Nick Collison News

Thunder forward Kevin Durant is guarded by the Spurs' Richard Jefferson during a preseason game at the Erwin Center in Austin.

It was a bipolar week featuring the Thunder's best performance of the season, and followed immediately by their most embarrassing loss to date.A As a result, the article trying to make sense of this team that I had planned isn't going to happen because I am having trouble figuring them out.A So, instead, enjoy a bunch of random thoughts I've had ...

PAUL KITAGAKI JR. pkitagaki@sacbee.com Recently signed Ime Udoka, left, of the Kings steals the ball from Oklahoma City's Nick Collison in the first half Tuesday night at Arco Arena.

If you can't tell, I'm a little obsessed with the details of basketball. I like knowing how and why the other team scored, as well as my own.

Most NBA players want to be tough. But ask anyone around the league and they'll tell you few really are.

"At those USA trials , that's when he showed he could really play point guard," Durant said.

Those expecting offensive fireworks Friday night at the Palace were sorely disappointed.

November 29th, game number 18. That was the date and the game number last year in which the OKC Thunder won their second game.

Kevin Durant scored 25 points Friday and Oklahoma City ran off nine straight points in the fourth period to defeat Detroit 91-83. The Oklahoma City franchise's last win in Detroit came in December 2003 -- long before the Thunder moved from Seattle.

If the Thunder is going to rise to playoff contention, one way to do it is on the backs of bad teams.

Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder completed step one in avoiding another horrendous start to the season.

Kevin Durant was born two days after Olympic sprinter Ben Johnson was stripped of his 100-meter gold medal at Seoul for doping.

Mason returns to the Ford Center tonight and for next week's season opener. "You build relationships," Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks said.

A year after sparking talk of perhaps being one of the worst teams in NBA history, the Oklahoma City Thunder are counting on a promising youth movement to build on some momentum from last season.

What unfolded Tuesday night at the Frank Erwin Center was a reminder. One that, despite all the preseason hype about Oklahoma City's future, left us realizing we're stuck with the here and now.

One thing that's nice about preseason is that your team can play an absolutely horrid game, yet you can sit back and say how it didn't matter and then point out some positives.

Rookie Chase Budinger scored 17 points, Trevor Ariza added 16 and Kyle Lowry had 10 assists in the Houston Rockets' 105-85 preseason win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night.

The team also feels continuity will be a big issue this season. Last year head coach P.J. Carlesimo was fired after a terrible start in favor of Scott Brooks.

It was a tough pill for me to swallow when Clay Bennett moved the beloved Seattle SuperSonics to Oklahoma City in July 2008.

Ruffin's homecoming: Former University of Tulsa standout Michael Ruffin is battling for one of the Thunder's final roster spots.