Suns Beat The Short Handed OKC Thunder (128-101) To Remain Undefeated In The Bubble

Suns Beat The Short Handed OKC Thunder (128-101) To Remain Undefeated In The Bubble

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by | Aug 10, 2020 | Featured, NBA

 

The Oklahoma City Thunder came into this game against the Phoenix Suns short-handed. Today the OKC Thunder played without 5 of their top 6 scorers due to resting small injuries/personal. The Thunder were without Steven Adams, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari, Nerlens Noel, and Dennis Schröder. The Phoenix Suns were also facing some adversity as DeAndre Ayton missed his Covid-19 test and was awaiting results before he could play. Ayton was able to play in this game but missed the whole 1st quarter against OKC. The Thunder came out shooting very well in that first quarter as Chris Paul was getting whatever he wanted inside and out. Chris finished the game with 14 points and 7 assists against Phoenix. This was more so a teaching game as CP3 was helping the young core that he was playing with along the way. A couple of timeout breaks you can see Chris Paul going over to players like Darius Bazley and Lu Dort encouraging them while teaching. This whole experience in this game for the second unit and the young core players for the Thunder was big time.

 

OKC may have lost this game but it was good to see players like Bazley get some really good minutes and be able to flourish in-game action. Darius Bazley was the leading scorer for the OKC Thunder again as he dropped 22 points just 1 point shy of his career-high 23 from yesterday. The confidence that Bazley’s playing with has been obvious as he looks like a true veteran out there. The decisions that Bazley’s making with the ball have been spot on and it looks like he’s already in his sophomore campaign. Bazley has been able to score inside and outside against defenses and he gives the credit to his teammates/coaches for the opportunities to shine. The Thunder only had 4 players in double figures today and struggled in that second half but this was a game about growth. A lot of the young players that don’t usually get big minutes had a chance to showcase their talents. The Thunder took advantage of the paint in that first quarter without Ayton in the game and then he was able to make his presence known. The Thunder defended Devin Booker very well but they weren’t able to get away from the foul calls throughout the game.

 

 

Devin Booker put the Phoenix Suns on his back just like he’s done this whole time in Orlando. ESPN rated Devin Booker the 31st player in the bubble and they were extremely off with that. The way that Devin Booker has played in the bubble has been nothing less of spectacular. Devin Booker’s a top 15 player in the bubble and that’s no debate. Tonight the Thunder were doubling Booker and throwing multiple bodies at him just to try and slow him down. Devin Booker was guarded everywhere he went by Lu Dort, Hamidou Diallo, Andre Roberson, and Abdel Nader. Booker was making some ridiculous shots against some tough defense and he was able to get to the line like the best of them. Devin Booker’s 35 points was a game-high and just showed what he’s willing to do to get to the playoffs. Booker was able to drop his game-high in only 29 minutes tonight and didn’t have to do much to anything in the 4th. Booker was leading the way for the Suns but he had help as well because 5 players other than Booker were in double figures. Cam Johnson and Dario Saric both combined for 36 points to help Booker and it seemed as though Phoenix was able to get any loose ball and made big shots when it mattered. The Phoenix Suns will be trying to get to 7-0 as they will face off against the Sixers on Tuesday without Simmons or Embiid.

 

 

The OKC Thunder will be playing against the Miami Heat on Wednesday at 7:00 pm.

Aug 10, 2020 No Comments
Darius Bazley’s Career High 23 PTS Powers OKC To Victory Over Wizards (121-103)

Darius Bazley’s Career High 23 PTS Powers OKC To Victory Over Wizards (121-103)

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by | Aug 9, 2020 | Featured, NBA

 

Darius Bazley has been one of the most impressive players for the Thunder since walking in the bubble. Tonight he was able to showcase his whole bag today against the Washington Wizards. Bazley has been a sponge when it comes to trying to continue striving for greatness and his growth has been on full display. Darius Bazley has given the Thunder a consistent scorer to be able to depend on from the second unit. With Dennis out its Bazley that has been able to get in the game and score inside or outside it doesn’t matter. The Wizards were 0-5 coming into this game against the Thunder and Bazley took advantage of his mismatches all day. After Bazley’s 23 point explosion today against the Wizards he’s averaging 10.4 ppg in Orlando. The confidence that Darius Bazley has been playing with was a thing of beauty. He was able to hit the 3 point shot and he was able to slash to the lane with ease. The Wizards didn’t have a traditional big center in the paint and Bazley took what the defense gave him today. CP3 and Shai were looking for Bazley and it was great to see the scoring from Bazley coming in the flow of the offense. Today nothing that the Thunder did was forced and they were able to put their foot on the gas and never looked back.

 

 

Mike Muscala was back in the lineup after missing time with a concussion and looked like he didn’t miss a beat. He started the efficient shooting from OKC as he started out 3/3 from 3 point land. Mike was playing center as Noel and Adams were out today. When Mike Muscala is shooting with this confidence it helps big time because he’s a big that can space the floor to help out. It was beautiful to see the other players from the Thunder that play a role come into this contest and make the best of all the minutes in different situations. Another player that was able to make the most of the minutes was Hamidou Diallo who finished with 13 points but was able to make some great reads. Hami had been hustling and has grown in his offensive game too. Hami had some acrobatic finishes today that made the fans go crazy as well. You can tell he used the time off to polish his game and Donovan has rewarded him.

 

 

Right now for the Thunder, they’ve been playing off the great play of Shai, Gallinari, and CP3 as they’ve picked up the load while Schröder has been with his family. Gallinari had 20 points today and was able to get his jumper to go down no matter the hands in his face. Gallinari was able to score inside and out against the Wizards with ease. Shai has struggled according to a lot of people but his numbers are still up there as he finished with 18 points. If he’s scoring 18 points “struggling” then just wait until he’s back in a groove playing at the elite level we expect him at. Chris Paul finished with 13 points today against the Wizards as he’s been focused on getting his teammates involved with 9 assists tonight. OKC knows what they will get out of Chris Paul when it comes to playoff time so the way OKC’s been playing he hasn’t needed to do too much. The Thunder overall has looked really good and they will look to continue this momentum against the Suns at 1:30 PM tomorrow.

 

 

The Washington Wizards were short-handed and weren’t really in the game from the tip. The Wizards are a very young team and they will be a team to look out for when Wall and Beal come back. Today against OKC Jerome Robinson was able to lead them in scoring as he finished with 19 points today. Washington didn’t make the playoffs and will be playing for pride at this point. Look for them to continue to get their young core some reps as they look to spoil our team’s playoff pushes.

Aug 9, 2020 No Comments
The Memphis Grizzlies Were Able To Grind Out A Win Against OKC (121-92)

The Memphis Grizzlies Were Able To Grind Out A Win Against OKC (121-92)

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by | Aug 8, 2020 | Featured, NBA

 

The Thunder came into this game against Memphis feeling good after the win against LA. Steven Adams and Mike Muscala were out tonight for this one with injuries that hurt OKC inside. Oklahoma City came out hitting almost everything as they knocked down seven 3 pointers in that first quarter. At one point in the game in the first half, OKC had been up by 18 points. One of the players that really stood out for the Thunder tonight was Luguentz Dort who was one of the leading scorers with 16 points. Lu was able to hit some big 3 pointers and showed a lot of confidence on both ends of the floor against the Grizzlies. OKC had to play some different lineups tonight but the energy wasn’t the same in that 2nd quarter. Shai struggled a little bit today but he’s been trying to carry the load for the absence of Schröder. People need to understand that Shai is a 2nd-year player and there’s still going to be ups and downs. Shai finished the game with 10 points. Look for Shai to bounce back because he’s stated numerous times he wants to be one of the greats. Chris Paul finished with 17 points and wasn’t really able to get things going in that 2nd half. One thing about CP3 is the fact he will always bounce back and he’s a true leader with professionalism. OKC didn’t play their best game today but they’re missing some key pieces that help them play at an elite level.

 

 

It seemed as if everything was going to go the Thunders way until the 2nd quarter. The Memphis Grizzlies came out in the second quarter and were able to hit the 3 balls consistently. One player that really took advantage of the minutes given to him in that 2nd quarter was Anthony Tolliver. He came in and made some energy plays and he was also able to hit some big shots. Memphis came out with a lot of energy overall as a team and they were able to out-hustle and outplay OKC as they fought back. It showed a lot of growth for the Memphis Grizzlies the fact that they trailed by 18 points and came back without Ja Morant. Morant was on the bench during the comeback and was able to come back in the game with Memphis up by 1 point. Morant was able to get a lot of help from Dillion Brooks who was able to get to the lane with ease and hit some tough shots. Brooks finished with 22 points on the night for Memphis and was taking it personally on the court tonight. The Grizzlies had a huge advantage on the rebounds as it was 36-58 and Jonas Valančiūnas helped in that department.  Valančiūnas finished with 19 points and 11 rebounds against OKC as the Thunder didn’t have Adams. Jonas was able to bully in the paint and got a lot of 2nd chance points. Ja Morant finished with 19 points and 9 assists on the night as he proved he’s definitely the ROTY in the NBA. Ja was able to create for others and he was able to create offense for himself as well. Once Ja gets you on your heels with the dribble you’re at his mercy and he has a quick step. The Thunder did a great job defending as they forced Memphis into a lot of turnovers they just didn’t capitalize on them how they usually do.

 

 

The OKC Thunder will be playing against the Washington Wizards next on Sunday at 11:30 am.

Aug 8, 2020 No Comments
Chris Paul’s 21 Point Performance Propels OKC To Victory Over The Lakers (105-86)

Chris Paul’s 21 Point Performance Propels OKC To Victory Over The Lakers (105-86)

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by | Aug 6, 2020 | Featured, NBA

 

The Thunder were coming off their first loss of the season against Denver. It didn’t help that the next opponent would be the number one team in the Western Conference LA Lakers. This Thunder team has made believers out of everyone all season long and in Orlando, they’ve proved everyone wrong. The Thunder played against the Lakers tonight without Dennis Schröder, Mike Muscala, and Terrence Ferguson in the lineup. Chris Paul came to the rescue in this one as he set the tone from the tipoff against the Lakers. One thing about Chris Paul’s game that stands out is the fact he can get his teammates involved while getting his game going too.

 

Tonight CP3 showed that he can do anything on the court and it didn’t matter if you had a big defender on him or a smaller defender. The way that Chris’ able to crossover players and still get to his sweet mid-range spot on a nightly basis is amazing. Paul has had an amazing year and a lot of that has gone to his new diet coming into the season. This Thunder team will go as far as CP3 brings them and he showed that OKC can hang with the best teams in the league. Chris Paul finished the game with 21 points, 6 assists, 7 rebounds on the night against LA. The Lakers gave Chris Paul a couple of looks on the defensive end but they weren’t enough to slow him down.

 

 

Chris Paul’s leadership has been on full display and it’s been rubbing off on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the right way. Shai had a quiet game tonight with 13 points but still was able to get people involved. One thing about Shai is the fact that he can affect the stat sheet without having the big numbers pop out. With Chris playing the point guard it’s been giving Shai multiple chances to defend players at different positions. Shai wants to be great and has shown that he’s willing to put the time in to make that possible.

 

Danilo Gallinari had a nice game as well for the Thunder as he was able to pour in 19 points in only 25 minutes. Gallinari has been a great help to the team especially with the absence of Dennis Schröder. The Thunder has a mismatch at the PF position usually when Gallinari is on the floor because he can score from outside to inside on any possession. When Gallinari is hitting his 3 pointers which he did tonight against the Lakers it makes this team tough to beat. The Lakers had Kuzma and Davis on him the majority of the night and he was still able to find a crease in the defense to make his offense stand out.

 

The Thunder had a minor scare when Steven Adams got tangled up and fell awkwardly but he was able to come back in the game and make his presence felt. Steven Adams was the best big on the floor tonight and was able to get his jump hook going as he finished with 18 points. This Thunder team has shown a lot of heart and they’ve proven a lot of people wrong this year. If the Thunder can continue to play with this flow of the offense and take the defensive end as serious as they have all season they are destined for greatness.

 

The Lakers were a bit banged up tonight but that’s no excuse for the OKC eruption that came their way. When LeBron James and Anthony Davis are in the lineup no matter who you’re playing against you have a chance to win. The Thunder got Anthony Davis in some early foul trouble that had the Lakers leaning on the bench and LeBron a lot. OKC was able to force the referees into making some calls tonight that helped them by their aggressiveness. On the night LeBron finished with quiet 19 points and 11 rebounds against OKC.

 

Once Davis got in foul trouble you can tell that LeBron was going to have to try to pick up the load but with multiple defenders on him, it wore him down a little. Anthony Davis only had 9 points after he erupted for 42 points the other night and that was because OKC got him in foul trouble from the tip. The second player from the Lakers that was able to put in some work tonight and help out was Dion Waiters. On the night Waiters had 14 points and was able to get it going but it was already too late as OKC pulled away.

 

 

Up next the OKC Thunder will take on the Memphis Grizzlies who are currently in 8th place on Friday at 3 pm.

 

 

 

Photo Credit: Joe Murphy / National Basketball Association / Getty

Aug 6, 2020 No Comments
Nuggets Beat The OKC Thunder In OT (121-113) Behind MPJ’s Career High 37 Points

Nuggets Beat The OKC Thunder In OT (121-113) Behind MPJ’s Career High 37 Points

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by | Aug 4, 2020 | Featured, NBA

 

The OKC Thunder were 1-0 coming into today’s game against the Denver Nuggets. Pregame Billy Donovan talked to the media letting us know that Dennis Schröder had left the bubble for personal reasons. Without Dennis, in the lineup, it was going to be a challenge to try to make up his points. Also to add to that news of not having Schröder the Thunder were without Terrence Ferguson as well. The Nuggets were shorthanded as well so both teams had to fight through the game equally. Denver has been without Jamal Murry, Gary Harris, and Will Barton who are very important pieces to their puzzle. This was a close game throughout as both teams needed players to step up to help the other starters. In this game, the OKC Thunder got a huge boost from Abdel Nader as he played very well off the bench. Nader had 13 points off the bench and was able to be the main source of points from the OKC Thunder bench tonight.

 

On the other side of things, Denver got a very huge boost from the 2nd year player Michael Porter Jr. who exploded for a career-high 37 points tonight. It seemed that MPJ was able to do anything tonight against the Thunder as he was able to use his youthful legs to go up for dunks and athletic plays. Porter Jr. had a very efficient day at the office as he shot 12/16 from the field and stepped up every time the Nuggets needed him. One aspect of his game that has grown is the improvement in his consistency on his jumper. It didn’t matter if there was a hand in his face or not tonight but everything he put up was nothing but net. If Michael Porter Jr can do this throughout the playoffs with the improvement of Bol Bol as well this team will be tough. Once the Denver Nuggets get the rest of the team back from injury they will be a tough out. This game went into overtime and it looked as though the only person that had energy or lift left was Jokic. The Joker finished with 30 points on the night which 8 of those points came in overtime. You can tell that Jokic is back and shape as he put on a show in that overtime against the Thunder. It’s always been a tough matchup with the length of Denver against the Thunder and it showed tonight. Jokic looked like he was in great shape and still had all the bag of tricks.

 

 

The OKC Thunder were in the game this whole time until the overtime period. It’s crazy because the OKC Thunder had a chance to take the lead in this one as Chris Paul missed a free throw that would have gave them the lead. Chris Paul and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had great games tonight. CP3 and Shai combined for 47 points against the Nuggets. If the Thunder want to be successful they will need to slow up on the turnovers and they will need to rebound better. This team will go as far as CP3 and Shai bring them especially with the absence of Dennis Schröder so look for them to take it to the next level. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander got his 5th foul in the 3rd quarter midway so for him to finish with 24 points was impressive. The steps that Shai has taken in his game have been on full display and the OKC fans will be in for a great future moving forward. Chris Paul was upset about his missed free throw in that 4th quarter so look for his game to be a lot more aggressive against the Lakers on Wednesday. Steven Adams had a quiet game but he will need to get more aggressive in the game on Wednesday as well as the Thunder have to face the reality of Schröder being out extended time. Overall the Thunder were in this game the whole time until they looked a little gassed in the overtime but it took a career-high from Michael Porter Jr that wasn’t on the scouting report to beat them.

 

 

The OKC Thunder will be facing LeBron and the LA Lakers on Wednesday at 5:30 pm #ThunderUp

 

 

Aug 4, 2020 No Comments