Tag Archives: Isaiah Joe

Why Not Us?

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The Oklahoma City Thunder have done it.

Against all odds, against every expectation, prediction, and assumption: The Thunder are once again the #1 seed in the Western Conference.

And yet, it doesn’t really feel like it.

Sure, for us Thunder fans, it was a celebration (clap, clap, bravo) like we haven’t had in a long time. From the hilarious nature of seeding watch day, to the harrowing decimation of the Dallas Mavericks in the regular season finale, Thunder fans had/have a lot to celebrate. This is the same team after all, that was going through seeding watch day last year as well; for the 10 seed.

All year long the Thunder have faced and conquered seemingly every challenge that came their way.

But it still doesn’t seem like its enough… for some people.

Bill Simmons on his podcast could barely mention and congratulate OKC for making the 1 seed before he fell victim to an old habit of Thunder hatred, saying to his co-host Ryen Russillo definitively “OKC cannot beat the Lakers.”.

He’s not the only one who thinks that.

ESPN’s Mike Greenberg suggested on Get Up that the Lakers “should not play Lebron James, should not play Anthony Davis, they should tank the 7/8 game, they should take their chances Friday night, one and done, at home against Golden State or Sacramento and go in and play OKC (instead of playing Denver) in round one…” and as wild as that statement and ideology is, its actually began to hit an echochamber amongst the talking heads.

To Greeny’s credit, he did start the statment by saying “Give them all the credit in the world, its going to sound like I’m disrespecting them…” which kinda feels like whenever someone says “No offense, but….”

Well guess what Greeny? Offense taken. You do sound like you’re disrespecting them, because you are disrespecting them. And he’s not alone. It doesn’t take Sherlock Holmes or Nancy Drew to find someone that is picking the Thunder to not only lose in the playoffs, but to lose in round one… again.

It feels like people look at this team, they notice a couple things, and that’s what they make their assessment on. They see Shai’s (out of context, early in his career, in a different role) playoff stats, they see youth (combined age of 23.4 [youngest 1 seed in NBA history]), they see the size (or lack thereof).

I recoginize that I am not the most objective person, but I do have to objectively say that they couldn’t be further from the truth.

In fact, not only would I say that the Thunder have what it takes to make it out of the first round, regardless of who makes it out of the Play-in tournament. This team, dare I say, has all the makings of a team that could win the whole freaking thing.

In a West that’s as wide open as its ever been, the Thunder could have potentially broken the franchise record of 60 wins, if not for late season injuries to their two star players, I want you to ruminate on a question throughout the remainder of this article.

“Why not us?”

Lets dive in, shall we?

Numbers

You know the saying. Men lie, women lie, numbers don’t. And the numbers speak very highly of this young Thunder team.

3rd in Points per game: 120.1
3rd in Field goal percentage: 49.9%
1st in Three point percentage: 38.9%
4th in Free throw percentage: 82.5% (AND ONLY 17TH IN ATTEMPTS, WHERE IS THE FOUL MERCHANTRY IN THAT)
2nd in True shooting percentage: 60.8%
3rd in Effective field goal percentage: 57.3%
7th in (fewest) Turnovers per game: 12.7
1st in Steals per game: 8.5
1st in Blocks per game: 6.6
3rd in Offensive rating: 118.3
4th in Defensive rating: 111.0
2nd in Net Rating: 7.3
5th in Pace: 100.85
7th in Fastbreak points per game: 15.8
3rd in Fastbreak points (allowed) per game: 12.5
1st in Points off turnovers per game: 20.5
3rd in (fewest) Points off turnovers per game: 14.8
7th in Points in the paint per game: 52.5
7th in Points in the paint (allowed) per game: 47
2nd in Halfcourt offensive rating: 106.3
3rd in Halfcourt defensive rating: 97.3

I realize I threw a bunch of numbers and stats at you, and some of them may be confusing and out of context, but let me summarize this in three words: Them dudes good.

Allow me to elaborate.

VARIETY

One of the most dangerous things about this team is the many different areas that it excels in.

You need buckets? They are top 5 in scoring.

Opposing defenses building a wall to stop the drives? We are the best three point shooting team in the league.

Is the pace slow and possessions limited to the halfcourt due to the slowed down nature of playoffs? We’re top 5 in both halfcourt offensive and defensive rating.

Teams want to get up and down the floor? We are top 5 in pace, scoring fastbreak points, and limiting fastbreak points. Not to mention tops at steals AND blocks, so we will turn you over. Oh, and we are the best in the league at converting those turnovers into points.

You see what I’m getting at here? The Thunder excel at every single aspect of modern basketball.

So much so that what is considered one of our biggest weaknesses (rebounding) has DRASTICALLY improved. On the season we are 29th in offensive rebounds, 12th in defensive rebounds, and 27th in rebounds overall; post all-star break however things have changed. 24th in offensive rebounds, 8th in defensive rebounds, and 15th overall.

They still aren’t great numbers, but they have improved throughout the year, and prove to keep up those numbers going into the playoffs.

Shooters everywhere

Whenever the Thunder brought in renowned shooting coach Chip Engelland, all Thunder fans were worried about was the shooting improvements for Josh Giddey. Little did they know, that the entire team was about to become deadly from deep.

12 players on this Thunder squad are shooting at least 37% from 3.
10 players are shooting over 39%.
8 are shooting over 40%.
2 of them (Aaron Wiggins and Gordan Hayward) are shooting around 50%.

To put this into perspective, lets look at the 2022-2023 Thunder.

7 players shot over 37%.
6 players shot over 39%.
3 players shot over 40%.
Only 1 player shot 50%, but sadly, Jared Butler only appeared in 6 games, so we do not count his contributions.

For years, Thunder fans have clamored (BEGGED!) the front office to go and acquire shooting, and at long last, they have.

They show up when it matters most:

This can be true in two different ways.

First: Clutch.

The Thunder have played in 38 games in the clutch. In those 38 games they are 24-14 for a winning percentage of 63.2%, which places them 5th in that category. All the things they do well as a team on a game to game basis, are also done well in the clutch. They score efficiently, they shoot the piss out of the ball, and they create turnovers. In a word, they are still a well oiled machine.

Part of this is because they have not one, not two, but three of the most efficient clutch performers. Of players who have taken 40 shots in the clutch (58 eligible players) Jalen Williams ranks #1 with 68.3%, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ranks #4 with 58.1%, and Chet Holmgren ranks 9th with 52.5%. That is quite literally ABSURD.

Second: They rise to the occasion

Down the stretch of the season, you saw some juggernauts, or at least seemingly superior teams, get shocked and beaten by the bottom feeders of the league. But from the time Shai and Dub returned from their injuries, this team did not play with their food, winning their last 3 games by a combined 105 points.

Not convinced? How about this stat then: The Thunder had the highest point differential in the Western conference and 2nd highest in the league at +7.4. Against the other teams in the top 10, the Thunder has the best record against teams in the top 10 going 19-8.

There is one more reason, however.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Yes, Shai has had a special season. He is the first player to do things that only Michael Jordan and Steph Curry have done in an NBA season. He leads the league in 30 point games. He lost the steals title in the final hour of the regular season. He has the efficiency of a wing player as a guard. He is still just 25 years old. His previous playoff experience was a mixed bag, first as a rookie playing against the dynasty Warriors and then as a 3rd option on a makeshift Thunder playoff team. All these things can be true, and they are. But so is this.

No matter who we are playing, we will have the best player on the floor.

Alright except for Jokic, maybe Luka. But we know Shai’s work ethic is maniacal. We know how much he likes to prove people wrong, put narratives to rest, silence his critics. I think Shai is going to come into these playoffs and just absolute dominate at every stage of the game.

He’s already been doing it all year, against whatever defender the opposing team wants to throw at him. He’s dropped 30, he’s dropped 40, he’s dropped defenders, he’s dropped game winning buckets, he has set up this expectation for us. This is his coming out party, this is the stage he needs to announce himself not only a star, or an up and coming player. Nah, bump that. This dude is a superstar, a transcendent talent, a skillset that is unique, a demeanor that does not waver. This is going to be a statement, an announcement, a coronation, an alert, and final notice that Shai is here at the top of the league, and he isn’t going anywhere. He has arrived.

And just like Shai’s arrival, so shall it be the Oklahoma City Thunder’s.

This team is built for the postseason. This roster is built for competition. This squad thrives in adversity.

They have every excuse not to win it all. They’re too young. They overachieved. They needed this loss. But all season long, this team has flipped the script on every excuse given to them.

Chet could have sat games, but he played all 82. Cason could’ve developed in the G league, like most rookies do. Instead, he also played rotational minutes in all 82 games. Isaiah Joe could have been just a 3 point shooter, but he’s also top-10 in charges taken. Jaylin Williams could have sulked in the fact he didn’t get much playing time early on, but, instead, he stayed with it and became one of the Thunder’s most impactful players post all-star break. Josh Giddey could’ve let his off court drama, and his ego get the best of him when things were at their worst. Instead, he changed his mentality and play style, and now, and he and the team are thriving. Aaron Wiggins could have let the fact that he was the 55th pick, or the fact that he was still catching DNP’s early this season affect his game, but he stepped up every minute he’s on the court and is now widely considered one of the most underrated players in basketball.

This team doesn’t care how many MVP’s are in the way. This team doesn’t care about how many games they have or haven’t played in the playoffs. This team doesn’t care about how young they are. This team doesn’t care about the haters, the expectations, the predictions, or the assumptions about them. This team doesn’t need your excuses.

They have what they need, and they’re ready to rise to the occasion once more in the quest for 16 wins.

And with every pass, dribble, three pointer, dunk, crossover, block, steal, and scream at the raucous crowd of Loud City, they will play the game like they belong here. They will play the game with dominance and defiance.

They don’t care if they’re ahead of schedule.

They only have one question:

“Why not us?“

Gordon Hayward: The punch the Thunder needed

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All-Star Weekend is in the rear view. And all in all, it was a fun weekend for Thunder fans.

Cason Wallace helped bring Team Pau back from its early deficit to Team Detlef, and was then scapegoated for not being able to carry a team of top 3 picks back from the early hole it dug itself.

Chet Holmgren contributed to Team Jalen’s ultimate victory in a variety of ways. Layups, blocks, windmills. Just not lobs. Maybe just catch those for now, Chettar Bob.

Jalen Williams showed he is a 2-way demon, knocking down middies, 3-balls, spreading the ball around, being an on-ball pest, and off-ball menace. All in route to knocking down the game winning 3-pointer, showing the world what β€œDub Time” is. Dub, indeed.

Then of course, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander put on a show in his first (hopefully of many) starts in the All-Star game. The antithesis of his game was on full display. Instead of acrobatic finishes through contact and an assault of mid-range jumpers, it was an uncharacteristically scorching hot 7/10 shooting from the 3 point line and an array of high flying dunks, including a self alley-oop off the glass… IN TRAFFIC!

Yes, All-Star Weekend couldn’t have gone better for Thunder fans, sans Isaiah Joe being in the 3-point contest. And the weekend’s series of events is enough to get the fans excited for the return from All-Star break on Thursday against our rivals, the Los Angeles Clippers. But through the excitement of the break, people have forgotten that the Thunder may or may not have added the piece that takes this team from young and fun overachievers, to bonafide contenders in the Western Conference.

Last week, the Thunder…

SIGNED BISMACK BIYOMBO!

That’s right! We are getting Bizzy with it! With our big Biyombro, we will be standing on Bizness for 48 minutes. *angry emoji with smoke coming out of nose*

As excited as I am for Biyombo, because of his ability to fill a role and his ability to raise the overall vibes for any locker room, it’s another move that this article is based around.

The trade that sent Tre Mann, Vasilije Micic, and Davis Bertans to Charlotte in exchange for none other than Gordon Hayward.

This trade is already a sore subject for Thunder fans. Tre had become a fan favorite, from his highlight reel dunks and stepback, to his fun and vibey personality on the bench and online. There were many (yours, truly included) that were sad to see him go. He has done well in his opportunities with the Hornets since then, making it hurt just a little more.

Micic, while he hasn’t been as consistent, has flashed many moments that have Thunder fans envying the former Euroleague MVP for the playoff run. And then you have Bertans, who has been fine, I guess.

On the Thunder side, we haven’t as much seen Hayward in a Thunder jersey. But I’ve been watching some film on him from this season. Not as a Celtic or during the Obama administration in Utah. No, from the 2023-24 NBA season, just to clear things up. While the name isn’t as big, flashy, or coveted as some of the other names around the league, his tape tells me Hayward is going to fit this team seamlessly.

Playmaker:

Not including his rookie year, Gordo (gotta find a nickname for this guy, let me live) hasn’t averaged less than 3 assists per game. This season, before he got hurt, he was averaging 4.6 assists per game. Which would be 2nd highest in his career (and .1 more than Josh Giddey has…).

There’s not much flashy about Gorgon’s passing. He doesn’t really bring the ball up the court and he doesn’t try to pretend to be Steve Nash. While he doesn’t always make jaw dropping, high level reads, he is constantly moving the ball and often times creating scoring opportunities for his teammates as the secondary, or even, tertiary creator.

While he isn’t necessarily a maestro with the basketball, Hayward can more than hold his own as a playmaker.

He gets it done in a variety of ways. Off the drive, off the catch, touch passes, in transition, dump offs, entry passes, the whole shebang.

Despite what the video above would lead you to believe, Hayward’s passes don’t lead to buckets 100% of the time, I’m sorry to deceive you.

But what’s important, and why he fits with the Thunder in this regard is, the ball doesn’t stick with him. There is no record scratch. He isn’t a ball stopper. He simply gets the ball, he drives it, he shoots it, or he quickly makes a pass.

Based on the tape above he’s going to create a lot of easy looks for Chet, Dub, Ous, Wiggs, and Boom (Jaylin Williams for those uninitiated). But he’s also going to be able to put Shai, Giddey, and Dub in scoring, and playmaking scenarios just with his willingness and participation of moving the ball around.

Shut up and drive:

When you watch a guy like Shai or Jalen Williams, you always hear the commentators talk about how relentless they are with their straight line drives to the basket. Shai has led the league in total drives going on 4 seasons, and even in his first season with the team, he still ranked 10th in the league. Dub, has a bit more variety to his game with the willingness to shoot a higher volume from deep, but particularly in late game situations, the gearshift is on D for him as well.

If you watch Gordon Bombay (yeah, that one felt wrong) you can tell he’s cut from that same cloth. While he can’t even smell the exhaust from Shai’s tailpipe at 23.9 drives per game, he is not far behind from Dub (12.6) with 10.8 drives per game.

While he adds some variety to his game in post work, catch and shoot, etc., a lot of his playmaking, as evidenced by the video in the playmaking section, is dependent of his drives.

Even at age 33, Hayward is a strong driver to the basket.

It’s no wonder he is constantly driving, as the Warden (I saw it on Twitter/X, I’m not married to it) is shooting an impressive 69.3% at the rim this year. To put that into perspective, Shai is shooting 66.5%. Dub is shooting 66.3%. Chet is shooting 71.7%. And the finishing god squad of Cason, Ous, and Joe are shooting 72.8, 73.9, 76.5 respectively. And since you keep bugging me, Giddey is shooting 55.2%.

Cut to the chase:

Wiggs made his early career off of knowing how to cut to the basket. OKC has plenty other really good cutters. Dub, Cason, Kenny, and even Giddey have shown some juice as cutters this year.

He’s no Edward Scissorshands, but my Hayward son (you see it) is a stealthy good cutter, and sneaky effective at it. Snake eyes (yeah this is bad, just having fun with the last sentence) averages 1.47 points per possession, while shooting 75%, on cuts but only at a frequency of 4.5%. For perspective, Shai is averaging 1.67 PPP on 80.8% shooting on 2% frequency. The aforementioned Aaron Wiggins is shockingly averaging only 1.3 PPP on 64.7% shooting, but on a team leading 15.6% frequency.

Hayward is literally playing Fruit Ninja with NBA defenses.

LaMelo Ball is a phenomenal playmaker. But he is one man. The Thunder’s entire roster has some playmaking juice. Pair that with his basketball IQ and understanding of space, and you have a smart and opportune cutter to add to the death by 1000 basket cuts.

There are a lot of things to like about Hayward. His shooting, while percentages are a tad down at 36.1%, he is shooting 40.8% on catch and shoot 3’s, 41.2% from the corners, and 42.4% on open 3-point jumpers.

He is averaging almost 5 rebounds per game, which will help a bit with that side of things. As well as averaging 1.1 steals per game. With guys like Dort and Dub at the point of attack and Chet as the back line, Hayward should be able to generate a number of steals for this already stingy defense.

Overall, the fit is very nice. And the price for the trade, with the flexibility to possibly re-sign him moving forward, makes the deal a no brainer.

Gordon Hayward is the type of player that can add one more punch to the Thunder’s push to the finals.

And if all I’ve said above comes to fruition, that punch may just end up being a Haymaker.

Hmmm, Haymaker.

I LIKE IT.

Special shoutout to @derthun_ and @homahoops for showing me the ways of the force and video editing. Be sure to follow them for great Thunder content. As well as me @ThunderChats, and my podcast @OKCTopicThunder. Thunder up.

Thunder @ Orlando Magic preview (Game 54 of 82)

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  • Oklahoma City Thunder (36-17, 2nd in the West) @ Orlando Magic (29-24, 6th in the East)
  • When: Tuesday, 13 February 2024 at 6:30PM CST
  • Where: Kia Center, Orlando, FL
  • Offensive Rating – ORL: 112.6 (24th) / OKC: 119.1 (5th)
  • Defensive Rating – ORL: 112.6 (4th) / OKC: 112.0 (5th)
  • Net Rating – ORL: 0.9 (15th) / OKC: 7.2 (2nd)

The Set-Up

Let’s rewind to last year’s offseason. The schedule comes out and the only nationally televised game for the Thunder is an early season jaunt against the Orlando Magic in OKC. The number 1 pick, Paolo Banchero, versus the number 2 pick, Chet Holmgren. This was back before anyone realized the Thunder were going to do aight that season. It was going to be OKC’s time to shine.

But Chet decided to play in a Seattle pro-am that featured LeBron James. A fastbreak drive by James led to Holmgren planting his foot wrong and suffering a broken foot. Holmgren out for the season and the NBA moved quick to flex that spot to another game. Silly, NBA. But here we are nearly 16 months later and we are replaying that event. Orlando vs. OKC on TNT (this time in Orlando).

This is the 2nd and final meeting of the season between these two team. The Thunder won the first meeting in OKC, 112-100, on Topic: Thunder Fan Night in January.

Betting Info

  • Line: OKC -2.5
  • O/U: 223.5

Injury Report

OKC

  • Bismack Biyombo (Return to Action protocol) – OUT
  • Gordon Hayward (calf) – OUT

ORL

  • None

Three Big Things

  1. Franz Wagner – I know that I should probably be worried more about Paolo Banchero. But in their last three wins, Wagner has scored 36, 34, and 38 points. He’s a lot like Jalen Williams in that he can navigate the dribble through multiple screens and score from all three levels. Wagner’s assignment will likely fall on Lu Dort or Jalen Williams, which should make for an interesting match-up.
  2. Zone-busting – Orlando has some long, physical defenders. They will likely zone a lot tonight, so the Thunder will have to find ways to bust the zone. They will have to make open shots tonight. Guys like Dort, Isaiah Joe, Cason Wallace, and Aaron Wiggins will need to have efficient nights to make the lives of SGA and J-Dub a little easier.
  3. Dueling strengths and weaknesses – Another game where the strengths of one team (rebounding by Orlando) is the weakness of the other, while the strengths of one team (creating turnovers by OKC) is the weakness of the other. Here’s to OKC’s strength being more impactful than their weakness.

Thunder @ Los Angeles Clippers preview (Game 40 of 82)

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  • Oklahoma City Thunder (27-12, 2nd in the West) @ Los Angeles Clippers (25-14, 4th in the West)
  • When: Tuesday, 16 January 2024 at 9:00pm CST
  • Where: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
  • Offensive Rating – LAC: 119.0 (6th) / OKC: 119.8 (4th)
  • Defensive Rating – LAC: 113.7 (13th) / OKC: 111.1 (5th)
  • Net Rating – LAC: 5.3 (6th) / OKC: 8.7 (2nd)

The Set-Up

The saying goes, “It’s a make or miss league”. When you are making the shots, things look beautiful. But when you are struggling to make the shots, what does your team rely upon? This is the question as the Thunder continue on in a season where the expectation is no longer just the play-in or the playoffs. The expectation is now high seed and playoff advancement. That question will become a lot louder because playoff teams will try their hardest to make the Thunder do the things that make them the most uncomfortable. Last night, the Lakers allowed players like Josh Giddey, Lu Dort, Jaylin Williams, and Cason Wallace to have open looks from deep. Combined, those four players shot 9/26 overall (34.6%) and 7/20 from deep (35%). The 3-point shooting was not terribly bad from that collective, but every shot that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, and Isaiah Joe don’t take, is a win for the defense.

This is the second of three meetings this season between these two teams. On December 21st, the Thunder beat the Clippers 134-115 in Oklahoma City, on a night where the Clippers were coming into town riding a 9-game win streak.

Betting Info

  • Line: LAC -5.5
  • O/U: 237.5

Injury Report

OKC

  • None

LAC

  • Moussa Diabate (hand) – OUT
  • Ivica Zubac (calf) – OUT

Three Big Things

  1. Make Shots – Simple as that. Last night’s game turns out very differently if the guys just shoot their averages. The other team’s defense gets a little more comfortable camping out around the lane when the shots aren’t falling. Softening that by making shots will make life a little bit easier for SGA and Jalen Williams.
  2. Chet – Holmgren is still figuring out the Rubix cube that is a couple of centers around the league (namely Anthony Davis and Domantas Sabonis). But tonight, with Ivica Zubac out, Chet will be facing the two-headed monster of Daniel Theis and Mason Plumlee. I, hopefully, only say that in jest. He should be due for a big game tonight.
  3. Fire extinguisher – The Thunder once again face the Clippers as they come into this contest as one of the hottest teams in the league. Los Angeles has won 8 of their last 10 and is quickly moving up the standings in the West. As a team that the Thunder want to keep at bay, it will be interesting to see how the Thunder bounce back from yesterday’s loss.
  4. Bonus – Just want to say “hi” to Russell Westbrook.

Thunder @ Houston Rockets (Game 20 of 82)

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  • Oklahoma City Thunder (13-6, 2nd in the West) @ Houston Rockets (8-9, 10th in the West)
  • When – Wednesday, 06 December 2023 at 7:00pm CST
  • Where – Toyota Center, Houston, TX
  • Offensive Rating – HOU: 112.6 (20th) / OKC: 117.9 (5th)
  • Defensive Rating – HOU: 110.0 (5th) / OKC: 109.5 (4th)
  • Net Rating – HOU: 2.6 (12th) / OKC: 8.4 (2nd)

The Set-Up

The come-up has been something to marvel for these teams that were bottom feeders just a few seasons ago. The Minnesota Timberwolves, Orlando Magic, and Oklahoma City Thunder were bottom 5 in the league just a couple of seasons ago. Now, all three of the teams listed are either at the top of their conference or in second place. In addition, teams like Houston and Indiana have become extremely competitive and have the possibility of moving up in the standings as the season progresses. The cycle of change in the NBA is as consistent as the four seasons. Teams at the top now will inevitably be at the bottom in a couple of seasons. And visa versa. So here’s to the upcoming era of these teams for the next couple of seasons.

Season Series: This is the first of four meetings between the Rockets and Thunder this season.

Betting Info

  • Line: OKC -2.5
  • O/U: 226.5

Injury Report

OKC

  • Ousmane Dieng (G-League assignment) – Not Available

HOU

  • Jock Londale (illness) – Questionable
  • Victor Oladipo (knee) – OUT
  • Amen Thompson (G-League assignment) – Not Available
  • Cam Whitmore (G-League assignment) – Not Available

Three Big Things

  1. Giddey – Our point guard is averaging 1 assist per game over the last 3 games. He played a season low 16 minutes in the Thunder’s last game and seems to be struggling with his confidence. I know he has a lot going on in his personal life, but he has to play better. While the team has been successful despite Giddey’s erratic play, a normal Giddey type game could boost this team up even more. Maybe Mark Daigneault will find a line-up that can fit more to Giddey’s strengths when SGA goes to the bench. Maybe something like Giddey, Chet, Cason Wallace, Isaiah Joe, and Aaron Wiggins/Kenrich Williams. Shooters and defenders around Giddey.
  2. Pace – Houston is one of the slower paced teams in the league, while OKC is one of the higher paced teams. Both teams also do a good job of limiting turnovers. That said, if OKC can play their brand of basketball and cause Houston to turn the ball over, it should help facilitate their transition opportunities and shift the game towards their style of play.
  3. Big man battle – The match-up we’ve all been waiting for. Chet vs. Sengun. On Twitter, Houston and OKC fans can be a bit contentious towards each other, and one of the main sticking points is Alperen Sengun. Houston fans love to point out the fact that OKC gave Sengun up in a draft day deal and that he is going to be one of their core pieces moving forward. OKC loves to point out the fact that Sengen is a traffic cone on defense and the Thunder still own the Rockets’ future for the next few seasons. The reality, as always, is somewhere in the middle. Sengun has been great this season, leading the Rockets in scoring (21 ppg) and rebounding (9.2), while being on a team that is 5th in defensive rating. But the Thunder have a better record, are further along in their rebuild, and still have a ton of assets (to include multiple first and second round picks from Houston). In addition, while channeling my inner Iron Man from the first Avengers movie, “We have a Chet”.

Thunder @ Dallas Mavericks preview (Game 19 of 82)

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  • Oklahoma City Thunder (12-6, 3rd in the West) @ Dallas Mavericks (11-7, 4th in the West)
  • When – Saturday, 02 December 2023 at 8:00pm CST
  • Where – American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
  • Offensive Rating – DAL: 117.5 (5th) / OKC: 117.6 (4th)
  • Defensive Rating – DAL: 117.0 (23rd) / OKC: 109.1 (5th)
  • Net Rating – DAL: 0.5 (17th) / OKC: 8.5 (2nd)

The Set-Up

The I-35 rivalry. The rivalry that is created because of location. Because of distance. But, luckily, for us fans, this rivalry has usually been a good one. The KD game-winner in the playoffs. Dirk completely decimating the Thunder in the Western Conference Finals on his way to his only championship. The various playoff match-ups. The Lu Dort defense on Luka. The Isaiah Joe game.

Luckily for all of us, there appears to be another rivalry budding with this current iteration. Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving have given the Mavs two superstar players that have performed at the top of their profession in every scenario possible in their careers. Luka finally has a collection of players around him that seem to complement his style of play. But Lu Dort awaits….

And Isaiah Joe.

Season Series: This is the first of four meetings between the Mavericks and Thunder this season

Betting Info

  • Line: OKC -4.5
  • Spread: O/U 235.5

Injury Report

OKC

  • None

DAL

  • Dante Exum (personal) – OUT
  • Josh Green (elbow) – Day to Day
  • Tim Hardaway Jr (back) – Day to Day
  • Kyrie Irving (foot) – Day to Day
  • Maxi Kleber (toe) – OUT

Three Big Things

  1. Luka Doncic – Luka is having another amazing season. Of the 5 players in the league that are averaging over 30 points per game, Luka and SGA are two of them. In games past, though, Luka has struggled with efficiency when playing against the Thunder. A lot of that can be attributed to Lu Dort’s defense. Doncic’s physical style suits Dort’s defense more than a fast, twitchy offensive player.
  2. Rebounding Battle – Neither of these two teams are good at rebounding, with both being at or near the bottom of most rebounding categories. But the Thunder has shown improvement and effort in the rebounding department over the past week or so. It has allowed them to blow some teams out that were also near the bottom of those statistics with them.
  3. Chet – For some reason, I feel like this is a game where Chet can dominate. Not just in the scoring department, but also in all the things big men are supposed to do well (rebounding, interior defense, etc). The Mavs will be trotting out rookie Derrick Lively and Dwight Powell. Lively has been a lot better than I expected this season. And Powell is a good, aging veteran. It just feels like Chet will dominate over these two tonight.

Thunder @ Minnesota Timberwolves preview (Game 17 of 82 / In-Season Tournament Game #4)

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  • Oklahoma City Thunder (11-5, 2nd in the West) @ Minnesota Timberwolves (12-4, 1st in the West)
  • When – Tuesday, 28 November 2023 at 7:00pm CST
  • Where – Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
  • Offensive Rating – MIN: 113.2 (13th) / OKC: 117.9 (6th)
  • Defensive Rating – MIN: 106.8 (2nd) / OKC: 109.6 (7th)
  • Net Rating – MIN: 6.4 (4th) / OKC: 8.3 (3rd)

The Set-Up

If you are writing a story about the come-up of a great young team, you always have to have the protagonist. The rival the team has to overcome to make it to the top of that mountain. For the Michael Jordan Chicago Bulls, it was the Detroit Pistons. For the Kobe/Shaq Lakers, it was the Sacramento Kings. For the Curry Warriors, it was Mark Jackson. For this iteration of the Thunder, we still don’t know who that team is. It could be the Orlando Magic. The San Antonio Spurs. Maybe the Houston Rockets.

Or it could be the team that we’ve already faced in a non-regular season scenario. These two teams faced off in the 2nd round game of the Play-In Tournament last season, with Minnesota out-dueling the Thunder on their way to a 120-95 victory. The Wolves were very physical and bested the Thunder in points in the paint, 58-30. The frontcourt tandem of Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns combined to score 49 points and grab 19 rebounds, while shooting 19 free throws.

Season Series – This is the first meeting this season between these division rivals.

Injury Report

OKC

  • None

MIN

  • Jaylen Clark (Achilles) – Out
  • Jaden McDaniels (ankle) – Out
  • Jordan McLaughlin (knee) – Out

Three Big Things

  1. High stakes – Okay, so these may not be huge stakes. No one really cares about who’s number one in their conference 17 games into an 82-game season. I get it. But, man, would it feel good to be conference king for a day. If nothing else, a win gives you a leg up on a division/conference rival for future playoff seeding and knocks Minnesota out of the In-Season Tournament.
  2. Big rotation – It’ll be interesting to see how head coach Mark Daigneault handles the big rotation tonight. We saw in the Philly game his willingness to play two bigs in Chet Holmgren and Jaylin Williams. What could be most interesting is the Naz Reid vs. Kenrich Williams match-up that I think we’ll see some tonight.
  3. Shooting – I’ve got a secret for you guys. The Thunder, now hear me out, tend to do better when their 3-point shot is falling. I know, I know. Shocking! All kidding aside, the Thunder have turned into the quintessential modern NBA team. Most of their shots come from the 3-point line and in the paint. Only 7.6% of their points come from the mid-range. And while the Thunder do lead the league in 3-point percentage, when that shot isn’t falling, the offense can get very clunky. Players like Lu Dort and Cason Wallace, who started the season off hot, have now regressed to where they likely will be for the rest of the season. And if Isaiah Joe isn’t completely flame-throwing from deep, the offense looks even worse.