Brooklyn Nets guard Joe Johnson struggled in Game 7 of the first-round series against the Chicago Bulls. (GETTY IMAGES)

Joe Johnson seems like a really good guy – humble, low-key, not prone to idiotic statements or actions. A quiet professional who goes about his business, doesn’t make stupid plays on the court, and in his prime, was a very good shooting guard … five times over 20 points per game, three times at least 5.8 dimes, made six All-Star teams, but probably deserved to make just four. Which brings us to his Midas touch career, in terms of rewards: compensation, acclaim, and basically a free pass from sportswriters. He’s moved beyond the second round of the playoffs once in his career, and that was as the No. 4 guy on the fantastically fun-to-watch 2004-05 Phoenix team with Amare Stoudemire, Steve Nash, and Shawn “The Matrix” Marion as The Big 3. That’s also the only time he’s ever shot better than 43.9% in the playoffs – 50.4% – but he also missed six games in those playoffs. His 2-for-14 performance (with just three rebounds, two assists) in the Game 7 loss vs. Chicago was anything but an aberration when it comes to do-or-die playoff performances from him. In his last game of the playoffs (eight games), his career shooting percentage is 34.1% … 36.5% before the debacle against the Chicago Bulls. He has never shot better than 50% in any of those games. His career shooting percentage in the playoffs (69 games) is 41.4%. He was overpaid as a free agent leaving Phoenix for Atlanta ($67 mil/five years), but that was just a precursor to the really massive overpayment in 2010 – $123 mil/six years – as a 29-year-old coming off a second-round sweep at the hands of the Magic in which Joe averaged 12.8/4.5/3.8 while shooting 29.8% in the series…17.6% from distance! And then, to top it all off, the Nets actually traded to acquire this contract! Congrats Brooklyn, without Joe, you might have been an eighth seed and lost in four games to Miami, not seven games to an undermanned Bulls squad. And I don’t know about his local press in Atlanta or now Brooklyn, but it seems his low-key, humble nature has given him a pass with the national media. A charmed life…and a tragic contract.

OKC 93, MEMPHIS 91 – Tight action in Oklahoma as Quincy Pondexter missed the first of three free throws with the Grizz down by three, 1.6 seconds remaining. He made the second, missed the third on purpose, but OKC kept the rebound away from Memphis, and the Thunder escaped. Durant did everything for OKC (more below), while Kevin Martin had his second straight strong performance (25 points and seven rebounds) after going 1-for-10 in Game 5 vs. Houston. He also scored 25 when they closed out the Rockets. And to be fair…yes, The Mangy Mutt had a big play for the Thunder, stealing the ball from Mike Conley with a minute left, OKC down by one, which led to the last of Durant’s 35 points. Gasol (20/10/3, 3 steals, 2 blocks) and Zach Randolph (18/10) led Memphis while outside of KD & K-Mart, only one other Thunder hit double figures – 12 points from Mr. October (who had a really nice close-out Game 6 performance with 17 points, seven rebounds and eight dimes). The Thunder need to get more balanced and again, more from Serge Ibaka to have any hope of reaching The Finals again.

INDY 102, N.Y. 95 – Once again, Carmelo Anthony’s shooting was way too mellow, hitting just 10 of 28 in the game, while J.R. Smith also had troubles finding the hoop (4-for-15). In his last 4 games, Carmelo has made 35 of 110 shots (31.8%) while Smith has missed 30 of 42 in his last 3 games (28.6%). Additionally, Tyson Chandler was awful in the game, somehow managing to notch more fouls (six) and turnovers (two) combined than points (three) and rebounds (four) in 28 horrible minutes. After seven playoff games, he’s still looking for his first double-digit effort, and is not averaging a block a game, either (six total so far). Raymond Felton has been by far the most consistent Knick in the playoffs (17.3/3.7/5.0, 49.1%). As for Indy, their starters played massive minutes (37, 39, 39, 43, 43) and they all contributed nicely – 20 points from David West, 19 points and four assists from Paul George, Roy Hibbert blocked five shots, George Hill had a solid game with 14 points, seven rebounds, and six assists. And one of the surprises of these playoffs so far, Lance Stephenson grabbed 13 rebounds to go with three steals, while scoring an efficient (you hear that Melo/JR…E-F-F-I-C-I-E-N-T) 11 points, going 5-for-9 from the floor. In the first real postseason action of his career (played a total of 12 minutes in four games last year), Lance is at 8.3 points, 8.7 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.4 steals while shooting 46%.

The Akeem Olajuwon Award — Kevin Durant — 35 points, 15 rebounds, six assists, nine free throws made, one steal, two blocks, 0 treys, and 13-for-26 shooting…Predictably with Russell Westbrook out, KD has been massive in the playoffs so far — 32.9/8.9/6.0, shooting 48.7%. Just to watch more of him is reason enough to hope they can somehow get into the The Finals again this year.

The Rafael Araujo Award — Jason Kidd — 0 points, two rebounds, one assist, 0 free throws made, 0 steals, 0 blocks, 0 treys, and 0-for-1 shooting in 17 minutes of floor time…Since we already pointed out the majorly deficient big men in OKC (Ibaka) and N.Y. (Chandler), I thought the 87-year-old Mr. Kidd would be a good candidate for the Bozo Award. Jason – please make this year your last.

P.S. Came across this funny little item …

From Marcus Thompson’s Twitter page (@gswscribe):

Warriors PG Stephen Curry was told Greg Popovich said watching him was like watching Jordan. Curry laughed: “Was he drunk when he said it?”

Todd Robinson is a contributor to OneManFastBreak.net. To read more of his articles, go to spdbrnr.wordpress.com.

Serge Ibaka needs to be a force inside for Oklahoma City to become a legitimate title contender. (CBS SPORTS)

Last season when Oklahoma City had the devastating trio of Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant, and James Harden the team’s rallying cry was “Thunder up!” This season, despite owning the second-best record in the Western Conference, the theme has been downgraded to “Thunder down!”

So what gives?

As good as Oklahoma City has been all season it has many flaws. Some ESPN personalities, such as Skip Bayless, harp on Westbrook’s erratic play that’s keeping the Thunder from taking the next step into becoming a championship contender. Some even suggest that Durant is way too passive and doesn’t demand ball enough. Some point the finger at head coach Scott Brooks for poor adjustments.

Because they are the leaders of the team, Westbrook and Durant are easy targets for criticism. But THE GUY who deserves the blame for OKC’s inability to jump over San Antonio and Miami is forward Serge Ibaka.

During the offseason Thunder general manager Sam Presti had a difficult decision. Who should the team keep: Harden or Ibaka? The team couldn’t afford to keep both so one had to go. Presti gave Ibaka a contract extension and shipped Harden to Houston.

It was a move necessitated by the new economic landscape in the NBA and the common prevailing thought that you would rather keep a good big man or a good perimeter player.

Presti and the Thunder rolled the dice and broke up their super trio, hoping that Ibaka would grow from his current supporting role into a starring role.

And that hasn’t happened.

Despite his immense potential, the 23-year-old forward has somewhat plateaued as a player and his tepid progress offensively is holding back Oklahoma City from becoming a legitimate championship contender.

Ibaka remains a demon on the defensive end, but he has not evolved as an offensive player. Instead of developing some kind of an inside game near the basket Ibaka has gone farther and farther away from the basket. He has often fallen in love with the 3-point shot, which teams will gladly welcome because it relieves them from having to defend him in the paint.

Ibaka has been up-and-down this season, looking like a superhero one night then looking very ordinary the next. He had a 25-17 game against San Antonio in December, but had a 6-6 game against Miami in February. In a nationally televised game against the New York Knicks on April 7, Ibaka was surprisingly absent when it counted most. Sure, he surged ahead for 11 points and five blocks in the first quarter, but he scored just one more basket and did not have a block the rest of the game as the Thunder lost, 125-120.

Ibaka’s scoring average is up from last season (from 9 to 13) but his rebounding is not where it should be (7.9). For a guy with his length, physique, and jumping ability, Ibaka could easily average 16 points and 10 rebounds in the NBA. He should be dominating the power forwards in the West.

Charles Barkley famously asked, “what do you call a power forward who averages less than eight rebounds a game … a small forward.”

For the Thunder to win the NBA title, Ibaka must challenge himself into becoming a bigger force inside. Instead of working on his 3-point shot he should be working on jump hooks and drop steps in the paint. He needs to play closer to the basket.

It’s time for Ibaka to Thunder up.

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

James Harden won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award in 2012. (GETTY IMAGES)

The Oklahoma City Thunder decided to trade James Harden when contract negotiations broke down on Saturday, according to Yahoo! Sports.

General manager Sam Presti showed he is not afraid to mess with the team’s chemistry that made the NBA Finals. It was a trade that had to be made once they committed to Serge Ibaka, who signed a four-year $48 million extension in August.

The Thunder traded Harden — the 2012 Sixth Man of the Year — backup center Cole Aldrich, Lazar Hayward and guard Daequan Cook to the Rockets for Kevin Martin, Jeremy Lamb, two 2013 first-round picks and a second-rounder.

The trade does carry some risk. OKC got a good scorer in Martin, but he has averaged just 45 games in the last four years. On one hand, it’s a good deal because he has an expiring contract. But if he’s not healthy, the Thunder won’t be as lethal. If he’s healthy, he gives the Thunder a career 18-point scorer. However, his defense is very suspect.

Harden’s defense on Kobe Bryant was key in the second round last year when the Thunder won in five games. Plus, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Harden shared a special bond on the court. Harden’s playmaking ability was often the special element because Westbrook was more comfortable jacking up jumpers and taking the ball to the basket. And Harden is a very good passer, especially out of pick-and-rolls.

The nice part of the deal for OKC was getting Lamb, who tore up the summer league in Las Vegas and reminded some NBA afficionados of a young Tracy McGrady. Lamb is an athletic player who should be able to help OKC defend perimeter players and play shooting guard or small forward. If Martin isn’t healthy down the stretch, which he often is, Lamb will face more pressure to play well right away under the bright lights of the postseason.

The deal included giving up a lot on Houston’s part. But it had to do something after striking out in the Dwight Howard sweepstakes. And the Rockets were able to get rid of Martin’s $12.4 million contract (he’s in the final year of a five-year, $55 million deal).

Harden should be Houston’s No. 1 option on offense, allowing Jeremy Lin to run the offense and not have to try and carry the team like he did when he was with the New York Knicks when Amare Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony were hurt.

Darren Jacks is a regular contributor to OneManFastBreak.net. Send him an email at: djroxalot@hotmail.com

Heat star LeBron James (right) punish Vince Carter and the Mavericks for 37 points and 10 rebounds on Christmas Day. (REUTERS)

The Dallas Mavericks celebrated their 2011 NBA title with a spectacular ring ceremony and unveiling of the team’s first championship banner on Christmas Day. Then, they got their bell rung by a Miami Heat squad that looks extremely motivated and primed for a huge run in 2012. Here are five observations from opening day in the NBA:

LEBRON, HEAT LOOK SCARY GOOD

You never kick a man when he’s down and that’s what everyone in the basketball world did when LeBron James melted down in the 2011 NBA Finals. LeBron went into the offseason with one thing in mind: have more fun. It’s a simple approach but it could mean a world of difference for the two-time MVP because he simply didn’t do a good job of playing the role of villain. LeBron admitted he wasn’t himself last season and vowed to return to his old self by . . . smiling and joking more.

Micky Arison and Pat Riley were all smiles on Christmas Day after watching LeBron go for 37 points, 10 rebounds and six assists in the Heat’s 105-94 demolition of the Mavericks, spoiling Dallas’ championship banner day. The Heat have all their main parts intact, with some key additions in rookie point guard Norris Cole and reliable forward Shane Battier, and Dwyane Wade and LeBron appear to be in midseason form already. Both promised to post up more this season and they delivered in a big way in the opener, punishing the Mavs in the paint.

MAVERICKS HAVE SOME WORK TO DO

Entering the 2011-12 lockout-shortened season, the Mavs will have a brand new look. Tyson Chandler is off to New York, reliable backup point guard J.J. Barea (who absolutely killed the Lakers) is now in Minnesota, forward Caron Butler is now an L.A. Clipper, and sharp-shooter Peja Stojakovic has retired.

The Mavericks did add Vince Carter and Delonte West, and stole Lamar Odom from the Lakers. But one game into their season as defending champions, Carter was exposed on defense and Odom hasn’t gotten over the fact that he’s no longer a Laker. The Mavericks are a work in progress and will take time adjusting to their new pieces. The biggest difference is in the middle as Brendan Haywood proved he is not Tyson Chandler, especially on the defensive end where Chandler made his money last season.

NEVER COUNT OUT KOBE AND THE LAKERS

We already know about Kobe Bryant’s legendary pain threshold, having endure many, many injuries in the past only to overcome them all and thrive. But he took it a step further in the opener against the Chicago Bulls when he started the game and showed little effects of a torn ligament in his right wrist. Medical experts predicted such an injury required a 3-4 week rest period, but Bryant completely destroyed that recommendation. Just another chapter in the ever growing legend of Kobe Bryant.

Bryant finished with 28 points against the Bulls and his jump shot looked good. OK, so he did have eight turnovers and none bigger than the miscue with 16 seconds left in the game that allowed Derrick Rose to nail the game-winner. But in terms of the wrist and the chronic knee problems he’s had in the past, Kobe looked refreshed and was active on the court, especially on defense where new coach Mike Brown will have his most influence on this team.

The Lakers may have lost in the opener but they came away feeling pretty good considering Kobe was supposed to be out four weeks and starting center Andrew Bynum is serving a four-game suspension. The Bulls had the best record in the East last season and they were extremely lucky to leave Staples Center with a one-point win.

OKLAHOMA CITY IS LOCKED IN AND LOADED

After a disappointing loss in the Western Conference finals last season, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, James Harden and the rest of the young and lively Thunder have been itching to get back on the court flying across the country and seemingly playing in every exhibition game possible.

The 66-game lockout-shortened season is tail0rmade for a team such as Oklahoma City because the core of the team stayed intact and it’ll get a full season with Kendrick Perkins as the man in the middle. Perkins may be limited offensively but his defense is top notch, as he proved Sunday night against the Orlando Magic when he frustrated Dwight Howard to just three points in the second half and 11 total points.

Durant poured in a game-high 30 points while Harden and Westbrook combined for 35 points. The emergence of Harden as a bonafide producer off the bench will be huge because that affords coach Scott Brooks to sit either Durant or Westbrook without missing a beat. Look for the Thunder to grab the No. 1 seed in the West.

NO QUIT IN THE CELTICS

Put a hold on that 401K plan for Kevin Garnett and Co. because the Boston Celtics are not ready to collect their severance package. Despite a roster full of guys on the other side of 30 years old, the Celtics gave the New York Knicks and their much-publicized frontcourt of Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler all they can handle in a 106-104 close win for New York. The Celtics can still defend and have added a little more scoring punch with the addition of Brandon Bass and Marquis Daniels.

Bass had the first 20-point, 10-rebound game of his career and he is an upgrade from “Big Baby” Davis. Daniels gives coach Doc Rivers more flexibility because he can play shooting guard or small forward. Once Paul Pierce returns from his heel injury, the Celtics will have a solid seven-man rotation. If Rajon Rondo, who had 31 points and 13 assists in the opener, can become more of a consistent offensive threat Boston will challenge the Bulls, Knicks and Heat for the best record in the East.