Category Archives: News

Jalen Williams out with a Grade-1 hamstring strain

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Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams has been diagnosed with a Grade-1 left hamstring strain and will be evaluated on a week by week basis. The injury occurred in the third quarter of Game 2 of OKC’s Western Conference Quarterfinals matchup against the Phoenix Suns. Williams drove hard to the basket on a fast break and Devin Booker’s contest caused Williams to land a bit awkwardly. He immediately grimaced and grabbed at his left hamstring. Dub stayed in the game for about two more possessions and then intentionally fouled Booker and went to the bench. After a couple of minutes on the bench, Williams headed back to the locker room for the rest of the game.


In what has been an injury-wracked season for Williams, it is the right hamstring that has bothered him season. On January 17th, Williams initially injured his right hamstring against Miami. After sitting out 10 games, he came back and played two games before reinjuring that same hamstring on February 11th, in a game against the Suns. That reinjury caused Williams to be sidelined for about 6 weeks before he came back on March 23rd. In the offseason, Williams had surgery due to a ligament tear in his wrist, that caused him to miss the first 19 games of the season. Williams had started to look like his explosive self before this current injury occurred.

The Build-up

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Oklahoma weather tends to align itself with Thunder basketball most days. Today, we’re graced with rolling thunderstorms and more draft speculation in the media. Over the past week, we’ve seen “rumors” that the Sacramento Kings have traded for the Thunder’s pick at 2, Presti is enamored with Jaden Ivey, and we’re getting married to Chet Holmgren. We are a special breed as Thunder fans. A combination of rowdy college football fanatics plus the most passionate fanbase EVER equals a very loyal, very loud, and very needy type of fanatic. The pure jubilation the entire fanbase felt when the Kings card flipped at four, then the Rockets at three, followed by the Thunder at two was met with the highest of fives, spilled drinks, and thirsting for more.

The waiting period we’re experiencing right now before the draft can be compared to that LONG week after Christmas and before the New Year. We are in good hands, Thunder fans. The hands that crafted our Finals team and then sunset our aging stars, turning them into SGA, Tre Mann, #12 and #30 in this draft AND 9 more first-round picks over the next four drafts after this one! If there’s a GM to tear it down and build it back better, it’s Presti. The man himself said he wants it to be an “Arrival”, not an “Appearance”, when OKC makes it to the playoffs next. That type of confidence starts from the top and bleeds throughout the entire organization. You see it in our coaching staff, players, and even people who come by for a quick pitstop. (Shoutout Al Horford, go get that ring, and go Celtics!)

Most of the NBA media is trying to guess what the Thunder are going to do, but please take it with a grain of salt. Only Presti knows what Presti is going to do on draft night and the rest of the offseason. I do believe the consensus top three will go: Jabari Smith Jr, Holmgren, and Paolo Banchero. At the end of the day, everything points to Holmgren being drafted by the Thunder, and I think getting a 7’1 shot-blocking, Thunder Money ball-making big will only further our rebuild. Just ask Giddey, who is drooling at the chance to play with Chet. And the love seems to be reciprocated on Chet’s end (just look at his Instagram). Buckle up Thunder fans, for the next 22 days are going to be crazy with rumors, mock drafts, the NBA trade machine, and more. The hard part is over. Now, enjoy the build-up to whoever Presti brings into this exciting team!

Chicago Reporter Completely Fabricated a Greg Popovich Story using a Thunder Reporter’s Photo

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I’ve seen plenty of Twitter accounts steal content – video edits, graphics, you name it. But I never thought anyone would be dumb enough to attempt this.

After the Spurs game in OKC on February 11th, OKC Thunder reporter Addam Francisco (@SuaveFrancisco_) took a photo of Popovich.

A totally innocent photo. Just caught Popovich styling a little.

But then a Chicago reporter thought he could use the same photo and get away with it.

This is honestly insane. People steal photos constantly, but he even pretended like he had a story with Popovich. It’s one thing to use the photo and say “Look Popovich had this Pelle jacket on”, but it’s another to say “I took Popovich to K-Town and we got this jacket together”.

Really? You and Popovich just a had a nice stroll together? Why do you feel the need to make this up? And why would you use a photo that someone else took to try and verify it? Did you think no one would notice?

The whole think blows my mind. It’s almost sociopathic behavior. Obviously, this act is basically harmless, but the way in which he tweeted out someone’s photo with an almost hubristic lack of caution for the consequences is puzzling. On top of that, he completely fabricated a story for clicks and engagements. And it worked.

This is the part of the article where I was going to show what I dug up on Jason Goff, currently hired as an “impact player” for NBC Chicago. I don’t see what good that would do, so I’ll just say that this little charade that happened last night doesn’t surprise me. Like many others online, the temptation to do anything and everything for clicks and engagement has become too much for this Chicago reporter.

Darius Bazley is Out 4-6 Weeks, Who Will Replace Him? Here are Three Options

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Most known for posterizing Joel Embiid, Darius Bazley finally hits the injury bug – a knee bone bruise, and will have 4-6 weeks to work on his Tik Tok profile.

It was just awkward contact by a Celtics player early in the 1st half, which stretched the bench thin the remainder of the game. Now, Billy Donovan will be making adjustments to fill in Bazley’s absence, which is usually about 17 minutes per game. There’s really only a few candidates given this team’s depth.

Mike Muscala

Listen. Muscala gets a lot of hate. By I have a statistic that will blow your flipping mind. There are only three 5-man lineups that include CP3, SGA, Schroder, and Gallinari. Those three lineups are with Steven Adams, Nerlens Noel, or Mike Muscala. Want to guess which lineup has the highest net points per 100 possessions?

PlayerMinutes playedNet points
Steven Adams145+26.7
Nerlens Noel72+24.7
Mike Muscala38+59.0
Net points per 100 possessions when CP3, SGA, Schroder, and Gallinari in the lineup

Obviously the minutes could be skewing things a bit, but 59 points? This has to be good, right? Right? RIGHT?

Isaiah Roby

According to ESPN Fantasy, Roby is ranked 95th at his position. I can’t imagine there’s more than 95 shooting forwards in the NBA. Troublesome. The statistics from his only NBA game, you ask? It was a Tony Snell special but with significantly fewer minutes.

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However, Sam Presti didn’t have to trade Justin Patton for this guy, so he must see something in him. Turns out, this guy shows great potential as an outside shooter and as an all-around hustle guy. Check out the 2nd half highlights from this recent OKC Blue game vs the Kings

(Unrelated: The announcers and this game are amazing. The play-by-play guy makes every single play electric, and Nick Gallo is the color guy? Love it.)

All this to say that Roby hasn’t had too many opportunities to prove himself yet, but he has the potential to be a hidden gem.

Small Ball

One adjustment that has done wonders for Billy Donovan is the three guard lineup of SGA, Shai, and CP3 to end games. They are the best three-man lineup in terms of net rating, and we could see that come into play more with Bazley’s absence.

Don’t be surprised to see Billy go small with Ferg, Diallo, and Dort getting extra minutes with the 3-guard lineup (we still need a good nickname for that group, btw). We know that Diallo has been antsy to get more time, and with Dort’s rise in this rotation things have been a little cramped. This is a nice opportunity to give these guards some more area to develop.

This is all to say that we’ll be fine. Bazley has been a pleasant change from what we’ve usually seen in our rookies, but he’s still very far from a starting position. For now, enjoy these highlights from his season thus far.

Joel Embiid makes a smart business decision to not try and block Bazley

Kevin Durant Tarnishes the Name of Thunder Legend Anthony Morrow

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It’s not worth my time to discuss why this is complete dog doodoo. There’s multiple sources confirming you talked with OKC players before deciding to sign with Golden State saying he wanted to come back. This is just a worse version of that lie.

What must be discussed is this man’s nerve to tarnish the name of Anthony Morrow. No shooters? Only guy that make 3’s? Well, let’s take a look at some stats.

To be honest, none of this really matters. OKC has moved on. We have a bright future ahead with players that far less likely to be sociopathic liars. The reason I even discuss this is to keep the Thunder legend Anthony Morrow above these garbage allegations. It’s just shameful.

This is a new low point, KD.

Image result for nba player get out thumb gif

Chris Paul Made A Little Girl Cry with this Heinous Act

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Wednesday night after the OKC Thunder won against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Chris Paul brought a little girl to tears. Many say she was crying tears of joy. I say you can’t assume someone’s emotions. How dare you.

First, let’s consider the following. Chris Paul just notched 12 points (4-9FG) and 7 assists. That’s one sweaty jersey. CP3 basically handed over a smelly piece of fabric to an innocent child. What if I came over to you and handed you my socks that have been worn three times without washing them? Why haven’t I washed them is none of your damn business. Just take them. That’s basically what Chris Paul did.

Second, let’s acknowledge her own jersey. To the simple-minded, the last name “Paul” on her back might indicate that she is a fan of CP3. However, she could very easily be a Brandon Paul fan. Yes, THE Brandon Paul.

Noted NBA Legend Brandon Paul

So next time you film a girl crying because a random basketball player threw his sweaty garments at her, maybe have some respect. You don’t know what she’s going through. It’s simply sickening to see people who try to use these situations for social media engagement.

Many T’s and P’s to this girl and her family. Hopefully that stench doesn’t linger for too long.

Kobe: My Basketball Guardian Angel

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kobe westbrook durantIn the wake of the tragic death of Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and seven other people in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, CA on Sunday, I was hit by a wave of emotion from all sorts of different angles. I, like many people, was caught completely off-guard by this tragedy. Like a flame in a thunderstorm, plane crashes and helicopter crashes have a way of bringing an abrupt finality that quickly extinguishes any form of hope. At least in most car crashes, people get taken to the hospitals in hopes that something can be done. But those aerial disasters leave us with a sense of doom before we even see the crash site.

After receiving the news from my sister, I immediately thought it was a hoax. You know, the denial phase of grief. I mean, c’mon now! TMZ? Really? You know how trolls sometimes put out those “so and so passed away” posts, only to have the person in question (or a representative of that person) pop up on some form of social media to dispel the rumors and tell us said person is alive and doing well. Hell, it even happened to former Lakers player Rick Fox yesterday, who many on social media were placing on the same helicopter as Bryant. That, as we now know, turned out to be false.

After other, more reputable, sources started putting out the same news, I began to shift into an almost depressive phase of grief. Like, that shit hit me hard and I had no idea why. Emotions are a weird thing, man. They are personal interpretations of a situation based on that person’s past. They hit everyone differently. And you can never really control how they hit. You see, for me, in a weird way, Kobe Bryant was with me for every phase of my life. And I hadn’t realized that until yesterday. Continue reading →

Thunder sign Justin Patton

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Utah Jazz v Minnesota Timberwolves

According to the team, the Oklahoma City Thunder have signed Justin Patton. The oft-injured center has played in just four NBA games in his two year career.

After being drafted with the 16th pick by the Chicago Bulls (and subsequently traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Jimmy Butler deal) in 2017, Patton broke his left foot prior to summer league. That injury sidelined him for most of the first half of the season. Patton rehabbed with the Timberwolves’ G-League affiliate for much of the second half of the season, averaging 12.7 points and 5.4 rebounds in 23 minutes per game. He made his NBA debut on April 1st, 2018. After that game, the team decided to sideline Patton for the rest of the season. On April 18th, he had another surgery on his left foot to further promote healing on the broken bone.

Patton suffered another set-back last offseason, breaking his right foot. He had surgery on September 18th, 2018, and was sidelined, once again, for much of the first half of the season. On November 12th, Patton was once again packaged with Jimmy Butler in a trade, this time from Minnesota to Philadelphia. Patton appeared in just three games for the 76ers and was waived on April 3rd, 2019.

At his core, Patton is a 7’0″ athletic, rim-running center with the ability to make good passes out of the post. Defensively, his 7’2″ wingspan can be disruptive, but he can also be undisciplined, which leads to him picking up unnecessary fouls.

It is unknown whether this is a guaranteed deal or whether this is a training camp invite type of deal. But this definitely fits in Presti’s “reclamation project” type of swings that he takes on players from time to time.

Russell Westbrook undergoes arthroscopic procedure

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img_6316The Oklahoma City Thunder announced on Wednesday that All-Star guard Russell Westbrook underwent a successful arthroscopic procedure on his right knee. The statement stated that Westbrook experienced some inflammation in his knee over the weekend and Westbrook, his advisers, and the team decided it would be best to have the “proactive” procedure. The surgery was performed by Dr. Neal El’Attrache at the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic in Los Angeles, Ca.

Last year, Westbrook missed part of training camp after electing to have a PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) injection in his left knee after experiencing some discomfort in that knee. Five years ago, Westbrook suffered a torn meniscus on his right knee in Game 1 of their playoff series against the Houston Rockets when Patrick Beverly ran into Westbrook’s knee going for a steal attempt as Westbrook slowed down to call a timeout.

Complications while recovering from the initial meniscus surgery necessitated a second surgery at the beginning of the 2013-14 season. Westbrook had to go under the knife for a third time in December of that year due to increased swelling in his knee. In total, Westbrook had three surgeries on his right knee over an 8 month period in 2013. He’s been relatively healthy since then, missing only 20 games total since the end of the 2013-14 season.

Since then, Westbrook has had two triple-double seasons, has led the league in scoring twice, and won the 2017 NBA MVP. According to the Thunder, Westbrook will be re-evaluated in 4 weeks. The addition of Dennis Schroder means the Thunder will at least head into the preseason with a viable replacement for Westbrook. Something the team hasn’t had in a while. The Thunder’s first regular season game is October 16th, against the Golden State Warriors in Oakland, Ca.

 

Thunder sign Hamidou Diallo

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2018 NBA Summer League - Las Vegas - Oklahoma City Thunder v Brooklyn NetsThe Oklahoma City Thunder signed second round pick Hamidou Diallo to a 3 year/$4 million dollar contract. The 6’5″ guard out of Kentucky was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets with the No. 45 pick and then subsequently traded to the Thunder for a 2019 second round pick and cash considerations.

The trade could not be consummated until after the free agency moratorium was lifted on July 6th, but once that happened, Diallo became available to the Thunder to participate in the Las Vegas Summer League. Diallo played in all 5 games for the Thunder, averaging 10.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.0 steal per game on 49/44/56 shooting splits in 19.2 minutes of action.  Continue reading →