Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook form a lethal combo for the Oklahoma City Thunder. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant are arguably the best 1-2 combination in the NBA. But whenever you have two headstrong 23-year-old superstars on the same team playing for the same goals chances are they’ll have some disagreements.

That ugly scenario played out in a game against the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday, Dec. 28, as Durant and Westbrook were seen having a heated discussion on the bench during a timeout. It was the second public dispute between the two young stars, the first occurred during last season’s playoff series against the Denver Nuggets. The latest argument became a media sensation, especially on Twitter, and some tweets went as far as suggesting the Thunder should trade Westbrook.

Both players brushed off the incident and Durant told reporters on Thursday that the whole thing was blown out of proportion. “It happens every single day. Teams go through emotions, things happen,” Durant said. “It’s a competitive sport. Everybody’s not going to always come in and be happy every single day.”

Those who were calling for Westbrook’s dismissal should take a minute and think about the repercussions of such a move. Westbrook is a gifted athlete blessed with unbelievable quickness. The only other guard with the same athletic ability is probably Derrick Rose, the league’s reigning MVP. Rose and Westbrook are unique talents who don’t come around often. They don’t grow on trees and you certainly can’t buy them at some Canadian pharmacy.

Of all the basketball pundits who chimed in on the Westbrook-Durant situation it was the recently retired Shaquille O’Neal who had the most interesting take. “Sometimes rifts can be a good thing,” O’Neal said on TNT’s “Inside the NBA” prior to Oklahoma City’s home game against the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday. It was an interesting comment coming from a guy who endured a very contentious relationship with Kobe Bryant when they were teammates in Los Angeles. The arguments between Westbrook and Durant are minor aftershocks compared to the Shaq-and-Kobe feud.

O’Neal said former Lakers coach Phil Jackson afforded his players a two-minute “rift session” to air things out. Once that’s over and done with, Jackson then reels in the combatants and asks them to return to the circle and move on from the argument. It worked. Despite their disdain for one another, O’Neal and Bryant teamed up for three straight NBA championships and reached the NBA Finals four times in five seasons.

Before their messy divorce in 2004 when O’Neal was traded to the Miami Heat and Kobe was blamed for Shaq’s departure, O’Neal and Bryant made the Lakers the most lethal team in the NBA. O’Neal dominated the interior while Bryant lit guys up from the perimeter. So, for those who say two players who dislike can’t coexist, Shaq and Kobe dismissed that theory. They may not have jived off the court, but on the court they made a lot of noise.

Durant has said on many occasions that he supports Westbrook 100 percent and the feeling is mutual with Westbrook. Thunder coach Scott Brooks is also saying all the right things, suggesting that Westbrook is “special” and the team and the coaching staff are not ready to give up on the former UCLA star.

The Thunder could learn something from the Shaq-Kobe episode. Management would be foolish to give up on a tandem that averaged nearly 50 points per game last season. Brooks and general manager Sam Presti need to be patient with the highly emotional Westbrook and allow him to figure things out on his own. Durant and Westbrook get along just fine off the court. They just need to find that harmony on the court. Oklahoma City is ready to play for a championship, and Durant needs Westbrook to make it happen.

Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @onemanfastbreak.

Popularity: 2% [?]

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Serge Ibaka (third from left) joins an already loaded Spanish national team. (FIBA EUROPE)

The final game of the 2011 European Championship turned into a huge block party for Serge Ibaka.

In his first major international competition wearing the colors of the Spanish national team, the 21-year-old Oklahoma City Thunder forward had half of Spain’s 10 blocked shots against France and helped Espana capture the EuroBasket title in Lithuania. Spain and France earned automatic berths for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Ibaka scored just four points in 21 minutes off the bench, but it was his stellar defense that keyed an impressive 98-85 victory for Spain, the second-best team in the world and the biggest threat to the United States next summer. Ibaka completely altered the game with three early monster blocks in the first half that powered Spain to a 36-26 lead.

Barcelona’s Juan Carlos Navarro led the Spaniards with a game-high 27 points. Los Angeles Lakers center Pau Gasol added 17 points and 10 rebounds, while San Antonio Spurs point guard Tony Parker paced France with 26 points.

The addition of the 6-foot-10 Ibaka gives Spain, which already boasts 7-footers Pau and Marc Gasol, the most formidable frontline in the world – even better than whatever the U.S. will put together next year. Ibaka prefers to face-up on offense, and he doesn’t mind giving way to the post to the Gasol brothers.

Ibaka calls Pau Gasol possibly the most talented center with the best fundamentals in the NBA. “It will be a dream to play with him,” Ibaka told the Associated Press back in July.

Flashback to the gold medal game against the U.S. in the 2008 Beijing Olympics in which Spain struggled to keep up with the Americans athletically, especially when LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony played power forward. With Ibaka on the roster, Spain will no longer have that issue.

Ibaka was granted Spanish nationality in July, clearing the way for him to help Spain defend its European championship. “Spain is a country that has given me a lot,” Ibaka told the Associated Press. “It will be an honor to give Spain back all that it has given me on the court.”

Ibaka was born in the Republic of Congo but played for Spanish clubs for three years before moving to the NBA in 2009. He maintains a residence in Barcelona.

Popularity: 2% [?]

Oklahoma City star Kevin Durant looks dejected after his team was eliminated in Game 5 of the 2011 Western Conference finals by the Mavericks. (GETTY IMAGES)

For the first time in his young NBA career, Kevin Durant is sick to his stomach. Never before has the 22-year-old superstar been subjected to this kind of cruel fate.

Last season, Durant and the young and exciting Oklahoma City Thunder squad became an instant hit when they stretched the defending world champion L.A. Lakers to six games in the first round of the playoffs. With higher expectations this season, Durant and the Thunder went two steps further by reaching the 2011 Western Conference finals.

But this is where the fairytale ends, with the Dallas Mavericks serving as reality checkers. The Mavs eliminated the Thunder with a 100-96 victory in Game 5 in Dallas, taking the series 4-1 and advancing to the NBA Finals. OKC was game and resilient, but it was obvious the stinging loss from the previous game still lingered. And the way they executed (or how they didn’t execute) down the stretch in Game 5 reminded them of their epic meltdown in Game 4.

The overtime loss in Game 4 in Oklahoma City left a huge scar on Durant, something he’ll probably carry around all offseason until he gets another opportunity to play in the conference finals.

Even though the Thunder, as a team, blew a 15-point lead with five minutes to play in the fourth quarter of Game 4, Durant felt responsible because he knows the fate of the franchise begins and ends with him.

“I feel upset because I let [the Oklahoma City fans] down. Let the city down,” Durant said after getting outscored by Dallas, 28-6, in the final five minutes of regulation and in overtime that deflated not only the Thunder but their loyal supporters who thought they had locked up the series at 2 midway through the fourth quarter.

When someone brought up the “inexperience” issue during Durant’s postgame news conference, Durant scoffed at that notion and delivered a terse reply. “This is basketball, man. Our youth had nothing to do with what we do on the floor. We showed we can play at this level.”

Durant added, “I was trying to play with so much force, played so hard. Early on they were playing straight up defense. Later on, I see three, four guys around me. Late in the game, that was my time. But a few of those times the lane was too clogged up and I didn’t want to force a shot, so I passed the ball to my teammates. I believe in my teammates. I have trust in them.”

The end of regulation came down to Durant, who had the ball near midcourt with under 10 seconds left on the clock. Normally, he would calmly dribble to his left and pull up for his signature jump shot. But Shawn Marion blocked his path, and Jason Kidd was also playing free safety in case Marion gets beat. So Durant really had nowhere to go.

“I didn’t have anything else to do,” said the normally unflappable Durant. “I saw three Mavericks in front of me, three seconds on the clock, I didn’t know what else to do. I tried to get a shot, but I didn’t want run into their defense. I didn’t know what else to do. They played good D.”

Sorry, KD. When you say “I didn’t know what else to do” is basically admitting that your inexperience played a part in your indecision. But that happens to all young stars. Durant will learn from this and be a better player because he failed. Based on how he attacks each offseason and always strives to be better each year, I predict KD won’t fail too many times when he’s placed in the same predicament in the future.

Joel Huerto is the publisher and editor of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/onemanfastbreak.

Popularity: 2% [?]

Oklahoma City All-Star forward Kevin Durant sent shock waves around the basketball world with his in-your-face, jaw-dropping slam dunk over Mavericks center Brendan Haywood in Game 2 of the 2011 Western Conference playoff series, a game in which the Thunder won 106-100 to tie the series at 1 apiece.

It was an emphatic statement by the 22-year-old, two-time NBA scoring champion. With one filthy move, Durant sent a resounding message that the Thunder may be young and inexperienced and probably in virgin territory at this stage of the game, but they are coming hard and fast, and the rest of the league better recognize their burgeoning greatness.

Durant took a pass from Eric Maynor at the top of the arc, dribbled right past Peja Stojakovic like he wasn’t even there, met Haywood at the rim, jumped higher than he has ever jumped before, and threw down a one-handed slam that got everyone jumping out of their seats.

It was one of those powerful moments that will be played over and over again for years to come, similar to Michael Jordan dunking over Patrick Ewing, or Kevin Johnson’s throw-down over Hakeem Olajuwon, or LeBron James (when he was still the King of Cleveland) seemingly taking on the entire Celtics team for a vicious dunk, prompting TNT commentator Kevin Harlan to utter the famous line of “LeBron James! With no regard for human life!”

Popularity: 4% [?]

Grizzlies power forward Zach Randolph (right) drives against Thunder center Kendrick Perkins. (US PRESSWIRE)

Zach Randolph is finally getting the recognition he richly deserves. It took 10 seasons and four stops in NBA cities, which included Portland, New York, Los Angeles and now Memphis, but the man/beast known as “Z-Bo” is showing the basketball world that he is the real deal and the only reason why we haven’t realized it is because we’ve never seen it on the big stage.

Well, it can’t get any bigger than the NBA playoffs and Zach Randolph is sending one loud message: “Do you see me now!”

The Memphis Grizzlies power forward recently ripped the Oklahoma City Thunder for a career playoff high 34 points and 10 rebounds to lead Memphis to a stunning Game 1 victory. Just as he did in a Western Conference first-round upset of top-seeded San Antonio, Randolph was an absolute beast in the paint. The Thunder tried the long and athletic Serge Ibaka on him and didn’t work because Randolph was too strong for Ibaka. Then they matched him up with center Kendrick Perkins, one of the best low-post defenders in the league, and didn’t work because Randolph was too quick for Perkins.

Randolph was so dominant that Thunder superstar Kevin Durant threw him the ultimate compliment. “He’s the best power forward in the league, I think,” Durant said, without hesitation, during his postgame press conference. “He’s phenomenal. He’s the go-to guy. They get him the rock and finds his position and gets its where he wants to get it. He’s unbelievable.”

Durant added, “He’s an animal. I thought Perk and Serge did a good job in forcing him out down low but he kept making those fadeaway jumpers.  We just gotta make him make tough shots, and hopefully he’ll miss.”

Wow! The best PF in the game? That’s high praise for a guy who a year ago was the subject of trade talks. How things have changed in a matter of months. Randolph went from expendable to most valuable. In Durant’s eyes, Z-Bo is better than Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Dirk Nowitzki, Pau Gasol, LaMarcus Aldridge, Chris Bosh and Amare Stoudemire.

When Randolph was told about Durant’s bold claim, he leaned back and soaked in his newfound accolade. “I gotta agree with that,” Randolph said with a huge smile on his face, which got some laughs in the press room. “Thanks, KD. Appreciate it.”

“I just try to be the same player, play my game all the time,” he added. “The good players stay consistent.”

Durant says the Thunder will look at the tape from Game 1 and figure out how to change their coverages against Randolph. The Spurs tried just about everything but throw the living room couch on Randolph, and they’re now at home watching the playoffs.

Randolph had two games with at least 30 points and 10 rebounds in the regular season against the Thunder, as Memphis won the series 3-1. As we all learned after Game 1, Randolph and the Grizzlies are for real and it will take a phenomenal series from Durant and his fellow All-Star, Russell Westbrook, to knock out the red-hot eighth-seeded team.

He’s the only player in the league to average at least 20 points and 10 rebounds in each of the last three seasons, and he and center Marc Gasol form a formidable 1-2 inside punch for Memphis that was the NBA’s most productive team in the paint with a 51.5-point average.

NBA TV analyst and former NBA great Steve Smith says what makes Randolph tough to defend is his ability to take what the defense gives him. You know he’s got an array of post moves, but when that’s taken away he’s got that fugly-looking, no-lift lefty jumper that always seems to go in. He’s also a relentless rebounder, which wears down his opponents.

If there’s an MVP award given after the first round of the NBA playoffs, Randolph wins it hands down.

Popularity: 3% [?]

Shaquille O'Neal has yet to sign with an NBA team. (GETTY IMAGES)

August is nearly here and Shaquille O’Neal is still a free agent. Not many teams are jumping at the chance to snag The Big Diesel, who is reportedly asking for a two-year deal worth around $8 million. O’Neal will be 39 years old in March and his once imposing presence and larger-than-life reputation has become nothing but a distant memory.

If O’Neal posted his resume on Craigslist it would read something like this: Three-time NBA Finals MVP looking for work …. Funny, outgoing and likes to come up with nicknames …. Prefers to play for a winning program ….  can only work half a season, and preferably just 24 minutes a day  and no more than 150 minutes per week …. Salary: negotiable …. Medical benefits: needs full coverage because of preexisting condition …. Work experience (by city): Orlando, Los Angeles, Miami, Phoenix and Cleveland …. Unique skills: space eater, hard to move, very strong …. Hobbies: likes to rap and dance (part-time member of the hip-hop group Jabbawockeez: America’s Best Dance Crew) …. References: available upon request.

If he retires now, after 18 seasons, O’Neal will leave with four championships, three NBA Finals most valuable player trophies and 15 All-Star game appearances, and he is second all-time in field-goal percentage at .581.

All those numbers are certainly good enough to put him in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass., but they all could have been better.

Shaq says he wanted to leave the game with at least five championships. He won three with the Lakers and one with the Heat, which leaves him one short of his goal. O’Neal could have won more than three with the Lakers, but he wasted a lot of “company time” arguing with Kobe Bryant. He won just one regular season MVP (2000) and never played more than 79 games in each of his eight seasons in L.A.

Although he helped lead the Heat to an NBA title in 2006, it was Dwyane Wade who was named Finals MVP. The last time O’Neal was an MVP was his first year in Miami (2005). From that point on, O’Neal’s scoring average has dropped like the stock market.

His 28,255 points puts him fifth on the all-time list for now, but he could have easily surpassed 30,000 had he not missed more than 5,000 free throws. Last year, he averaged just 12 points and six rebounds – half of what he averages for his career.

There were reports that the Hawks were interested in signing O’Neal, but their interest has diminished. The Celtics, who are in need of big men, toyed with idea of bringing in Shaq to fill the void left by Kendrick Perkins, who is expected to be out until January after knee surgery. Boston ended up signing an O’Neal, but it wasn’t Shaquille. Instead, the Celtics and Jermaine O’Neal agreed to a two-year deal and if Rasheed Wallace comes out of retirement it would be foolish for the Celtics to go after Shaq.

The Spurs were in The Diesel’s radar, but the signing of Brazilian center Tiago Splitter, the best big man in Europe last season, pretty much ended a Shaq-Duncan pairing.

So which teams can afford to fit O’Neal into their plans? Here are seven possible destinations for Shaq:

– New Orleans Hornets: Shaq played at LSU and wouldn’t mind a return to the Bayou. The Hornets have Emeka Okafor as their starting center, but he’s not immune to getting dealt. If the Hornets decide to keep Okafor, O’Neal will have to swallow his pride, take a pay cut and be Okafor’s backup. Not likely to happen, unless Chris Paul tells management that he wants to play with Shaq.

– Milwaukee Bucks: The injury to Andrew Bogut may take a while to heal, so the Bucks are looking to rent a center for a few months. Head coach Scott Skiles still holds Shaq in high regard and has maintained a solid relationship with The Big Aristotle. Shaq would fit right in Milwaukee and be the strong personality in the locker room for the young Bucks.

– Oklahoma City Thunder: OKC acquired 6-11 center Cole Aldrich in the draft, but they certainly wouldn’t mind adding more size to their already very quick and athletic roster. However, Shaq will be a huge liability on both ends of the court and GM Sam Presti may be reluctant to bring in a big personality like the self-proclaimed MDE that would stunt the growth of 21-year-old leaders Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.

– Atlanta Hawks: There is still an outside chance that O’Neal signs with the Hawks to bolster their very small frontline. But O’Neal must take less money or else this could be a deal-breaker.

– Boston Celtics: Ditto. If Shaq wants to have another shot at winning a championship ring, the Celtics may be his best opportunity. But, are the Celtics still interested?

– L.A. Clippers: Shaq back in L.A.? Wouldn’t that be something. This would be a longshot given the Clippers’ history of not being big players in the offseason, but bringing in a guy like Shaq would certainly upgrade the Clippers brand off the court. On the court, O’Neal would have to play behind Chris Kaman, but that’s easier said than done. O’Neal’s massive ego may not be able to handle that demotion. But if O’Neal agrees to play second fiddle and takes less money, it would certainly would inject some HGH into the Lakers-Clippers rivalry.

– Cleveland Cavaliers: Another longshot given Shaq’s wish of playing for contender. The Cavaliers’ championship aspirations went out the door as soon as LeBron James said “Good-bye to Cleveland” and “Hello to Miami.” O’Neal played with new Cavs head coach Byron Scott with the Lakers so playing for B-Scott shouldn’t be problem.

And should all of these teams pass on The Big Free Agent, there’s always a spot open with the Jabbawockees.

Shaquille O'Neal performs with the Jabbawockeez at the 2009 NBA All-Star Game in Phoenix. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Popularity: 19% [?]

Kevin Durant should be cinch to make the U.S. team that will compete in the FIBA World Championships in August. (GETTY IMAGES)

While Kobe Bryant rested his ailing knee and finger in L.A., Carmelo Anthony said “I do” to Lala Vazquez in New York, and LeBron James and Dwyane Wade hosted parties down in South Beach to celebrate their union, Kevin Durant worked up a good sweat with the U.S. men’s national team in the sweltering heat of Las Vegas while preparing for the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey.

When the core of the U.S. team that captured the gold medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing all declined to join Team USA this summer, the torch was officially passed to Durant as the leader and the face of the USA Basketball program.

The 21-year-old Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star, who nearly made the U.S. Olympic team two years ago, may not have a whole lot of international experience, but he is confident he can be the “go-to” guy and the No. 1 option on a very young squad that averages around 24 years old.

“I’m just working on my game here and trying to get better this week with these guys and the coaches are going to help me out as well. I also want to be a better leader while I’m here,” the 6-foot-10 forward said on NBATV. Durant is one of 20 NBA players vying for 12 spots on the U.S. team headed by Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski.

“I’m a natural leader, I think, ever since I was young. I was kinda always one of the main guys,” Durant said. “There’s no different here. I just want to come out and lead by example, be one of the early guys to the bus, in the meetings, be the first guy and the last guy off the floor. Just let them know my input. I’ve been through a lot in this league so I have a little bit of information.”

The three-year pro is the reigning NBA scoring champion and the youngest scoring champ in league history, so he’s a natural fit to be Team USA’s best scoring option. Shooting is such an asset during international competitions because European teams shoot the ball extremely well and defend the paint extremely well, so you have to have some snipers on the roster to pull teams out of their zones.

One of the reasons why the 2004 U.S. Olympic team failed in Greece was because the team lacked pure shooters to support the inside game of Tim Duncan. Allen Iverson, Stephon Marbury and Richard Jefferson all struggled to make 3-point shots during the ’04 Olympics despite the line being closer.

In 2006, a U.S. team coached by Krzyzewski and led on the court by James, Wade, Dwight Howard, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul finished a disappointing third at the World Championship. Why? Because they couldn’t figure out how to attack Greece’s zone defense. It’s the only blemish on Team USA’s record since Jerry Colangelo took over the program five years ago.

Durant’s game is suited for international competition. He doesn’t need to have the basketball in his hands all the time to be effective. He can spot up and shoot threes, and when you run at him he can put the ball on the deck and score on the move. Durant also has developed a nice rip move where he swings his arms to create contact and forces defenders to commit a foul. But don’t expect international referees to call this every time because European players don’t utilize this move as often as American players.

With Durant as the catalyst, the 2010 U.S. team is armed with one of the best scorers in the world and teams will be reluctant to play zone the whole game. But the young superstar believes his game extends beyond just shooting the basketball.

“I’m gonna try to bring more of a defensive effort than an offensive effort,” he said. “I know they need me to score points, but I’m gonna go out there and play my hardest on the defensive end and try to be a lock-down defender.”

That’s good, Kevin, but I think Team USA needs your scoring more so than your defense.

It would be a complete shocker if Durant doesn’t make the U.S. roster. He’s the next-in-line superstar to handle the enormous burden of leading USA Basketball to a gold medal. The last time the United States took home the gold at the World Championship was in 1994. That ’94 squad, coached by Don Nelson, is probably the second-greatest team in basketball history behind only the 1992 Dream Team.

“It feels good to represent your country,” Durant said. “I just want to play as hard as I can, try to sacrifice and be as much of a team guy as I can.”

Durant said Coach K is already using the ’08 U.S. Olympic Team, with the emphasis on TEAM, as the example on how to win gold.

“They showed us a video of the Olympic team on what they went through. They let us know that it’s all about team. No one guy is higher than the other guy on a totem pole. Everybody is equal,” Durant said. “It’s just basketball. I like to have fun. We have great players here, so we’re gonna take a lot of pressure off of each other.”

Although it’s nice to have 11 other studs on a basketball team, the pressure will be squarely on Durant – the star of stars on this U.S. squad – to deliver USA Basketball a gold medal-winning performance in Turkey.

Popularity: 29% [?]

Zzzzzzz. Zzzzzzz. Is the draft over yet? Man, that was a snoozer. I think ESPN should re-hire Stephen A. Smith just to give the draft a jolt. That was like watching paint dry. Or, maybe ESPN should hand the draft over back to TNT so we can listen to Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley make fun of all the picks.

Outside of Jeff Van Gundy, who was easily the funniest guy on the set, the draft coverage put me to sleep, not to mention the inordinate amount of sleeper picks (sleeper in a bad sense) NBA teams kept writing down on the card for Commissioner David Stern, and the bald guy who took over later in the evening, to read and announce to a very intoxicated crowd at Madison Square Garden who kept chanting “Jeff!…Van!…Gundy! “Jeff!…Van!…Gundy!”

The NBA Draft was the same old story: the good teams did well and the bad teams … well, to quote Barkley, they were terrrrrible! It’s impossible to opine how well or how poorly each did based on one night, but I’m going to do it anyway because it’s entertaining. OneManFastBreak.net breaks down the winners and losers of draft day.

WINNERS

— Sacramento Kings: GM Geoff Petrie is one of the best talent evaluators in the business and he landed the second-best player in the draft in Kentucky big man DeMarcus Cousins with the No. 5 pick. The Kings play in a division that includes the world champion Los Angeles Lakers, who boasts one of the biggest and tallest frontcourts in the league, so it was extremely important for the Kings to get bigger and stronger up front to compete with the Lakers. Cousins (6-11, 290) can complement 2010 Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans, giving the Kings a solid inside-outside punch for the next 10 years. There were questions about Cousins’ lazy attitude, but as Van Gundy pointed out, you can’t be lazy when you average 10 rebounds in 23 minutes. The Kings also took Marshall center Hassan Whiteside (6-11, 215) with their second selection, adding more length to their roster.

— Washington Wizards: The Wizards instantly became better by selecting Kentucky point guard John Wall (6-4, 195) at No. 1. Wall is not only the best player in the draft, but he is also the most charismatic. He is a leader and plays with a ton of energy, which the Wizards severely lacked last season after Gilbert Arenas was sent home for bragging about his gun collection in the arena. Washington also improved its roster by reportedly bringing in guard Kirk Hinrich, who is expected to be dealt next month by the Chicago Bulls to the Wizards in a cap-clearing move. With Wall, Arenas (assuming he’s on board with the team this season) and Hinrich, the Wizards have a dynamic three-guard rotation. The Wizards also added two physical frontcourt players in Clemson’s Trevor Booker (6-7, 240) and frenchman Kevin Seraphin (6-10, 255).

— Oklahoma City Thunder: OKC enters the 2010-11 season one big man away from seriously contending for an NBA title. Heck, they took the Lakers to six tough games with Nenad Krstic as their starting center so anyone with a pulse should be an upgrade. Thunder GM Sam Presti picked up Kansas center Cole Aldrich (6-11, 245) via a trade from New Orleans and then traded for 20-year-old center Tibor Pleiss (7-0, 220) of Germany. Aldrich is a strong rebounder and defender, and should contribute immediately for head coach Scott Brooks. Pleiss is a project they can stash in Europe for a year or two. Euroleague guru Fran Fraschilla compares him to Rik Smits. And for their second-r0und selection, the Thunder drafted Louisiana Tech’s Magnum Rolle (6-11, 225). You can’t go wrong drafting a guy named Magnum.

— Los Angeles Clippers: This is the only time of the year when the Clippers trump the Lakers on the front pages of the L.A. sports sections. The Clippers hold a draft lottery party every year, it seems like, and most of their picks normally end up as fodder for stand-ups at The Laugh Factory on Sunset Strip. But this season, whoever is doing the picking, the Clippers made some solid decisions. Wake Forest’s Al-Farouq Aminu (6-8, 205) is a capable small forward and Kentucky’s Eric Bledsoe (6-1, 190) is not a starting point guard, but he could be a decent backup. But the biggest news of the day in Clipperland is that Blake Griffin, last year’s top overall pick who missed the entire season because of a knee injury, has been cleared to play.

— San Antonio Spurs: Year in and year out, head coach Gregg Popovich and GM R.C. Buford make excellent picks in the draft and this season is no different. With the 20th overall selection, the Spurs took Oklahoma State shooting guard James Anderson (6-5, 210), who many consider as the best shooter in the draft and San Antonio badly needs guys who can put the ball in the basket. Then, with the 49th pick, the Spurs nabbed center Ryan Richards (6-11, 230) from England. San Antonio has a history with picking international gems, and Richards could turn out to be a steal.

LOSERS

— Portland Trail Blazers: Billionaire owner Paul Allen fired GM Kevin Pritchard on the day of the draft. Then, to add salt to the wound, he made Pritchard work the rest of the night. On his final shift as Blazers GM, Pritchard selected Memphis guard Elliot Williams (6-4, 180). A lame pick for a lameduck GM. But who could blame him? The Blazers also traded small forward Martell Webster to Minnesota for forwards Luke Babbitt (6-9, 225, Nevada) and Ryan Gomes. Gomes could be a nice player, but Babbitt could be another Luke Jackson.

— Minnesota Timberwolves: The Timberwolves keep taking athletes who like to run, but then they try to fit them in a triangle. It won’t work. I’d like to think Syracuse forward Wesley Johnson (6-7, 195), taken fourth overall, will be a stud but, for some reason, I keep seeing Hakim Warrick or John Wallace. Outside of Carmelo Anthony, Syracuse players tend to flame out in the NBA and Johnson could fall into that category.

— Orlando Magic: The Magic selected Kentucky center Daniel Orton (6-10, 255) in the first round. Orton averaged 3 points a game as DeMarcus Cousins’ backup and had trouble with keeping his weight down. Now, unless Orlando has plans of trading Marcin Gortat, they now have a logjam at the center position. Dwight Howard, obviously, is the starter and Gortat is an excellent backup. So where does that leave Orton?

— Atlanta Hawks: The Hawks not only didn’t address their needs in the frontcourt, but they seem to be planning for life without All-Star Joe Johnson. Atlanta swapped first-round picks with New Jersey, acquiring scoring guard Jordan Crawford (6-4, 195), and then took Pape Sy (6-7, 225) from the Senegal in the second round. Jordan Crawford is basically Jamal Crawford, so the Hawks have too many Crawfords on the roster.

— New York Knicks: The Knicks might as well have taken the day off because they basically have put all their chips in the LeBron James sweepstakes. Andy Rautins (6-5, 193) and Landry Fields (6-5, 185)? Are you kidding me? That’s the best they can do? It’s LeBron or Bust in NYC.

— University of Kentucky: Coach John Calipari was shedding a tear a little bit Thursday night. For one, he was happy his guys all went in the first round. Secondly, he knows he’s got some serious rebuilding (or reloading) in Lexington. But don’t feel too bad for Coach Cal because he’s got another stout freshman class coming in this season.

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Kevin Durant still believes Kobe Bryant is one of the best players in the world. (NBAE/GETTY IMAGES)

Heading into the 2010 NBA playoffs, Kobe Bryant’s health and the thousands of mileage his body has racked up over the years was a hot-button topic with the media.

Some questioned whether the 31-year-old Bryant, the reigning NBA Finals MVP, could keep up with 21-year-old scoring champ Kevin Durant from Oklahoma City in their head-to-head showdown in the first round.

Durant knew better and he laughed at the notion that Bryant could no longer play at a MVP level.

“Kobe Bryant is the best player in the league, one of the best players in the world,” Durant told reporters after his team was destroyed, 111-87, in Game 5 by Bryant’s Lakers. Durant scored 26 points in Game 6, but made just five of 23 shots in a 95-94 loss to the Lakers.

“He’s Kobe Bryant. He’s going to come out and lead his team. That’s what he’s been doing for 12 or 13 years,” Durant continued. “He doesn’t really have to score on this team to win games now. People say he’s lost a step or whatever, but he’s still the same Kobe Bryant.”

Despite the ankle, knee and finger injuries that have robbed a portion of his game, Bryant is still good enough to dominate a series.

In Game 5, he was able to get his big men easy buckets in the first half when he attacked the basket, which enabled the Lakers to punish the Thunder for 58 points in the paint. And his defense on Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook was crucial to the Lakers eliminating Oklahoma City in the first round.

In Game 6, Bryant killed the Thunder with his scoring. He scored a game-high 32 points on 12-of-25 shooting, including 3-for-4 from 3-point range. The Lakers had just three player score in double digits, but Bryant more than made up for it. His jump shot from the sideline near the OKC bench with Nick Collison draped all over him may have been the second-biggest shot of the game because it cut the Thunder lead to 94-93.

Though Bryant missed his final shot, the amount of attention he got from the Thunder allowed Pau Gasol to sneak in with the game-winning put-back.

Taking in the challenge of guarding Westbrook from the opening tip is what separates Bryant from the rest of the superstars in the league. He didn’t ask Phil Jackson to guard Westbrook in the second half or the fourth quarter, he wanted to shut him down in the first quarter.

That type of killer mentality is the reason why Bryant has four NBA championship rings and it’s the main reason why the Lakers are still the best in the West and the team to beat in the NBA Finals.

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Prior to Game 5 of the first-round series between the defending NBA champion and top-seeded L.A. Lakers and the eighth-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder, Kobe Bryant was asked by one of the reporters if the Lakers felt that their backs were against the wall.

In classic Bryant response, he replied: “Backs against the wall? What’s going on around here? It’s 2-2!”

After Tuesday night, make that 3-2 in favor of the Lakers.

Behind a suffocating defense and a highly efficient offense, the Lakers lowered the boom on the Thunder, 111-87, in Game 5 at Staples Center in a game L.A. led from start to finish.

Bryant authored the blowout on both ends of the court, sending a clear message to his teammates, Oklahoma City and the rest of the league that the Los Angeles Lakers are still the lords of the rings and The Black Mamba still has plenty of venom.

Bryant set the tone for the evening when he took on the challenge of guarding Oklahoma City’s lightning quick point guard Russell Westbrook. Bryant kept Westbrook from driving to the lane and his length bothered Westbrook to the point where the second-year pro from UCLA became reluctant to shoot his jump shot.

With Westbrook unable to ignite Oklahoma City’s fastbreak offense, which had been dominant for the first four games of the series, the Lakers were able to hold the Thunder to 37% shooting from the field in Game 5.

Kobe Bryant and the Lakers held Russell Westbrook and the Thunder to 37% shooting. (NBAE/GETTY IMAGES)

“They kicked our butts from the beginning. Great teams make adjustments. It was tough when our point guard couldn’t get looks,” Durant said of the Lakers’ defense, particularly Bryant’s blanket coverage of Westbrook.

“I enjoy a challenge. I think he’s been playing sensational. If we’re going to be eliminated, I didn’t want to go into summer thinking I could have done something about it,” Bryant said of his matchup with Westbrook, who made just four of 13 shots for 15 points and committed eight turnovers.

Exactly how did he frustrate Westbrook? “Just being a saavy old dog, I guess,” Bryant laughed.

Once the Lakers imposed their strength on defense, they established their superior inside game and it was Bryant who got his teammates involved, setting up Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum for easy shots.

“[I was] just aggressive. Getting in the paint, making them make decisions. When I do that I collapse their defense,” said Bryant, who scored just 13 points but had seven assists. The Lakers shot 53% for the game, and Gasol and Bynum combined for 46 points (on 18-of-26 shooting) and 22 rebounds.

“If I didn’t have Pau, Andrew or the crew that I have, I’d score 45, 50 points. Then everybody will say, ‘Damn, he shoots too much,’ ” Bryant said. ” I’ve got a great crew. I don’t need to do that. I can pick my poison. So when I get in the paint, teams have to make choices. If they play me, I’d kick it to my guys and they go on and have a big night. If they don’t, then I’ll have a big night. It’s as simple as that.”

Video courtesy of NBA.com

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