his hands with a GAME ON! attitude.

Besides tying the score, KD kept doing his job in order to win. He scored 30 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and six assists.
Russell Westbrook contributed 25 points and eight assists while Serge Ibaka had a career-high 8 blocks.

OKC as a team had 42 rebounds. What helped the Thunder get back into the game, was strong defense and rebounding which was all thanks to our leader Kevin Durant.

Along with Westbrook, KD is considered the first wheel of the "Thunder Mobile" - if they go right, the rest of the wheels will follow them. Until now, that's exactly what they've been doing.
Durant and Westbrook are the "Now the party don't start 'til I walk in" leaders. And man, we need that party going more than ever!

THUNDERUP!!!

Thunder stopped by Bulls

It only happens when it rains...

Disappointed?- Naah.
Angry? -Absolutely not.
Happy? -No, not really.
Sad? -A little.

It's not because the Thunder lost. OK, maybe a little.
But it's more because of the unbelievably high expectations in life. You know how it goes - when you make them, you feel energized, ready to conquer the world and when these expectations are too high, they slam you on the dirt.

It only happens when it rains...

It's not because the Thunder lost. They did a solid job in the first and second quarter. During the third one, offense had difficulties at performing their best game.
In the fourth quarter, OKC outscored the Bulls 24-17 but only for a short period of time.
The Thunder fell to Chicago Bulls 90-99.

Kevin Durant scored 29 points and five rebounds while Russell Westbrook added 19 points, seven assists and five rebounds also.

Nenad Krstic scored career-high 18 points and six rebounds.
James Harden contributed with 13 points off the bench to a total of 90 points that marked OKC's loss.

Boozer scored 29 which were instrumental at finishing the game with 99 points for the Bulls.

Being a little sad doesn't mean that it's because the Thunder lost. Sometimes it's because of the high expectations. When these expectations are too high, they slam you on the dirt.
Then you try to get back up. You crawl but you fall again.

Then it starts to rain.
When it does, you feel hurt and sad but you fail to realize the most important thing. By the time all of this happened, you got back on your feet while the magical droplets of rain washed away the dirt from you.

G.K. Chesterton said: And when it rains on your parade, look up rather than down. Without the rain, there would be no rainbow.

It only happens when it rains...

THUNDERUP!

Thunder strikes, Warriors surrender

Durant and Westbrook left aside their Competitor Attitude for a moment when they met USA teammate Stephen Curry. They exchanged their golden smiles which were won in Turkey, except Curry's smile turned into a frown.
This happened due to OKC's victory against the Warriors with a result 114-109.

The Thunder led by 23 points in the third quarter. The fourth quarter was led 90-70, until Monta Ellis (29 points) and Stephen Curry (39 points, six assists) tied down the result in 114-109.

Durant's return brought freshness inside the team. Besides scoring 28 points, seven rebounds and missing only one shot from the line, humble Durant helped his teammates to score double-digits.

Russell Westbrook scored 19 points and 13 assists whose last night's appearance showed the absolute definition of "landing a hand".
Serge Ibaka Scored 19 points and eight rebounds, Jeff Green 17 points and eight rebounds also, while James Harden scored 12 points.

The Thunder as a team, made impressive 37 shots of 40 at the foul line.

OKC's next game is against Chicago Bulls. Last time these two teams met, was at the season opening of the Thunder. Our team did a good job by winning 106-95.

Since OKC won their previous game "thanks" to my raised Believe-O-Meter, imagine what they would do if every fan believed in their winning abilities.
And by this, I don't mean I-love-OKC-when-they-win, and I-hate-OKC-when-they-lose kind of "fans".
Kobe Bryant once said: My parents are my backbone. Still are. They're the only group that will support you if you score zero or you score 40.

Now, we're not OKC players' parents, sisters or brothers but we surely are their second family. So lets show them that by giving maximum support no matter what.

THUNDERUP!!!

Thunder's lightning didn't work in Toronto

It snowed here in Kosova. I never liked snow more than today.
Actually, I never liked snow.
Maybe because I kept falling down and embarrassing myself, but today, I slowed down the pace.
I stood glued to the window until the snow stopped falling.

Then the magic disappeared along with the melted snow.

This reminded me OKC's recent games. Their victories were beautiful to watch, just like the snowflakes. Until last night, when the magic disappeared somehow.

OKC was defeated by Toronto Raptors with a result 99-111. The first half belonged to the Thunder (59-52). With Durant inactive for two games in a row, the winning responsibility was on Westbrook's shoulders.
He did the best he could by scoring 20 points and seven assists. Westbrook couldn't reach his full potential due to Jose Calderon's great ability to keep him from scoring.

Defense made the difference and won the previous games but not this one. This time, defense was weaker. With only 3 minutes left, they "let" Toronto lead 99-89.

To the total sum of 99 points, James Harden did a good job by contributing 20 points, same as Westbrook, while Jeff Green scored 17 points and seven assists.
But the one that stood out from the rest of the team was Thabo Sefolosha. Last night he set a career-high with six steals.

OKC's next game is against Golden State Warriors. I'm not good at predicting but since the holidays are near, my Believe-O-Meter has raised considerably.
With that said, I hope and believe that OKC will win this one.

And if they don't, it's alright. Because you know what they say - a good balance of winning and losing is important. You need a few losses to remind you how much winning means to you.

It's OK to lose sometimes.

What really matters is that you give your absolute best. And that's what I believe our guys always do. With or without Durant. With or without magic.

THUNDERUP!

Thunder wins over Nets in OT

Oklahoma City Thunder - New Jersey Nets 123-120. Triple overtime. Flawless Westbrook. Amazing Green. Solid defense.

It seems perfect, doesn't it?
Except the fact that Kevin Durant was inactive due to a sore left knee.
But he was there. Wearing an elegant yet sportive suit, humble Durant was cheering for the team and giving maximum support.

I am proud to say that the Thunder is currently 2nd in the Northwest Division. This ladder climb is all thanks to great games that the team is playing, such as last night's.

Westbrook and Green were the key players of the game.They combined together 75 points for the Thunder.
Since Jordan Farmar and Brook Lopez missed potential game winners in the first and second overtime, Westbrook took over by giving OKC another win. He did this by scoring 38 points, nine assists and 15 rebounds.

A great "Westbrook Moment" during the game was when he dunked a missed jumper from Serge Ibaka. To me it seemed as if he was doing the "Red Bull gives you wiiiings" commercial.

Nets played good since they pushed OKC in overtime with a 3-point buzz-beater shot. Even though they took a late-game lead in the fourth quarter, their game wasn't good enough to win.

Jeff Green's wonderful appearance was crowned with a career high 37 points and three free throws, with only 4.6 seconds which sent the Thunder in the third overtime.

By winning this game, the Thunder showed that endurance is patience concentrated. Last night, everything was like it should be. OKC won thanks to: triple overtime, flawless Westbrook, amazing Green and solid defense.

It almost seems perfect, doesn't it? Except the fact that Kevin Durant was inactive due to a sore left knee.

We missed you KD.

THUNDERUP!!!

Thunder - Hornets 95-89

Kevin Durant, Kevin Durant...name so nice you say it twice!

I'm sure his name was mentioned more than twice since he was the hero of last night's game. Humble Durant made a generous contribution to Thunder's victory by scoring 26 points and eleven rebounds.

This all happened before coach Scott Brooks assigned him Hornets' forward David West with only five minutes to go. That's when Durant's game made my heart pound crazy. His wingspan proved to be instrumental at blocking an almost 100% dunk from Okafor.

Besides Durant's astonishing appearance, a worth mentioning moment is when Jeff Green used his gummi-bear jump and blocked spectacularly Chris Paul.

Westbrook's appearance was also amazing. He finished the game with 25 points, eleven assists, five rebounds and five steals.

Scott Brooks' decision to put Durant in the defensive end was a smart move. By doing so, he not only won the game but also showed that Durant is a well-rounded player and can do anything as long as he puts his mind to it.

Thomas Carlyle once said: Not what I have, but what I do is my kingdom.
Thunder's home win over the Hornets is one more proof that Kevin Durant is a great leader who is leading his kingdom at winning the battles.

Make us proud KD.

THUNDERUP!

Thunder falls to Rockets 98-99

I'm lovin' it!

Yes, definitely McDonald's but also Russell Westbrook's incredible dunk over Shane Battier. He did his best by scoring 23 points and ten assists, which weren't enough at winning the game.

The Thunder fell to Rockets with a result 98-99.

Kevin Durant did a good job but wasn't in his best shape. With only 29.9 seconds remaining, Durant failed the shot which would help OKC leave from Houston with a victory.

Serge Ibaka replaced Nenad Krstic who has a sore lower back. This decision proved to be great since Ibaka scored 16 points and eight rebounds.

OKC's next game is against the Hornets. Both of the teams have experienced losses so there will be a clash of titans. Since OKC is hosting, they will definitely offer a great hospitality to New Orleans Hornets. The latter will probably leave from Oklahoma City with something... a loss, that is.

Besides being the world's coolest robot - Terminator, Arnold Schwarzenegger said something very important when it comes to winning and losing.
He said: Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength.

That's what Kevin Humble Durant and the rest of the team should always remember. No matter if they win or lose we will always be there to cheer for the Thunder and support them.

One for all and all for one, right?

THUNDERUP!!!

Thunder lights up Pacers

And we’re back!

OKC’s duo, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook put some hocus in their pocus last night!

I’m not sure if this magic happened due to Thanksgiving and Black Friday, but the Thunder was certainly giving away points like they were presents while the Pacers’ defense just couldn’t get enough!

Last night’s victory was all Westbrook. He scored 43 points – that’s FORTY-THREE points! These great scoring numbers were a powerful catalyst to OKC’s victory over Pacers with a result 110-106 in OT.

Due to circumstances, like time zone, I couldn’t watch this game. So there will not be any details or slow – mo’ this time. Only some vivid imagination with Kevin Durant. Scoring, that is.

Anyway, life’s good people. Especially during the holidays when we have the chance to show our generous side and thankfulness.

Among other things, I’m thankful for technology’s advancement that breaks all barriers, such as time zone. By doing this, it enables people like me, who happen to live on the other side of the world to keep up with the wow’s of the now.

But one day, I’ll see Oklahoma City Thunder’s games in person. Someday, someway, somehow, I won’t need no technology, not even 3D screens. I will actually do something that for other people turned into a habit.

Oh, Earth’s calling. I better get that one.

Thunder’s next game is against Houston Rockets. It might be easy, it might be difficult. It all depends if our guys continue adding that hocus in their pocus.

But whatever happens, always remember that life is good. God is a great painter. Everything He creates is a work of art. If you don’t believe me look at the sun, the moon and the stars…and don’t forget thunder!

THUNDERUP!!!

From WOW to OW - OKC falls to Mavericks

So the winning streak was broken on Wednesday night by Dallas Mavericks.
So what?! That doesn't make the Thunder less of a solid team.

There's a saying in Albanian "Sa ma nalt, aq ma poshtë". Translating it in English would sound very funny but I'll tell you what it means.
It means that MAYBE we've been praising the team too much and that is the reason why they lost last night.

If you had the chance to watch the game, you probably thought that the Thunder was going to win since they were doing a very good job during the three quarters.
Dallas Mavericks outscored the Thunder in the fourth quarter due to Nowitzki's 17 points which led to 111-103 loss to the Mavs at Oklahoma City Arena.

The Thunder guys did a great job at stopping Dirk Nowitzki and the rest of the team but they couldn't hold them for too long.

Durant's wonderful appearance was crowned as usual by scoring 32 points, 11 rebounds and five assists. Ibaka, Sefolosha, Westbrook and Collison did a great job too especially Ibaka who played a flawless defense on Nowitzki.

We must always remember that OKC is a team with a lot of young players who don't have much experience but still, this year wasn't just a year better than the other ones. Instead it's a year that brought more experience.

Another saying in Albanian is "Nuk ka rëndësi nëse rrëzohesh. Ajo cfarë është e rëndësishme është të ngrihesh përsëri". This one will not sound funny when I translate it for you.
It means It's not whether you fall down, it's whether you get up again.

Just because they didn't win, it doesn't mean that OKC gave up.
It's Thanksgiving Day, so let's thank our guys for every game they played and for keeping us proud.

OKC, thanks for giving!

THUNDERUP!!!

Thunder - Mavericks Quick Preview

Durant and the Thunder are on a 5 game winning streak when the Dallas Mavericks roll into the Ford Center tonight. The last time these two teams met was on April 4th and OKC walked away with a win in a high scoring game despite Durant shooting an abysmal 38.9%.

Dallas has had some struggles this season and will be looking to right the ship on the back of Nowitzki who has been willing his team to victory.

This looks like a good match up on paper but in my opinion it will be #6 in the streak for OKC!

OKC + Durant = Magic

He's back people!

No, not Elvis Presley!
I'm talking about Kevin Humble Durant.

After a two-game absence from a sprained ankle, Durant came back as if he never left. Along with teammate Jeff Green who had the same ankle issue, they lead OKC to victory against Minnesota with a result 117-107.

Durant grabbed eight rebounds, five assists and scored 28 points while Green contributed by scoring 24 points. Westbrook's great appearance was crowned with 20 points and 14 assists.

Sefolosha got an offensive rebound and kicked it out to Green, who scored a key three-pointer with only 54.5 seconds left.

Except wonderful scoring numbers, the Thunder continued to do a phenomenal job of sharing the ball, a total of 20 assists on 24 baskets.

This nine-game winning streak has helped the Thunder to rank no.5 in the Western Conference. If our guys continue to keep up the good work, OKC will rise even more.
If they maintain the same pace, people will remember the Thunder for a very long time ( and every time there are thunder lightnings in the sky)

THUNDERUP!!!

OKC wins, Celtics limp

Durant limped from his twisted ankle but not the team. Everyone thought since KD won’t be playing against Celtics the Thunder would have slight chances of winning.

But they probably forgot that Westbrook was there and took all the responsibility to leave from Boston with a victory. He lead the Thunder to win over Celtics with a result 89-84. He did this by scoring 31 points, six assists, four rebounds and two steals.

The Thunder led almost the entire game while the undefeated team at home wasn’t in their best shape. Offense without Durant and Green was fragile for three quarters. But defense and free-throw shooting helped OKC win.

Royal Ivey’s great appearance helped the Thunder in a great way. He made a long jumper from the corner which was wonderful. But what it really made it special, was the fact that he did it almost the moment he checked into the game.

Also, his three-point bank shot while the clock was running out was astonishing. By doing so, Ivey gave the Thunder its first double-digit lead of the game.

Third quarter, with only 38 seconds to go and up by only one point, OKC made all the right moves to stop the Celtics. The ball eventually got in the hands of Ray Allen for the shot but, the good news is that he missed it thanks to Thunder’s solid defense.

It goes without saying that Westbrook did a phenomenal job as the leader of the team. It was especially important to win a game of this kind, against the team who hasn’t lost at home…until now.

The Thunder played without Kevin Durant, the team’s superstar and leader. Even though he was inactive, he showed moral support. The cameras also caught him while he was going inside. He was wearing a knitted ear-flap hat, headphones and a backpack with the just-bought ticket on.

Limping? Yes.

Cute? Yes.

We wish him a speedy recovery with this:

Here’s us, hoping avidly your recovery will be trouble-free,

and very soon we shall see, you fit, as fit can be .

THUNDERUP!

Westbrook - Rockets

I was making my way downtown, walking fast, with my iPod on. Iyaz was playing and the song goes something like this:

Shawty's like a melody in my head
*mumble*
It's like my iPod is stuck on replay, replay.

Then something happened. This song triggered in my head a video I had seen that I kept replaying.
Voilà! I suddenly started smiling because I remembered the video. It's the moment when Westbrook takes back the stolen ball and slams!

All of a sudden, I see people walking away from me. What I didn't know is that they somehow, felt threatened from my creepy smile. They didn't know I was smiling for a good reason though.

Anyway, as the song kept fading away from my mind, I started thinking about the game that Thunder won over Rockets.

I mean, did you see it?! Did you see Durant, Westbrook, Sefolosha and the rest of the team?

Because it you didn't, you really missed a wonderful game with a wonderful teamwork.

The first half went pretty good with Durant scoring 17 points. But it's the second half that was amazing. OKC was playing a good game.

Then the routine broke. Westbrook had the ball and in a matter of seconds Lowry stole it from him. As the whole team started to run on the other way, Westbrook decided not to let this one slip away just like that.

He ran back, took the stolen ball and slammed!

Let me "slow mo" this for you. Westbrook took the stolen ball back with the hey-that's-mine attitude. He started running and rose from the floor to slam.
He probably made a phone call while on air!

Boy that must have felt great. I can't even imagine how it felt to actually be there and see it happen.

That's the most beautiful memory I took from this game. It was simply amazing.
Of course Thunder won over Rockets by 116-99.

So far, the Thunder won 7 games and lost 4 of them. Tonight OKC plays against Boston Celtics. I really hope the will keep up the good games and as usual, keep playing for the name in front of the jersey, not the one on the back.

Here's the link to Westbrook's magic trick in case you didn't see it. I assure you it will be stuck in your head on re-re-replay-ay.

http://ht.ly/3bGrz

THUNDERUP!

Happy birthday Russell Westbrook!

Go Westbrook, it's your birthday,
we're gonna party like it's your birthday,
we weren't invited, but it's OK...

Actually, his birthday was two days ago - 12 November. It was the same day when the Thunder played against Portland.

Westbrook celebrated his 22nd year on earth by scoring 36 points that contributed to Thunder's victory over Portland (110 - 108).

Willie Stargell said: When they start the game, they don't say work ball, they say play ball.
So, even though you give your best, don't forget to have fun.

After all, Westbrook along with the team, play for the name in the front of the jersey, not the one on the back.

Happy birthday Russell!

We wish you a long and happy life in OKC, together with us.

Durant plays basketball with Obama

There's always next year, Durant said unexcited
after finding out that he wasn't invited
to play basketball with the man himself
Barack Obama, the U.S. President.

The game was for soldiers wounded in combat
not just for fun, it wasn't like that.
NBA stars Bryant, James and Wade
shot some hoops
but for Durant it wasn't late.

You know what they say,
better late than never.
Durant played bball
next month in September.

All that it took
was his agents to call
Obama's aide Reggie Love, that's all.

Along with him he took his mother,
grandmother and teammates but no other.
Maynor and Harden didn't even strife,
since they tweeted "I love my LIFE".

Except his birthday,
18 September
is a day of month Durant
will always remember.

What an opportunity,
almost heaven sent.
"It was a great feeling" he mentioned
"to meet the President".

5 reasons to love Kevin Durant

Who is he? – An anti-sports girl would ask.

ONLY the tall, dark and handsome guy that all girls dream of! – Would answer another one.

True, but besides that, Durant is also the world’s most humble athlete. This is an answer from a girl who loves sports and is a lawyer-to-be, which automatically classifies me

There are 5 reasons why I think like this. Let me tell you why Kevin Durant is my favorite basketball player.

1. He is a humble person – I know that every time you read something about KD, it’s IMPOSSIBLE not the notice the word humble. Well, let me tell you that if he wasn’t, people wouldn’t be mentioning it.

But what really strikes me is the fact that he doesn’t have the ” I’m a star. I’m unapproachable” attitude while putting his shades on.

It’s actually completely the opposite! He talks to his fans, lets them know about his day and asks for their opinion on different matters.

As you’ve probably seen lately, Durant moved to a new neighborhood and has a big fan who lives next door. His name is Mathias Murphy and he’s been posting videos of KD while he’s eating breakfast, taking out the trash, etc.

In this case, an average superstar would call the police. But considering the fact that KD is above average, he actually invited him over for a game. Need I say more?

2. He is a humble basketball player – Again the word humble, you would say. So what?! I think Durant’s middle name should be Humble – Kevin ‘Humble’ Durant! (Wouldn’t sound “humble” if he’d be the one saying this though…)

I don’t know about you, but I noticed this at the FIBA World Championship. During the games Durant made an excellent appearance. He never behaved aggressively and was always patient while waiting for his turn.

You can notice that at all of his interviews, he remains down to earth and never praises himself. A trait which, honestly is almost in the same level as the species that are near extinction.

3. He has a big heart – I’ve drawn this conclusion based on his actions. I have had the chance to read about his KD shoes during the FIBA World Championship. What was special about these shoes, except their nice colors, was the fact that he wrote ON them about the 9/11 tragedy. He found a subtle way to express his condolences to all the families that lost their dear ones. Which leads me to the 4th reason.

4. His attention to detail – To me, the little things are the ones that count. Kevin Durant used his eye to detail in a very intelligent manner (back to the KD shoes).

These are not just any kind of shoes that contain a beautiful graphic; every line and logo has a special meaning to Durant: the logo inside the shoe, containing the letters W P, refer to the initials of his parents’ names. The number 35 represents the age when his first coach, Charles Craig died tragically, etc.

As a detail-oriented person, I have noticed that a few seconds before shooting a free throw, Durant moves his right shoulder in a very subtle way which, I think is adorable.

Also, at his velvet hoop commercial, you can notice how he slightly raises his right eyebrow while singing (If you think this detail-oriented thing of mine is weird, wait until I tell you about my obsession with people’s noses!).

5. He’s one of a kind – Kevin Durant has the perfect combo of personality, talent, hard work and, ahem, physical appearance. It’s needless to say that this kind of combination leads to uniqueness.

Kevin Durant is no “next Michael Jordan” not even Kobe Bryant or LeBron James. He’s the first Kevin Durant and the young players to come, are going to be referred as “the next KD”.

Now, I don’t make predictions, I’ll leave those to fortune tellers and people who are good at this. But as an optimistic and a firm believer, I truly hope and believe that Durant will keep his positive traits and enrich them even more as time goes by.

He is a role model for many boys who want to be successful basketball players. Imagine how wonderful it would be if they adapted Durant’s personality.

Humbleness after all, might be saved from extinction.

Now that would be worth-mentioning when writing about the greatest, positive influences in the world!

The contribution of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook at the 2010 FIBA World Championship

It’s not always easy to be in charge.
Let me rephrase that — it’s NEVER easy to be in charge.

Ask the oldest kid of the family.

In case you are the oldest one, you’ll know what I’m talking about; people always expect you to be the best and responsible for everyone else’s actions; they expect you to carry the heavy weight – believe me, I do this with my older sister.
Nevertheless, the oldest ones are the role models. They are the ones that write the book so that the youngest ones can learn from it.

But often, people tend to get caught up with the successes of the family’s number one that they completely forget the second child.( If you are the middle one you’ll know what I’m talking about.)
We are the ones who usually are unintentionally forgotten because the oldest sibling needs the undivided attention at choosing the right path, and the youngest ones…well, they’re just way too adorable not to cover the with love and presents!

So basically, the second one has to wait until their time comes. And though it can come early or late, it’s always worth the wait. (Ooh, rhyming!)

The same happened at the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey which was won by the amazing, B team! Not first, but second team, second choice!
They say that top cats often begin as underdogs and this case is the living proof.

The OKC’s duo, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook were instrumental at bringing home the victory after 16 years. They not only helped winning the gold medal but they also set personal records.

Kevin Durant’s appearance was astonishing by scoring 38 points (record) in the finals, an average of 22.8 points per game, third best among all tournament participants, grabbed 61 rebounds per game, shot 55,6% from the field, 45,6% from 3-point and 91.2% from foul line. Needless to say, this kind of appearance can only be crowned as the MVP of the World Championship.

Russell Westbrook was no less successful; he helped to win the gold medal by a summary of 82 points in total and a 84.0% free-throw average. Also, it is worth mentioning that he is one of the top 25 shooting guards in the nation.

Now, I truly hope that Durant and Westbrook saved some of the art they did, for the new season of the NBA. An art of that kind, combined with the rest of the team HAS to result in a masterpiece!

And by masterpiece I mean this:

An armed to the teeth team with all the determination and passion needed to make it to the top, lead by Kevin Durant, whose glory, devotion, grace and humbleness are all that’s required to be the best.
As they go step by step shaking the ground, the crowd goes silent.
The game starts.
We watch the magic happen.
We cheer for the Thunder while they dunk, and score, and score, and score…

Our time has come.

THUNDERUP!

Durant extension cements Thunder as legit

Sorry, free agency fanatics. You'll have to wait a while for Kevin Durant to hit the market.

OKC's young stud agreed Tuesday to a five-year, $86 million extension to his rookie contract, keeping him in the Midwest through 2016.

This is as noteworthy as the outcomes of LeBron, Wade and Bosh, if in a different way. Durant is showing the kind of steadiness and faithfulness to his team that is all too rare in today's NBA. For every Durant, Deron Williams and Tim Duncan, there's a slew of LeBrons, Boozers and Boshes who value leaving over longevity. The former produces mercenaries. The latter makes icons.

Like Duncan, Durant's name and face are synonymous with his team. This is the best possible outcome for a team only three years removed from relocation. When the Thunder-then-Sonics left Seattle, naysayers questioned the franchise's ability to stay relevant in such a small market. The Thunder's relatively unimpressive logo/name didn't do much to quiet their ridicule.

There's no denying OKC's identity now, not with the Thunder fresh off a playoff appearance and Durant cementing their legitimacy. Besides, if perennial contenders like the Spurs and annual doormats like the Knicks prove anything, market size is overrated. Like the Spurs, look for the Thunder to contend through home-grown products and savvy spending.

The seeds of that are already in place. Like the rest of the team, KD is young, hungry and improving.

It looks like they'll stay that way.

Thunder looking to avoid free agent panic with Durant

Free agency may be great for fan attention and gossip, but the Thunder would just as soon avoid all that, thank you very much.

Oklahoma City has no intentions of going through what Toronto, Utah, Cleveland, Miami and a handful of other teams are facing right now - the very real possibility of their franchise player taking off. Seeing other clubs' desperation had to be extra motivation for Sam Presti and the rest of OKC's brass to lock up Kevin Durant ASAP, and that's exactly what they're trying to do.

They already know other teams are willing to start planning two years in advance for a superstar's free agency. It's not something OKC is willing to risk, especially in a small market where superstars are needed keep the franchise relevant both on and off the floor. It's easy to wonder what will happen to Cleveland and Toronto if LeBron James and Chris Bosh leave, respectively. Can professional basketball ultimately continue in cities disdainfully dropped by the league's best?

Again, the Thunder would rather not face that themselves.

The signs are positive thus far. Durant has done nothing but exude fondness for Oklahoma City, both as a franchise and a city. He seems set in helping himself and the team progress. He doesn't want to go to a better team. He wants the Thunder to be a better team, and is willing to do all the little and big things to see it happen.

Unlike other stars, Durant has the backing of competent management. Every year they do well through drafting and trades. This year's draft was no exception. The underrated coup of the night was OKC swapping their No. 18 pick for a future Clippers' first-round pick (A.K.A. lottery pick).

Between the smarts at the front office, a solid surrounding cast of young and improving players and a college-like atmosphere of support, Durant has every reason to feel good about extending his commitment to OKC.

And that's what has the Thunder feeling a lot better than the Cavs right now.