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Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook could return to the Oklahoma City Thunder line-up as soon as next week. If they do, the West is going to get very interesting.
COULD KD AND WESTBROOK BE BACK EARLY?
Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are back in training for the Thunder and it looks to be good news for the OKC fans as the superstar pairing are in line to return at the end of next week.
Thunder are currently 3-12 and rock bottom of the entire Western Conference, even the Lakers own a marginally better record.
Via NewsOK.com:
When the Thunder’s Friday morning shootaround opened for reporters, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook were seen on a far court, continuing to intensify their individual workouts.
Wearing a protective splint, Westbrook dribbled and shot with his surgically repaired right hand. Durant, meanwhile, rose off his surgically repaired right foot for a pair of easy dunks.
“They had good workouts the last couple days,” coach Scott Brooks said.
And the positive injury news didn’t stop there. Brooks also revealed that the two superstars will participate in parts of Thunder practice on Saturday afternoon — the first team work for either since their injuries.
“Probably not any of the contact stuff,” Brooks said. “(But) they will go through some of our practice and we’ll go from there.”
The two seem to be healing at an accelerated rate and a return by the end of next week – particularly for Westbrook – isn’t out of the question.
WHAT THE HELL GOES ON AT PISTONS PRACTICE??
Why are the Pistons 3-10 and have one of the most clueless offences in the NBA? This despite having Brandon Jennings, Josh Smith and Greg Monroe.
Via MLive.com:
“If you ask the question about why we’re not making shots, we don’t shoot,” Jennings said after Friday’s 99-89 loss to the Atlanta Hawks. “We don’t shoot in practice. We haven’t really had a chance to work on our games or anything. When we do have shootarounds, we’re not able to get up shots like we should.”
The practice-poor Pistons have played 13 games already, losing 10 of them, and rank at or near the bottom of the NBA in the most important shooting categories.
Jennings said the Pistons would make good use of the three off days upcoming, with practices on Sunday and Monday.But they have to do a better job making use of game-day shootarounds too, he said.
“I just think if you’re going to have shootaround in the morning, I think it’s good that you get loose and you should work on shots that you’re going to take in the game,” he said. “Even before, after practice, we’ve got to start getting in the gym, just working on our game more.”
50 CENT’S SON HAS GAME
Remember 50 Cent? The rapper turned humanitarian. If you don’t, just Google him.
The rapper has always been a keen basketball fan and it has worn off on the family. His son Marquise Jackson is proof of that.
When you see his face, you instantly recognise 50 Cent.
Via Slam Online:
Marquise Jackson has game. If that name rings a bell, it’s because he’s the son of Curtis Jackson, better known as 50 Cent. Despite posting averages of 19 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists per game as a senior at King’s Ridge Christian Academy just outside of ATL, the 5-9 point guard got little recruiting love and still finds himself fighting for that elusive D-1 offer. At the National Prep Showcase, he did everything in his power to earn that.
Playing against the No. 1 prep school in the country in Brewster Academy, Jackson found himself matched up with high major recruits such as Justin Simon, Jalen Adams, and David Crisp. These three point guards are going to Arizona, UConn and Washington respectively, but you wouldn’t have known that if you looked at the stat sheet. Scoring 20 points on a mere eight shots, Marquise showed some serious range and while his squad ultimately fell to Brewster, it certainly wasn’t due to his play.
