The Oklahoma City Thunder became the 30th NBA team to add a jersey patch sponsor to their uniform Friday morning. Local business Loves Travel Stops was granted access to be the sponsor for the Thunder team. Loves is a local business that has partnered up with the OKC Thunder in the past. This was a perfect fit for the OKC Thunder as they were able to find something close to home to represent their franchise. NBA jersey patch sponsors bring in approximately $150 Million annually and it helps bring awareness to the company that sponsors the team. The Oklahoma City will be debuting this new jersey patch on their jerseys this Saturday against the Golden State Warriors during primetime. The deal that Loves made with the OKC Thunder was for the estimated 4 years. This has been a partnership great partnership over the years and this is a huge step for the Thunder. Overall the Thunder are a huge part of the community and having a business that’s invested just as much as they are was something special.
Oklahoma City was on a nice road trip where they went 2-2 on the trip. They were able to get back home to face off against the Brooklyn Nets. The Nets have a nice young squad led by D’Angelo Russell and Spencer Dinwiddie. The Nets were able to give the Thunder a nice fight at the beginning of the game sustaining a nice double-digit throughout. The Thunder were having trouble guarding inside the paint as the Nets were able to maximize the opportunities that the Thunder presented defensively. Spencer Dinwiddie was able to have a very good game tonight finishing with 25 points on the night. Dinwiddie was able to get into the paint with ease and made some tough shots on the night against the Thunder. Spencer and D’Angelo were giving the Thunder some trouble when they attacked the paint and it took for the 2nd half for the Thunder to adjust to the flow that Brooklyn was playing with. D’Angelo Russell finished with 14 points on the night but didn’t get the chance to showcase his whole skill set in OKC.
The Thunder defense ramped up in that 2nd half and that’s when the Thunder offense woke up as well. Russell Westbrook finished the 1st half with 4 points and it should be noted that he only had 1 assist going into halftime and finished the game with 31 points, 11 assists, and 12 rebounds on the night. Westbrook was able to take advantage of the mismatch that was on him all night. It didn’t matter who was guarding Westbrook tonight especially with him having the 3 point shot working for him. Westbrook was able to create and was able to attack the Nets in every way and they didn’t know what to do to stop it. Westbrook has been amazing since the All-Star Break and it was also good to see Paul George get back in the flow of the offense. PG-13 finished with 25 points on the night and was able to let his defense turn into offense. Paul George had his jumper working for him. When Westbrook and George play at this high level the Thunder are nearly unbeatable.
The Thunder have a back to back and will be playing in Indiana tomorrow night.
The Thunder came into this game against Memphis riding a 4 game losing streak. Oklahoma City would also be without Paul George for the 3rd game in a row. The great thing about the Thunder is the fact that they still have an MVP caliber player on the roster in Russell Westbrook. The game tonight between Memphis and Oklahoma City was all about defense as both teams weren’t able to score over 100 points. The Memphis Grizzlies came out clicking on all cylinders tonight even without Mike Conley who was out tonight for them. Avery Bradley decided at an early moment in the game that he was going to be aggressive from the start and it paid off. Bradley was able to get his jumper working all night and finished with a game-high 27 points. It seemed like anything that Avery Bradley put up it was bound to go in at a certain point in the game and he was able to use that pick and roll with Valanciunas tonight to his advantage. Avery Bradley was able to use his defense to create offense in transition which opened up more opportunity for his teammates. The player that stepped up in a big way for the Grizzlies was Delon Wright he was able to come in and start in place of Conley and didn’t shy away from the moment. In the first half, Wright was able to create and get to the basket at will whenever he was able to get an open crease. Wright finished with 17 points on the night and had a chance late in the game to put Memphis in a better position to win but his 3 pointer didn’t go in. This is a huge teaching tool for Wright and he was able to show a lot of growth that Coach Bickerstaff could use moving forward. Jonas Valanciunas was able to notch a double-double with 16 points and 13 rebounds on the night but wasn’t able to outrebound Steven Adams.
Steven Adams was a grown man in that paint tonight as he was able to get 13 points and 22 rebounds. Steven was a huge threat in the paint tonight and he was able to defend that paint with his help defense. The Big Kiwi has been consistent all year and continued that tonight against Jonas. Steven Adams was 1 rebound shy of his career high of 23 but his dominance on the boards has played a huge roll in the Thunder’s success in the paint. The way that Adams and Westbrook run that pick and roll it seems unstoppable. Speaking of unstoppable that’s exactly what Russell Westbrook was in the second half of this game as he was able to hit big shot after big shot. Russell Westbrook finished with 22 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists on the night. Westbrook hit a crucial 3 pointer late in the game that put OKC up and then followed it up with a clutch mid-range jumper that put the icing on the cake. People continue to doubt Westbrook’s shooting and he continues to prove them wrong every moment he gets. Westbrook was able to put the team on his back and made the comeback tonight with the help of his running mate Schröder and Nader. Both Schröder and Nader had made the best of the minutes they had tonight and combined for 32 points to help Russell Westbrook down the stretch. The confidence that Nader and Schröder have been playing has been impressive in the absence of Paul George and it has shown in the play on the court. Billy Donovan has found some comfort in the lineups he’s put out there and it has given the Thunder a chance to get back into the win column. This will be huge for the Thunder in the long run because you have players that don’t usually get this much run getting chances to make a difference in the games during the regular season and that can help in the postseason.
The Thunder improved to 39-24 and will be playing in Minnesota on Tuesday night. The question leading into that game will be is Paul George going to be active for that game. We should have an update on that status prior to the game so keep it locked on SneakerReporter.com
Coming into Thursday’s game the Thunder wanted to bounce back from their loss in Denver. The team learned right before tipoff that they would be without the MVP candidate Paul George. A right shoulder soreness kept Paul George out the lineup against the 76ers. Also, it should be noted the 76ers were playing without Joel Embiid on the night as well. The Thunder were going to be in for a battle and that’s exactly what it was in OKC. Russell Westbrook was able to play his heart out and put the Thunder in a prime position to win only to come up short. Westbrook finished with 23 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists on the night and showed a lot of leadership playing within the gameplan. Westbrook was able to do anything that he wanted on the night whether it be going to the basket or hitting his mid-range jumper it didn’t matter. One thing the 76ers were trying to do was sag off Russell Westbrook tonight and try to let him take the 3 point shots. Westbrook shot 1/9 from the 3 point line but was able to make the best of the situation by slashing and beating the 76ers in transition for baskets. One of the bright spots for the Thunder was the fact that Jerami Grant stepped up big time to help alongside Russell Westbrook as they both had 23 points. Grant has shown a lot of improvement this season and has gained so much confidence knowing that his teammates depend on him in big moments. Grant has added the 3 point shot to his resume and was able to get to the basket anytime he wanted with the 76ers missing big men in the paint. The Thunder had 5 scorers in double figures and were able to score the basket with ease tonight as Philly didn’t have an interior presence. Markieff Morris had his best game as a Thunder tonight as well chipping in with 17 points on the night and looked to be more comfortable in the system now. Overall the Thunder looked good but not good enough as it was obvious they missed George on both ends of the floor but put up a great fight. The Thunder brought it within 3 points on multiple occasions but just couldn’t get the job done as Philly made some big shots.
The 76ers night definitely belonged to Tobias Harris as he was able to hit a big shot, after big shot against OKC. Harris was able to create his own shot and was able to penetrate and make the tough baskets on the night. One thing that he’s improved on is his mid-range jumper and his awareness to create space on the floor. The way that Tobias Harris’ able to play off Simmons and Butler was a true sight to witness and it showed with his game-high 32 points on the night. The Thunder put multiple defenders on Harris but he hit some big shots down the stretch and even had an 8-0 run by himself. Ben Simmons continues to play amazing with and without the ball as he notched a triple-double on the night with 11 points, 13 rebounds, and 11 assists. Simmons was able to find teammates and was able to penetrate to the basket and take advantage of the mismatches against the Thunder. The only downfall to Simmons game is the free throw shooting and a consistent jumper. Once both of those happen there’s nothing that can stop Simmons from being the best player in the NBA in the next couple of years. Jimmy Butler was also able to add a quiet 20 points but was able to lock down defensively on the night guarding his position. Without Embiid and George this was still a great game and a game the Thunder needed to continue being at the top of the Western Conference with Denver and Golden State.
The Oklahoma City Thunder came into this game against the Sacramento Kings looking to win the back to back. The only issue is the Thunder were in double overtime with an 8:30 tipoff and played pretty much 17 hours previously. The Kings had a day of rest and were prepared for the Thunder. It was obvious that the Sacramento Kings wanted to wear the Thunder out tonight as they were running the floor like a track meet. The Kings were up for a good portion of the game and tried to take advantage of the tired legs of the Thunder and it was proving to work. Buddy Hield and De’Aaron Fox combined for 53 points on the night. Both Fox and Hield made some tough shots on the night and were able to use their quickness to create more offense against the Thunder. Buddy Hield was making some tough shots with Ferguson and George draped all over him. The improvement in Buddy’s game has been impressive because he was known for being a knockdown shooter but has shown that he can get to the basket. It truly looks like Buddy has found a home in Sacramento and they have a young core and a great coach that believes in his ability to score. Buddy finished with 38 points on the night and was able to attack and hit his jumper in some clutch moments down the stretch. The Kings momentum was going with Fox and he was able to show that he’s a true floor general and leader at a young age. Some of the passes that Fox made to split the double teams and his awareness needs to be respected.
It was noticeable that OKC was gassed and the Kings tried to make them pay for it in the transition game. The bright spot for the Thunder was their leader Russell Westbrook because he has the best motor in the NBA. Westbrook may have finished with 41 points and 10 rebounds on the night but you would have never noticed he played pretty much identical the night before. Russell Westbrook’s a special talent and breed that the NBA won’t see ever again when he’s ready to hang up his sneakers. Westbrook was able to keep the Thunder in the mix tonight as he was being aggressive to the basket and also had the 3 point shot working. Westbrook was making some clutch shots and was driving to the basket all night on Fox with ease. The Thunder were down by 1 point late and Westbrook received an offensive foul that gave the Kings back the ball late.
Paul George was trying to get his game going on the night but wasn’t able to hit much. George finished with 14 points on the night and went 4/19 from the field. George to his credit played 50 minutes the night before and he even admitted he was a little tired. The way that Paul George has been able to carry the Thunder all season he was due for a bad game in the mix. The most impressive thing is that with the Thunder down by 3 points with time running out they still showed the confidence in Paul even though he missed. The Thunder have the best duo in the NBA and they have been able to prove that on an everyday basis. When the Thunder stars play as they have lately anything is possible. The Thunder bench chipped in with 32 points on the night as well and it was a great sight for Dennis Schröder tonight hitting some tough shots to finish with 14 points on the night.
The Thunder play the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday in Denver and that should be a great one as the 2nd/3rd place teams will battle it out.
Photo Credit – Photo by Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman
This was the first game of the second half of the season and the Thunder were ready for the challenge. The Jazz came into town to face the red hot Thunder and their MVP caliber players in Westbrook & George. Both teams have some hatred towards each other especially after the playoffs and OKC wanted to show this was a new year and a different team. The Thunder and Jazz were both going back in forth in this game but it was the big names that showed up tonight. The one bright spot for the Jazz tonight was Donovan Mitchell he went off for 38 points against the Thunder. Mitchell was a tough guard for anyone that OKC put on him and he was making some amazing shots on the night. Mitchell reminds everyone of a young D-Wade the way that he can create his own shot and get to the paint with ease. The Thunder controlled the rest of Mitchell’s team in the game and forced someone else to beat them if it was going to happen.
Utah didn’t get the job done overall even with six players in double figures they fell to OKC. No one on the Jazz was able to contain Russell Westbrook or Paul George as they both combined for 88 points out of the 148 from the Thunder on the night. Paul George started off slow but was able to get into his groove in a hurry in that second half. George finished with 45 points on the night and hit the game winner over Rudy Gobert that amazed everyone in attendance and watching around the world. The NBA is witnessing something special with this run that Paul George has been on and people are starting to jump on the MVPG train. One of the people that support that train is his running mate Russell Westbrook who posted up 43 points, 15 rebounds, and 8 assists to end his triple-double streak. We witness history all the time with Westbrook and he’s been even more historic with his leadership that he’s put on display. Russell Westbrook fouled out this game in OT but was able to have his fingerprints all over the game and that led to his teammates wanting to play for him even more. Both George and Westbrook have shown that defense can turn into the offense and they can actually make each other better. This is what was to be expected and with the leadership from both of them, it’s rubbed off on players like Schröder and Nader who had some big plays down the stretch.
The Thunder will be facing off against the Kings tomorrow and will look to keep this same energy and progression going to continue to climb that Western Conference ladder.
Photo Credit: Alonzo Adams, USA TODAY Sports via Reuters
