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Portland Trailblazers vs. Thunder preview (Game 34 of 82)

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  • Portland Trailblazers (14-19, 10th in the West) @ Oklahoma City Thunder (28-5, 1st in the West)
  • When: Wednesday, 31 December 2025 @ 7:00pm CST
  • Where: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
  • TV: FDSN-OK
  • Offensive Rating: POR: 113.2 (21st) / OKC: 118.8 (5th)
  • Defensive Rating: POR: 116.3 (20th) / OKC: 105.0 (1st)
  • Net Rating: POR: -3.1 (21st) / OKC: 13.8 (1st)
  • Current Streaks: POR: Won 2 in a row, 5-5 in their last 10 / OKC: Won 2 in a row, 6-4 in their last 10

The Set-Up

December 31st. A time to look back at the year that was and a time to look forward towards the year that will be. As the Oklahoma City Thunder look back, they can smile at the accomplishments and look towards a future that is as bright as any team in recent memory. A 68-win season with an MVP, a Finals MVP, two All-NBA players, two players on the All-Defense Teams, the Executive of the Year, and a championship, to boot. And looking forward, essentially the same team on the floor this season and heading into the next year and the possibility of juicy draft picks. Thank you, 2025. Helllloooo, 2026! Thunder Up!

This is the fourth and final meeting of the regular season between these two Northwest Division rivals. The Trailblazers beat the Thunder in their first meeting, famously giving the Thunder their first loss of the season. The Thunder returned the favor two-fold in late November, avenging their only loss of the season up to that point.

Betting Info, presented by FanDuel

  • Line: OKC -15.5
  • O/U: 234.5

Injury Report

OKC

  • Brooks Barnhizer – DTD (ankle)
  • Ousmane Dieng – OUT (calf)
  • Isaiah Hartenstein – OUT (calf)
  • Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee/ACL)
  • Nikola Topic – OUT (cancer treatment)
  • Jaylin Williams – OUT (heel)

POR

  • Jerami Grant – OUT (Achilles)
  • Scoot Henderson – OUT (hamstring)
  • Jrue Holiday – OUT (calf)
  • Damian Lillard – OFS (Achilles)
  • Kris Murray – Questionable (quad)
  • Matisse Thybulle – OUT (thumb)
  • Blake Wesley – OUT (foot)

Three Big Things

  1. Playing into the Thunder’s hands – The Trailblazers are bad at the things the Thunder feast off of. The Blazers play fast (5th in pace), but are reckless, leading the league in turnovers per game (17.2 per game) and turnover percentage (16.7% of possessions ending in a turnover). In addition, they are the 2nd worst team in terms of 3-point percentage, shooting 33.5% from deep as a team. This plays into the Thunder’s defensive ethos of protecting the paint and allowing, but contesting, 3-pointers.
  2. Securing the defensive glass – While the Thunder lead the league in defensive rebounding, this seems to be the stat that always gets them in trouble in key parts of the game. Portland is 3rd in offensive rebounds per game, at 14.2, and 3rd in offensive rebound percentage. In addition, they are 2nd in 2nd Chance points at 17.8 points per game. Donovan Clingan is 2nd in the league with 4.5 offensive rebounds per game. Robert Williams III pitches in with 2.2 offensive rebounds per game of his own and Toumani Camara grabs just under 2 offensive boards per game from the wing.
  3. The Deni Avdija FT problem – Deni Avdija has caught the NBA by surprise this season. He leads the Blazers in scoring at 25.5 points per game and is 2nd in the league in free throw attempts per game (ahead of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, I might add) at 9.7 FTA per game. In two of the games these two teams played, Avdija shot 16 and 23 free throws. That allowed Portland to win one of the games and remain competitive in the other. In the one game where OKC blew Portland out, Avdija shot only 3 free throws.

 

Thunder @ Dallas Mavericks preview (Game 4 of 82)

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  • Oklahoma City Thunder (3-0) @ Dallas Mavericks (1-2)
  • When: Monday, 27 October 2025 at 7:30pm CST
  • Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
  • TV: FDOK
  • Offensive Rating: DAL: 106.3 (26th) / OKC: 116.4 (10th)
  • Defensive Rating: DAL: 115.9 (19th) / OKC: 106.8 (5th)
  • Net Rating: DAL: -9.6 (26th) / OKC: 9.6 (4th)

The Set-Up

Regional rivalries. The rivalries that never die, regardless of record. Think OU vs. Texas, Indiana vs. Detroit, New York vs. Boston, etc. Timeless classics where civic fandom shines the brightest. Yeah, “era rivalries” are fun, but they are like fireworks: they look great when they are being shot off, but a day later, no one really cares or reminisces too much about them. Even though both are currently still good teams, there is no fervent clamoring for Cleveland vs. Golden State.

OKC vs. Dallas has always been a fun rivalry. The Battle of I-35. Since the existence of the Thunder, both teams have been chockful of great, MVP-level players and championship contention. Both teams have won a championship during that time. And both team are hellbent on winning another. Here’s to another 18 years of regional hate/respect.

This is the first of three meetings this season between the Thunder and Mavs. The Mavs were the only team in the league last season to defeat the Thunder three times in the regular season. The Thunder’s lone victory: the NBA Cup quarterfinals. Got to win the ones that count.

Betting Info presented by FanDuel

  • Line: OKC -8.5
  • O/U: 226.5

Injury Report

OKC

  • Alex Caruso – OUT (concussion protocol)
  • Chet Holmgren – Questionable (back)
  • Isaiah Joe – OUT (knee)
  • Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee-ACL)
  • Nikola Topic – OUT (testicular procedure)
  • Jalen Williams – OUT (wrist)
  • Kenrich Williams – OUT (knee)

DAL

  • Dante Exum – OUT (knee)
  • Daniel Gafford – Doubtful (ankle)
  • Kyrie Irving – OUT (knee)
  • Dereck Lively II – Doubtful (knee)
  • Brandon Williams – Questionable (personal)

Three Big Things

  1. Weakness vs. Strength – The Thunder are probably the best perimeter defense in the league. The Mavericks, who currently don’t have a healthy point guard on the roster, average 19 turnovers per game and have a rookie power forward running point. Now mind you, that rookie power forward is number one pick Cooper Flagg and his tenure as the team’s starting point guard has improved with each game played. But still, the Thunder should find ways to turn the Mavericks over and turn defense into offense pretty consistently in this game.
  2. PJ Washington – Definitely up there in the pantheon of Thunder killers. For some reason, the man has a hatred for Oklahoma City. Since joining the Mavericks around the 2024 trade deadline, Washington is averaging 17.4 points and 9.4 rebounds, while shooting 41.7% from three whenever he plays against OKC (to include the playoffs). In addition, Dallas has won five games in a row against the Thunder when Washington plays and 8 of 11 overall during his Mavs tenure. As much as we don’t want to make it a thing, it’s a little bit of a thing.
  3. Ajay Mitchell – There’s a saying in the NBA where if you want to see if a player is actually good, that you need to wait at least 10 games to see if his quality of play continues after that. Reason being is that once NBA coaches get ten games worth of film on a player, they usually have mapped out ways to defend the player. In three games this season, Mitchell has been a revelation, averaging 18.7 points, 4 rebounds, and 4.3 assists on 42% shooting from deep while providing OKC with the secondary ball-handler they so desperately needed with the absence of Jalen Williams. It’ll be interesting to see how teams start to defend Mitchell now, knowing he is the team’s 2nd best play-maker and ball-handler. Conversely, it’ll be interesting to watch Mitchell’s counters to what defenses throw at him now.

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.

The Source: Presti Quotables

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Back in the 90’s, magazines were all the rage for being in the know for whatever you were consuming. If you loved sports, there was a weekly dose of information called Sports Illustrated. If nature was your thing, National Geographic had you covered. World news…Time. Silly comics…MAD. If you were a music head, you were probably ordering a monthly subscription to Rolling Stones or Vibe. But you were a hip-hop head, your readable rotation probably involved magazines like Word Up!, XXL, and The Source. The latter of those had a section called Hip-Hop Quotables, where the magazine highlighted a specific verse or song that was lyrically chef’s kiss. If you were a rapper at that time, you wanted your verse to be featured on Hip-Hop Quotables.

If you’ve followed the Oklahoma City Thunder any in their 18 years of existence, you know that a Sam Presti press conference is usually good for several quotables. The man is well-versed in many forms of prose and can pull out a quote or lyric from the recesses of his mind. As the Thunder open up their championship-defending campaign, Presti once again blessed us with several quotables in preparation for the 2025-26 NBA season. Here are some from Thursday’s presser:

Shots fired at NBA commissioner Adam Silver for his comments regarding the cost associated with having multiple TV partners across multiple streaming services and his quip that content can be consumed for free on social media because basketball is a “highlight-based sport”. Presti, and in turn, the Thunder, have always prided themselves in being students of the game, and not just consumers of the moment. When you stack days and live a 0-0 mentality, highlights are just plays that happen in the moment.

Chess is often associated with intelligence and experience. How do you attack and then how do you counter. But, as Presti said, that’s assuming everyone is playing with the same players on the board. Chess would make sense if everyone had an MVP candidate on their team or a DPOY candidate that can step out and hit 3’s. But in reality, that isn’t the case. In poker, you are given a set of cards, and from there, you decide what to do. Six years ago, the Thunder saw the deck they had in hand, and decided to pivot (or fold) from that current state. And so began the rebuild. While it was uncomfortable (shitty hands) for a little, eventually the team came up aces with their young players and a championship was the end result. Presti knew when to hold them and when to fold them.

“My whole life is consistent.” Yep, checks out. Presti knows ball.

One of the staples of the Thunder ethos is “no agenda basketball”. Presti said that when describing Cason Wallace’s play when they drafted the guard in 2023. And he repeats that, in other words/phrases, of course, in describing Chet. What I love about “Presti-speak” is that he takes a phrase and then parses out synonyms that basically mean the same thing.

 

 

If you were looking for a theme for this year, it’s “turning the page”. Presti mentioned it  multiple times during the press conference and eludes to the fact that the Thunder can’t rest on the laurels of last season. Continuous improvement was also a theme Presti touched on multiple time during the presser.

Frickin’ bars, man. Stop guarding the past. Build towards the future. If this whole GM thing doesn’t work out for Presti, he’s got a helluva future as an inspirational speaker or life coach.

This is nothing new when it comes to Presti. In every preseason presser, he always stresses the goal is to put yourself in position to go after an opportunity if it presents itself. The Thunder have never been a “title or bust” team. It’s always been about setting yourself up to have the opportunity to compete for championships. To Presti, winning a championship does nothing to change that mindset.

 

These two quotes have to go together. With all the fear being stoked that the 2nd apron will eventually tear this team apart, the reality is that the Thunder are only just now in the beginning of their run, haven’t even dipped their toes into the luxury tax (and likely won’t this season), have their core signed for the next six seasons, and still have a treasure trove of assets. Not only that, but the ownership group has been saving money throughout the rebuild specifically for this moment and more money should be coming, in the form of possible expansion and the new arena. Oh, and the Thunder already have a championship in their coffers before they start getting financially penalized.

If your job has a mission statement, just keep repeating it if you are the boss.

And finally:

Keep smiling, champ. Keep smiling.

 

Indiana Pacers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder Series Preview – NBA Finals

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Schedule

  • Game 1 – June 5th, 2025 @ 7:30pm CST at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, OK
  • Game 2 – June 8th, 2025 @ 7:00pm CST at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, OK
  • Game 3 – June 11th, 2025 @ 7:30pm CST at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN
  • Game 4 – June 13th, 2025 @ 7:30pm CST at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN
  • *Game 5 – June 16th, 2025 @ 7:30pm CST at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, OK
  • *Game 6 – June 19th, 2025 @ 7:30pm CST at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN
  • *Game 7 – June 22nd, 2025 @ 7:00pm CST at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, OK* – * * – If necessary

Quick Stats (Playoffs)

  • Offensive Rating – IND: 117.7 (2nd) / OKC: 115.9 (3rd)
  • Defensive Rating – IND: 113.6 (9th) / OKC: 104.7 (1st)
  • Net Rating – IND: 4.1 (4th) / OKC: 11.2 (2nd)

The Set-Up

Let’s be honest: if you marked this Finals match-up down in October 2024, then your phone number probably either starts with a 405 area code or a 317 area code. I’m sure a lot of people will tell you that an NBA Finals without LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Jayson Tatum, Nikola Jokic, or Steph Curry will be bad for the league. I’m sure they’ll wax poetic about superteams and dynasties of yore. They may even try to convince that these Finals will be the least watched finals ever. But don’t listen to them.

Every crop of superstars has to eventually meet it’s end. That LeBron and Curry have pushed their reigns out so far has been nothing short of impressive. Kudos to them for showing a new crop of stars how to take care of their bodies and push the bounds of longevity. But one era has to finish for another one to begin. And that is what these Finals may be representing. One, not necessarily built by superteams, but by team depth. One, not necessarily focused on the heliocentricity of one player, but on the ability to have five players on the court be 5-tool players. One, where the most important guy in the organization may not be the league MVP, but the league’s Executive of the Year.

Teams are being built differently now, and this may be the first view of how the NBA will look like under the new CBA. And there will be moans and groans about how great things were in the past. But, yet, somehow, someway, the league continues to grow. The social media hits continue to climb. The game crosses more and more boundaries as it continues to battle futbol (no, not football) as a truly global game. Soccer remains king throughout the world, but basketball continues to lie in wait as the prince that was promised. As the NBA landscape changes, these two teams, the Indiana Pacers and the Oklahoma City Thunder, are the teams that will usher basketball into this new era. You may be watching the next great dynasty unfold before your eyes.

Regular Season Series

Game 1 – Dec. 26th, 2024 – Thunder win 120-114 in Indianapolis, IN – SGA scores a then career-high 45 points as Lu Dort and the Thunder defense holds Tyrese Haliburton to 4 points on 6 FG attempts. Isaiah Hartenstein pitched in with an 11 point, 13 rebound double-double and Jalen Williams added in 20 points.

Game 2 – Mar. 29th, 2024 – Thunder win 132-111 in Oklahoma City, OK – OKC outscores the Pacers by 20 points combined in the 2nd and 3rd quarters and uses that cushion to cruise to victory. SGA scores 33 points and get big time contributions from Luguentz Dort (22 points on 6/7 shooting from deep) and Isaiah Joe (19 points on 5/7 shooting from deep).

Three Big Things

1. Twins? – These two teams are definitely not identical twins. But they could be classified as fraternal twins with how similar they are. Here are just a few stats that show how similar these two teams are: After January 1st, 2025, the Pacers (33) and Thunder (41) had the most wins in the league during that time. They both have a 12-4 record in the playoffs heading into the Finals. They are No. 2 and 3 in points per game in the playoffs, being separated by only 0.3 of a point. They are No. 1 and 2 in pace in the playoffs. They are 1 and 2 in points off turnovers. They are No. 1 and 3 in fastbreak points. They both get back on defense, being No. 1 and 2 on both Opponent Points off Turnovers and Opponent Fastbreak Points. It’s scary how similar these teams are, statistically.

2. SGA – The biggest difference is that one team boasts the league MVP and the other doesn’t. SGA has been playing some of his best basketball these last few weeks. While he may have started off slow in the first few games of the playoffs, he has picked it up when it has mattered most, scoring 30 or more points in 11 of his last 14 games. Teams have used various schemes to try to stop SGA, but it has been all for naught. In the two regular season games this season, SGA has averaged 39 against Indiana.

3. Living in the Corner – Indiana’s offense in these playoffs has not just been predicated on Haliburton’s floor generalship, but also on the shooters making corner 3’s. Indiana has shot an amazing 46.9% on 9.2 attempts these playoffs. That is up from 40.6% during the regular season. A 16-game sample size is big enough to assume that it can continue for the Pacers in the finals. But if they revert back to their regular season norms, the Pacers could be in trouble.

Thunder @ Denver Nuggets Preview (Game 6 – 2nd Round)

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  • Oklahoma City Thunder (7-2) @ Denver Nuggets (6-6)
  • When: Thursday, 15 May 2025 at 7:30pm CST
  • Where: Ball Arena, Denver, CO
  • Series: OKC leads 3-2
  • TV: ESPN
  • Playoff Offensive Rating – DEN: 110.3 (9th) / OKC: 115.2 (5th)
  • Playoff Defensive Rating – DEN: 114.8 (10th) / OKC: 101.1 (1st)
  • Playoff Net Rating – DEN: -4.5 (11th) / OKC: 14.1 (1st)

The Set-Up

Rewind back to Game 5 against the Dallas Mavericks last year. The Thunder were coming off a hard-fought, comeback victory in Game 4 on the road to tie that series at 2 games. The momentum was definitely in OKC’s favor. Heading back home for Game 5. This is what teams fight all regular season for: that home court advantage. And it started off good. OKC up 8-2 two minutes into that game. It quickly went downhill from there. Dallas was up by 12 entering the 4th quarter and went up by as much as 15 points. OKC fought back as best they could, cutting the deficit to 7, but ultimately couldn’t get over that hump as Dallas won the game 104-92.

When you juxtapose that to this series, it was nearly identical. The Thunder won a hard-fought, comeback victory in Game 4 on the road to tie the series at 2 games apiece. Momentum firmly on OKC’s side. And the Thunder started Game 5 off like they were trying to replicate the buzzsaw performance that was Game 2. OKC was up 12-2 with 7:58 left in the first quarter when Denver took their first timeout of the game. And then the fun stopped. Nikola Jokic went into MVP form, Jamal Murray remembered that he usually performs well in the playoffs, and the Thunder’s shooting dried up. Heading into the fourth quarter, the Thunder found themselves down by 8 points. Denver tacked on one more point to the lead with 10 minutes left in the game.

And then it happened. The Thunder weren’t going to let the demons from last season haunt them. The Thunder found their will. And that will’s name was Lu Dort. Three straight threes from Dort brought the Thunder within two with 6 minutes left to play. That momentum shift affected the whole team, but probably, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander the most. From that point, he was the Shai we’ve seen all season. The MVP. The defense locked in and the offense opened up. An Isaiah Hartenstein alley-oop dunk. A Chet Holmgren layup. A Jalen Williams 3. Some SGA middies. And SGA 3 (finally!). What was a 9-point deficit with 8:25 left in the game turned into a 7-point victory. This wasn’t going to be a repeat of last year. On to Game 6…with a 3-2 series lead.

Betting Info

  • Line: OKC -4.5
  • O/U: 216.5

Injury Report

OKC
Nikola Topic – OUT (knee)

DEN
DaRon Holmes – OUT (Achilles)
Hunter Tyson – OUT (ankle)

Three Big Things

1. Decisiveness on Offense – While we’ve seen Shai Gilgeous-Alexander be Superman this season, we’ve also seen his possible kryptonite in this series against the Nuggets. When Denver forces SGA to think, even if it’s just for a second, it throws off his rhythm just enough for them to send one or two extra defenders his way and either get the ball out of his hands or force him into a live grenade situation. SGA has been most successful when he’s allowed to make a quick decision and play his natural game. This usually occurs when he’s off-ball, receives the ball on the move, and is usually accompanied by a high screen from Isaiah Hartenstein that allows him that sliver of space he needs to do what he likes. We’ve seen this late in the game in Games 4 and 5. It’s a possibility that by that point in the game he’s figured out the defense. It’s also a possibility that by that point, Denver is too exhausted to keep up with him and he takes advantage of them being a step slower. Whatever it is, he needs to do is earlier and more consistently throughout the game.

2. Desperation Jokic – If you guys thought Nikola Jokic was insufferable in Game 5 with all the foul-baiting and what not, you haven’t seen nothing yet. Jokic is a shark and when Denver gets into the bonus, it’s like he smells blood. It’s what great scorers do. SGA has 43 free throws in this series and Jokic has 41. But Jokic’s style of play and position lend him to hunt and seek contact more than SGA. If you thought the arm-locking and flailing was bad in Game 5, prepare yourself.

3. Close It Out! – Don’t put yourself in a position for a winner take all game. Too many variables can occur in those games that can negate home court advantage. An ankle sprain here, foul trouble there. If you are in the driver’s seat, go ahead and close it out. Will it be easy? Of course not. But the alternative is even more nerve-wracking.

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.

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 →

Thunder vs. Pelicans – Game 4 Adjustments

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  • Series: OKC leads 3-0
  • When: Monday, 29 April 2024 at 7:30pm CST
  • Where: Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, LA
  • TV: NBATV/BallySportsOK (WTF?)

Game 3 Notables

  • New Orleans was held to 28.1% shooting from deep, while OKC registered 47.2% from distance.
  • Lu Dort and Josh Giddey tied for the most 3-points made on either team with 4 each.
  • The Thunder forced 20 turnovers.

Game 4 Adjustments

  1. Close-out Game – This is always the hardest game from a mental standpoint. Take into account that this is the Thunder’s first close-out game under this recent iteration. The only players on the team that have any sort of experience in close-out games are Mike Muscala, Bismack Biyombo, and Gordon Hayward. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Lu Dort were part of a Game 7 against Houston in the 2020 Bubble, but lost that game in close fashion. Psychologically, the Thunder have to be tougher than ever in order to avoid a let-down due to being up 3-0 in mostly dominant fashion. As we’ve seen in these playoffs, you don’t want to leave anything up to chance. If you can avoid playing games and avoid injuries, you do that if at all possible.
  2. Continue playing your game – There hasn’t been any over the top performances by the Thunder players in this postseason. It’s been a hard-hat and lunch pail approach in these first three games. Force turnovers. Hunt the best shot. Focus defensively on the opponent’s top guys. Block another Trey Murphy III dunk attempt. Listen to the Coach of the Year. Rinse and repeat. Oklahoma City had a plan heading into this series and are executing it flawlessly. Any deviation from this norm could prove to be detrimental.
  3. Watch out for shenanigans – The Pelicans will be in desperation mode. The refs, in an effort to see this series extended, may either allow more than usual contact or may have a quick whistle. Either way, the Thunder will have to be smart about how they defend and will need to keep their cool, which will eventually be tested.
  4. Congratulations to the Coach of the Year, Mark Daigneault. – MVP next???
  5. The Ultimate Disrespect – If you are wondering why the Thunder shunned Allie LaForce on the TNT post-game interview after Game 3 in favor of Nick Gallo, look no further than to what is happening tonight. The game tonight will be televised on NBATV….only if you have NBATV and only if you live outside of the OKC and New Orleans viewing area. Unfortunately, if you live in the OKC and NO viewing area and have NBATV, you will be blacked out from watching the game unless you have Bally Sports. If you are blacked out and chose not to get Bally Sports (such as myself), you will have to either illegally stream the game or watch it on a gamecast. This is so wrong, on so many levels. But, hey, we’ll remember that the next time you want to interview the guys and Nick Gallo is standing there waiting.