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)

Featured

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)

Featured

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)

Featured

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
OKC Thunder Defeat The Short Handed Detroit Pistons (108-101)

OKC Thunder Defeat The Short Handed Detroit Pistons (108-101)

Featured

by | Feb 8, 2020 | Featured, NBA

The Detroit Pistons came into this game short-handed after the NBA Trade Deadline. Andre Drummond was traded away for John Henson and Brand Knight with an additional pick. The life without Andre Drummond started tonight against the Oklahoma City Thunder on the road. The Pistons only suited up 9 players on the night and it gave expended minutes to other players that didn’t usually have that spotlight. Two of those players that had to step their game up to fill that void for Drummond were Thon Maker and Christian Wood. Both players were very good on the perimeter and made it tough on Steven Adams/Nerlens Noel on the night. Christian Wood was a player that many teams inquired about on the trade deadline and Detroit refused to take calls. The Thunder found out first hand why the Pistons wanted to keep Wood on the roster. On the night Wood finished with 27 points going 10/18 from the field. Wood was able to get the job on the inside and outside with ease and looks like a promising young player. Christian Wood was able to hit the 3 point shot and he was able to attack when given the chance. It seemed as though the Thunder had some trouble containing Wood inside and when they switched he hurt them from 3 point range. The other player that surprised a lot of the Thunder players was Thon Maker. Tonight Maker was able to finish with 19 points and showed that he has some range as well. The Thunder usually struggles with players that can play inside and outside in that 5 position. Thon Maker has a chance to get more minutes and more opportunity moving forward with the Pistons getting rid of Andre Drummond. Reggie Jackson played his heart out tonight as he finished with a game-high 28 points. Reggie was able to hit his 3 point shot and he was able to get to the rim with impressive dribble and finesse. The problem for Reggie was the fact that every time he did something that was impressive that could get them closer the Thunder made a run. The Pistons didn’t have enough bodies tonight to get it done and the Thunder made them pay every chance they could from the field shooting 51% on the evening.

 

 

The Oklahoma City Thunder came into this game not making any moves on the NBA Trade Deadline. Not making a move on the deadline could be huge moving forward because they already have chemistry. Tonight the Thunder put that chemistry on display as they were shooting lights out from the field. The three-guard lineup has been working all season and the Thunder could be up to something with their playmakers down the stretch. The Pistons had no answer for the three guards as Schröder, Gilegeous-Alexander, and Paul finished for a combined 61 points out of the 108 OKC put up tonight. This three-guard lineup’s extremely tough to guard because you have ball handlers that can create for others and create shots for themselves as well. Balanced scoring was a huge part of this game as OKC had five players that scored in double digits. The way that the guards play rubs off on this team from hustle plays to creating for each other. OKC has a team that has been unselfish and they play as a true unit. The Pistons didn’t have anyone in the paint that could stop the Thunder from scoring in the paint like they love to do. The Thunder had 50 points in the paint and they executed their plays with ease as the Pistons didn’t have enough men to make a difference. If OKC can continue to play that this pace and with this much confidence they will be a scary team in the western conference moving forward. The bench production will come with timing and once the Thunder gets a true 2nd unit together where everyone knows their role it will be epic. The Thunder have young players that are learning on the fly as the season goes on like Luguentz, Darius, and Hamidou. The future is bright for this team and as long as Shai continues to grow on a nightly basis this team will be successful. Up next the Thunder will host the Boston Celtics on Sunday as they try to make it 13 games above .500 on the season. Before the season a lot of media outlets didn’t have the Thunder even in the playoffs and they’re now chasing down that number 4 spot in the West.

 

 

Feb 8, 2020 No Comments
OKC Thunder Lose Emotional Game Against The Dallas Mavericks (107-97)

OKC Thunder Lose Emotional Game Against The Dallas Mavericks (107-97)

Featured

by | Jan 28, 2020 | Featured, NBA

The NBA world was stunned yesterday after the passing of Kobe Bryant. All of the basketball world was affected by the loss of one of the greatest to ever play the game. Kobe Bryant meant a lot to so many players in the NBA and it showed with the outpouring of love all over social media. A lot of those players wear his sneakers, mimic his moves, and play with the Mamba Mentality he showed on a daily basis. Two of those players that really idolized Kobe Bryant in their work ethic and basketball attire on the court were Shai Gilgeous-Alexander & Luka Doncic. Both players wanted to play tonight and put on a show for Kobe Bryant who’s watching from heaven. The game started with a moment of silence for Kobe Bryant followed by the OKC fans chanting “Kobe, Kobe, Kobe”. Both teams paying homage to Kobe Bryant with the 8-second violation followed by the 24-second shot clock violation. Once that happened the game got underway and that’s when the Dallas Mavericks were able to push the tempo right away.

 

 

 

It was tough to see because the Thunder usually dominate the paint and tonight OKC/DAL both only had 36 points in the interior. The Mavericks were able to contain the Thunder bigs Steven Adams and Nerlens Noel as they combined for 18 points. The Mavericks made it an added effort to contain the paint and they wanted to force the Thunder to score outside the paint. Without Chris Paul, in the lineup, OKC needed Shai and Dennis to show up on the night. Both combined for 37 points as they played extended roles with the basketball in their hands. Shai was missing a lot of shots that he can usually hit and wasn’t getting the calls he normally gets on a nightly basis. The whole Thunder team didn’t play as motivated as they usually do and it’s tough to do so after a tribute to one of your favorite players. The Thunder would get closer and closer in the game but every time the Mavs would make a run. The Thunder had no answer for Luka Doncic who wanted to play well in homage to Kobe Bryant. Luka who’s a Jordan Brand ambassador played the game in the Nike Kobe 5 “Chaos” to show love to all the victims from the crash. Luka was able to finish the game with 29 points and he was able to hit some unbelievable stepback jumpers on the night. The Thunder put multiple defenders on Luka but there wasn’t much that they could do. Once Luka gets hot it’s going to be a long night as that usually opens up the passing game for him as well. When Luka started getting it going he had the Thunder players on their heals as they didn’t know if he was attacking or dishing to get others involved. OKC was short-handed but this was still a big win for the Mavs moving forward. The Thunder and Mavericks meet one more time and OKC will be looking for a different outcome.

 

Jan 28, 2020 No Comments