OKC Topic Thunder

An OKC Thunder Podcast & Blogsite

NTTB Rumblings – 09 April 2018

Posted on April 9, 2018 by Alex Roig

Dave Zirin (The Nation) on Russell Westbrook standing with Oklahoma teachers: “These teachers also have an ally in the state’s most famous athlete, Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook. The reigning NBA MVP was asked for his opinion about the state-wide strike and he did not mince words, saying, “Education is very, very important to me. The teachers are standing up for something that obviously they believe in—that’s helping the kids get a better education—obviously them getting paid more. More funding for the schools is very, very important. I’m definitely all in for that because I believe education is key for a lot of things going on in society.”

Check out the new episode of the NTTB Podcast!

Tim McMahon (ESPN) on Russell Westbrook praising James Harden, but not making an MVP endorsement: “I’m not sure,” Westbrook said when asked if it was Harden’s turn to win MVP. “Obviously he’s having a good year, a great year. Their team has the best record in the NBA. I’m not sure.”

What to watch for in Monday’s slate of games. Continue reading →

NTTB Podcast (Episode 31) – Paul George and the Butterfly Effect

Posted on April 8, 2018 by Alex Roig

On Episode 31 of the NTTB podcast, we discuss the following topics:

Week in Review – L vs. Golden State, W @ Houston
Instant Recap of the Rockets game
Paul George’s recent comments
Slumping Raymond Felton
Alex Abrines stepping up
Billy Donovan’s playoff rotation
Russell Westbrook and the media
Western Conference standings
NBA talk
Wrestlemania

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!

NTTB Rumblings – 02 April 2018

Posted on April 2, 2018 by Alex Roig

Nick Gallo (OKCThunder.com) recaps the Thunder’s win over the New Orleans Pelicans: “The Thunder had three previous cracks at this type of game – a scrap-and-claw battle between two Western Conference foes in practically must-win situations to secure playoff berths and positioning. Head Coach Billy Donovan and his squad made sure not to let this fourth one slip away, getting high quality shots on most possessions and making enough defensive stops to seal it. “At this point we gotta start shaping up and playing better towards this final stretch, and I thought we did that to close the game out,” said forward Paul George.”

Fred Katz (Norman Transcript) on Billy Donovan changing up the minutes rotations for some players: “George has routinely played the entire first and third quarters of games this season. It’s a preference of his, and he’s consistently talked both privately and publicly about how staying in for the first 12 minutes of halves helps him catch a rhythm. Lately, his rotations have bled into the beginning minutes of second and fourth quarters, as well. That’s 14 or 15 minutes to start an NBA game without taking a breather. Donovan, however, wanted to change it for Sunday’s eventual 109-104 win in New Orleans.” Continue reading →

NTTB Podcast (Episode 30) – Letting It All Out

Posted on April 2, 2018 by Alex Roig

On Episode 30 of the NTTB podcast, we discuss the following topics:

Weekly Recap: @San Antonio, vs. Denver, @New Orleans
Thunder Frustrations
Melo and Paul George inconsistencies
Steven Adams 2nd half disappearing acts
More minutes for Grant and Abrines
Who did Huestis piss off?
Honeymoon Corey Brewer was fun
Westbrook taking over in the 4th quarters
Billy Donovan
Terrance Ferguson
NBA News
Western Conference Standings
Preview of next week

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 and Google Play under the NTTB Podcast. Make sure you leave us a 5-star review if you can. As always, Thunder Up!

NTTB Rumblings – 20 March 2018

Posted on March 20, 2018 by Alex Roig

Tim Cato (SB Nation) says the Thunder’s recent win streak is answering questions about them: “The schedule is still hard — their next nine games are all against teams in the playoff hunt, only for the final game of the year to come against the Memphis Grizzlies. Some games look easier now than on paper: the Boston Celtics are injury ravaged, and that’s Oklahoma City’s next opponent; Kawhi Leonard still might not be back for the San Antonio Spurs on March 29; who knows how hard the Golden State Warriors (April 3) and Houston Rockets (April 7) will be trying.”

Russell Westbrook was named Western Conference Player of the Week.

Mark Gilbert (WTLC) does not think he can count on Paul George: “Remember when the almighty Golden State Warriors played the Thunder on February 24th? I do. It was supposed to be a good night. I had wings. Lemon Pepper to be precise. I also had a celebratory margarita, because I was of the sentient that the Thunder were about to have a 3-0 season lead over the Warriors, and it was a night worth celebrating. And then came Paul George.” Continue reading →

NTTB Rumblings – 27 February 2018

Posted on February 27, 2018 by Alex Roig

Royce Young (ESPN) on Paul George saying the Thunder’s Big 3 are officiated differently: “George was demonstrative talking with the officials a number of times after driving at the basket with contact and no call. Westbrook, George and Anthony combined for nine free throws, with Westbrook taking two and Anthony taking none.”

Nick Gallo (OKCThunder.com) with a recap of the Magic game, where the bench came up big: “During pregame warmups, Russell Westbrook called over reserve forward Patrick Patterson and gave him a very straight forward message: “Shoot the ball”. It was as much an instillation of confidence as it was a directive. Turns out it was an effective message not just for the Thunder stretch forward, but the entire reserve unit.” Continue reading →

NTTB Rumblings – 23 February 2018

Posted on February 23, 2018 by Alex Roig

Tim Keown (ESPN) on the evolution of Carmelo Anthony’s game: “The world has moved on, and he’s trying to move with it. Lord knows he’s trying. But for 15 years, Carmelo Anthony has tied his worth to what he can create from this one spot. It has given him 10 All-Star appearances and a scoring title and a cosmopolitan lifestyle that comes with nearly $250 million in career earnings. He drinks only the best wine and smokes only the best cigars and is close enough with Barack Obama that the two of them are in the process of finalizing Anthony’s future role in the Obama Foundation. It has also created divisions on teams, serial conflicts with coaches and none of the postseason success that his talent seemed to portend when he left Syracuse in 2003 after one championship season.”

Nick Gallo (OKCThunder.com) on last night’s last second win over the Kings: “I caught it clean enough,” Westbrook smirked. “I gotta find a way to get space, obviously with one second left and kind of run him off of Steven. Coach drew up a great play,” Westbrook added. “They thought I was going for a lob. I just read the defender and tried to pop back and get some space.” “Competitors are winners,” forward Paul George said of Westbrook. “That’s what it comes down to. Guys who are super competitive find a way to win.” Continue reading →

NTTB Rumblings – 20 February 2018

Posted on February 20, 2018 by Alex Roig

The Oklahoma City Thunder look to make Jordan Rodriguez’s dream come true. We’re pulling for you Jordan.

Isaiah Freedman (Welcome To Loud City) makes a case for Steven Adams being one of the best big man in the league: “Often maligned by critics for averaging “only” 9 rebounds per game, 5.24 of those coming off the offensive glass, tops in the NBA and on pace to finish 3rd best all-time, Adams more than makes up for it by leading the league with more than 11 box outs per game.”

Des Bieler (Washington Post) looks back at the mending of fences that was this weekend for Westbrook and Kevin Durant: “Speaking at a media session ahead of Sunday’s NBA All-Star Game, for which he and Westbrook are teammates on a squad drafted by LeBron James, Durant told reporters, “I just got out of my own head, and got out of my own way, and stopped thinking it was even a thing.” Continue reading →

NTTB Podcast (Episode 27) – All-Star Weekend

Posted on February 19, 2018 by Alex Roig

On Episode 27 of the NTTB podcast, we discuss the following topics:

Recap of the previous week’s games (vs. Memphis, vs. Cleveland, @ Memphis)
All-Star Saturday (3-point shootout, dunk contest)
All-Star Game
Westbrook and KD getting friendly
Opening Act w/ Kevin Hart and National Anthem: What the hell?
Lauren Ingraham’s comments on LeBron and the Parkland mass shooting
Playoff seeding reorganization via Adam Silver
Thunder: Post All-Star break
SG position
Buy-out market
Percentage to land LeBron James
Wu-Tang top 5
Black Panther

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 under the NTTB Podcast. Make sure you leave us a 5-star review if you can. As always, Thunder Up!

NTTB Rumblings – 16 February 2018

Posted on February 16, 2018 by Alex Roig

Kyle Wagner (FiveThirtyEight) on the effect Andre Roberson’s absence is having on the team: “But the Thunder have yet to capitalize on the additional space available with Roberson out. Westbrook has played well in some ways, creating at James Harden/Chris Paul levels on the pick and roll, and poorly in others, shooting just 43 percent from the field and 18 percent from the three in the games since Roberson’s injury. George has been hot from the three — he’s hit at least five 3-pointers in four consecutive games — and has averaged 29.6 points on a 62 effective field goal percentage through those 10 games. But Anthony has gone absolutely dormant, and both he and Westbrook missed two games to injury.”

Dan Woike (LA Times) on Russell Westbrook’s defining characteristics even being there in high school: “Arturo Jones, the current basketball coach at Leuzinger, helped out with the program while Westbrook was in school and said some of the things that stand out about him now were apparent then. “He was always a hard worker,” Jones said. “His trajectory always continued to grow.” Continue reading →