SH Blog: Thunder Fall Apart; Parker and Embiid Skipping Predraft Combine; NBA Shows Love for Moms

Thunder Fall Apart

A lot of ridiculous things have happened this postseason, but the Los Angeles Clippers erasing a 16-point fourth quarter deficit to the Oklahoma City Thunder could take the cake. The Clips were in a near must-win situation but picked up a Game 4 victory 102-99, and evened the series up at 2-2.

For an early afternoon tipoff in LA, the Thunder seemed well rested to start the game, breaking out to a 20-point first quarter lead. Hitting their first seven shots, OKC silenced the Staples Centre crowd and stunned a Clippers team, who were no doubt hoping for a better start.

When the fourth quarter rolled around, it looked like the Thunder would steal another game away from home. But it was smart plays defensively and a mini-run by Chris Paul that propelled the Clippers comeback.

A 6-foot Paul was assigned to guard 6-foot-10 Kevin Durant on the high post, and did very well. Paul pushed Durant off his sweet spot on several possessions around the midway point of the quarter, which led to turnovers and transition points.

Then Blake Griffin dominated the low post and brought the game within one possession. But the dagger was a three by Jamal Crawford, which gave LA its first lead of the game with 1:17 remaining.

Durant finished with 40 points, Russell Westbrook added 27 points and eight assists in the loss.

Paul and Griffin combined for 48 points on 18-of-42 shooting.

Game 5 goes Tuesday in Oklahoma City.

Parker and Embiid Skipping Predraft Combine

Duke’s Jabari Parker and Kansas’s Joel Embiid are reportedly planning to skip the predraft combine in Chicago this week.

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen top prospects quietly avoiding the session and it can sometimes help the players come draft night.

From Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports:

Ultimately, this is a way for the elite player to control how many teams ultimately have information on his medical history. While most top prospects don’t participate in the basketball elements of the combine, most make themselves available for physicals to be distributed to the 30 NBA teams. …

“They may have to do multiple physicals now,” one NBA general manager told Yahoo Sports. “It’s more of a concern about Embiid than Parker, given [Embiid’s] back issues.”

If Embiid and Parker don’t go to Chicago and take physicals to be distributed to teams, they can later selectively choose teams with which to take physicals once the draft lottery order is set – or hire doctors to conduct physicals and distribute them to teams.

On June 26, this combine in mid-May will probably have little impact on how team’s draft. This may give Kansas freshman Andrew Wiggins a better shot at going No. 1, but don’t hold your breath on Embiid or Parker plunging like Johnny Manziel did earlier this week in the NFL draft.

NBA Shows Love for Moms

There’s no better way to spend Mother’s Day than with NBA basketball, unless you ask mom. The second round of the playoffs were underway Sunday, but the league was very thankful for those moms watching.

Give your mom a hug today! pic.twitter.com/GdzVpP2cyB

— NBA (@NBA) May 11, 2014

There was hundreds of tweets from players, coaches, executives, ect. thanking their mother’s. To see that and much more, be sure to check the Tweet of the Night column.

Brett Poirier is an NBA columnist at Sheridan Hoops. Follow @BrettNBA