Tag Archives: Alex Caruso

San Antonio Spurs vs. Thunder preview (Game 41 of 82)

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  • San Antonio Spurs (27-12, 2nd in the West) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (33-7, 1st in the West)
  • When: Tuesday, 13 January 2026 at 7:00pm CST
  • Where: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
  • TV: NBC/Peacock and FDSN-OK
  • Offensive Rating: SAS: 116.6 (7th) / OKC: 118.0 (5th)
  • Defensive Rating: SAS: 111.2 (3rd) / OKC: 105.4 (1st)
  • Net Rating: SAS: 5.4 (5th) / OKC: 12.6 (1st)
  • Current Streaks: SAS: 2-3 in their last 5 / OKC: Winners of 3 in a row and 7-2 in their last 9

The Set-Up

The next great rivalry. Two organizations that are foundationally very similar, appear to be on a path to establishing a rivalry that will likely lead us well into the 2030s. Two small market teams cut from the same cloth. One has already gotten the grand prize. The other appears to be a year behind, but on the same upward trajectory. Add to that, you have superstars, All-Stars, MVPs, All-NBA team members, All-Defense team members, DPOY candidates, 6MOY candidates on both rosters. It’s percolating and the NBA is hoping the eruption will occur later this season in the playoffs. The old guard may be starting to retire, but the NBA’s near future is in good hands

This is the fourth of five meetings this season between the Thunder and Spurs. The Spurs have won the first 3 meetings this season, with one of the those meetings being a 2-point difference (the Cup semifinal) and the other two being decided by an average of 17.5 points.

Betting Info, presented by FanDuel

  • Line: OKC -8.5
  • O/U: 229.5

Injury Report

OKC

  • Lu Dort – Questionable (foot)
  • Isaiah Hartenstein – OUT (calf)
  • Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee/ACL)
  • Nikola Topic – OUT (cancer treatment)

SAS

  • Devin Vassell – OUT (adductor)

Three Big Things plus 2 more

  1. Dribble Penetration – One of the biggest failings in the first 3 games of the season against San Antonio has been our perimeter defense and the lack of penetration denial. De’Aaron Fox, Steph Castle, and Dylan Harper were able to get past the Thunder’s first line of defense pretty easily and get into the paint to cause havoc from there. Lu Dort, Cason Wallace, Alex Caruso, etc. were a step slow most times during those games and it put the onus squarely on Chet Holmgren’s shoulders to not only defend the dribble penetration but also keep an eye on the Spurs’ bigs.
  2. Get your get back – Oklahoma City may present themselves as a “0-0 mentality, this is just 1 of 82, the next game is the most important game” type bunch. And for the most part, it’s true. But don’t believe for a second that they didn’t have this game circled on their calendars once they lost on Christmas day. They want this game and they want it in blowout fashion. They hear what the basketball zeitgeist is saying. They know that they shit the bed the last couple times they’ve played the Spurs. And they are here to right some wrongs.
  3. Chet Holmgren – Speaking of getting your get back, Holmgren needs to step his game up and get over the mental block he has when facing off against Victor Wembanyama. The ironic thing is that for most of the time Holmgren has been on the floor, he’s been facing off against Luke Kornet, due to San Antonio starting Kornet in all three meetings and limiting Wembanyama to 23 minutes per game in the games against OKC. In the three games this season against San Antonio, Holmgren is averaging 11.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1 block on 41/25/71 shooting splits. That’s a far cry from his season averages of 18 points, 8 rebounds, and nearly 2 blocks on 57/37/77 shooting splits. In the previous meetings, Holmgren may have been dealing with back issues and illness, but he should be his healthiest in this meeting. Will the real Chet Holmgren please stand up!
  4. Normal Shooting – Can we please get a game where the shot making is normal? I mean, even for the Thunder. I’d like to see a game where shooting variance doesn’t rear it’s ugly head. Both teams shoot about 35% from deep. Let’s keep it there. No outliers, please (unless it’s OKC shooting the lights out ;-)
  5. Ajay Mitchell – One of the biggest things missing from the two blowout losses the Thunder suffered against the Spurs was the absence of Ajay Mitchell. With Mitchell out, the Thunder had only Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as the lone ball-handler/shot-creator on the team. Jalen Williams would normally fill that role, but his continued recovery from wrist surgery has hampered that part of his game. Mitchell adds another wrinkle to the Thunder’s offense (and defense) that could unlock parts of the game that were missing in the last two meetings between these two teams.

Dallas Mavericks vs. Thunder preview (Game 23 of 82)

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  • Dallas Mavericks (8-15, 12th in the West) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (21-1, 1st in the West)
  • When: Friday, 05 December 2025 at 8:30pm CST
  • Where: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
  • TV: Prime Video
  • Offensive Rating: DAL: 107.6 (30th) / OKC: 119.0 (5th)
  • Defensive Rating: DAL: 111.3 (4th) / OKC: 103.8 (1st)
  • Net Rating: DAL: -3.8 (22nd) / OKC: 15.1 (1st)
  • Streaks: DAL: 3 W’s in a row, 5-5 in last 10 / OKC: 13 W’s in a row

The Set-Up

The decision for when to start a rebuild has to be an extremely difficult one for an organization. Sometimes, it’s self-inflicted. Sometimes, it’s thrust upon you unexpectedly. But it’s a decision fraught with potholes, pitfalls, and doubt. A decision that can set your franchise back years, possibly decades. And, yet, for most every team, it’s a decision that needs to be made once every 10-15 years. For Oklahoma City, the team knew they needed a refresh after the departure of Kevin Durant and the subsequent first round exits of the Russell Westbrook/Paul George-led teams. But that weird transitional season was also needed to get off the previous train and jump onto a new one. The season with Chris Paul, a newly acquired Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, rookie Lu Dort, potential 6th Man of the Year Dennis Schroder, and Steven Adams is one that lives happily in the minds of many Thunder fans, but also one that helped position the Thunder for what they currently are today.

Which brings me to the neighbors south of us, down I-35. Dallas is in a weird spot where they have some of the pieces needed to jump-start a rebuild (Cooper Flagg and Ryan Nembhard), but also are in a holding pattern with older stars such as Anthony Davis, Klay Thompson, and the currently injured Kyrie Irving. They aren’t winning, but they also aren’t losing enough. These next few months before the trade deadline will be very interesting in Dallas.

This is the 2nd of 3 meetings this season between these regional rivals. OKC won the first meeting 101-94, in Dallas, in a game that saw the Thunder big men dominate on the scoreboard and on the glass. Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein, and Jaylin Williams combined to score 38 points and grab 30 rebounds, with 6 of those being offensive.

Betting Info, presented by FanDuel

  • Line: OKC -15
  • O/U: 229.5

Injury Report

OKC

  • Alex Caruso – OUT (quad)
  • Lu Dort – OUT (adductor strain)
  • Isaiah Hartenstein – OUT (calf)
  • Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee/ACL)
  • Nikola Topic – OUT (cancer treatment)

DAL

  • Dante Exum – OFS (knee)
  • Daniel Gafford – Questionable (ankle)
  • Kyrie Irving – OUT (knee/ACL)
  • Dereck Lively – OUT (foot)
  • PJ Washington – Questionable (ankle)

Three Big Things

  1. Ryan Nembhard – Last season, in the Finals, no players on the Indiana Pacers, outside of Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakim, had more of an impact against the Thunder than Andrew Nembhard. Dallas decided to take a chance on Andrew’s younger brother, Ryan, as an undrafted free agent this past summer. And over the past four games, all starts, Ryan Nembhard has been balling out and leading the Mavericks to a 3-1 record over that stretch. Nembhard has been averaging 17 points, 7.5 assists to 1.3 turnovers, and shooting an absurd 65% from the field and 67% from three over that 4-game stretch. The one game where he did struggle during that 4-game stretch was against the Los Angeles Clippers, who have big rangy defenders like Kris Dunn who can make life difficult for a smaller point guard. With Dort and Alex Caruso out, that onus will fall on Cason Wallace and Ajay Mitchell.
  2. Comfortable Dub – The more games Jalen Williams gets under his belt, the more comfortable and in rhythm he gets. He hit the 20 point mark in their last game against the Warriors, scoring 22 points. His playmaking has been in mid-season form, as he’s averaging over 6 assists per game in his first 3 games. And his shooting percentage was above 50% for the first time this season in their last game. Everyone is asking whether the Thunder should throw their hat into the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstake, but honestly, Dub coming back may be their important “acquisition” this season.
  3. Upset Potential – The Mavericks are coming into this game the hottest they’ve been all season. They are riding a 3-game winning streak, Nembhard, Cooper Flagg, and Anthony Davis are all balling out, and Dallas’ defense has been consistent. You can almost always throw records out when it comes to regional rivalries and the Thunder have the biggest target on their back this season. OKC has been a little unfocused over the past few games and if that continues, it could come back to bite them in the butt this game.

The Day After: HOU vs. OKC – Game 1 of 82 Recap

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Ring night. Banner night. And boy, was it a banner night. Not just for the Oklahoma City Thunder. But also for the NBA on NBC. Talk about an opening game to restart their new media relationship with their old friend, the NBA. The intro, the song, Michael Jordan. It’s like we never left 90’s.

Then the game tipped off and became an instant hardwood classic. In the end, the Thunder held on to win 125-124 in double overtime. With that said, here are some notes from the game.

  1. SGA is still him – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander got off to an unusually slow start on Tuesday. The reigning MVP started off 2/5 in the first half and went into halftime with only 5 points. Despite this, it truly felt like a game where SGA was okay with taking what the defense gave him and trusting his teammates. Houston was using their length to crowd the paint and doubling SGA for the majority of the game. He only registered one assist in the first half, but his gravity allowed his teammates to get good looks, especially Chet Holmgren (we’ll get to him soon). The second half, though, was a different story. It started off the same, but SGA was able to shake loose on consecutive 12-foot jumpers, which seemed to open up the defense and gave SGA some rhythm offensively. After that, he was MVP Shai, and seemingly hit every big shot he had to in order to will OKC to a victory. Late in the 4th and during the OT’s, SGA hit shot after shot to either tie the game or put the Thunder up. His two free throws in double-OT were the game-winners, and fouled Kevin Durant out, which prevented him from being on the floor on Houston’s final possession. In total, SGA finished with his customary 35 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks. Just another Tuesday on the basketball court.
  2. Y’all must’ve forgot – Before going down with a broken hip in the 10th game of the year last season, Chet Holmgren was well on his way to a possible All-NBA, All-Star, DPOY, etc. type season. In those nine games to start last season, Holmgren was averaging 18.2 points, 9.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 0.9 steals, and 2.9 blocks, while shooting 40% from deep on nearly four attempts per game. He was even garnering early MVP buzz. The Holmgren we saw late in the season and into the playoffs was still good, but you could tell that he didn’t have the ramp-up runway to shake off the rust from that type of injury. In the first half of this game, Holmgren’s offensive aggressiveness, especially against the zone, is what kept OKC in the game, despite SGA getting off to a slow start. His ability to get into the teeth of the zone (from the nail) and maneuver from there was huge for OKC staying resolute despite Houston’s length being very disruptive. When it was all said and done, Holmgren finished with 28 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 assists, while shooting 40% from deep.
  3. Alperen Sengun – Thank God the Thunder have won a championship and have Holmgren in tow. Because if they were to be currently title-less, Sengun would be wrestling James Harden for the title of “the one who got away”. It’s always frickin’ Houston. Alpie was amazing in this game. Despite being on the floor with the current and a former MVP, Alpie, many times, looked like the best player on the court. If that 3-point shot is real, the league may have another Jokic-type monster on their hands. Sengun does a great job of noticing mismatches and taking advantage of them quickly. When the Thunder had Alex Caruso on Sengun, he would either take the three when the close-out was soft or try to back Caruso down when the close-out was aggressive. When Chet was on him, Sengun used his size advantage to back Holmgren to the basket. Sengun was also their go-to player in clutch situations. A great game in a losing effort for Sengun, who finished with 39 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, and a block, while shooting 5-8 from deep and 10-11 from the line.
  4. Cason Wallace – That third year leap may be showing up for the Thunder once again. Wallace, like SGA, got off to an extremely slow start in this game. He was 0-1 in the first half and not overly aggressive. But in the 2nd half, Wallace transformed defensive energy into offensive rhythm, and started becoming a problem for Houston. (See what I did there!) Wallace registered all four of his steals in the 3rd and 4th quarters and helped keep the Thunder at arm’s length throughout the 2nd half. But it was his shot-making that was key to OKC winning. With 2:01 left in the 4th, Wallace hit a three that brought OKC to within one of the Rockets. Then in double OT, Wallace hit a three from the same spot as the one in the 4th with 1:32 left to give OKC a one point lead at the time. If Wallace can consistently put the “3” in “3&D”, the NBA may be in trouble.
  5. Western Conference – Once again, the Western Conference is going to be a bloodbath. Due to the age of many of the rosters, injuries (nothing major, just the nagging kind) may have a say in where teams finish. But if everyone remains relatively healthy, conference play is going to be a chore. Tuesday night showed us why the NBA opened up with four teams from the West. Cleveland and New York will get their shine tonight, but the class of the NBA resides west of the Mississippi.
  6. Ajay Mitchell – Remember the name. Chet Holmgren wasn’t the only player keeping the Thunder afloat in the first half. Mitchell provided some sauce off the bench for OKC. In 15 minutes, Mitchell had 16 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 block on 3-6 shooting from deep. His 4-point play at the halftime buzzer may have been the play of the game and may have provided OKC with the momentum they needed in the 2nd half. With Jalen Williams and Nikola Topic out for the foreseeable future, Mitchell’s ability to handle the ball and play-make may be extremely important to OKC success early in the season.

Thunder Media Day was boring…and that’s perfectly fine

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When you are in the media, you’re always hoping for that one nugget of information that can spark an article. Spark a narrative. Spark a controversy. Something you can write and talk about. But when you’re a fan, while you may wish for something exciting, what you should really be hoping for is consistency…especially if your team just won the championship the season before. For the Oklahoma City Thunder, as they head into training camp, the team brings back 14 of the 15 players who were on the playoff roster and one of their two-way players. That’s 15 of the possible 18 roster spots taken up by players who already know the system. The only change was exchanging a seldomly used rookie from last season (Dillon Jones) for a rookie this season who won’t see the floor (Thomas Sorber) due to an ACL tear. That’s it. Everything else remains basically the same.

What did change was the fact that everyone who was on the team last season can now walk around saying their nickname is “Champ”. But when asked what has changed since winning the NBA title in June, many answers boiled down to “not much”. Head coach Mark Daigneault, who kicked off media day, when asked what had changed since winning the title: “Not much, to be honest with you. Cycle of the season. Cycle of the offseason. We had a draft. Summer league. The only changes my life has taken on is with my kids and our family.” Thunder guard Lu Dort said that while the recognition has increased since winning the title, he went right back to the same offseason routine once he took some time to allow his body to recover. Thunder center Chet Holmgren said the first two weeks of the offseason were different (you know, having never won an NBA title before), but said it was the same after that.

Another theme during media day was how the different players enjoyed their experiences with the Larry O’Brien trophy. Dort got to sign the Golden Book of the City of Montreal, while bringing the trophy to his neighborhood. Jalen Williams was able to take the trophy to his alma mater, Santa Clara University, and share the experience with the same coaches who coached him when he was in college. Isaiah Joe and Jaylin Williams gushed about bringing the trophy to Fort Smith, Arkansas, with Williams adding that the players don’t necessarily worry about the safety of the trophy because “the Thunder made sure we took care of it.” Holmgren said when he took the trophy to Minnesota, he wanted to show the kids because when he was growing up, “there were no trophies in Minnesota”. Thunder guard Alex Caruso was finally able to take the Larry O’Brien trophy to College Station, Texas. As a member of the Lakers’ 2020 championship squad, he was unable to take the trophy to Texas A&M due to covid restrictions. When asked if the trophy was a part of his wedding, he gave an emphatic “No”, mentioning that he wanted to keep some thing separate from basketball and wanted to focus on his wedding.

Another thing that showed up during media day was the appreciation the players have for each other. Rookie second rounder Brooks Barnhizer was asked what was something he was surprised to see as he started his NBA journey: “I think everyone sees how close they are. Many people think when you get to the NBA those things go away, but here those things get amplified.” Second-year guard Ajay Mitchell gushed about his experience with fellow second-year guard (but really a rookie) Nikola Topic during summer league: “He’s a high IQ guard. Really excited for him. I know it’s been a tough year with the injury, but I’m excited for him. It was a great learning experience for both of us. It was fun.” Thunder lead guard and current league (and Finals) MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, when asked about Holmgren: “Everyone sees that we’ve only seen a fraction of what Chet can be. He’s made to play basketball. His height, his instinct, his feel. He has a mentality to sets him apart. Aside from everything that’s God-given, he also has the mentality. He can do whatever he wants.” SGA and J-Will both called Jalen Williams a “warrior” when asked to recall the struggles Williams went through with his wrist injury during the playoffs. J-Will finished his description off by asking “How could you not go to war with a guy like that?” Holmgren, when asked about the pairing with fellow big man Isaiah Hartenstein said, “We still have a long way to go as a pair and as a team. He goes out there and gives it his all. He does the gritty things. Goes out there and fractures his nose and keeps battling.”

A team that gets along. Players that appreciate each other. An organization that sees a new goal in front of them and knows that reminiscing on past goals completed won’t help them in their new journey. A team that rewards the players on their team and recognizes the importance of continuity. A organization that really rests on the ethos that they draft people, not players. I know…hella boring. I’ll leave you with quip from J-Will, when asked if he ever fancies going to another situation (team) where he may get more playing time or be higher on the pecking order:

Cookies and Cream: How Alex Caruso and Cason Wallace are wrecking the playoffs

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We. Are. Back.

I know, last year we were here too, but it just feels different this year.

Yes, we were the 1-seed last year too. But this year we weren’t fighting until the literal final game of the season to try to secure it.

The arrival is here, and if the first 2 games of the Thunder’s round 1 series against the Grizzlies are any indication, it’s going to be here for quite some time.

It really feels like this could be our year.

And you just got to tip your cap to Sam Presti, man.

You have the front runner for the MVP.

You have 3rd year player who is an All-Star.

You have another 3rd year player who was playing like an All-Star.

You have one of (if not) the best perimeter defenders in basketball.

You have a behemoth in the paint to fix every weakness that doomed us the year prior, in addition to being a playmaking maestro.

Then you have the deepest bench in basketball.

From the marksman’s ability of Isaiah Joe, the offensive versatility (and the saving of basketball) of Aaron Wiggins, the hustle and toughness from Kenrich Williams, the steady play from Jaylin Williams, all the way down to 2nd round rookie Ajay Mitchell being able to play in the playoffs in his first year and actually have success.

That’s all well and good, and a big reason why the Thunder are favored to finally bring home the title. That glorious Larry O’B. Mm mm mm.

But I want to highlight the pieces off the bench that I believe are the most critical to the Thunder achieving the goal, and are as equally responsible for the dominant play we have seen in games 1 and 2 as anyone else of the roster.

Cason Wallace and Alex Caruso.

We at the Topic: Thunder podcast started calling Cason Wallace “The Cookie Monster” early in the season, in reference to A: he always seemingly had his hand in the cookie jar. And B: he was one of the league leader in steals (steals = cookies for the uninitiated).

As the season went on, and we started getting healthier through a season of turmoil and adversity, Cason and Caruso got to play together more. Which was a pure joy for Thunder fans, and absolute nightmare fuel for opposing teams.

Thats when we took the name and morphed it into “Cookies and Cream”. The whole cookie thing is still relevant, but you got Cason doing these rim rattling dunks in transition (like one would dunk a cookie into milk… anyone???) and Caruso is picking peoples pockets, tipping passes, challenging the post, blocking shots, diving on the floor. And he’s an old(er) white guy, so of course he’s the cream. Cream of the crop when it comes to the games most disruptive defenders.

Now you know why we call them that, but what we saw last night was them in action like we haven’t seen before.

Entering the 4th, the duo had had a solid showing so far. Cason had 3 points, 1 rebound, and 1 assist, while Caruso had 8 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals.

The Grizzlies had just cut the lead to 11, and had a bit of momentum to try to trim away further.

Then Alex Caruso hit a 3.

A couple possessions later he forced a jump ball with Jaren Jackson Jr.

Immediately after, the Grizzlies get the jump ball, and Scottie Pippen Jr. is blocked by Cason.

On the other end of the floor, Cason blows by Zach Edey on a close out and finishes with a THUNDEROUS (see what I did there) flush.

A couple possessions later, Ja Morant drives to the right baseline to try to put up a shot over Isaiah Hartenstein, and ALEX CARUSO OUT OF NOWHERE comes to send his shot to the nether realm.

On the other end of the floor, Caruso crosses up JJJ, drives left shows the ball on a shot fake with his right hand, pivots and finishes the impressive floater.

A few possessions later, Caruso dives onto the floor to tip the ball out of Ja’s hand (MID CROSSOVER BY THE WAY?!?!) into Cason’s hands, who then outlets to Jalen Williams for the lay.

Alex Caruso checks out.

Thunder are now back up to a 20 point lead.

That’s just one example of the game wrecking abilities that Caso and AC have.

And as my oldest child who is now seemingly obsessed with the Mighty Ducks, it reminds me of another dynamic, game wrecking duo, that fed off the energy of the crowd.

Fulton Reed and Dean Portman.

Better known as the Bash Brothers.

When the Mighty Ducks were getting beat up, and run out of the rink, they looked to the Bash Brothers to tilt the game on its head. Their physicality and energy were contagious through the crowd and the rest of the Ducks, and it ended up being the spark that won them the game.

The Thunder haven’t yet needed Cason and Caruso in a win/lose playoff scenario, but the comparison is still on point.

When they come into the game, the defense steps up all across the floor.

In game 2 the tandem had a defensive rating of 88.2.

In game 1 they had a defensive rating of 65 (!!).

They just come in and do nothing but wreck the game, tear it to pieces. And whether it’s cutting into a lead or blowing it wide open, when they check in, they make things happen.

Call them Cookies and Cream, call them Allstate, call them Bash Brothers, I don’t care.

Whatever you call them, they are absolute game wreckers.

And they are going to be a huge reason the Oklahoma City Thunder will finally get that elusive Larry O’Brien trophy.

And who knows, maybe we’ll celebrate with some Cookies and Cream.

Memphis Grizzlies vs. Thunder preview (Game 2 – 1st round)

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  • Memphis Grizzlies (0-1) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (1-0)
  • When: Tuesday, 22 April 2025 at 6:30pm CST
  • Where: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
  • Series: OKC leads 1-0
  • TV: TNT/truTV/Max/FanDuelTV

The Set-Up

Utter dominance. This is what the Thunder did to Memphis in Game 1. In the first half, the Thunder scored as many points in the 2nd quarter as the Grizzlies did for the entire half. In the 2nd half, the Thunder scored as many points in the 3rd quarter as the Grizzlies did for the entire 2nd half. For the game, the Thunder had shooting splits of 50/35/93, while the Grizzlies managed a paltry 34/17/83. Memphis was the 2nd in total rebounds and 3rd in rebound% for the season. The Thunder outrebounded them by 11 in Game 1. The Thunder had 36 assists on 50 made baskets. The Grizzlies got turned over 24 times to the tune of 24 points off turnovers. They outscored Memphis 27-5 in fast-break points. It was a thrashing of monumental proportions. After the game, Grizzlies’ star Ja Morant had to reiterate, “We will never play that bad again.” Unfortunately for Morant, even if the Grizzlies get significantly better, it just may not be enough against the buzzsaw that is the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Betting Info

Line: OKC -14.5
O/U: 228.5

Injury Report

OKC
Ousmane Dieng – OUT (calf)
Nikola Topic – OUT (knee)

MEM
Brandon Clarke – OUT (knee)
Zyon Pullin – OUT (knee)
Jaylen Wells – OUT (wrist)

Five Big Things

1. SGA – About the only thing the Thunder can improve upon in this game is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander playing better. He shot 4-13 overall and 1-7 from 3. While the Thunder didn’t necessarily need him to be the offensive engine that he is, if he plays a normal SGA game, it’ll open up the offense that much more. Which, for Memphis, has to be a terrifying thought.

2. Aaron Wiggins – If this is the Aaron Wiggins the Thunder are getting for the playoffs, start measuring the diameter of the Thunder players’ ring fingers. Wiggins didn’t even step foot on the court in the first 12 minutes of action. But as soon as he stepped on that court, a 3-pointer went in. After 21 minutes of action, he had registered 21 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists on 53/57/100 shooting splits.

3. Depth – The depth of the Thunder really showed in Game 1. It was just wave after wave of rotational NBA talent. Wiggins, Isaiah Joe, Cason Wallace, Alex Caruso, and Jaylin Williams would all be starters on a number of NBA teams. In Game 1, it was Wiggins that got the bench player of the game award. In Game 2, it could be Joe shooting the grip off the ball. In Game 3, it could be Kenrich Williams coming in and hitting some key 3’s in a tight road game. This team has been built brick by brick for this moment.

4. Quicker Pick & Roll Action – For Memphis, about the only thing that I could see working for them is quicker PnR action for Ja Morant. The PnR in the middle of the floor worked a lot better for Memphis than the action on the wings. This may mean benching Zach Edey and starting Marvin Bagley, who’s a little quicker on his feet. Giving Ja a roll man that is a little quicker than Edey may play more into Morant’s preference of pace, especially against the Thunder’s defense.

5. Dub – One of the biggest questions for the Thunder heading into Game 1 was how would Jalen Williams open up these playoffs. The expectations being heaped upon this third year player have been astronomical, but Dub came out in Game 1 and completely dominated to the tune of 20 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals and a block. He was the head of the snake in the run during the first 8 minutes of the 2nd quarter that basically put the game to bed. If this is the confidence Dub will be playing with throughout these playoffs, watch out now!


Thunder @ Utah Jazz preview (Game 81 of 82)

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  • Oklahoma City Thunder (66-14) at Utah Jazz (17-63)
  • When: Friday, 11 April 2025 at 8:30pm CST
  • Where: Delta Center, Salt Lake City, UT
  • Offensive Rating – UTA: 110.4 (24th) / OKC: 119.1 (3rd)
  • Defensive Rating – UTA: 119.2 (30th) / OKC: 106.7 (1st)
  • Net Rating – UTA: -8.8 (28th) / OKC: 12.4 (1st)

The Set-Up

The balance that is rest vs. rust. In their last game against the Phoenix Suns, the Thunder sat about half of their main rotation for rest. Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren showed why they are future superstars in the league and handled the Suns pretty easily. Tonight, the Thunder are stretching even further into the “rest” pool, only playing about 30% of their main 10-11 man rotation. The ultimate goal is no injuries heading into the playoffs, but with the Thunder being the No. 1 seed and having about a week off between the end of the regular season and the beginning of the playoffs, you also don’t want rust to set in. It’s a puzzle, but it’s a good puzzle to have to solve.

This is the 4th and final meeting of the season between the Thunder and Jazz. The Thunder have won the previous 3 meetings, with two of those victories being by 27 points and the third one being by 9 points.

Betting Info

  • Line: OKC -9.5
  • O/U: 234.5

    Injury Report

    OKC
  • Alex Caruso – OUT (ankle)
  • Ousmane Dieng – OUT (calf)
  • Lu Dort – OUT (knee)
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – OUT (shin)
  • Isaiah Hartenstein – OUT (Achilles)
  • Chet Holmgren – OUT (back)
  • Nikola Topic – OUT (knee)
  • Cason Wallace – OUT (shoulder)
  • Jalen Williams – OUT (hip)

    UTA
  • Jordan Clarkson – OUT (foot – plantar fasciitis)
  • Isaiah Collier – Questionable (hamstring)
  • John Collins – OUT (ankle)
  • Elijah Harkless – OUT (groin)
  • Taylor Hendricks – OUT (leg)
  • Walker Kessler – OUT (concussion)
  • KJ Martin – OUT (illness)
  • Lauri Markkanen – OUT (knee)
  • Cody Williams – OUT (illness – mono)

Three Big Things

1. Ajay Mitchell’s return – After being out for three months, Ajay Mitchell returns back to the Thunder’s line-up in time for the playoffs. The turf toe and subsequent surgery caused Mitchell to miss 46 games in what was looking to be an All-Rookie campaign. The Thunder now have the final two games to see what Mitchell can provide out on the floor and game-plan to see if he will be in the rotation for the playoffs.

2. Perimeter Defense – The Thunder will arguably be without their top-7 defenders tonight. They may especially miss the perimeter defense of Lu Dort, Alex Caruso, and Cason Wallace. Due to Utah’s rash of injuries, most of their offense is being run through their trio of young guards in Keyonte George, Collin Sexton, and Isaiah Collier. Do the Thunder have enough defense to make life difficult for those three players?

3. Jaylin Williams – triple double? – The last two times the Thunder have had a “tank war” game, Jaylin Williams has ended up with a triple double. The back-up big man known for his passing usually shines when the majority of the offense is run through him in these types of games. Should we just put another triple double in the column for J-Will?

Chicago Bulls vs. Thunder preview (Game 75 of 82)

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  • Chicago Bulls (33-41) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (62-12)
  • When: Monday, 31 March 2025 at 7:00pm CST
  • Where: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
  • Offensive Rating – CHI: 113.0 (20th) / OKC: 119.1 (4th)
  • Defensive Rating – CHI: 115.3 (24th) / OKC: 106.1 (1st)
  • Net Rating – CHI: -2.4 (21st) / OKC: 13.0 (1st)

The Set-Up

Ahhh, yes. The Josh Giddey for Alex Caruso trade. Slightly vilified on Chicago’s end early on, but slowly creeping towards being a win/win trade for both teams. After a rough start to the season, Giddey is close to averaging 20/9/8 over the past 2 months. On the flip side of things, Caruso also started off slowly, but is starting to show how valuable he can be for this team as a 3&D player and big time glue guy. Much to the chagrin of basketball Twitter, there are actually trades where it’s a win/win for both teams. Chicago got themselves a point guard to build off of in what is looking like a new rebuild. And OKC got themselves another rotation piece to put around to put around their core three of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren. OKC is having a historic season, while Chicago is becoming one of the most exciting young teams in the league. Win/Win! Giddey wasn’t going to work in OKC. He and SGA need the ball in their hands and SGA is the better player. It wasn’t Josh’s fault that he was slotted next to an eventual MVP. But in Chicago, he is able to play his brand of basketball and has flourished. I, for one, am happy for him and hope that he continues his great run of late…just not tonight.

This is the second and final meeting of the season between these two teams. The first meeting took place way early in the season, with OKC coming out victorious, 114-95.

Betting Info

  • Line: OKC -15.5
  • O/U: 238.5

Injury Report

OKC

  • Ousmane Dieng – OUT (calf)
  • Alex Ducas – OUT (quad)
  • Isaiah Hartenstein – Questionable (hip)
  • Chet Holmgren – Questionable (hip)
  • Ajay Mitchell – OUT (toe)
  • Nikola Topic – OUT (knee)
  • Aaron Wiggins – OUT (Achilles)
  • Jaylin Williams – Questionable (hip)

    CHI
  • Lonzo Ball – OUT (wrist)
  • Ayo Dosunmu – OUT (shoulder)
  • Kevin Huerter – OUT (thumb)
  • Tre Jones – OUT (foot)
  • EJ Liddell – OUT (illness)

Three Big Things

1. Since the All-Star Break – While the Thunder have been completely dominant post-ASB, the Chicago Bulls have done a good job of handing the keys off to their players of the future and allowing them to see how they fare against the rest of the league. Giddey, Coby White, and Matas Buzelis have acclimated themselves well to their expanded roles on the team during that time and have allowed for a rosier picture to be painted for a franchise that has been mired in mediocrity for the better part of the past decade. Since the ASB, the Bulls are 11-8 and are 13th in offensive rating, 9th in defensive rating, and 10th in net rating. They are first in pace during that time, 4th in assist/turnover ratio, and 5th in defensive rebound percentage. Over the course of the season, the Bulls have changed the way they play and found a bit of a groove.

2. Pace – As mentioned above, the Bulls lead the league in pace since the All-Star break. Giddey has done a great job of late in grabbing and going, while spraying the ball out to play finishers like Buzelis, White, and Nikola Vucevic. The Thunder are usually the team that likes to run, but this may be a game where they let their halfcourt offense shine. Chicago has done a good job of protecting the ball over this past month and a half, so turnovers may not be in abundant supply in this game.

3. Big Health – With all three centers being game-time decisions today, the matchup against Vucevic may be an interesting one. I doubt all three bigs sit, but if the Thunder are prioritizing health for the playoffs, then Kenrich Williams and Branden Carlson may be the next men up.

Let It Rip: Why you’re probably overreacting about Shai’s 3 ball

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander wins Feb. 6 to Feb. 12 Western Conference Player of the Week - Yahoo Sports

We have been blessed as a fanbase to see a superstar blossom right in front of our eyes in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The centerpiece of the Paul George trade, we have watched him go from bench guy, 3rd option, to running the show. And run it, he has.

Over the last four seasons, Shai has led the league in drives per game in three of those four seasons. Shai has boasted the efficiency of a wing player, shooting over 50% from the field and averaging about six free throw attempts per game.

Because of this, the fanbase, and the NBA at large, have associated Shai’s game to three things: driving to the basket, shooting the mid range jumper, and getting to the free throw line. 

And he’s been pretty good at it. Averaging over 30 points per game in each of the past two seasons, Shai is widely considered one of the top 5 player in the world and is on the shortlist for MVP for everyone who has a pulse.

So, going into his 7th season, fresh off back to back All-Star appearances, being named a starter in the All-Star game, and being a back to back 1st Team All-NBA recipient, many people think Shai should just stick with what got him there, and leave well enough alone.

But that’s not Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

He summed this up in 2021, with a banger of a quote.

“I’m not playing this game just to be a good basketball player. I want to be one of the greatest to ever play.”

He is always adding to his game. Whether it was the stepback, catch and shoot 3, off ball defense, playmaking, etc., Shai has gone into the lab every offseason, and every offseason he comes out acting different.

I imagine him stepping into a lab (for some reason this one I’m picturing in my head has automatic sliding doors) normal Shai, but after some time,  when he emerges from the sliding doors, smoke billows out of the room with a green haze in the background, and somewhere, somehow, an organ is playing and angels are singing. Anyways, back to the point.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a legit MVP candidate - BALLERS.PH

Is it awesome that he is a top 5 player in the world right now? Absolutely. Would it be easy to just continue what he’s doing now? Absolutely. Could he have similar success doing exactly what he has done the past couple of seasons? Absolutely. (Topic: Thunder listeners have drank themselves into a coma with all the absolutely) BUT, Shai doesn’t want what he already has, Shai isn’t ok with the status quo, Shai doesn’t want to just go through the motions and be remembered as just another good player.

He’s on some Ash Ketchum energy. This dude wants to be the very best, like NO ONE ever was.

So yes, he will continue to add to his game, and we have the fruits of those seeds he planted the offseason (IN THE LAB).

He looks engaged and disruptive when he is playing on ball defense.

His playmaking reads are sharper than ever, and he’s making passes we have never seen him make. Live dribble skip passes from one end of the court to the other, one hand dump offs to a cutter, hitting the roller in stride, hitting the shooters in their pockets; consistently.

But one addition to his game that has been met with uproar and outrage by a large (and troubling) portion of the Thunder fan community, is his increased 3 point shooting volume.

First off, it fits Sam Presti’s ethos to a T. Exploration, and experimentation are the reason you see the roster you see today for the Thunder. Presti has tried things, failed at things, and succeeded at things. All in all, he collected data, learned from his mistakes, enforced his correct decisions, and now we have a juggernaut in Oklahoma City.

It’s not different with Shai. Yes, that dude is and has been unguardable, but if he learns how to shoot high volume, off dribble, pull up 3-pointers, he will become unstoppable.

It adds a new weapon to your offense that opponents have to account for. They can’t build a wall in the paint and dare Shai to shoot middy’s over it. Shai can force them to play him close, and then it’s curtains. Play him to close, he’s blowing by you. Sag off on him just enough, and he’s comfortable and confident to pull that 3 in your eye; without having to first simulate the drive and get to his stepback.

That’s the why he should do this, (which I feel should be fairly obvious?), let’s get into the why now.

It’s simple. We are 4 games into the regular season.

Continue reading →

San Antonio Spurs vs. Thunder Preview (Game 4 of 82)

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San Antonio Spurs' Losing Streak Continues in Oklahoma City Thunder Blowout - Sports Illustrated Inside The Spurs, Analysis and More

  • San Antonio Spurs (1-2) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (3-0)
  • When: Wednesday, 30 October 2024 at 8:30pm CST
  • Where: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
  • Offensive Rating – SAS: 108.1 (24th) / OKC: 109.2 (18th)
  • Defensive Rating – SAS: 114.1 (16th) / OKC: 90.8 (1st)
  • Net Rating – SAS: -6.0 (22nd) / OKC: 18.4 (2nd)
  • TV: ESPN

The Set-Up

I don’t want to over-react, but what the Thunder is doing so far this season is historic. Their defense has been exceptionally great. The fact that it hasn’t really mattered that the offense has been average, at best, and they are still beating teams by an average of 19.3 points is amazing to me. The Thunder’s Guard Dawgs (Lu Dort, Alex Caruso, and Cason Wallace) have caused fits for perimeter players, while Chet Holmgren patrols the paint to the tune of 4 blocks per game (1st in the league) and 13 rebounds per game (3rd in the league). In addition, you have Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams ball-hawking the passing lanes. If the Thunder’s offense ever jumps into the Top-10, this team could be looking at being historic for margin of victory also.

This is the first of three meetings this season between these two teams. The Thunder won the season series last year 3-1, with an average margin of victory of 33.3 points.

Betting Info

  • Line: OKC -12.5
  • O/U: 221.5

Injury Report

OKC

  • Isaiah Hartenstein – OUT (hand)
  • Nikola Topic – OUT (knee)
  • Jaylin Williams – OUT (hamstring)
  • Kenrich Williams – OUT (knee)

SAS

  • Tre Jones – OUT (ankle)
  • Devin Vassell – OUT (foot)

Three Big Things

  1. Chet vs. Wemby – One of the budding rivalries in the league. This had Christmas Day game written all over it. You dropped the ball on that one, Silver. Luckily, all three of the meetings this year are nationally televised games. These two players always get up for this match-up. And rightfully so. This rivalry has the possibility of being an all-timer when it is all said and done between these two. Many of their match-ups last season were cut short by the score of the game, but the one game where the Spurs won, it showed how intense this rivalry could get.
  2. Pace – The Thunder and Spurs find themselves on opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to pace. Oklahoma City is 3rd in the league, while San Antonio is currently 28th. It’s no surprise when you look at the point guards for each team. That said, Chris Paul is still savvy enough to know how to control the pace and be efficient while doing it. But as long as the Thunder use their defense to jump-start their offense, there should be no reason why this game isn’t in the Thunder’s favor pace-wise.
  3. Jalen Williams – There’s a lot of buzz around Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Holmgren…and deservedly so. J-Dub, the third part of that triumvirate, has yet to really catch his rhythm this season. As good as he is though, it’s only a matter of time. He showed signs of shaking off his preseason ankle injury in the last game and here’s hoping that continues moving forward.