SFHM: Straight From the Horse's Mouth

Straight From the Horse's Mouth is a 3-part Q & A series with different Thunder journalists and their views on a couple of current Thunder topics. 

Part 2: Royce Young, Editor and Operator for Dailythunder.com, ESPN TrueHoop network affiliate


Q: What do you believe is the Thunder's greatest strength?

A. Kevin Durant. Next question. But seriously, it's just the overwhelming talent the team has. Even on nights where the defense lacks and the offense is out of sync, there's so much raw ability on the team that they can stay close. These guys are ultra competitive and absolutely HATE losing. They work their tails off and are obsessive about getting better. Put all that together and you've got one heck of a team.

Q: What, in your opinion, does the Thunder need to do to win a title?

A. There are a whole lot of things you can fill this answer with, but in general terms, I'd say it's simple: Play to their potential. I think top to bottom, the Thunder have the best roster in the league. The pieces fit, the team makes sense. I think the Thunder were better than the Heat last season, but the Heat played better four of the five games. They got production from unlikely places while the Thunder didn't get anything from players they were counting on. If OKC can learn from those mistakes and just be themselves in the postseason, I think they have what it takes

Q: Do you believe the Thunder will win a title with the current lineup? Including coaches?

A. If you're asking if they NEED to make a trade to have a chance, I say no. I think the current construction is plenty good. And I know a lot of people question Scott Brooks, but he's not at all the reason the Thunder fell short last season. And to consider making some kind of move when the team has come so far with him in charge would be completely against the team's culture and philosophy. And I think it would send a really negative message to the player. 

But this group is built to compete for a trophy this season. Kevin Martin has fit better than I anticipated, Westbrook and Durant are better than ever, and Serge Ibaka is developing into a legit weapon.

Q: What ceiling do you see for Kevin Durant? Multiple MVPs and Championships? 30,000+ points? Hall of Fame? One of the best players of all time?

A. I honestly don't know if he has a ceiling yet. With how hard he works and the things he's gotten better at just over this past summer, I get chills when I think of what his game will look like at age 28. Winning MVPs and championships is hard though. It takes a whole lot to go right for it to happen. I think Durant should probably put one or two of each away at some point, but projecting that either will happen feels a little crazy. In the grand scheme, it seems like a lock, but actually picturing it is a little surreal. 

But just based on seeing and knowing KD, he's only going to get better. He's going to push himself to the limit of his ability. And when it's all said and done, I think he'll have the kind of resume that has us asking where his place belongs alongside Bird, Magic, Kobe and LeBron.

Next Up: Berry Tramel from the Daily Oklahoman. Make sure to check in frequently to catch the 3rd and final part of the Q & A series, Straight From the Horses Mouth.

SFHM: Straight From the Horse's Mouth

Straight From the Horse's Mouth is a 3-part Q & A series with different Thunder journalists and their views on a couple of current Thunder topics. 

Part 1 of this series starts with Charles Chaney, who runs the Thunder blog, Thunder Obsessed. 

Q: What do you believe is the Thunder's greatest strength?

A: Just their offense in general. You have two MVP-type players in Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant on your team, you're always going to be an offensive threat. When Westbrook isn't on, you can always rely on Durant and vice=versa. Oklahoma City's ability to develop players is showing greatly with the offensive progression of Serge Ibaka. Ibaka's shot is just improving, which means his confidence is growing, very scary. I haven't even began to mention Kevin Martin's lethal three-point shooting gives Oklahoma City another source of points that hasn't always been there in the past. Watch out N.B.A.

Q: What, in your opinion, does the Thunder need to do to win a title?

A:  Rebound the basketball. I know, very curious why. In losses, Oklahoma city is allowing on average of 12.4 offensive rebounds contributing to 16 second chance points to the opposition. That means you're giving a team an extra 12 possessions a game, adding up to 16 extra points each contest. That's like starting the game down 16-0 and having to fight back. 

I could talk about the turnovers, but honestly that is just a product of being aggressive. We showed everyone last year that, come playoff time, Oklahoma City can take care of the ball when it matters. Not worried there.

Q: Do you believe the Thunder will win a title with the current lineup? Including coaches?

A: Part two of this question made me stop and really think. With the current line up? Oklahoma City can easily win a title if Miami was to be upset some how. However, I think the head coaching position is a weakness for Oklahoma City. I feel that if Oklahoma City is ever going to win a tight N.B.A Finals match up, they'll need solid coaching moves, I don't think Scott Brooks has the ability to do that. He's too stubborn in his way right now. He needs to realize that sometimes you have to buck the trend for the better of the team.

Q: What ceiling do you see for Kevin Durant? Multiple MVPs and Championships? 30,000+ points? Hall of Fame? One of the best players of all time?

A: I think Kevin can become one of the top 10 players of all-time. He's on pace for 31,890 points if he was to stay in the league for 16 years. That would put him at fifth all-time. I do believe he'll win an MVP or two, and hopefully a championship. However, take this in, Karl Malone, one of the best power forwards to ever pick up a basketball has zero NBA titles. He did win two MVP awards. One of them was without Michael Jordan being a threat. Kobe Bryant has only won one MVP award, and look at how great he is. So, I think he'll be a first ballot hall-of-famer, but hard to predict 'ships and MVP's with Lebron James in the league.

Next Up: Royce Young of the Daily Thunder. Check in often to see the second part of this three part series, Straight From the Horse's Mouth.