Tag Archives: Danilo Gallinari

The Future Is Now

Posted on by
Reply

Before we get started here, lets talk about a few things as it pertains to Luguentz Dort. He is the longest tenured member of the Thunder roster, seeing as we signed him as an undrafted free agent prior to making the trade to acquire Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He has been here as we transitioned from a fools gold contender to an over-achieving playoff team to a full-on rebuild to NBA Champions to being the hunted. I’ll never forget Lu’s debut game.

We had just made the trade to jettison Paul George for Shai, Danilo Gallinari, and picks (lots of picks, juicy ones even). We made a move that many thought blasphemous in trading the King of the Prairie, the *then* greatest player in Thunder history, our Brodie, Russell Westbrook, for a seemingly washed up, flopping, complaining Chris Paul. We started off that season slowly, opening up just 1-4, and then 8-12 going into a road matchup against the 10-10 Minnesota Timberwolves. Dort entered into his first NBA game with OKC down 3 to start the 2nd quarter, and almost immediately, he forced a jump ball, which led to OKC gaining possession. He would then miss a layup, collect a rebound, and strip Jarrett Culver all within 3 minutes of action before he checked out. He returned to the game down 1 with 4:21 left in the 3rd and… nothing happened. He checked out about 2 minutes later, with not a single stat. He came back in with :30 left in the 3rd, and in :18 did nothing.

Tale as old as time, young undrafted kid gets his shot in the big leagues, has a couple of promising moments, but ultimately isn’t quite ready for the moment. Oh well, can’t blame Billy Donovan for trying. He would sit out for what seemed like the rest of the game, until he didn’t.

After a tough miss from Dennis Schroeder and a tough KAT rebound, the Wolves called a timeout with :17 seconds left in the game. Shai, CP3, Dennis Schroder, Gallo, and Steven Adams had all played great that day with the guard trio tallying over 100 points between the 3 of them. But in this moment they needed a stop, and none of them were most notably known for their defense. As the horn buzzed to end the timeout, you see Gallo take a seat on the bench and #5 walk back out onto the court in a defensive stance in front of Shabazz Napier. Napier gives him a move and heads towards the sideline, Josh Okogie whips a pass to Napier who has a step on Dort. He fumbles the ball, and out of instinct Lu lays out onto the floor to secure the ball and calls a timeout with :14 left to play.

What happened next is a thing of Thunder legend. The infamous Chris Paul/Jordan Bell untucked jersey delay of game call to put the Thunder within 2 instead of 3, the Hail Mary pass from Steve to Dennis on a go route, securing the catch and having the wherewithal to bank it in simultaneously as the clock expires to send the game to OT.

Shai would go onto scored 11 of the final 17 Thunder points (he was that dude, even then), the Wolves would only score 6 more points, and the Thunder would improve to 9-12. They would go on a run after that, going 31-12 going into the infamous Rudy Gobert covid game. And that win against the Wolves, the turnaround in the season, taking the Rockets to 7 in the playoffs, you can legitimately say is all because of Lu Dort.

Since then, we have had some truly iconic moments with Lu. The Dorty Fourty, the steal and lay up against De’Arron Fox, “can’t hit what you can’t see” against LeBron James, and many many more. Dort has been a fan favorite since that fateful day in Minnesota and has been a vital piece to this franchise.

Now that that has been said, lets address the linebacker looking elephant in the room.

Lu Dort, for whatever reason, has regressed in almost every statistical category.

In the 19 games he has played in (almost 1/4 of the season) Lu is averaging the worst FG% and 3P% of his entire career. Its heart breaking to see the ball swing, and swing, and end up in Lu’s hands in the corner, the fans expectantly bellowing “LUUUUUUUU” for the also collective “awwww” of disappointment, but that seems to be the case so far in this season for Dort.

It hasn’t been much better on defense, which is where Dort hangs his hat. He is averaging a career low in steals at .8 per game, as well as allowing a team high 46.7% DFG%. This means that when he is matched up with an opposing player, they are more effectively scoring on him than any other player on the team. In the past couple of season, Dort was at 41.9 DFG% and 44.6 DFG%, both near the lowest allowed on the team, for context purposes.

It gets worse, not only is he struggling individually on the court, but that is exacerbated when you look at it from the grand scheme of lineups. When Lu is on the floor, the team is hurt both offensively and defensively. They are 4 points worse offensively, which is kind of to be expected. What isn’t expected, and a bit maddening, is when a reigning 1st Team All-NBA defender is on the floor, the Thunder’s team defense is 6 points worse, allowing a higher TS% and creating less turnovers as a unit (which is one of this team’s superpowers). You put that all together, and the team is 10 points better, net rating wise, when Lu is off the floor.

Conversely, let’s look at Cason Wallace. The offense is better with him on the floor. The defense is better when he is on the floor. The net rating is better when he is on the floor. As a starter, he is shooting almost 10% better than Dort from the field AND from the arch. He leads the league in total steals AND steals per game by a significant margin. I tend to stay away from individual defensive rating, but he is in the top 8 in both defensive rating and net rating. He has made his way to the top 10 in DPOY odds, and is a LOCK for All-Defensive team. The ball doesn’t stop with Cason, opponents’ leads are not safe with Cason, and the ball is not safe with Cason.

That’s not to say let Lu go by the way side. This isn’t a call to action for him to be traded, cut, or excommunicated in any way. Its simply a call to action to shift from the old guard to the new one (no pun intended).

The game is constantly changing, and if you don’t adapt to those changes, it will leave you behind. The Thunder have seen this play out in previous regimes. Its been clear in every game by the eye test, and even backed up by the numbers, that Cason has been the better player for the Thunder at this point of the season. And even though Lu is only just shy of 27 years old himself, Cason has long been seen as a foundational piece for OKC with the possibility of being someone who could replace what Dort does on this team.

Again, Lu can still be an impactful player for us. Big game Lu is absolutely a thing. When he gets hot, he gets HOT. There is possibly no player in the NBA who is more annoying to have guard you. And we love him for that. *I* love him for that. We used to have a running bit on the pod (Topic: Thunder podcast, check it out), ok we still do, of when Lu has a phenomenal game saying “We love you Lu and we hope you’re doing well.” (Shoutout, Jerry). Ask me how many times we have gotten to say that this season…?

We have only lost 3 (three[*three*{THREE}]) games all year, and Lu didn’t even play in one. Is he the only reason we lost? Absolutely not. Did Anthony Edwards not literally just hit a game winning 3 pointer over Cason (albeit, while playing perfect defense)? Absolutely. Its not going to perfect, there are going to be growing pains, and that’s what the regular season is for. And for a coach that likes to explore the roster and experiment with rotations, it kinda feels like it’s getting to the point that its undeniable a change needs to happen.

As I myself have made the point to address, we DO NOT win a ring without Lu Dort. He got hot like never before in that game, and it came in a stretch that we needed him the most. All the while, being the fan favorite that had the crowd screaming “LUUUUUUUU” louder and louder with each passing make. And if Mark continues to start him, I myself will be tweeting/saying “LUUUUUUUU” right along with you when he inevitably hits 5 3’s in his next game after this publishes.

I love Lu Dort and he is forever a Thunder legend, but Cason has been better in every metric and if we want to chase history we have to adapt to what our eyes are telling us.

Both things can true.

The future is now.

 

 

Washington Wizards vs. Thunder preview (Game 6 of 82)

Posted on by
Reply

  • Washington Wizards (1-3) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (5-0)
  • When: Thursday, 30 October 2025 at 7:00pm CST
  • Where: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
  • TV: FDSN-OK
  • Offensive Rating: WAS: 111.0 (23rd) / OKC: 111.9 (21st)
  • Defensive Rating: WAS: 119.1 (24th) / OKC: 103.6 (1st)
  • Net Rating: WAS: -8.1 (25th) / OKC: 8.4 (6th)

The Set-Up

Little brothers. I never had one growing up, but I hear they can be a little annoying from time to time. Always copying what you do and then trying to eventually one up you. The Washington Wizards are currently in the “copying” phase of their little brother-dom. In the summer of 2023, after years of mediocrity, the Wizards finally charted a course towards a total rebuild. One of their first steps was hiring Will Dawkins, who had previously held the position of Vice President of Basketball Operations for the Oklahoma City Thunder, under the tutelage of Sam Presti. Dawkins played a big part in overseeing the OKC rebuild which began in the summer of 2019 and saw them be a play-in team by the time he departed in 2023.

Under Dawkins, the Wizards are charting a similar path in their rebuild. They started by offloading their aging, expensive star in Bradley Beal in exchange for Chris Paul and a haul of draft picks (sound familiar?). Then they traded Kristaps Porzingis and somehow acquired Danilo Gallinari and Mike Muscala (again, sound familiar?). In all, they’ve started to build through the draft and a currently in the “roster exploration” phase of their rebuild. The team looks like they have some good pieces, but the question in any rebuild is always: do you have a potential top-5 player on your team? And that answer is currently “No” for the ‘Zards.

This is the first of two meetings this season between the Thunder and Wizards. The Thunder have won 6 straight games against Washington, dating back to 2022, by an average margin of 21 points.

Betting Info presented by FanDuel

  • Line: OKC -15.5
  • O/U: 230.5

Injury Report

OKC

  • Chet Holmgren – OUT (back)
  • Isaiah Joe – Questionable (knee)
  • Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee – ACL)
  • Nikola Topic – OUT (cancer treatment)
  • Jalen Williams – OUT (wrist)
  • Kenrich Williams – OUT (knee)

WAS

  • Marvin Bagley III – Questionable (ankle)

Three Big Things

  1. Upset Potential – I wouldn’t say this is a trap game, because the previous game and the next game after this one aren’t necessarily match-ups of interest. But, for as young as the Wizards are, they’ve at least been competitive in their first four games. With the champs coming into this game tired and injured, this could be a game where the young Washington squad comes into it inspired, trying to win one for their general manager.
  2. Scoring in the Paint – The Thunder are 9th in the league in points in the paint at 54 points per game. The Wizards are the 8th worst team in defending points in the paint, allowing 55 points per game. With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Ajay Mitchell consistently getting into the paint, this could be how the Thunder take control of this game.
  3. Nikola Topic – As I was typing this up, I just received the news that Topic, who had a testicular procedure several weeks ago, is confirmed to be suffering from testicular cancer. It’s another tough break for the young man who sat out his rookie season recovering from a torn ACL and now sees his sophomore season in jeopardy because of this God-forsaken ailment. Prayers up that they caught it early and it becomes just a blip on Topic’s life journey. As someone who lost a parent to cancer, this cuts deep. As always when it comes to this subject matter: Fuck Cancer! If you want to help in the fight, please consider donating to the American Cancer Society. And if you donate because of this, please mark it down as: in honor of Nikola Topic.

Thunder @ Washington Wizards preview (Game 35 of 82)

Posted on by
Reply
  • Oklahoma City Thunder (23-11, 3rd in the West) @ Washington Wizards (6-29, 14th in the East)
  • When: Monday, 08 January 2024 at 6:00pm CST
  • Where: Capital One Arena, Washington D.C.
  • Offensive Rating – WAS: 111.3 (25th) / OKC:119.3 (4th)
  • Defensive Rating – WAS: 121.6 (30th) / OKC: 111.7 (7th)
  • Net Rating – WAS: -10.3 (27th) / OKC: 7.6 (3rd)

The Set-Up

Wait…so this team isn’t perfect? You mean to tell me that the Oklahoma City Thunder are likely not going to win every game this season from here on out? I totally feel like I’ve been sold a bill of goods. I mean, this team was supposed to buck all the trends in the world and become the greatest team since the 73-9 Golden State Warriors…while winning the title. Like, if this team isn’t going to do that, then we might as well start tanking again, right?

Let’s take a breath, Thunder nation. *cue Martin Lawrence’s “Woo-sah” from Bad Boys 2.* Yes, the Thunder have suffered some losses to some inferior opponents. The Atlanta loss was what they call in the NBA “a scheduled loss”. Second night of a back to back while the first game was an epic win at home. Flight delay that caused the team to arrive in Atlanta around four in the morning. No energy. No legs. Scheduled loss. But the Nets game was the anomaly. Here’s the thing: those things happen in the NBA. Bad night shooting. The other team gets off to a hot start and goes up big early. Your weaknesses (rebounding) come to the forefront for that evening. It happens. You “Men In Black” that out of your memory and move on to the next one.

This is the first of two meetings this season between these two teams. They meet again on February 23rd.

Betting Info

  • Line: OKC -10.5
  • O/U: 247.5

Injury Report

OKC

  • None

WAS

  • Landry Shamet (hamstring) – Day to Day
  • Delon Wright (quad) – Day to Day

Three Big Things

  1. Attack the paint – The Washington Wizards rank 29th in the league in points allowed in the paint. The Thunder are 7th in the NBA in scoring points in the paint. Outside of Daniel Gafford, the Wiz don’t have a ton of interior protection. This game is tailor-made for the Thunder to go off offensively.
  2. Rebounding, Advantage: Thunder – This is literally the only team in the league that is worse at rebounding than the Thunder. As a matter of pride, we better win this rebounding battle.
  3. Fool’s Gold – I hope the Thunder don’t get goaded into thinking this will be a cake-walk. Yes, the Wizards are one of the worst teams in the league. And, yes, they are very inefficient. But that doesn’t mean they don’t have weapons. Kyle Kuzma and Jordan Poole have each had 50-pieces in their careers. Corey Kispert and Tyus Jones are adept at their positions and good shooters. We all know what former Thunder players Mike Muscala and Danilo Gallinari are good at. We all know how awesome of a teammate Eugene Omoruyi is. What you saw in Brooklyn could repeat itself in DC if the Thunder don’t stick to their defensive principles and start off disciplined.

ClickTown – August 19th, 2019

Posted on by
Reply

clicktown

Read the latest Thunder happenings here on ClickTown.

Nick Friedell (ESPN) with an in-depth look at Darius Bazley’s unique path to the NBA: “While some endorsers get a taste of that with their sneaker companies, Bazley got far more up-close experience, not just getting a tour on a quick visit, but having the opportunity to spend days sitting in meetings, doing product testing and contributing in meaningful ways beyond just picking a sneaker he liked. In true 21st century NBA fashion, Bazley also got to learn about building a personal brand from New Balance’s digital and social teams, even using his Instagram account to provide insight into what his internship was like.”

Per EuroHoops, Billy Donovan went overseas to meet with Danilo Gallinari and Dennis Schroder: “I am here to meet with Danilo Gallinari who is our new player in Oklahoma City. Before arriving here, I was in Germany and met with Dennis Schroder. We like to meet with our players during the summer in their home countries and of course, it’s great to see them competing at this level.” Continue reading →

ClickTown – August 14th, 2019

Posted on by
Reply

clicktown

Read the latest Thunder happenings here on ClickTown.

Maddie Lee (NewsOK) focuses in on the two LA back-to-backs that helps to reduce traveling: “The Thunder is scheduled to play 13 back-to-backs (five road/road, six home/road and two home/home), which is on the high end for teams this season, and one more than OKC played last year. But the no-travel back-to-backs help alleviate wear and tear on players.”

Scott Rafferty, Kyle Irving, and Gilbert McGregor (NBA.com – Canada) discuss whether the Thunder are being overlooked: “I think they have the talent to compete for a playoff spot. I could see Paul having a bounce-back year, they have pieces that complement each other well and they should be pretty nasty defensively. (Good luck scoring consistently against Paul, SGA, Roberson and Steven Adams).”

The Thunder signed Justin Patton to a contract yesterday. Continue reading →

OKC Clicktown – August 7th, 2019

Posted on by
Reply

Everyday, there are plenty of articles about your favorite team on the internet. Whether they be pay sites like The Athletic, “free sites” like ESPN, local news sites like The Oklahoman, or blog sites like Daily Thunder, there is a plethora of information out there just waiting to be consumed. It can be a hassle to keep up with all this information at times. No one has time in the morning to visit website upon website or to scroll throughout your Twitter timeline looking for articles about your favorite team.

That’s where we come into play. OKC Clicktown (a play off of Bricktown….I know, punny) will help aggregate Oklahoma City Thunder links for your use every weekday morning. No longer do you have to surf the web for Thunder content. You just stop by here, say “Hi” to the door greeter, grab your cup of coffee (or beer for our Aussie and Kiwi brethren) and enjoy yourself. Thunder Up!

Erik Horne (The Oklahoman) profiles Thunder assistant coach Dave Bliss, who wants you to know he is more than his name: “I had some opportunities to get pretty good jobs coming out of there,” Bliss said. “I got to the end and realized I don’t want to be away from the game.” Bliss became a volunteer assistant at Georgia for the 2008-09 season, then, with Felton’s help, latched on as a graduate assistant at Virginia Commonwealth University the next season.

Maddie Lee (The Oklahoman) profiles Thunder assistant coach David Akinyooye: “When Akinyooye took a job with the Blue, a year after his departure overseas, head coach Mark Daigneault made it clear that Akinyooye wouldn’t be confined to the video room or the development team. He would be coaching. Akinyooye packed up the adaptability he learned in Lyon, the refusal to cut corners he absorbed in the Spurs organization, and tactics to get a group of individuals to put egos aside, which he gleaned from Cosgrove, and brought those skills to Oklahoma City.”

Continue reading →

Oklahoma City Thunder at Denver Nuggets preview (Game 13 of 82)

Posted on by
Reply

ibaka adams faried thunder nuggets

  • When: Wednesday, 19 November 2014 at 8:00 PM CST
  • Where: Pepsi Center, Denver, CO

The last time the panic alarm was this loud in Thunder Nation was after the 2nd game of the season. The Thunder had just lost 2 close games on the road, and to top it off, they lost their All-Star point guard to a broken hand. The roster was down to 8 healthy players, none of which had ever been tasked with leading a team to battle. The Thunder needed a respite and they needed it fast. Enter the Denver Nuggets. The Thunder got off to a big lead and still had the fortitude to win a close game when Denver got hot in the 4th quarter. From there, the panic dampened as the Thunder started getting some players back from injury and actually won a couple more games. But with the Thunder staring at a 3-9 record, the offense struggling, and their superstar duo probably not coming back for at least another 2 weeks, the panic alarm is once again wailing.

The Opponent

Indiana Pacers v Denver Nuggets

The Nuggets come into the game with a 3-7 record. They won their first game, and then proceeded to lose their next 6, before finally winning the last 2 of 3, including a road victory in Cleveland in their last game. The Nuggets are middle of the pack when it comes to scoring (101.5 ppg), but give up the 4th most points in the league (107.1 ppg). Their rebounding is one of their strengths and it fuels their transition game. Ty Lawson is one of the better pace pushers in the league, using his speed to beat defenders up the court and causing havoc in the paint. On the perimeter, Arron Afflalo and Wilson Chandler have had their troubles being consistent. Up front, the big man rotation of Kenneth Faried, Timofey Mozgov, and JJ Hickson provides plenty of energy in going after rebounds and hustling defensively. The Nuggets are one of the deepest teams in the league, usually going at least 12 deeep into the rotation. The bench players that receive most time are Randy Foye, Danilo Gallinari, JaVale McGee, Alonzo Gee, and Nate Robinson.

Probable Starting Line-Up

Denver Nuggets

  • PG – Ty Lawson
  • SG – Arron Afflalo
  • SF – Wilson Chandler
  • PF – Kenneth Faried
  • C – Timofey Mozgov

Oklahoma City Thunder

  • PG – Reggie Jackson
  • SG – Jeremy Lamb
  • SF – Andre Roberson
  • PF – Serge Ibaka
  • C – Steven Adams

3 Keys to the Game

1. Consistency – The Thunder have held leads in the last few games they have lost. Sometimes those leads even balloned up into the double digits. But the Thunder have failed to capitalize on those leads due to a stagnant offense. When the Thunder play their best is when they are passing and moving. As soon as the offense becomes iso-oriented, the Thunder struggle due to having their iso MVPs on the bench in street clothes. The Thunder can’t stop playing their current brand of basketball as soon as they see a little light at the end of the tunnel. They aren’t good enough to go off the cuff. They need to stick to their script.

2. Rebounding – I feel like I’ve written this in the last few pre-game reports as a key to the game, but the proof is in the pudding. In their last 3 games (all losses), the Thunder have been outrebounded by an average of 11 rebounds and have allowed the opponent to grab an average of 16 offensive rebounds. While I like the new found perimeter aggressiveness of Nick Collison and Serge Ibaka, I feel like them being so far from the basket takes away from their opportunities to grab offensive rebounds. On the defensive end, Steven Adams needs to play bigger and occupy more space to grab more defensive boards.

Denver Nuggets vs Oklahoma City Thunder

3. Reggie Jackson – The offense goes as he does. If he is masterfully setting up his teammates and controlling the flow of the game, the Thunder usually are usually in control and rolling. As soon as he goes off script, the Thunder tend to struggle. I don’t necessarily fault Jackson. This is his first foray as the focal point of the offense, and he is still adjusting to being shadowed by at least one other defender.

2014-15 NBA Season Preview: Northwest Divison

Posted on by
Reply

Northwest Division

1. Oklahoma City Thunder

westbrook ibaka durant jackson jones thunder

Last season: 59-23 (1st in the Northwest Division, 2nd in the Western Conference)

Season ended: Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals against the San Antonio Spurs

Key Additions:

  • Mitch McGary – Draft (No. 21 in the 2014 NBA Draft)
  • Anthony Morrow – Free agent signing
  • Sebastian Telfair – Free agent signing

Key Departures:

  • Thabo Sefolosha – Signed with the Atlanta Hawks
  • Caron Butler – Signed with the Detroit Pistons
  • Derek Fisher – Retired (Head coach of the New York Knicks)
  • Hasheem Thabeet – Traded to the Philadelphia 76ers

Season Preview – After years of relying on internal improvement/development, the Thunder finally threw their hat into the free agency fray. They failed in getting Pau Gasol or Mike Miller to OKC, but did get the deep-range threat they coveted in Anthony Morrow. If healthy, this team is one of the best in the league. Sporting the current MVP and another top 5 players in Westbrook, the Thunder should benefit from their more versatile additions. When it comes to a team like the Thunder, though, its all about May and June. With the team’s shortcomings in the playoffs with such a talented roster, might this be the year that coach Scott Brooks starts to feel the heat?

2014-15 will be successful if: The Thunder win the championship

Projected 2014-15 Record: 61-21

2. Portland Trailblazers

aldridge batum lopez matthews lillard trailblazers

Last season: 54-28 (2nd in the Northwest Division, 5th in the Western Conference)

Season ended: Game 5 of the Western Conference Semi-Finals against the San Antonio Spurs

Key Additions:

  • Steve Blake – Free agent signing
  • Chris Kaman – Free agent signing
  • James Southerland – Free agent signing

Key Departures:

  • Mo Williams – Signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves
  • Earl Watson – Unsigned

Season Preview – The Trailblazers basically bring back the same team as last season, but with a little bit more veteran presence. Chris Kaman and Steve Blake should help shore up some of the inexperience off the bench. With that said, the Blazers’ Achilles heel this season will be the same as last season’s: lack of bench production. Second year guard CJ Mccollum will be expected to fill the production provided by Mo Williams. They were lucky the injury bug didn’t bite that hard last season. They will need similar health next season to produce the same output.

2014-15 will be successful if: The Blazers make it to the Western Conference Finals

Projected 2014-15 Record: 52-30

3. Denver Nuggets

Indiana Pacers v Denver Nuggets

Last season: 36-46 (4th in the Northwest Division, 11th in the Western Conference)

Season ended: Last day of the regular season

Key Additions:

  • Arron Afflalo – Obtained in a trade with the Orlando Magic
  • Gary Harris – Draft (No. 19 in the 2014 NBA Draft)
  • Jusuf Nurkic – Draft (No. 16 in the 2014 NBA Draft)

Key Departures:

  • Evan Fournier – Traded to the Orlando Magic
  • Jan Vesely – Signed overseas
  • Anthony Randolph – Signed overseas
  • Aaron Brooks – Signed with the Chicago Bulls

Season Preview – I only wrote three names on the “Key Additions” section, but with half the team coming back from injury, you could easily add about 5 players to that section. Now, half the team is a bit of an exaggeration, but the players who are coming back are core members of the rotation. JaVale McGee, Danilo Galinari, JJ Hickson, and Nate Robinson all missed time last season with surgery necessitating injuries. With all those key players coming back and Kenneth Faried coming off a great showing in the FIBA World Cup, Denver becomes the wild card in the Western Conference. Two seasons ago, they were the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference with many of these players on the team. It may take Denver a bit to gel, but I could definitely see them being a nuisance come the second half of the season.

2014-15 will be successful if: The Nuggets make it to the playoffs

Projected 2014-15 Record: 40-42

4. Utah Jazz

burke hayward favors jazz

Last season: 25-57 (5th in the Northwest Division,  15th in the Western Conference)

Season ended: Last day of the regular season

Key Additions:

  • Trevor Booker – Free agent signing
  • Dante Exum – Draft (No. 5 in the 2014 NBA Draft)
  • Rodney Hood – Draft (No. 23 in the 2014 NBA Draft)
  • Steve Novak – Obtained in a trade with the Toronto Raptors

Key Departures:

  • Richard Jefferson – Signed with the Dallas Mavericks
  • Marvin Williams – Signed with the Charlotte Hornets
  • Brandon Rush – Signed with the Golden State Warriors
  • Diante Garrett – Traded to the Toronto Raptors

Season Preview – The Jazz are probably at the midway point of their rebuild. Their young guys from 2-3 seasons ago are starting to come up for extensions and they have yet to show much fruit. They had to pay Gordon Hayward max money in order to keep him away from Charlotte. And their backcourt consists of a rookie (Exum) and a 2nd year player (Trey Burke). I think the Jazz take a step this season. Not necessarily a big one, but a 5-7 win improvement through the internal development of Hayward, Enes Kanter, Derrick Favors, and Trey Burke. Show improvement and the team probably stays the course. But, flounder again, and the team may be looking at a smaller rebuild for the future.

2014-15 will be successful if: The Jazz win 35 games

Projected 2014-15 Record: 31-51

5. Minnesota Timberwolves

"blg 04 wolves state fair"

Last season: 40-42 (3rd in the Northwest Division, 10th in the Western Conference)

Season ended: Last day of the regular season

Key Additions:

  • Anthony Bennett – Obtained in a trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers
  • Zach Lavine – Draft (No. 13 in the 2014 NBA Draft)
  • Glenn Robinson III – Draft (No. 40 in the 2014 NBA Draft)
  • Andrew Wiggins – Obtained in a trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers (No. 1 in the 2014 NBA Draft)
  • Mo Williams – Free agent signing
  • Thaddeus Young – Obtained in a trade with the Philadelphia 76ers

Key Departures:

  • Kevin Love – Traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers
  • Luc Richard Mbah a Moute – Traded to the Philadelphia 76ers
  • Alexey Shved – Traded to the Philadelphia 76ers

Season Preview – The Timberwolves seem to have a problem holding on to great power forwards. Kevin Garnett about seven years ago and Kevin Love this offseason. But they got a much better haul this time around for Love than they did for Garnett. Wiggins has franchise player potential and Bennett has match-up problems potential if he is healthy this season. Thaddeus Young is a good veteran stopgap at the forward spot, but is also young enough to grow with this group. I believe this team will surprise some people. Rubio is made to be a fast break point guard and now has the horses to let loose his talent. In the end though, this team is extremely young and will have plenty of growing pains this season. Luckily, they’ll also be exciting as hell.

2014-15 will be successful if: The Timberwolves’ young players show development throughout the season, and they still garner a Top 5 pick.

Projected 2014-15 Record: 30-52

Denver Nuggets vs. Oklahoma City Thunder preview (Game 70 of 82)

Posted on by
Reply

  • When: Monday, 24 March 2014 at 7:00 PM CST
  • Where: Chesapeake Energy Arena, Oklahoma City, OK

It’s a good thing that the Oklahoma City Thunder and their fans have had at least a day to decompress from what was a crazy game on Friday and the subsequent “awaiting the MRI results on Russell’s knee” on Saturday. Thankfully, the Thunder won the game in double overtime against the Raptors and Westbrook’s knee sprain showed no further damage to the knee. Even better, Durant’s performance in that game (51 points, 12 rebounds, 7 assists, GW 3-pt) pretty much sowed up the MVP award for him.

This is the fourth and final meeting of the season between these two teams. The Thunder lead the season series against their division rivals 2-1. Games between these two teams usually come down to the 4th quarter with the point guards taking over the show.

The Opponent

faried lawson nuggets

Although ACL only has three letters in it, it might as well be a 4-letter word in Denver. With Danilo Gallinari, Nate Robinson, and now, J.J. Hickson out with ACL injuries, the Denver team is a shell of what it was expected to be in the beginning of the season. The Nuggets, currently at 32-38, are out of the playoff hunt for the first time in the last 11 seasons. The team does a good job of scoring points (103.9 per game, 9th in the league), but allows too many defensively (105.8 ppg, 28th in the league). The offense is spear-headed by point guard Ty Lawson, whose break-neck style leads to many points in the paint and many open looks on the perimeter for shooters. On the wings, Randy Foye, Wilson Chandler, Evan Fournier, and Darrell Arthur are usually the beneficiaries of Lawson’s ability to get into the paint. In the post, Kenneth Faried is one of the more active rebounders in the league while Timofey Mozgov is a big mobile body that can carve out space and score if given the opportunity. Due to injuries, the bench for Denver is a bit muted, but Denver was one of the deeper teams to begin with and still has a decent bench that features Aaron Brooks, Fournier, and Arthur.

Probable Starting Line-Ups

Denver Nuggets

  • PG – Ty Lawson
  • SG – Randy Foye
  • SF – Anthony Randolph
  • PF – Kenneth Faried
  • C – Timofey Mozgov

Oklahoma City Thunder

  • PG – Reggie Jackson
  • SG – Andre Roberson
  • SF – Kevin Durant
  • PF – Serge Ibaka
  • C – Steven Adams

3 Keys to the Game

1. Rebounding – Denver’s rebounding took a hit with the loss of J.J. Hickson. But, Faried and Mozgov are still 2 of the more better rebounding bigs in the league. Faried has 9 games of 13 or more rebounds and Mozgov has 8 games of double figure rebounding. If the Thunder are disciplined in boxing these two out, they can hurt the Thunder with offensive boards in the same way that Hickson would have.

2. Dribble Penetration – Ty Lawson causes the havoc that ignites Denver’s offense by getting into the lane. I would start Roberson on Lawson and put Reggie Jackson on Randy Foye. Jackson has trouble staying in front of quick guards, but does a pretty good job of recovering on shooters, due to his wing span.

3. Durant – Against a defense that gives up the 3rd most points in the league, what show can Durant put on against the Nuggets?

Oklahoma City Thunder at Denver Nuggets preview (Game 36 of 82)

Posted on by
Reply

perkins faried thunder nuggets

  • When: Thursday, 09 January 2014 at 9:30 PM CST
  • Where: Pepsi Center, Denver, CO

In my opinion, this game has a bit of a must win feel to it for some reason. Maybe it’s to calm our psyche. Maybe it’s the constant pressure of needing to keep up with the top half of the Western Conference. Whatever it may be, that psyche was put a little on edge after the loss to the Utah Jazz, who own the worst record in the Western Conference. Were there factors at play that may have aided the Jazz? Of course. Two of Oklahoma City’s top three players were out when Serge Ibaka sat out with flu-like symptoms. And Utah has been playing much better since the return of Trey Burke. But still, it’s the Jazz.

Regardless, the NBA season keeps moving along. Tonight, the Thunder face their other division rival located in the Mountain Standard timezone, the Denver Nuggets. The Thunder won the first two meetings of the season between these two teams. The first meeting saw the Thunder outscore the Nuggets 32-21 in the 4th quarter to win a close one, 115-113. The 2nd game was not as close as the Thunder rode an 8 point halftime lead to a 12 point victory, 105-93.

The Opponent

faried lawson nuggets

The Nuggets have been consistently inconsistent this season. This is how their last 24 games have played out: 7 game win streak followed by losses in 11 of the next 14 games followed by the current 3 game win streak. They are a team that is highly dependent on the 3-point shot without having a consistent dead-eye shooter. Point guard Ty Lawson gets the offense going with his ability to dribble penetrate off the pick and role. Randy Foye and Wilson Chandler have greatly benefited from Lawson’s dribble drives to the tune of 35% 3-point shooting for each player. Unfortunately, Chandler will be out of tonight’s game with a strained hip. Despite their lack of size, the duo of JJ Hickson and Kenneth Faried grabs about 16.5 rebounds per game combined, and can wear a front line ragged with their energy and athleticism. Injuries and internal strife have decimated the depth of the Nuggets and turn what used to be one of the Nuggets’ biggest strengths into one of their liabilities.

Probable Starting Line-Ups

Denver Nuggets

  • PG – Ty Lawson
  • SG – Randy Foye
  • SF – Jordan Hamilton
  • PF – Kenneth Faried
  • C – JJ Hickson

Oklahoma City Thunder

  • PG – Reggie Jackson
  • SG – Thabo Sefolosha
  • SF – Kevin Durant
  • PF – Serge Ibaka
  • C – Kendrick Perkins

3 Keys to the Game

1. Pick and roll defense – Ty Lawson and Nate Robinson are great at breaking down a defense at the point of attack from the pick and role. If a defender goes under the pick, the two guards are able to punish the defenders with their shooting (over 35% 3-point shooting for both guards). If a defender tries to go over, both guards are quick enough to get past the initial line of defense. Luckily, the Denver big men aren’t great shooters, so the Thunder big men should be able to ice the picks if they happen from the free throw line and up.

Oklahoma City Thunder v Denver Nuggets

2. Bench scoring – Injuries to JaVale McGee, Danilo Gallinari, and Wilson Chandler, along with the “suspended/awaiting to be traded” Andre Miller, have decimated the depth the Nuggets once had. The Thunder bench struggled in the last game against the Jazz, so I expect them to come out focused and ready to attack.

3. Thin air – Kevin Durant and Reggie Jackson probably played more minutes than they expected on Tuesday, and appeared a bit winded near the end of the game. It will be interesting to see what happens if this becomes a competitive affair and the game minutes go into the upper 30’s to lower 40’s.