Russell Westbrook’s 107th Triple-Double Helps OKC Beat Cleveland (100-83)

Russell Westbrook’s 107th Triple-Double Helps OKC Beat Cleveland (100-83)

Featured

by | Nov 29, 2018 | Featured, NBA

After the loss to the Denver Nuggets on Saturday, Russell Westbrook spent the rest of his evening working on his craft. In true professional fashion, Westbrook worked on his jumper and was determined to get that game out of his system. In all reality, Westbrook doesn’t need to shoot after games to get over a bad outing especially when you’re an NBA MVP. Westbrook getting a late night session in just proves his leadership and the fact that he wants to lead by example. Russell Westbrook has done things his way and has grown over the years as a leader and professional. The Thunder back up Russell Westbrook and his teammates do as well and the fact he’s in the gym working on his game daily should be added motivation for anyone who appreciates his game.

The Thunder took on the Cleveland Cavaliers tonight at Chesapeake Energy Arena and Russell Westbrook put on one of the best performances in his career. Russell finished with 23 points, 19 rebounds, and 15 assists for his 3rd triple-double of the season. While getting his 3rd triple-double of the season Westbrook made history as well notching his 107th of his career tying Jason Kidd for 3rd All Time. Westbrook played within the game and let his game do the talking tonight. Westbrook was able to find his teammates in their sweet spots and was able to get into his sweet spot on the court as well. Russell Westbrook was matched up against Collin Sexton the very aggressive rookie and took him to the post. There is no guard in the league that can defend Russell Westbrook when he’s on the block and he was able to take advantage of the Cavs defense anyway he wanted too.

The Cavs would try to double-team Westbrook and Russ made them pay by getting it to Jerami Grant. The Cavs had no answer for Jerami Grant as he was able to beat them on backdoor cuts all night long. This was a huge step for Jerami Grant because he was able to see his 3 point shot go down and he also was able to get to the rim whenever he wanted tonight. Grant finished the game one point shy of his career high with 21 points and 5 rebounds. This stretch for the Thunder has been great as a unit with Billy Donovan switching up lineups this has made other step up and get some added minutes. One of those players that have stepped up his game and made the most of those minutes has been has been Deonte Burton. Paul George said “Te is just a baller” and that’s exactly what he’s been for this team. When Burton comes in the game he brings that energy and intensity on both ends of the floor and doesn’t back down from anyone. Burton has been very big for the Thunder because he stretches the floor and also can attack the defense with ease off the perimeter. Paul George was in foul trouble all night and still managed to have 18 points on the night. The referees were calling the game a little too tight and it showed with PG only playing 24 minutes. When Paul George gets to play his game he’s one of the top two way players and he would have been able to stop Sexton tonight a little bit.

The Cavaliers rookie Collin Sexton had his hands full trying to guard Russell Westbrook tonight but was able to still get 21 points. Sexton showed a lot of heart and grit out there tonight and didn’t give up. When Sexton gets some more experience in this league and can continue to work on his offensive game he’s going to be special. Jordan Clarkson was the one player that was able to help Sexton tonight as he scored 25 points off the bench. Jordan knows how to get some big-time buckets in big moments but wasn’t able to do enough to get the Cavs the victory on the road. The Thunder had a huge win tonight and didn’t let anything get in the way of this victory. When you shoot 48% from the field and have a dominant player like Russell Westbrook leading the charge it’s going to be a long night for any team.

This Thunder team will try to continue this great play against the Hawks on Friday as Trae Young comes back home to play his hometown team.

 

Photo Credit: Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images

Nov 29, 2018 No Comments
The OKC Thunder Come Up Short Tonight Against The Denver Nuggets (105-98)

The OKC Thunder Come Up Short Tonight Against The Denver Nuggets (105-98)

Featured

by | Nov 25, 2018 | Featured

The Thunder are coming off a win against the Hornets last night. This is one of the first back to back games at home for the Thunder in recent memory. OKC has been extremely hot and came into this game 12-6 tied for first place in the Western Conference. Tonight the Thunder started Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot at shooting guard. Billy Donovan wanted to get a different look in the lineup and see what’s working and what’s not working. The biggest difference in this game against the Nuggets tonight was the fact that Schroder, Westbrook, and George didn’t start together tonight. During the start of the game, OKC wasn’t able to get anything to fall for them. The Thunder ball movement has been amazing as of late but when they were given the open looks tonight they didn’t drop. While the Thunder weren’t able to get anything to drop the Nuggets, on the other hand, were able to get anything they wanted. The Nuggets took advantage of every hustle play and made the Thunder pay. Jamal Murray was a constant nightmare for OKC because he was hustling for loose balls and making tough shots while finding his teammates. Murray finished the game with 22 points and was able to put the Nuggets on his back throughout the game. Denver is a well-balanced team and they showed that high energy with defense can keep you in a game. The Thunder had five players in double figures tonight and it seemed that every run OKC tried to get going the Nuggets had an answer. Denver had a 25 point lead and was in the driver seat majority of the night on both ends of the floor.

At the half, it was 63-42 and the Thunder came out that 3rd quarter with energy and swag that they usually do. Russell Westbrook was trying to will his team back into the game all night showing true leadership through his play. Westbrook finished with 16 points, 12 assists, and 10 rebounds on the night for his second triple-double of the season. Every time OKC got close to getting back into the game the Nuggets hit a tough shot. The NBA is a miss or make league and tonight the Thunder were struggling. This defense for the Thunder will continue to get better and they will continue to grow. A lot of people forget they’re playing without Roberson, Diallo, and Ferguson right now. The defense has been swarming including tonight and it just came down to the Nuggets hitting some tough shots. Paul George had his game going but showed some signs of frustration with some of the calls against him. Paul George is one of the best two-way players in the league and he will continue to find a way to score no matter what. PG-13 finished with 24 points to lead the Thunder but he wants to lead with his defense as well. Westbrook and George both have played amazing on this stretch of games. Tonight’s loss came down to other players making plays for the Nuggets that weren’t apart of the gameplan as much. Trey Lyles had 16 points and had a couple of 3 point plays that helped his night out. OKC has to continue to defend at a high level and trust one another like they have to continue this success with Cleveland coming to town.

After the game, Russell Westbrook was practicing on the court working on his jumper. People give Westbrook a hard time with his shooting right now but no one said anything when he carried this team his MVP season. The same shots that got him the MVP that season are the same shots that he’s taking now. Westbrook just has to see the ball go in the hoop and he will be fine. Westbrook shot 1-15 from the 3pt field tonight and will redeem himself on Wednesday like the true professional he is. Westbrook plays great without the ball and showed that he can still dominate with or without the ball in his hands with his IQ. Russell Westbrook is a true professional and will bounce back like he always does on the daily.

 

Photo Credit: Alonzo Adams

Nov 25, 2018 No Comments
Westbrook’s 30 Point Performance Leads OKC To The Victory Over Charlotte (109-104)

Westbrook’s 30 Point Performance Leads OKC To The Victory Over Charlotte (109-104)

Featured

by | Nov 24, 2018 | Featured

The Oklahoma City Thunder came back home looking for another win after beating the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday. Tonight the Thunder faced off against the Charlotte Hornets and Kemba Walker. This was a great matchup between two great point guards in Russell Westbrook and Kemba Walker. Both players have the same heart but have different skill sets that were put on full display. Russell Westbrook’s the type of player that can beat you with his explosiveness and his IQ on the basketball court. Russell makes his teammates around him better and he’s shown that he can still be dominating playing with the ball and off the ball. Kemba Walker is that player that can cross you over and get to the basket with ease and score with his lethal setback jumper. Billy Donovan tried the new lineup of Russell Westbrook, Dennis Schroder, and Paul George tonight. This was the first time we were able to see all three together in the lineup and flourish together. Dennis was finding Westbrook and George in their hot spots and the ball movement was very smooth. The Thunder are playing at a high level right now and having a lot of fun while doing it.

The Hornets were able to hang around all night in this game because of Kemba Walker’s 25 points and 8 assists. Kemba was able to weave through the Thunder defense in that first half and get to the basket with no issue. Billy Donovan made the proper adjustments heading into the second half and that helped big time. The first half the Hornets were trying to get Kemba in a switch with Steven Adams but in the second half, Westbrook was able to defend him at a high level. Russell Westbrook has shown that he can defend and take over a game offensively at will. Russell put the Thunder on his back tonight and finished with 30 points, 12 rebounds, and 8 assists. Westbrook dominated this game in the second half and was able to help OKC get the momentum in their favor. The Thunder had 6 players in double digits tonight against the Hornets and the ball movement looked amazing. Deonte Burton had his career high 11 points tonight and was able to make some huge energy plays to spark the team. Burton had 2 dunks that had the whole arena going crazy. The Thunder are now 12-6 on the season and they have a matchup with Denver Nuggets tomorrow in OKC. If the Thunder continue to play like this and continue to grow as a unit this could be a special season.

 

Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

Nov 24, 2018 No Comments
OKC Debuts New “City” Jersey With Thunderous Win Over Knicks (128-103)

OKC Debuts New “City” Jersey With Thunderous Win Over Knicks (128-103)

Featured

by | Nov 15, 2018 | Featured

Paul George has been on a hot streak shooting as of late and that didn’t stop at all tonight. Paul put the team on his back and didn’t look back at all. Once Russell Westbrook was ruled out for tonight’s game Paul George, Dennis Schroder, and Steven Adams were ready to step up. This was one of the best games collectively from the Oklahoma City Thunder all season. Paul George led the way with 35 points on 13-22 shooting from the field and looked unstoppable. Paul George aka PG-13 was in a zone that not too many people get to experience in life. It seemed like he was in heat check mode all night and was in a groove that even his teammates were able to witness. Paul George was dunking, assisting, shooting, and hustling all night long. The Thunder played as a team and it was special to watch. When OKC plays like this and the ball movement and moving like it did tonight against the Knicks this team is unstoppable.

The Thunder finished the game with 32 assists and some of those were on some serious alley oops that PG-13 finished. This team is having fun and it showed tonight in the game against the Knicks. Steven Adams was another player that was able to flourish in this game as he dominated the paint in back to back games now. Steven Adams finished with 19 points and 7 rebounds against his old teammate/stache brother Enes Kanter. Steven Adams has been the most consistent player for the Oklahoma City Thunder all season and that has a lot to do with the fact the NBA has gone small. Steven Adams has been able to dominate the paint and his matchup for the majority of the season. Dennis Schroder has grown in this system a lot over the time since his arrival and you can see his growth through his play on the court. Schroder knows where Adams and George will be on every play and knows how to draw the defense in so that he can find them. Schroder had 15 points and 12 assists on the night and was a problem for any Knicks defender they put in front of him. Schroder has been able to fill in for Russell Westbrook while he’s been injured and has been able to direct this team on and off the court with leadership.

The Thunder had 5 players in double figures and have figured out how to operate as a team. The ball movement has been amazing and Billy Donovan has done a great job with rotations getting the best out of Diallo, Noel, and Abrines. The Thunder have won 9 out of the last 10 games and have been one of the hottest teams in the NBA all season. The Knicks ran into a hot team and weren’t able to put out the fire that was OKC tonight. Tim Hardaway Jr and Enes Kanter combined for 39 points tonight and were the bright spots for the Knicks. Trier was able to add 10 points off the bench as he is a young promising talent that will emerge for them in the coming weeks. Trier has the special talent that can compliment Hardaway Jr and Kanter on a nightly basis. Overall the Knicks will drop to 4-11 on the season but will continue to try to climb the ladder in the East after this loss to the Thunder.

Oklahoma City will play the Phoenix Suns on Saturday trying to make it 10 wins in the last 11. The Thunder beat the Suns the other night 118-101 and will look to repeat that.

 

Photo Credit: Photo by Zach Beeker

Nov 15, 2018 No Comments
Paul George Drops 32 PTS To Lead The Way As OKC Dominates The Phoenix Suns (118-101)

Paul George Drops 32 PTS To Lead The Way As OKC Dominates The Phoenix Suns (118-101)

Featured

by | Nov 13, 2018 | Featured

The Oklahoma City Thunder were coming off their loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday and wanted to get back in the winning column. This will be the first of two games this week against the Phoenix Suns and it’s one they would want to forget about. Paul George was shooting lights out from the field and was able to get anything he wanted tonight. Since Russell Westbrook went down with his left sprained ankle Paul George has led the charge scoring 58 points in those three games. Tonight against the Phoenix Suns he would continue that pace as PG-13 went for 32 points on 11-19 shooting from the field. The leadership and aggressiveness that Paul George has played with while Westbrook has been sidelined has been impressive. Overall the team has played outstanding as a whole unit from the starters to the second unit. The Thunder are starting to find their chemistry and it was on full display against the Suns. Oklahoma City 48% from the 3 point line and 47% from the field. The Suns weren’t able to put the fire out at all tonight as OKC got it going early and didn’t look back. Dennis Schroder was able to get things going offensively as well in the second half finishing with 20 points. The floater was working for Dennis and he was being very aggressive on the defensive end as well.

One of the big bright spots in the game was the fact that the Thunder were feeding Steven Adams in the paint as he was able to post up rookie Deandre Ayton with ease. Steven was pump faking Ayton and outrebounding the rookie and that set the tone for the evening inside the paint. Steven Adams finished with 18 points and was able to hold Deandre Ayton to only 14 points on the night. The Suns had their rising star Devin Booker in the lineup and he showed a lot of heart and was still able to find his shot. Devin Booker was being guarded by Paul George majority of the night and he was able to finish with 19 points on the night. Booker has so much talent and once this Suns team finished their identity they could make a push if they get some games together. The Suns just couldn’t get back into this a close range in this game as they allowed OKC to shoot season highs. The Thunder had 3 players that were in double figures George, Adams, and Schroder. All three of them have been able to build chemistry and have learned each other’s hot spots on the court. Schroder to Adams on the pick and roll has been a thing of beauty and Deandre Ayton wasn’t able to stop it. Schroder has improved his passing in transition and has been able to find Paul George in rhythm with ease as of late. Overall the Thunder have been able to string together 8 of 9 wins in the last 9 games and look to be getting things together on the court. Some people will say the schedule helps the Thunder but they have played great basketball and have been clicking on all cylinders as a team even without Westbrook.

Oklahoma City and Phoenix will play again on Saturday in Phoenix as the Suns will try to get revenge on OKC after this game. The Thunder will play against the Knicks on Wednesday before they hit the road as they try to improve to 9-5 on the season in that game.

 

Nov 13, 2018 No Comments