3 Reasons Why The Oklahoma City Thunder Are Ready For Their First NBA Title

Since 1996, when they hailed from Seattle as the Supersonics, this is the first time the team now known as the Oklahoma City Thunder have had a real opportunity to win an NBA Title. Here are 3 reasons why:

1) Kevin Durant is having an excellent season. He's in the race for MVP, but Lebron may have it this year. Although he probably won't win the MVP title, he's definitely in the top 5. It's clear the team wouldn't be as far without him. His fifth year in the NBA, and he's proven himself time and time again of being an excellent clutch player.

2) Russell Westbrook has excelled tremendously as a point guard. Personally, his attack to the rim can be compared easily to that of Derrick Rose. Aggressive, quick, and confident. Shooting nearly 47% from the floor, Westbrook unconventional shots now receive less questioning. Turnovers are still a major concern (3.8 per game, 3rd in the league), Westbrook is playing as arguably one of the top 5 Point Guards in the league.

3) James Hardem is excelling, and showing increasing quickness and athleticism on offense and defense. He picks up where Durant and Westbrook may sometimes lack, and also has a dangerously consisten 3 point shot. The best passer on the team, Hardem proves to be an important part to the unit, especially the bench. The Sixth Man definitely adds to the team.






source: http://bleacherreport.com/oklahoma-city-thunder

Hip Hop Sales: Week Ending 3/4/2012

This proved to be one of the most exciting weeks on the charts for the Hip Hop community this year. There were a few new additions, including a collaborative album from Kid Cudi and Dot Da Genius, self entitled "WZRD". Also appearing on the list are Brooklyn's very own Maino, Too $hort, and after a 7 year hiatus, Ja Rule.

Cudi and Dot's WZRD has done fairly well, earning the #2 spot for 66,000 sales last week. Cudi had also criticized his label Universal Republic for under-shipping CD copies, which limits the release's potential. This counts as Kid Cudi's 3rd overall album, and Dot's first.




Two New York rappers, Maino and Ja Rule, both released projects after their respective hiatuses. This is Maino's first album, surfacing 3 years after leaving his major record deal from Atlantic Records. He scored a top 100 debut for this sophmore album, Day After Tomorrow. Artists featured on the LP are T.I. and Meek Mill, along with a Best Buy exclusive version with appearances from Lloyd Banks, and Clinton Sparks' production. Maino's sales actually doubled those of Ja Rule. Rule, now incarcerated, acquired sales of just over 3,000 copies. Listed below are the sales statistics for the aforementioned, amongst other more popular artists.



Hip Hop Album Sales: The Week Ending 3/4/2012

#2 WZRD (Kid Cudu & Dot Da Genius) - WZRD - 66,000 (66,000)

#4. Tyga - Careless World: Rise Of The Last King - 37,000 (99,000)

#5. Drake - Take Care - 29,000 (1,525,000)

#19. Young Jeezy - TM 103: Hustler's Ambition - 15,000 (493,000)

#20. Jay-Z & Kanye West - Watch The Throne - 15,000 (1,364,000)

#28. Lil Wayne - Tha Carter IV - 13,000 (2,039,000)

#43. Chiddy Bang - Breakfast - 11,000 (42,000)

#76. Maino - Day After Tomorrow - 6,300 (6,300)

#99. Too Short - No Tresspassing - 4,600 (4,600)

#145. Ja Rule - PIL2 (Pain Is Love 2) - 3,200 (3,200)

*Overall sales in parentheses

* data comes from Nielsen Soundscan, rounded to nearest thousandth for units above 10,000, nearest hundredth for units below 10,000