Tag Archives: Oklahoma City Thunder

Chicago Bulls vs. Thunder preview (Game 15 of 82)

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  • Chicago Bulls (5-10) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (11-4)
  • When: Wednesday, 22 November 2023 at 7:00pm CST
  • Where: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
  • Offensive Rating – CHI: 108.5 (27th) / OKC: 116.9 (8th)
  • Defensive Rating – CHI: 113.0 (16th) / OKC: 108.4 (4th)
  • Net Rating – CHI: -4.5 (23rd) / OKC: 8.5 (2nd)

The Set-Up

Breaks can act like momentum killers during an 82-game season. Over the past five games (since November 12th), the Thunder have been 4th in Offensive Rating, 1st in Defensive Rating, 1st in Net Rating, 2nd in Field Goal percentage, 3rd in points, 1st in 3-point FG percentage, 1st in steals and 1st in plus/minus. During that time, they had nothing more than a day off between games. Momentum can be like muscle memory to athletes. So when there is an unfamiliar amount of time off, it can throw a player’s (or team’s) mojo off.

After playing nearly every other day for the better part of a month, the Thunder now find themselves with some time between games. In the last 8 days, the Thunder played 5 games. It’s going to take them 13 days to play their next 5 games. Five days may not seem like a huge difference to you or I. But to an athlete, having that much time between games can disrupt their timing.

Season Series – OKC leads 1-0, having won 124 – 104 on 25 October 2023

Injury Report

OKC

  • Jalen Williams (hip) – Out

CHI

  • Lonzo Ball (knee) – Out
  • Alex Caruso (toe) – Probable
  • Zach Lavine (foot) – Probable
  • Patrick Williams (finger) – Probable

Three Big Things

  1. Chet – It will be interesting to see the duality of how Chet played in his career opener versus how he plays in this game. In that game, Chet scored 11 points on 4-7 shooting, grabbed 4 boards, dished out 3 assists, and got a steal. But all anyone focused on was on the couple of plays where Nikola Vucevic and Andre Drummond used their strength to score some points against Chet. Fast-forward nearly a month later and Chet looks like an entirely different player. All the nerves have been shed and the player that was the 2nd pick in the 2022 draft is showing why he should’ve likely been drafted No. 1 in that draft.
  2. Take Care of Business – The Bulls just aren’t a very good team. They are inefficient offensively and mid-tier defensively. But when you look at the players on the team, you know that any one of them can go off at any moment. Zach Lavine and DeMar DeRozan have all had 50 point games in their careers. Vucevic was once one of the premier offensive centers in the league. And guys like Alex Caruso, Jevon Carter, and Coby White can all microwave enough to become big distractions. If the Thunder can focus in and play their game, the result should be similar to the one procured in the first game of the season.
  3. Coach Daigneault – It’s a little jarring how quickly the student has become the master. Chicago coach Billy Donovan did not want to go through a rebuild when he decided not to re-sign with the Thunder after the 2019-20 season. The Thunder signed Daigneault to take over the reins that offseason. While the results have been as expected when it comes to the rebuilding part of the equation, the bearing of fruit has come along much quicker than thought. And a lot of that success is due to the leadership under Daigneault. The Bulls have lost three straight to the Thunder over the past two seasons, including this one.

Thunder @ Golden State Warriors preview (Game 12 of 82)

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  • Oklahoma City Thunder (7-4) @ Golden State Warriors (6-6)
  • When: Thursday, 16 November 2023 at 9:00pm CST
  • Where: Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
  • Offensive Rating – GS: 112.5 (15th) / OKC: 113.9 (9th)
  • Defensive Rating – GS: 110.5 (9th) / OKC: 109.2 (7th)
  • Net Rating – GS: 2.1 (11th) / OKC: 4.7 (6th)

The Set-Up

Catching breaks. In an 82-game season, there are times where you just catch a break. Maybe you catch a team where you are their 5th game in 7 nights. Sometimes you catch a team that is resting their (“injured”) star(s). Sometimes you just catch a team on an off-night. But there’s a duality in catching a team in a bad state. The other part to the equation is you have to come out and take advantage of the situation. When the Thunder played the Sacramento Kings nearly a week ago, they faced a Kings team that had lost 3 of their last 4 previous games and was without their star guard in De’Aaron Fox. The Thunder came out and completely laid an egg and lost, not just a regular season game, but an In-Season Tournament game.

The Thunder come into this game facing a Warriors team that is missing Steph Curry and Draymond Green. With all that said, this is still a dangerous squad. Game 6 Klay is always lurking, Andrew Wiggins used to be one of the biggest thorns in the Thunder’s side back a couple of seasons ago, and Chris Paul can always conjure up magic from time to time. The Thunder need to take advantage of the circumstances that have presented themselves and win these next two games.

Injury Report

OKC

  • None

GS

  • Steph Curry (knee) – Out
  • Draymond Green (suspension) – Out

Three Big Things

  1. Rebounding – I know this has been an issue all season. But rebounding is one of those things that can equalize a game for a team that is missing some of their key rotational pieces. Allowing a team like the Warriors extra possessions is not a recipe for success. The Thunder have done a better job of gang rebounding, but still rank near the bottom in every rebounding statistical category.
  2. SGA – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander didn’t play in the last Warriors game due to sprained knee. Even with his absence, the Thunder nearly won their last meeting against Golden State. Oklahoma City did a great job of attacking the lane and looking for the open shooter. It was almost Golden State’esque. With SGA in the line-up, the Thunder should be able to do even more damage on the interior, especially with the absence of Draymond Green.
  3. Limit the Others – This feels like the type of trap game where someone like Moses Moody or Jonathan Kuminga could go off for their career highs. Or someone like Dario Saric could have a “Wow that’s what he looked like before all the injuries” kind of game. The Thunder cannot be lulled into a false sense of security with Curry and Green out for the game.

San Antonio Spurs vs. Thunder preview (Game 11 of 82 / In-Season Tournament Game #3)

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  • San Antonio Spurs (3-7) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (6-4)
  • When: Tuesday, 14 October 2023 at 6:30pm CST
  • Where: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
  • Offensive Rating – SA: 108.4 (26th) / OKC: 113.6 (8th)
  • Defensive Rating – SA: 119.8 (29th) / OKC: 112.0 (15th)
  • Net Rating – SA: -11.3 (30th) / OKC: 1.7 (12th)

The Set-Up

Some rivalries form naturally over time. Take for instance the rivalry between the Thunder and Memphis Grizzlies in the late 2000s to early 2010s. That was more of a clash of styles that turned in some highly entertaining playoff games and series. The Grit-N-Grind Grizz vs. the superstar-laden Thunder. Defense (Grizz) vs. Offensive (Thunder). It made for a good rivalry. Nothing necessarily great, but entertaining, nonetheless.

Some rivalries, though, you see them coming from a mile away. Chamberlain vs. Russell. Magic vs. Bird. Jordan vs. the Bad Boy Pistons. There’s a greatness component involved in all of this, but there’s also a sense of inevitability. Like, this was meant to happen. What we see tonight may be the next evolution of an expected rivalry. Chet vs. Wemby. The Spurs may not currently be good and the Thunder may just be beginning their rise, but it is almost the expectation that these two teams will be battling for Western Conference supremacy for the next decade. And the match-up at the forefront of all games will likely be focused in on the two 7-footers who play the game in a way that has never been seen from players that height. A lot of people will tell you this is part 3 in their rivalry (U19 and then the preseason this year). But no. This is part 1. The beginning. The genesis of what could be an intense rivalry. And to top it off, it’s occurring during an In-Season Tournament pool play game. Bring on the high-stakes play!

Injury Report

OKC

  • None

SA

  • Keldon Johnson (knee) – Questionable
  • Tre Jones (hamstring) – Questionable
  • Jeremy Sochan (groin) – Questionable

Three Big Things

  1. Spurs aren’t terrible – Despite what the record and stats show, the Spurs are not a terrible team. Now, will they finish with a bad record? Yes, likely. But, a lot like the Thunder in recent memory, the Spurs will hang with teams for most of the games. It’s the end of games that tend to trip the Spurs up. That experience in late-game situations is something they are severely lacking. If you allow them to stick around, though, they can be a problem. Just ask the Suns.
  2. Pace/Turnover Battle – This should be a barn-burner of a game. Both teams are top-10 in pace and they both like to get out in transition. Both teams average about 15 turnovers per game. It feels like the team that limits their turnovers will prevent the other team’s main offensive engine from getting started up.
  3. Play to your strengths – While the Spurs have good defensive players in Wembanyama and Jeremy Sochan, San Antonio, as a team, is probably the worst defensive outfit in the league. They give up a league-worst 124.2 points per game. Meanwhile, the Thunder are one of the more efficient offenses in the league, coming in at 4th in 3-point percentage (37.5%), 1st in free-throw percentage (85.8%), 5th in effective field-goal percentage (55.7%), and 3rd in true-shooting percentage (60.1%). If the Thunder play their brand of basketball, they should win.

Thunder @ Sacramento Kings preview (Game 9 of 82 / In-Season Tournament Game #2)

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  • Oklahoma City Thunder (5-3) @ Sacramento Kings (3-4)
  • When: Friday, 10 November 2023 at 9:00pm CST
  • Where: Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA
  • Offensive Rating – SAC: 109.3 (20th) / OKC: 115.2 (7th)
  • Defensive Rating – SAC: 113.4 (18th) / OKC: 113.9 (20th)
  • Net Rating – SAC: -4.1 (21st) / OKC: 1.3 (15th)

The Set-Up

The In-Season Tournament has actually succeeded in making some games matter in a time when regular season games usually don’t. I know. I know. Spare me the “all 82 games of the regular season matter” speech. If you’re a die-hard like me, you truly enjoy all 82 games. But to the lay fan, the only games that matter to them most of the time are the marquee games in the regular season and the playoffs. With this In-Season Tournament though, these four “group-play” games matter a ton if a team actually wants to make it to the elimination round and beyond.

Which is where the Thunder currently find themselves. After losing a heart-breaker to the Warriors in their first In-Season Tournament game, the Thunder now sit behind the 8-ball if their have any aspirations of playing in more than just these four “group-play” games. Two of their next 3 games are In-Season games and these are the two that would likely be considered very winnable.

Injury Report

OKC

  • Kenrich Williams (back) – Out

SAC

  • De’Aaron Fox (ankle) – Out
  • Trey Lyles (calf) – Out

Three Large Items

  1. Darn Injuries – The Sacramento Kings have struggled a bit coming out of the gates this season. While there are more than a few reasons for the struggle, the biggest reason is the absence of point guard De’Aaron Fox. He’s missed the last four games and the Kings are 1-3 without him. He is the engine that made one of the best offenses run last season and his loss has severely affected how Sacramento plays. Last season, the Kings were 12th in pace. This season, 24th. Another damning stat: last season the Kings were 13th in percentage of points off the fast break. This year, dead last.
  2. Attack the Rim – The Kings rank 18th in blocks per game. While not necessarily an indicator of how well a defense plays, Domantas Sabonis has never really been known as a rim protector. With SGA and Chet Holmgren getting more comfortable with each other on the offensive end with every game played together, this may be a situation where the Thunder can generate some easy looks based on the gravity those two players would command.
  3. Little House of Horrors – Sacramento has historically been a tough place for the Thunder to play. I’ve always called their arena(s) our little houses of horror. With what’s at stake with the In-Season Tournament, here’s hoping the Thunder man up a bit and prevent the Kings from lighting the beam.

Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Thunder preview (Game 8 of 82)

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  • Cleveland Cavaliers (3-4) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (4-3)
  • When: Wednesday, 08 November 2023 at 7:00pm CST
  • Where: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
  • Offensive Rating – CLE: 107.0 (27th) / OKC: 114.0 (11th)
  • Defensive Rating – CLE: 109.9 (11th) / OKC: 113.6 (20th)
  • Net Rating – CLE: -2.9 (18th) / OKC: 0.4 (15th)

The Set-Up

The NBA is crazy sometimes. You could play a team twice in a span of two weeks and see a completely different team on the floor each time you play them. On October 27th, the Thunder played a Cavs team in Cleveland that was missing both Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen. Oklahoma City had to launch an amazing comeback in the last 2 minutes of that game to overcome a 10-point deficit in what was probably their most exciting game of the year.

Conventional wisdom would tell you the Cavs probably stand a better chance today because of the addition of the two starters that were injured in the previous game. But, Cleveland has weirdly not played well this season on the offensive end. They are 27th in offensive rating and have a negative net rating. The twin tower experiment seems to be languishing a bit and spacing for the guard duo of Donovan Mitchell and Garland is severely lacking. That could be something or it could be nothing. Seven games is an extremely small sample size and the Cavs rode this same line-up last season to a 51-31 record. OKC is also getting over an injury bug and may be a little different than the team Cleveland faced with the addition of Jaylin Williams to the rotation.

Injury Report

OKC

  • Ousmane Dieng (wrist) – Questionable
  • Luguentz Dort (hip) – Questionable
  • Kenrich Williams (back) – Out

CLE

  • Ty Jerome (ankle) – Out
  • Sam Merrill (illness) – Out
  • Isaac Okoro (knee) – Out
  • Ricky Rubio (personal) – Out

Three Big Things

  1. Rebounding and the size problem – In the previous game against Cleveland, Evan Mobley and Chet Holmgren essentially negated each other because of their similar size and positionality. But with the addition of Jarrett Allen to the line-up, the Thunder may find themselves staring up at another behemoth in the paint. I love Jalen Williams at the 4, but these are the nights where the height disparity could rear it’s ugly head on the boards. It’ll be interesting to see if coach Daigneault plays bigger line-ups involving Holmgren and Jaylin (J-Will) Williams.
  2. Giddey redemption game – With Isaac Okoro likely being out with a knee injury, there may be a mismatch on the floor for Josh Giddey to take advantage of. He struggled in the previous game against the Hawks, as he never found his rhythm and missed a lot of shots that he normally makes. He was visibly frustrated throughout the night, especially with how great he performed in the 4th quarter of the Warriors game. I could see him taking either of Cleveland’s smaller guards into the post or driving by someone like Max Strus.
  3. The immovable object vs. the unstoppable force – Cleveland’s defense has been great this season. They are 11th in defensive rating and first in scoring. The Thunder have been pretty good on offense this season. They are 11th in offensive rating, first in free throw percentage, 6th in 3pt percentage, and 5th in FG percentage. Cleveland is 20th in pace, while the Thunder are 5th. Whoever exerts their will on their end of the floor will likely win this game.

Atlanta Hawks vs. Thunder preview (Game 7 of 82)

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  • Atlanta Hawks (4-2) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (3-3)
  • When: Monday, 06 November 2023 at 7:00pm CST
  • Where: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
  • Offensive Rating – ATL: 119.3 (3rd) / OKC: 113.2 (10th)
  • Defensive Rating – ATL: 111.8 (19th) / OKC: 114.4 (21st)
  • Net Rating – ATL: 7.4 (6th) / OKC: -1.2 (15th)

The Set-Up

Perspective. We could be 5-1. The Pelicans and Warriors games both came down to the final possession. A change of a call here, a different outcome of a play there, and the Thunder come out victorious. We could also be 2-4. Those final possession games plus the game in Cleveland could have all finished in different ways for the Thunder. But alas, we currently sit at 3-3 and, honestly, it feels about right.

Offensively, the Thunder seems to be right where it needs to be at 10th. They love the transition game and have an improving half-court game. But defensively, is where I thought the Thunder would make their mark. When healthy last season, they were a top-10 defensive team, if not higher. With the addition of Chet Holmgren and Cason Wallace, it was thought that this would catapult the team into at least a consistent top-10 outfit. But they currently stand at 21st. If the Thunder are going to improve their record, it’s got to start on the defensive end of the floor.

Injury Report

OKC

  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (knee) – Questionable
  • Kenrich Williams (back)

ATL

  • Kobe Bufkin (thumb)
  • Wesley Matthews (calf)

Three Big Things

  1. Trae Young – Oklahoma doesn’t lay claim to many basketball greats, but since the Thunder have been in town, Trae Young and Blake Griffin have been the top basketball players associated with Oklahoma that don’t wear Thunder jerseys. While Griffin’s time in basketball appears to be nearing an end, Trae’s prime is likely just beginning. Currently averaging 21.7 points and 10.3 assists, Young is the head of what has been an offensive juggernaut here to begin the season. The Hawks boast nine players averaging double figures and are second in the league in points per game at 122.8. Many fans will cheer for Young at the beginning of the game, but may change their tune as the game continues.
  2. Very Similar – In doing my research for this game, I noticed that the Thunder and Hawks were very similar, in terms of stats. They are 1st and 2nd in the league in percentage of field goals from the mid-range. They are 4th and 5th in pace, true shooting percentage, and field goal percentage. They are 1st and 3rd in free throw percentage. They are 15th and 16th in number of possessions.
  3. Rebounding – Where these two teams deviate heavily is on the boards. By all stats, Atlanta is one of the top rebounding teams in the league and OKC is one of the league’s worst. It has actually cost the Thunder some games this season and should be a point of emphasis for the team moving forward.

New Orleans Pelicans vs. Thunder preview (Game 5 of 82)

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  • New Orleans Pelicans (2-1) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (3-1)
  • When: Wednesday, 01 November 2023 at 7:00pm CST
  • Where: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
  • Offensive Rating – NO: 101.6 (28th) / OKC: 111.1 (12th)
  • Defensive Rating – NO: 105.2 (8th) / OKC: 111.7 (17th)
  • Net Rating – NO: -3.6 (20th) / OKC: -0.6 (15th)

The Set-Up

Flashback to a couple of seasons ago. The New Orleans Pelicans were THAT team for the future. They had Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, some young role players in Jose Alvarado, Herb Jones, and Trey Murphy III, and a cache of picks from an aging Lakers squad. Let’s also include Memphis when we talk about the window of good young teams, not necessarily closing, but not being as wide open as it used to be. Building a contending team in the NBA is rarely linear. Teams have ebbs and flows as they are being built up to their final form.

The Pelicans and Grizzlies find themselves in sort of a crossroad heading into this season. Both have shaky superstars (for various reasons) and injuries are staring to rear its ugly head on each of these teams’ role players. As we look at teams like this, just know that the road to where we want to go is full of potholes and streaking deers in heat. While we appear to have a young core to build upon, that reality can change on a dime. Here’s to the road being a bit smoother for OKC, but also realizing that these instances are usually par for the course for building a contender.

Injury Report

OKC

  • Jaylin Williams (hamstring)
  • Kenrich Williams (back)

New Orleans

  • Jose Alvarado (ankle)
  • Naji Marshall (knee)
  • Trey Murphy III (knee)

Three Big Things

  1. Zion – Outside of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Steph Curry, and Nikola Jokic, possibly the hardest cover in the game. The task of guarding Williamson will likely fall on a combination of Jalen Williams and Lu Dort. This is where the loss of Kenrich Williams and Jaylin Williams looms large. Having various defenders that can be thrown at Zion is always more advantageous than just a few defenders.
  2. Use your fouls – The Pelicans are the worst free throw shooting team in the league currently. Over three games, they are shooting just 62.5% from the line. Zion is the main culprit, shooting just 55.6% on 6 attempts per game. CJ McCollum is only shooting 70% from the line this season (while being an 80%+ free throw shooter for his career).
  3. The return of home-court advantage – I don’t know why, but I feel like this game will be the return of Loud City. Remember, Oklahoma City didn’t have a chance to participate in the play-in tournament last season. Both play-in games were on the road for the Thunder. I’m sure this game will have a play-in/playoff atmosphere. Like it’s going to be a close game and the crowd will tip the scales in favor of the home team in the 4th quarter-type of game.

Detroit Pistons vs. Thunder preview (Game 4 of 82)

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  • Detroit Pistons (2-1) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (2-1)
  • When: Monday, 30 October 2023 at 7:00pm CST
  • Where: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
  • Offensive Rating – Detroit: 111.8 (11th) / OKC: 108.3 (17th)
  • Defensive Rating – Detroit: 102.7 (6th) / OKC: 112.7 (19th)
  • Net Rating – Detroit: 9.1 (6th) / OKC: -4.4 (20th)

The Set-Up

Humble Pie. They say it’s good for you from time to time, but honestly, it tastes like shit. Sometimes the taste lingers for days. Luckily for the Thunder, they get to cleanse their palette of that disgusting Denver game with another game a little over 24 hours later. Thunder fans (and possibly even the Thunder players) were maybe feeling themselves a bit too much after that 2-0 start. But, alas, the highs and lows are usually not reality. The truth usually lies in the middle. And when you look at it from that context, our start to the season begins to make sense.

Now we find ourselves going against these upstarts called the Detroit Pistons. Where Detroit is now is where the Thunder were last season. Chockful of hope and young players out to prove their mettle in the NBA. The return of Cade Cunningham has galvanized this Pistons squad and players like Ausar Thompson and Jalen Duren have played better than their age and experience would suggest. The Pistons will be coming into this game looking to make a statement against a team that is on par with them on the rebuilding timeline. The Thunder will be looking to get the taste of that Denver defeat out of their mouth.

Injury Report

OKC

  • Jaylin Williams (hamstring)
  • Kenrich Williams (back)

Detroit

  • Bojan Bogdanovic (calf)
  • Monte Morris (quad)
  • Isaiah Livers (ankle)

A Couple Big Things

  1. SGA – It’s been a while since Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was held to single digits in a game. The last time was March 9th, 2022 when he was held to 8 points on 2-15 shooting against Minnesota. About two months prior, he was also to 8 points on 2-14 shooting against Denver. Here’s the thing: for as great as SGA is, some days you don’t have it. Scorers score. Shooters shoot. It’s just sometimes, that defense that is hell-bent on stopping you is sometimes good enough to get it done for a night. I fully expect a bounce back game from SGA tonight.
  2. Duren vs. Chet – Jalen Duran has come out this season with a point to prove and he’s doing it in grand fashion. In three games, the Detroit big man is averaging 18 points, 15 boards, 4 assists, and 2.7 blocks. The last time these two large human beings met was in the quarterfinals of the 2022 NCAA Tournament. Both players played to about a draw (Duren had 7 points and 7 boards and Chet finished with 9 points and 9 boards), but Chet’s team came out victorious. They play different styles, which should make for a good match-up.
  3. Defense to Offense – The Pistons lead the league in Turnover % (the percentage of possessions that end in a turnover) and are 29th in total turnovers at 19.3 a game. Nearly 20% of their possessions end in a turnover. If the Thunder want to find a quick way to infuse their offense, it’s by creating transition opportunities from turnovers.
  4. Rebounding – While turnovers are an issue for the Pistons, rebounding is not. They lead the league in Offensive Rebound % and Total Rebound %. The Pistons have a lot of size on their team and use that in this facet of the game. While the bigs stick out (Duren, Isaiah Stewart, James Wiseman, and Marvin Bagley), Cunningham and Thompson are big for their positions and help out on the glass also. Limiting 2nd chance opportunities could be very important for the Thunder in this game.

Denver Nuggets vs. Thunder preview (Game 3 of 82)

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  • Denver Nuggets (2-0) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (2-0)
  • When: Sunday, 29 October 2023 @ 2:30pm CST
  • Where: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
  • Offensive Rating – Den: 114.6 (7th) / OKC: 113.2 (11th)
  • Defensive Rating – Den: 106.0 (9th) / OKC: 102.5 (7th)
  • Net Rating – Den: 8.6 (4th) / OKC: 10.7 (3rd)

The Set-Up

The home opener. The Paycom/Chesapeake/Ford Center used to strike fear in the hearts of opponents. Loud City was revered and was a part of the lore of Thunder fandom. But over the past few years, the pandemic did a number on us. Bally Sports did a number on us. And the rebuild did a number on us. Now, when the Paycom is full, it’s usually filled with jerseys of the other team.

It’s understandable. The covid years kept people away from the building. Bally Sports not showing on a lot of cable providers prevented families from developing a bond with this team. And rebuilds naturally keep people away. But last season was a little frustrating for someone who remembers “the good ol’ days”. While the Thunder weren’t necessarily playoff contenders, they were blowing past early season expectations and establishing themselves as one of the teams to watch for the future. The Thunder ranked dead last in attendance last season. But this year is supposed to be different. The Thunder are 2-0 and the expectations are a lot higher than they have been over the past few seasons. The expectations should also be higher for Thunder fans. Sunday afternoon, it’s the Thunder vs. the defending champs in a battle for conference supremacy. Okay, it’s not really that important, but the building should be full. Let’s get this season started off right.

Injury Report

OKC

  • Jaylin Williams (hamstring)
  • Kenrich Williams (back)

Denver

  • Jay Huff (ribs)
  • Vlatko Cancar (knee)

Three Big Things

  1. Jokic – We’re finally here. When people brought up Chet Holmgren’s kryptonite, names like Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic always came up. How would Chet defend against these behemoths? These freaks of nature? Well, the time is here. Expect the Thunder to double some, but also expect the Thunder to allow Holmgren to figure it out. There may be some ugly moments, but there may also be some moments of enlightenment.
  2. Pace – The Thunder will want to push the pace in this game. They are currently middle of the road in terms of pace, but they’ve played two teams who love to slow things down. Denver is also one of these teams, but the Thunder will try to turn them over or grab and go as quickly as possible.
  3. Let’s get crazy – I could definitely see coach Daigneault trot out some weird line-ups in this game. Maybe an all bomber line-up with SGA. Maybe a crazy wing-defender line-up with Chet in the middle. Maybe they’ll dust Davis Bertans off and use him. Expect insanity.

Never Say Die

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The Oklahoma City Thunder might well be “America’s Team”. It’s a moniker that is mostly referred to the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL. Back in the 70’s, the Cowboys were on TV so much that people recognized them as much as movie stars and US Presidents. So they were nicknamed “America’s Team”. The Thunder, sadly, are not on TV enough this NBA season to earn that title, but you can still feel that this team holds a special spot in the hearts of not only the United States, but the world.

Going back to the offseason, as Presti seemingly nailed yet another draft, our stars represented in FIBA competition, and the return of our own 7 foot unicorn, and the buzz around the team was deafening. Guys like Kevin O’Conner, Adrian Wojnorowski, JJ Reddick, and even former world renowned Thunder/Sam Presti hater Bill freaking Simmons were buying what the Thunder was selling and was letting the world know about it with seemingly preposterous claims. Top 4 seed in the West. 4 future All-Stars. 50 wins. Each proclamation making them sound more homer-y than any other Thunder fan. Granted, I myself predicted 51 wins and the 3 seed, but I admit I am an optimist in most aspects of life. However, 2 games into the season; we might be onto something.

The Thunder have played 2 games this season, one against the Chicago Bulls and one against the Cleveland Cavaliers. They couldn’t have been more different games. The 1st game the Thunder kept close throughout the 1st half, then asserted dominance throughout the 2nd half. The 2nd game the Thunder took the lead early on, and let the Cavs back in it.

The Cavs led by 10 with 2:37 left in the game, after back to back jumpers from infamous Thunder killer, Donovan Mitchell. Those 2 buckets gave him 40 on the night and it was seemingly all she wrote for the Thunder. But over the years the Thunder have developed much more than a winning and selfless culture, much more than skilled and intelligent players across each position, and so much more than a mentality of “we sell our soul for draft picks”.

They have developed a “Never Say Die” mentality.

Over the last 3 seasons we have seen it done time and time again, whether it’s 5 points, 10 points, 15 points, sometimes even 20 points, the players on the Thunder never roll over and quit. They always keep fighting and more likely than not, they close the deficit, if not win the game. And last night was no different.

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