HoopsHype.com Rumors

“Guys have got to step up now,” Durant said. “I think I've taken more of a load of scoring and facilitating and rebounding. But of course when you have your All-Star out we miss him. But it's no excuse. We still got to get the job done.” Oklahoman

Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook 

Robert Pera @Tony Allen: KD is going to be bringing everything he's got for the showdown in OKC. All eyes on Glove 2.0! Twitter

Memphis Grizzlies, Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant, Tony Allen, Robert Pera 

Darnell Mayberry: Kendrick Perkins has written "Lil Homie #0" on the side of both his game shoes tonight. Team also still has Westbrook's name plate hanging. Twitter @DarnellMayberry

Oklahoma City Thunder, Kendrick Perkins, Russell Westbrook 

Seattle fans are waiting to find out whether they’ll get a new NBA team soon, but that doesn’t mean they’ve forgotten how the SuperSonics were taken from them in 2008. Seattle rapper Macklemore, one of the breakout stars of 2013, got wind that the Oklahoma City Thunder have been using his song “Can’t Hold Us” to pump the crowd up at home games, and reacted about how you’d expect. For The Win

Oklahoma City Thunder, Sacramento Kings, Seattle SuperSonics, Macklemore 

A day after Kevin Durant said Serge Ibaka's shooting struggles were all in his mind, Ibaka admitted that his confidence is waning. “Yeah,” Ibaka said. “It's normal, man. It's normal. A little bit. But that does not mean my confidence is way down because after all the shots I missed, after the (missed) dunk, I was still playing defense. I wanted to still help my teammates. I wanted to still try to be aggressive. But it's normal like he said. Of course, that happens to everybody.” Oklahoman

Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant, Serge Ibaka 

Ibaka suggested his shots in this series might be too easy. “Most of the time when you're open that's when it's tough to make shots because you try to get some different focus than normally when some guys try to contest your shots,” Ibaka said. “So that's happened.” Oklahoman

Oklahoma City Thunder, Serge Ibaka 

Some have said you and Serge have been asked to play a different role than you have been all year and it takes a little while to adjust to it. Kevin Martin: “Yeah, but we're fine. That's no excuse for us right now. We just have to do what we're supposed to do.” Oklahoman

Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant, Kevin Martin, Serge Ibaka 

A day after Kevin Durant said Serge Ibaka's shooting struggles were all in his mind, Ibaka admitted that his confidence is waning. “Yeah,” Ibaka said. “It's normal, man. It's normal. A little bit. But that does not mean my confidence is way down because after all the shots I missed, after the (missed) dunk, I was still playing defense. I wanted to still help my teammates. I wanted to still try to be aggressive. But it's normal like he said. Of course, that happens to everybody.” Oklahoman

Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant, Serge Ibaka 

Oklahoma City Thunder all-star Kevin Durant has overcome his fear of spider-ly lawsuits ... TMZ has learned his legal war over the nickname "Durantula" has finally come to an end. TMZ broke the story ... Durant was sued by former Public Enemy guitarist Mark Durante, who claimed he had trademarked the name and used it to sell merchandise long before KD came along. Durante wanted a judge to stop KD from using it. TMZ.com

Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant, Law 

But now it's all water under the bridge ... TMZ has learned that Durant and Durante have reached a private settlement and the lawsuit has been dismissed with prejudice ... meaning Durante can never file it again. TMZ.com

Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant, Law 

"Everything was good other than we couldn't make a basket," Thunder coach Scott Brooks said. "We missed a couple easy, easy, easy [baskets]. I wish we could get those same shots." ESPN.com

Oklahoma City Thunder, Scott Brooks 

“I’ve said it before, when a guy has the ball and has to score like that it takes energy, and the more you make him work, that’s the best you can do,” Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins said. “You can’t stop Kevin Durant, he’s a great player, but he played 45, 46 minutes and he’s asked to carry a huge load for them. As the game goes on other people for them, they start taking the load away from him a little bit, but I don’t think that we can stop him. I’m not attributing it to us.” NBA.com

Memphis Grizzlies, Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant, Lionel Hollins 

"We have to get him confidence," Durant said of Ibaka. "We have to get him some shots and get him going. We can't let him put too much pressure on himself. It's all in his mind. If he thinks he's going to make those shots, he's going to make them. "He missed a few blocks, a few layups and a few open jump shots. I have to pick him up, and that's what I've been doing." ESPN.com

Memphis Grizzlies, Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant 

Darnell Mayberry: Ibaka: "I’ve been shooting all season a good percentage so I will not stop. Every time I’m open I will shoot, and I will play my game." Twitter @DarnellMayberry

Oklahoma City Thunder, Serge Ibaka 

Russ told media despite his injury, he's able to watch and offer coaches and teammates input. "I still have a voice." Twitter

Oklahoma City Thunder, Russell Westbrook 

John Rohde: Houston coach Kevin McHale and @James Harden reached out to @Russell Westbrook after injury. No one else from #Rockets, including @Patrick Beverley. Twitter @RohdeOK

Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin McHale, James Harden, Injuries, Russell Westbrook, Patrick Beverley 

Jeff Caplan: Westbrook had no further opinion on Beverley play that took him out: "Really something I can’t answer. I just hope it wasn’t a dirty play." Twitter @Caplan_NBA

Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Injuries, Russell Westbrook, Patrick Beverley 

All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook expects to be on crutches for about four to five weeks as he returns from knee surgery that has knocked him out of the Oklahoma City Thunder's playoff run. Westbrook held his first interview session Thursday since having surgery to repair cartilage in his right knee. He was hurt in Game 2 of Oklahoma City's first-round playoff series with Houston. The Thunder have gone 3-3 without him and head to Memphis on Saturday for Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals. That series is tied 1-1. ESPN.com

Oklahoma City Thunder, Injuries, Russell Westbrook 

Russell Westbrook is out of the playoff picture, but plenty of other competitors are stepping up in his place in NBA fashion wars. Dwyane Wade, not wanting to be outdone by LeBron James’ rainbow shoes, took the same approach to his jacket following the Miami Heat’s Wednesday blowout of the Chicago Bulls. There’s a lot going on here. It’s colorful, and there are cartoons on it. The lensless glasses are sorely missed, though. For The Win

Miami Heat, Oklahoma City Thunder, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Russell Westbrook 

Oklahoma City Thunder cheerleader Kelsey Williams discusses a blogger's criticism of her weight in an interview with ABC News. Kelsey Williams said to her female weight critic: 'Shame on you... You know what we go through.' Oklahoman

Oklahoma City Thunder