{"id":5172,"date":"2017-12-12T15:51:31","date_gmt":"2017-12-12T21:51:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fredsportsextra.com\/?p=5172"},"modified":"2018-04-13T02:31:08","modified_gmt":"2018-04-13T07:31:08","slug":"freds-sports-take-12-12-07-thunder-rumble-mayfield-disrespect-national-semi-finals-first-look-o-state-and-ou-basketball-fox-suspends-marshall-fault","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fredsportsextra.com\/?p=5172","title":{"rendered":"Fred’s Sports Take (12-12-17) Thunder Rumble; Mayfield Disrespect; National Semi-finals first look; O-State and OU basketball; Fox suspends Marshall Fault……"},"content":{"rendered":"
Carmelo Anthony did not speak to the media after his Oklahoma City Thunder were beaten last night\u00a0at the Peak by the Charlotte Hornets.\u00a0 The loss sends the Thunder two games under five hundred as Big Blue now stands 12-14 in this most disappointing season start.<\/p>\n
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The ownership in OKC must be wondering what the heck is going on as the payroll for this franchise is extraordinarily high with super stars Russell Westbrook and Paul George on the roster along with the $20 million dollar man Steven Adams\u00a0to go with along with\u00a0Carmelo Anthony\u00a0and his \u00a0$26 million dollar salary. Anthony is guaranteed another year in OKC which is not good either.<\/p>\n
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As the\u00a0team finds ways to breakdown during games, finding ways to lose is becoming a habit.\u00a0 Yes, they have wins over Golden State and San Antonio, but the Thunder\u00a0have been taken to the woodshed by\u00a0such teams\u00a0as Charlotte last night.<\/p>\n
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The shooting\u00a0on the floor for this\u00a0NBA team\u00a0is most times awful.\u00a0 Russell Westbrook cannot, with consistency, make an eight foot elbow\u00a0jumper nor\u00a0can drive to the basket and get a bucket more times than not.\u00a0\u00a0Westbrook\u2019s\u00a0going 6 for a 100\u00a0from the floor has to stop.<\/p>\n
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Anthony and George also\u00a0do not make the easiest of shots, and both seem to lose their attention\u00a0during\u00a0 games with needless turnovers and less than inspired play.\u00a0Fact of the matter, Carmelo looks old\u2026\u2026and\u00a0cannot out\u00a0jump Kendrick as in Perkins.<\/p>\n
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With too many one way players, such as\u00a0Alex\u00a0Abrines (can not play defense) and Andre\u00a0Roberson (can\u00a0not shoot the ball) OKC is not a team\u00a0constructed of good all-around ball players.\u00a0 That is a recipe for disaster.<\/p>\n
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With some dissention in the locker room, hopefully this team\u2019s problems will come to a head and changes will take place.\u00a0 Will it be the changing of players?\u00a0 Will it mean a coaching change? Only General Manager Sam Presti can answer what will happen.<\/p>\n
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The arena in OKC\u00a0was as empty as I have ever seen it for an announced sellout (18,203).\u00a0 There were at least five thousand no shows, with whole rows of seats\u00a0with no butts\u00a0in them, scattered throughout the Peak.\u00a0 That cannot be good.<\/p>\n
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It is one thing to lose games in the NBA.\u00a0 But to lose while breaking the bank is not in anyway good or acceptable.\u00a0 You can lose in this league and make money. That is something that has to be addresses.\u00a0This team does not hunt sports fans.<\/p>\n
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The hatred of Oklahoma\u2019s Baker Mayfield and his winning of the Heisman Trophy is appalling.\u00a0 For all those anti-Mayfield detractors, what you are saying about him is more despicable than any of the things this man has done.\u00a0 They need to get a life.<\/p>\n<\/a>Baker Mayfield\u2026..AP photo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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