OKC’s Thunderous Comeback Stuns The Sacramento Kings (112-108)

OKC’s Thunderous Comeback Stuns The Sacramento Kings (112-108)

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by | Feb 28, 2020 | Featured, NBA

The Thunder entered tonight trying to get their 5th win in a row. That task became a lot more reachable when the Kings ruled the talented young guard De’Aaron Fox out. The Kings were short-handed at the point guard position and played Cory Joesph tonight in Fox’s place. The new lineup definitely threw the Thunder off in the first half as the Kings were attacking the paint. The Kings are known for shooting a lot of 3 pointers per game and in the first half, they were successful in the paint. Harry Giles III was putting in some serious work and was giving the Kings a spark early. Harry Giles III was beasting in the paint as he was dunking and using his hook shot floater against Steven Adams. Harry finished with 19 points on the night and it made you think how explosive this team could of been with Fox healthy. The first half belonged to the Kings as they were up by 19 points on the Thunder. The Kings came out swinging and Harrison Barnes and Nemanja Bjelica combined for 39 points on the night but the majority of it was in the 1st half. The Thunder were getting caught on switches with Barnes and Bjelica and they took full advantage against the bigs on the perimeter. Another bright spot for the Sacramento Kings on the night was Buddy Hield who’s the hometown favorite because he went to OU. Buddy came into the game and hit 5-9 on 3 pointers to finish for 15 points. The Kings were in a battle down the stretch where they could have used more of Buddy. The timing of the plays down the stretch and the fact that there were no timeouts or dead ball whistles kept him out. Harrison Barnes was able to hit some big shots down the stretch but it was too late once the Thunder went on their 15-0 run on the way to the comeback. The Kings played an amazing game against the Thunder tonight they just need some more experience and they need to get everyone healthy. The Kings have a lot of promise moving forward as they have Marvin Bagley, Jabari Parker, and De’Aaron Fox who weren’t on the court tonight. The future is bright in Sacramento but tonight the Thunder got their 5th win in a row by attacking the paint and using the hot hands.

 

 

 

This OKC Thunder team has a lot of fight and that was on full display tonight against the Sacramento Kings. OKC always seems to take the toughest road to get a victory against teams they should beat. Tonight wasn’t any different as the Thunder were trailing by 19 points at one moment in the game. The Thunder were able to get into their offensive groove and it was led by Danilo Gallinari who finished the game with 24 points. It seemed like the Kings had no answer for Gallinari as he was scoring at will from the inside and outside. Gallinari used his length to get shots over the King’s defenders whenever he wanted too. When Gallinari sees the ball go in the basket once then he shoots thinking that it will continue to drop no matter what the shot attempt is. One thing that Gallinari has improved on this season has been the pump fake and driving to the rim. Players will always defend for the 3 point shot but Gallinari has added that drive to his game now and it’s working. As Gallinari was getting his game going that opened the door for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander who finished with 20 points on the night. The confidence that Shai has played with lately has been amazing. Shai was attacking the paint and going at any King’s defender that was in his face. The growth in Shai’s game has been improving every game and he’s playing with two other guards that want to see him shine. Chris Paul and Dennis Schröder have been there helping Shai along the way while playing at a high level for themselves. Chris Paul had 17 points and Dennis Schröder finished with 13 points on the night. Chris was able to get his game going in the 4th quarter as he was able to hit a big-time 4 point play over Harry Giles III. Chris Paul has been the clutchest NBA player this season and he shows up in the big-time moments. This has been a season full of surprises and the Thunder has everyone watching them now. The OKC Thunder will be heading to Milwaukee to play against Giannis and the Bucks in a back to back as they try to get 6 games in a row tomorrow.

 

Feb 28, 2020 No Comments
Oklahoma City Thunder Dominate The San Antonio Spurs In Rout (131-103)

Oklahoma City Thunder Dominate The San Antonio Spurs In Rout (131-103)

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by | Feb 24, 2020 | Featured, NBA

The Oklahoma City Thunder were coming into this game feeling good after their win against the Nuggets Friday. The Thunder didn’t miss a beat in this game as they came out on fire. This was the first time in OKC Thunder history that the team had 8 players in double figures in a single game. It’s safe to say that this Thunder team is stacked and they’re growing right before our eyes. Since the All-Star break, Steven Adams has been a complete beast and he continued that tonight against the Spurs. Adams was able to be a complete monster in the paint tonight as the Spurs Aldridge and Poeltl couldn’t do much to contain Big Kiwi. Steven Adams was able to get his flip shot going and he was catching alley-oops throughout the night. The way that Steven Adams has been playing sets the tone for what the OKC Thunder wants to do when it comes to attacking the paint. Adams finished the game with 21 points and 14 rebounds on the night. When Adams plays like this it gives the team another scorer that the opposing team needs to worry about. While Adams was scoring and rebounding like a monster he needed a break and when that happened Nerlens Noel filled right in perfectly. Nerlens chipped in with 10 points and had 5 blocks on the night. Anything that the Spurs tried to put up in the paint against the Thunder it seemed as though Noel wanted to block it. When both bigs Adams and Noel are dominating the paint like they did tonight it makes it tough on the other team and opens things up for the Thunder.

 

 

With so many players on the Thunder going off tonight it gave the guys like CP3 & Gallinari a chance to get some rest. Both combined for 24 points on the night and played only 25 minutes roughly. It was a breath of fresh air to see all the other Thunder players step up showing what this team is capable of offensively. One of the bright upcoming players for the Thunder balling as of late is Luguentz Dort. One of the things that have stood out about Dort’s game is the fact that he’s on a two-way contract playing with the utmost confidence. Everyone raves about his play on the court and you can see a lot of grit and grind. Dort was able to have his defense turn into offense tonight against the Spurs. Tonight he finished with 15 points on the night and was able to make some key plays that gave the Thunder some separation. When you play with that much confidence anything is possible and Dort has proven that he belongs in the NBA. The Thunder has a young core of players and it’s led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander who can score on any possession with ease. Shai was able to score 22 points on the night and he was attacking the paint and beating the Spurs with his first step. The future is bright in OKC with Shai continuing to grow every time he steps on the court. The Spurs had no answer for the Thunder on both ends of the court and it was extremely noticeable. The Thunder has some young legs compared to the Spurs who have some older veterans that weren’t able to hang in transition. If OKC can continue to play at this pace and the way that they’ve come together with chemistry it will be tough for anyone to get them out. This team has shown a lot of growth and they believe in what Billy Donovan has been coaching and it showed tonight and this whole season.

 

 

The San Antonio Spurs had a rough tonight and it started with their leading scorer LaMarcus Aldridge who finished with 8 points. Aldridge has always been a thorn in the side of the Thunder in his career but tonight was different. The combination of Adams and Noel made it a little tough on Aldridge but also he missed some shots that he usually hits to his credit. The Spurs just had a tough start to the game as Dejounte Murray got 2 fouls in the first 40 seconds of the game. Once the Spurs were without their leading playmaker who’s coming off of 2 back to back games with 20+ points that can throw a wrench into any situation. The Spurs didn’t really recover after losing Murray and they missed a lot of shots that they usually make against opposing teams. The Spurs depended on the 3 point line but it wasn’t nice to them at all knowing that they’re a mid-range shooting team. The Spurs shot 11-38 from the 3 point line tonight and it hurt their chances after trailing by as much as 28 points in the game. Rudy Gay was the leading scorer for the Spurs tonight with only 14 points.  It was clear the Thunder wanted to eliminate the Spurs’ main scorers and they wanted the other guys to step up which didn’t happen. DeMar DeRozan struggled tonight as well as shooting 4-12 from the field for only 11 points. This game wasn’t the best for the Spurs and they will look to bounce back from this while the Thunder will take this 3 game winning streak into Chicago.

 

Feb 24, 2020 No Comments
Chris Paul’s 29 Point Performance Helps The OKC Thunder Past Denver (113-101)

Chris Paul’s 29 Point Performance Helps The OKC Thunder Past Denver (113-101)

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by | Feb 22, 2020 | Featured, NBA

The Oklahoma City Thunder finished up their All-Star break and came back home to a big matchup against the Nuggets. The Denver Nuggets currently are second place in the Western Conference and OKC wanted to prove they can compete with the best.  Both teams were very competitive throughout the game and it came down to making shots and ball security. The Thunder were able to use the three-guard lineup to throw a wrench in the Nuggets plans. Billy Donovan had the advantage tonight with the lineup of Chris Paul, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Dennis Schröder. When the Thunder plays with that lineup they have ball handlers and playmakers that are looking for that extra pass. Tonight OKC was able to use the quickness and playmaking against the guard play of Jamal Murray and Monte Morris. The first half didn’t go as planned for Chris Paul as he only finished with 9 points in the first half but he continued to encourage his team. In the second half of the game that’s when CP3 showed up in a big way hitting highly contested shots against the defense. Chris Paul finished with 29 points on the night and it didn’t matter who was guarding the 35-year-old he was lights out. When Paul gets his jumper going in while being able to attack he will have you on your heels all night. Chris Paul was able to use the switches to get mismatches with Jokic where his quickness was on full display. CP3 shot 11-17 from the field and was able to pick his spots wisely throughout the night. No one on the Nuggets team was able to keep up with Chris Paul on the night in that second half.

 

 

On the night this was one of the most complete games from the Thunder as they had 7 players in double figures tonight. When the Thunder gets this type of production from their other players this team is very hard to beat. Steven Adams had a huge game tonight against Jokic in the paint as they battled all night. Steven Adams finished with 19 points and 17 rebounds on the evening. It seemed as though Steven had the whole package working tonight as he was able to dominate in the paint. Adams had the flip shot working and he also was able to go 5-6 from the free-throw line. When Adams has his whole game on full display it doesn’t matter what anyone does because he’s that strong. Shai and Dennis both combined for 22 points on the night. It was a quiet night for both of them combined but the Thunder still were able to come out on top with the win. That just shows how good this team really is especially when the team doesn’t play at their full potential they can still win.

 

 

The Nuggets played a great game but just couldn’t stop the Thunder late down the stretch. On the night the Nuggets leaned on Nikola Jokic as he finished with a game-high 32 points. Jokic showed exactly why he’s an all-star in this league as he was able to beat the Thunder inside and out. Jokic’s game is very skilled and he was able to take Steven Adams outside his comfort zone a couple of times beyond that 3 point line. The Thunder made it a true effort to try to limit Jokic’s offensive touches but it didn’t work out. One thing that did work was the fact that the Thunder played very good perimeter defense, especially at the 3 point line. The Thunder were able to hold them to 22% from the 3 point line. Oklahoma City was able to shut down players on the Nuggets as they only had Jamal Murray, Will Barton, and Nikola Jokic lead the scoring. It’s a clear fact that if you’re going to try to beat the Thunder it needs to be a full team effort. The Thunder defense has stepped up and it carried over to their first game back from the all-star break. The Nuggets weren’t able to get any good looks down the stretch as the Thunder made the defensive adjustments. The Thunder will be hosting the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday as they try to get to 35 wins on the season.

 

 

 

 

 

Photo Credit: Zach Beeker/Getty Images

Feb 22, 2020 No Comments
The Spurs Well Balanced Offensive Attack Defeats Oklahoma City (114-106)

The Spurs Well Balanced Offensive Attack Defeats Oklahoma City (114-106)

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by | Feb 12, 2020 | Featured, NBA

The Thunder came into this game against the San Antonio Spurs following a tough loss against Boston. Oklahoma City was looking to bounce back and get into the winning column again against the 22-31 Spurs Tuesday night. The game started as a nightmare for the Thunder as it seemed as though they weren’t able to hit anything inside or outside. You can tell they tried to establish themselves in the paint early with Steven Adams but besides that gameplan it was tough. It wasn’t like the Spurs were defending the Thunder at a high level it was OKC beating themselves. The Thunder were missing shots that they usually hit and struggled to make some of the easy baskets that they’ve come accustom to making. Chris Paul was the player that was consistent all night for the Thunder as he finished with 31 points on the night. The Spurs had no answer for CP3 and his willingness to attack the paint and create. Chris Paul was able to take advantage of the opposing point guards with his wisdom and pump fakes. Chris Paul was able to outsmart Derrick White and Dejounte Murray on a couple of plays on his way to his 31 points. The problem with Chris doing that was the fact that Murray and the Spurs got the last laugh.

 

The OKC Thunder had 5 players in double figures tonight but it seemed as though a lot of the points were in the second half while they were in comeback mode. Tonight Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 17 points on the night and didn’t have his usual game. A lot of the calls that Shai would get on a nightly basis weren’t there tonight against the Spurs. Sometimes the Spurs forced Shai into passing the ball out to other teammates because of the double teams on the perimeter. The Spurs played Shai differently and the second-year man will bounce back and adjust to the way that teams play him. Shai has been one of the leaders of this team and has shown that he can handle the heavy load given to him. Shai only took 11 shots on the night and wasn’t able to get into a true groove. Shai always continues to get better and he usually makes his teammates better as well as always. Tonight wasn’t Danilo Gallinari’s night as he struggled from the field as well shooting 4/16 from the field. When Gallinari struggles from the field it’s tough for the Thunder to get anything going on the offensive end. The Spurs were forcing Gallinari to put the ball on the floor and he rushed a lot of shots. The shots weren’t falling for the Thunder and by the time they got it within a close margin, it was a foul game. The 6th Man of the Year candidate Dennis Schröder only had 14 points on the night and wasn’t able to give that spark that he usually plays with tonight. The Spurs defended the perimeter very well and they also had some size on Dennis that didn’t help him during the game. This Thunder team has played above expectations and there will be some games like this but look for them to bounce back before the All-Star Break in New Orleans.

 

 

The Spurs had the lead for pretty much the whole night against the Thunder as LaMarcus Aldridge was hitting shots that only he can make. Those shots included stepbacks, fadeaways, and off the dribble moves that looked unguardable. Aldridge has always been one of those players that has great games against the Thunder in his career and that didn’t change. Tonight Aldridge had 25 points and was able to get his shot off no matter who was guarding him. The Thunder had Adams, Noel, and Muscala on Aldridge tonight and it worked defensively throughout the game until it mattered in the clutch. When you have that height and skill mixed together it’s always tough to make the adjustments to succeed throughout the game. We all knew that Aldridge would step up and play lights out but his running mate tonight was Dejounte Murray. Tonight Murray was able to attack the paint and he was able to use his mid-range game to his advantage. It seemed like Murray was the quickest guard on the court tonight and his first step was unguardable. Murray showed off the improvement on his mid-range jumper and finished the game with 25 points as well. The Thunder had no answer for Murray down the stretch as he was able to take over the game with his jumper and his willingness on the defensive end. Murray has come a long way since his injury and he put that on full display tonight in OKC. The Spurs had 4 players that were in double figures tonight and were making shot after shot with a hand in their faces. Sometimes the ball goes in and sometimes it doesn’t but tonight was San Antonio’s night.

 

Feb 12, 2020 No Comments
Jayson Tatum & Kemba Walker Lead The Celtics Past Oklahoma City (112-111)

Jayson Tatum & Kemba Walker Lead The Celtics Past Oklahoma City (112-111)

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by | Feb 10, 2020 | Featured, NBA

This game between the Celtics and Thunder was extremely hyped up as both teams have been on a roll lately. The Celtics came into this game with the Thunder on a six-game winning streak. Boston was able to have their core back and healthy which helped out today in OKC. The Celtics were able to play as a unit and they made the Thunder pay whenever they had a turnover. The Thunder had 10 turnovers but with those turnovers, the Celtics capitalized on them for 20+ points making them pay for it. The Boston Celtics had a true plan and that was for them to get Danilo Gallinari switched onto Kemba Walker or Jayson Tatum. When the Celtics had that switch going they were able to execute at a high level. Jayson Tatum was able to take over in that first half of the game as he was showing why he’s an NBA All-Star. Jayson has been able to improve his game throughout the year and had it on full display in OKC. Tatum was able to hit 3 pointers and he was able to get to the basket with ease. The Thunder had Gallinari and Chris Paul on Tatum but it didn’t work out the way that they wanted. Jayson Tatum finished with 26 points on the night and was a problem that OKC couldn’t solve. Tatum playing that type of game also opened up the opportunity for his teammates as well. When Tatum draws that attention from the defense it gave Jaylen Brown a chance to exploit the defense in the worst way.

 

 

Jaylen Brown has grown a lot and this season he was a borderline All-Star. Today Brown was able to get to the rim and hit some tough shots when the Thunder weren’t able to make the right reads. It seemed as though Brown had a lot of moments open that he made the Thunder pay on. The game was back and forth but Brown was able to add 17 points to the game. Brown left the game for a little bit of the game and that’s when Kemba Walker was able to emerge on the scene. Kemba Walker has everything in his bag of tricks from the layups all the way to the crossover fadeaway. Kemba was able to take advantage of the switches when the Thunder got caught with a big on him in his sweet spots. Kemba finished the game with 27 points on the night and was able to hit some tough shots down the stretch. At one point in the 4th quarter, Kemba was able to hit back to back 3 pointers to give the Celtics some space. One thing that the Celtics learned tonight is that the OKC Thunder will continue to fight and they’re a scrappy team. The play that pretty much sealed the deal for the Celtics win was the late steal that Marcus Smart was able to get on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with less than a minute left in the game. Marcus Smart made the play of the game and he added some scoring down the stretch. He finished with 7 points but they were points that were definitely needed at those moments. The Celtics overall as a group played together and made some tough shots down the stretch to secure the win.

 

 

The OKC Thunder were able to compete all night as they were within 5 points for the majority of the game. Boston didn’t have an answer for the Thunder Big 4 tonight. Shai and Danilo both combined for 48 points on the night as we’re able to be aggressive on the perimeter when given the chance. When Shai plays that aggressive it usually ends up being a Thunder win. Shai was able to attack Smart, Brown, and Wanamaker anytime they were guarding him. The growth of Shai was on display tonight as he was able to show that he can pull up for some 3 pointers in transition as well. If Shai can play with this kind of aggressiveness people will back off some which will create more opportunities for his inside game. Shai’s a second-year player but his game is smooth like an 8 year veteran in the NBA. The game didn’t end the way that Shai wanted it too as he had a crucial turnover late in the game that helped Boston out. This is just a learning curb for Shai as he will continue to grow and his game will evolve as time continues to go on. Shai’s the future of this organization and he made some plays that helped the Thunder get in the position they were in against some great Boston defenders. Danilo Gallinari was huge for the Thunder as he was hitting some big shots for them as well throughout the night. Billy Donovan had to adjust to the Celtics lineup switches and he was playing offense/defense late but it just didn’t work. Late in the game, Gallinari was on the bench during some plays that the Thunder would have wanted him in there for but that’s the gamble you take. Chris Paul played a huge part in this game as well because of the defense on Jayson Tatum throughout the night. Chris finished with 22 points but was able to pick his spots and when to attack. The leadership of Chris Paul was on display as the Celtics were having trouble stopping the three-guard lineup. Oklahoma City had some big breaks at the end of the game and was able to show why they’re one of the best teams in the NBA. Chris Paul was a huge piece to the team today as he showed that he can still defend at a high level. The Thunder had some chances but just couldn’t get it done as the Celtics squeezed out of OKC with the victory. The Thunder will be playing against the Spurs on Tuesday as they try to get to 33-21 on the season,

Feb 10, 2020 No Comments