OKC Topic Thunder

An OKC Thunder Podcast & Blogsite

ClickTown – August 27th, 2019

Posted on August 27, 2019 by Alex Roig

clicktown

Read the latest Thunder happenings here on ClickTown.

Make sure you check out the latest podcast from the Topic: Thunder crew.

Chris Paul will appear on the latest Body issue from ESPN The Magazine: “Others appearing in the Body issue include Oklahoma City guard Chris Paul, Evander Kane of the San Jose Sharks, IndyCar driver James Hinchcliffe, WNBA player Liz Cambage, basketball Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman, UFC champion Amanda Nunes, former UCLA gymnast Katelyn Ohashi and soccer player Kelley O’Hara.”

Nick Gallo (OKCThunder) chats with Nerlens Noel who stopped by the Rookie season ticket members party: “There are new beginnings for the Thunder family as well, with Noel suddenly serving as one of the most experienced players with 5 full NBA seasons under his belt at age 25. Noel will have a pair of former Kentucky Wildcats with him in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Hamidou Diallo. He’ll also be alongside four fellow players (Steven Adams, Dennis Schröder, Andre Roberson and Mike Muscala) who were selected in the 2013 Draft, giving the group a mix of energetic verve and solid experience.” Continue reading →

Thunder vs. Clippers preview (Game 2 of 82)

Posted on October 19, 2018 by Alex Roig

clippers

When: Friday, 19 October 2018 at 9:30 pm CST
Where: Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA
TV: FSOK
Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1 FM, 640 AM, 930 AM (Spanish))
Line: LAC -3.0 | O/U: 214

It almost seemed like moral victories were the worst type of losses last season. To have a team that was expected to make a ton of noise as constructed, only to be an inconsistent mess only solidified the point that moral victories were useless last season. None of the losses felt like victories, while a handful of the wins felt like losses. It was a frustrating season all around. Continue reading →

Bucks vs. Thunder Preview (Preseason Game 4)

Posted on October 9, 2018 by Alex Roig

bucks

When: Tuesday, 09 October 2018 at 7:00 pm CST
Where: Chesapeake Energy Arena, Oklahoma City, OK
TV: FSOK/NBATV
Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1 FM, 640 AM, 930 AM (Spanish))

There was a play on Sunday that encapsulated what exactly Thunder fans are hoping for from Paul George this season. In the second quarter, as the Thunder were finally getting a hold of the game, George jumped up to steal a cross-court pass attempt on the defensive end of the floor. He then dribbled the ball up court and calmly stepped into a transition three that swished through. The Thunder went up by 10 at that point and never looked back. Continue reading →

Too Quick To Forget: 10 Facts About Nerlens Noel

Posted on September 11, 2018 by Dylan Huntzinger

noel dre

On July 2nd it was announced that Nerlens Noel was signing with the Oklahoma City Thunder for 2 years at the veteran minimum. That’s right, the guy that refused to sign a 4 year/$70 million deal with the Mavericks signed for vet min with the Thunder. With Paul George, Jerami Grant, and Ray Felton all re-signing, signing Deonte Burton, drafting and signing Hamidou Diallo, and of course the trade that saw Carmelo Anthony shipped elsewhere in return for Dennis Schröder and Timothé Luwawu Cabarrot… people tend to forget about Nerlens. Well that’s because not many people know a lot about him.

Well as Lin Manuel Miranda as Alexander Hamilton said in the Hip Hop Musical “Hamilton”:

“(ENTER: ME)”

As not only a Thunder fan, but a MASSIVE Kentucky Wildcats fan (#BBN), I am here to shed as much light on the player, and personality that Nerlens Noel is.

Sit back, grab yourself a snack (maybe even a hotdog), and enjoy. Continue reading →

Weekend Programming

Posted on September 8, 2018 by Alex Roig

Many years ago, current Thunder teammates Steven Adams and Nerlens Noel played each other while in high school. Enjoy.

Thunder At A Glance – 23 August 2018

Posted on August 23, 2018 by Alex Roig

Charlotte Edmonds (The Observer) with a piece on Russell Westbrook that will have many of us nodding our heads in agreement: “I’m not trying to suggest that Westbrook is a great player by virtue of his commitment to one team. By that logic, Udonis Haslem would’ve been inducted to the Hall of Fame by now. Rather, I’m arguing that players like Westbrook represent one of the things that are still great about sports — standing by a community instead of trading in a “sacred legacy for cheap jewelry,” in the words of Reggie Miller.”

Micah Adams and Scott Rafferty (NBA.com) look at Kobe Bryant’s top 40 rivals as he turns 40 years of age: “Some of the biggest names in today’s NBA see shades of Kobe when they watch Westbrook. Even Kobe sees it. According to Lakers Nation, Kobe said Westbrook is the player who reminds him the most of himself. “When I turn on the TV and I watch players play, the player that plays with the same kind of emotion and grit and competitive intensity is Russell.” Continue reading →

NTTB Thunder Rumblings – 16 July 2018

Posted on July 16, 2018 by Alex Roig

Brett Dawson (NewsOK) on Thunder summer league (and Blue) coach Mark Daigneault: “He learned basketball from Jim Calhoun, for whom he worked as a student manager at UConn, and Ralph Willard, who hired him as an assistant at Holy Cross, and from Billy Donovan, who brought him on at Florida as a graduate assistant and ultimately followed him to Oklahoma City.”

Erik Horne (NewsOK) looks at the rotational players for the Thunder during summer league: “Diallo shouldn’t have lasted until the No. 45 pick in the draft. In Las Vegas, the 19-year-old showcased elite athleticism, was efficient (20-of-41 shooting), rebounded well (4.8 per game) for 6-5, and showed the ability to handle the ball on the fast break. Could he make a Thunder roster that wants to play faster? The Thunder minimized Diallo’s responsibility on offense in Las Vegas and he needs to continue to improve his perimeter shot, but purchasing his draft rights from Charlotte was a nice, low-risk play by Sam Presti.” Continue reading →

NTTB Thunder Rumblings – 10 July 2018

Posted on July 10, 2018 by Alex Roig

Nick Gallo (OKCThunder.com) on Nerlens Noel’s upcoming season of redemption: “This is something I’ve been really wanting my whole life, just to be on a talented team that can really complement my skill set and really show what I’m really about and go out on the court and play my game with no hesitation. Coach Billy has given me the utmost confidence since I’ve been talking to him day by day. Just go out there and play your game. There’s nothing in it besides basketball and just being yourself. I felt really accepted.”

Gallo (OKCThunder.com) on Hamidou Diallo’s potential in Las Vegas: “Offensively, Diallo broke through with an impressive performance that included 19 points on 7-of-11 shooting and 8 rebounds. He made a pair of made three-pointers with solid shooting form, hit a long two-point jumper and likely the play of the game, a vicious baseline drive that culminated in a two-handed flush. Diallo isn’t heralded as a scorer coming out of college, but as a 19-year old he obviously still has plenty of room to grow.” Continue reading →

NTTB Podcast – Episode 36 (Happy PG Day)

Posted on July 8, 2018 by Alex Roig

On Episode 36 of the NTTB podcast, we discuss the following topics:

Nerlens Noel signing
Raymond Felton re-signs
Carmelo Anthony and Thunder definitely heading towards a split
Options for Melo’s departure
Reviewing Paul George’s decision to stay
Summer League recap
Deonte Burton sign a 2-way contaract
NBA News

Intro/Outro music provided by OSC Productions

Thank you for listening. We will be doing a podcast once a week. If you have any Thunder or NBA related questions, make sure you hit us up on Twitter (@alexroig_NTTB or @Montero_A13).

We are on ITunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, and Tune In under the NTTB Podcast. Make sure you leave us a 5-star review if you can. As always, Thunder Up!

https://www.buzzsprout.com/111153/745263-episode-36-happy-pg-day.mp3?download=true

NTTB’s Thunder Rumblings – 03 July 2018

Posted on July 3, 2018 by Alex Roig

On the 10-year anniversary of Clay Bennett announcing OKC officially had a team, here are 10 defining moments from the Thunder’s website.

Royce Young (ESPN) on the Thunder signing maligned big man Nerlens Noel: “Noel dealt with a thumb injury that caused him to miss a lot of time last season, and was suspended five games in early April for violating the league’s anti-drug program.”

Ron Matthews (OKCThunder.com) looks at the 10-year anniversary: “Thanks to superstar players like Russell Westbrook and a fan base that is impossible to miss, the letters OKC are as universally known throughout the world as PHX, MIA, ATL and other metropolitan cities. Thunder jerseys and merchandise are commonly spotted at airports and other high-traffic venues throughout the country.” Continue reading →