Tag Archives: Russell Westbrook

The Future Is Now

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Before we get started here, lets talk about a few things as it pertains to Luguentz Dort. He is the longest tenured member of the Thunder roster, seeing as we signed him as an undrafted free agent prior to making the trade to acquire Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He has been here as we transitioned from a fools gold contender to an over-achieving playoff team to a full-on rebuild to NBA Champions to being the hunted. I’ll never forget Lu’s debut game.

We had just made the trade to jettison Paul George for Shai, Danilo Gallinari, and picks (lots of picks, juicy ones even). We made a move that many thought blasphemous in trading the King of the Prairie, the *then* greatest player in Thunder history, our Brodie, Russell Westbrook, for a seemingly washed up, flopping, complaining Chris Paul. We started off that season slowly, opening up just 1-4, and then 8-12 going into a road matchup against the 10-10 Minnesota Timberwolves. Dort entered into his first NBA game with OKC down 3 to start the 2nd quarter, and almost immediately, he forced a jump ball, which led to OKC gaining possession. He would then miss a layup, collect a rebound, and strip Jarrett Culver all within 3 minutes of action before he checked out. He returned to the game down 1 with 4:21 left in the 3rd and… nothing happened. He checked out about 2 minutes later, with not a single stat. He came back in with :30 left in the 3rd, and in :18 did nothing.

Tale as old as time, young undrafted kid gets his shot in the big leagues, has a couple of promising moments, but ultimately isn’t quite ready for the moment. Oh well, can’t blame Billy Donovan for trying. He would sit out for what seemed like the rest of the game, until he didn’t.

After a tough miss from Dennis Schroeder and a tough KAT rebound, the Wolves called a timeout with :17 seconds left in the game. Shai, CP3, Dennis Schroder, Gallo, and Steven Adams had all played great that day with the guard trio tallying over 100 points between the 3 of them. But in this moment they needed a stop, and none of them were most notably known for their defense. As the horn buzzed to end the timeout, you see Gallo take a seat on the bench and #5 walk back out onto the court in a defensive stance in front of Shabazz Napier. Napier gives him a move and heads towards the sideline, Josh Okogie whips a pass to Napier who has a step on Dort. He fumbles the ball, and out of instinct Lu lays out onto the floor to secure the ball and calls a timeout with :14 left to play.

What happened next is a thing of Thunder legend. The infamous Chris Paul/Jordan Bell untucked jersey delay of game call to put the Thunder within 2 instead of 3, the Hail Mary pass from Steve to Dennis on a go route, securing the catch and having the wherewithal to bank it in simultaneously as the clock expires to send the game to OT.

Shai would go onto scored 11 of the final 17 Thunder points (he was that dude, even then), the Wolves would only score 6 more points, and the Thunder would improve to 9-12. They would go on a run after that, going 31-12 going into the infamous Rudy Gobert covid game. And that win against the Wolves, the turnaround in the season, taking the Rockets to 7 in the playoffs, you can legitimately say is all because of Lu Dort.

Since then, we have had some truly iconic moments with Lu. The Dorty Fourty, the steal and lay up against De’Arron Fox, “can’t hit what you can’t see” against LeBron James, and many many more. Dort has been a fan favorite since that fateful day in Minnesota and has been a vital piece to this franchise.

Now that that has been said, lets address the linebacker looking elephant in the room.

Lu Dort, for whatever reason, has regressed in almost every statistical category.

In the 19 games he has played in (almost 1/4 of the season) Lu is averaging the worst FG% and 3P% of his entire career. Its heart breaking to see the ball swing, and swing, and end up in Lu’s hands in the corner, the fans expectantly bellowing “LUUUUUUUU” for the also collective “awwww” of disappointment, but that seems to be the case so far in this season for Dort.

It hasn’t been much better on defense, which is where Dort hangs his hat. He is averaging a career low in steals at .8 per game, as well as allowing a team high 46.7% DFG%. This means that when he is matched up with an opposing player, they are more effectively scoring on him than any other player on the team. In the past couple of season, Dort was at 41.9 DFG% and 44.6 DFG%, both near the lowest allowed on the team, for context purposes.

It gets worse, not only is he struggling individually on the court, but that is exacerbated when you look at it from the grand scheme of lineups. When Lu is on the floor, the team is hurt both offensively and defensively. They are 4 points worse offensively, which is kind of to be expected. What isn’t expected, and a bit maddening, is when a reigning 1st Team All-NBA defender is on the floor, the Thunder’s team defense is 6 points worse, allowing a higher TS% and creating less turnovers as a unit (which is one of this team’s superpowers). You put that all together, and the team is 10 points better, net rating wise, when Lu is off the floor.

Conversely, let’s look at Cason Wallace. The offense is better with him on the floor. The defense is better when he is on the floor. The net rating is better when he is on the floor. As a starter, he is shooting almost 10% better than Dort from the field AND from the arch. He leads the league in total steals AND steals per game by a significant margin. I tend to stay away from individual defensive rating, but he is in the top 8 in both defensive rating and net rating. He has made his way to the top 10 in DPOY odds, and is a LOCK for All-Defensive team. The ball doesn’t stop with Cason, opponents’ leads are not safe with Cason, and the ball is not safe with Cason.

That’s not to say let Lu go by the way side. This isn’t a call to action for him to be traded, cut, or excommunicated in any way. Its simply a call to action to shift from the old guard to the new one (no pun intended).

The game is constantly changing, and if you don’t adapt to those changes, it will leave you behind. The Thunder have seen this play out in previous regimes. Its been clear in every game by the eye test, and even backed up by the numbers, that Cason has been the better player for the Thunder at this point of the season. And even though Lu is only just shy of 27 years old himself, Cason has long been seen as a foundational piece for OKC with the possibility of being someone who could replace what Dort does on this team.

Again, Lu can still be an impactful player for us. Big game Lu is absolutely a thing. When he gets hot, he gets HOT. There is possibly no player in the NBA who is more annoying to have guard you. And we love him for that. *I* love him for that. We used to have a running bit on the pod (Topic: Thunder podcast, check it out), ok we still do, of when Lu has a phenomenal game saying “We love you Lu and we hope you’re doing well.” (Shoutout, Jerry). Ask me how many times we have gotten to say that this season…?

We have only lost 3 (three[*three*{THREE}]) games all year, and Lu didn’t even play in one. Is he the only reason we lost? Absolutely not. Did Anthony Edwards not literally just hit a game winning 3 pointer over Cason (albeit, while playing perfect defense)? Absolutely. Its not going to perfect, there are going to be growing pains, and that’s what the regular season is for. And for a coach that likes to explore the roster and experiment with rotations, it kinda feels like it’s getting to the point that its undeniable a change needs to happen.

As I myself have made the point to address, we DO NOT win a ring without Lu Dort. He got hot like never before in that game, and it came in a stretch that we needed him the most. All the while, being the fan favorite that had the crowd screaming “LUUUUUUUU” louder and louder with each passing make. And if Mark continues to start him, I myself will be tweeting/saying “LUUUUUUUU” right along with you when he inevitably hits 5 3’s in his next game after this publishes.

I love Lu Dort and he is forever a Thunder legend, but Cason has been better in every metric and if we want to chase history we have to adapt to what our eyes are telling us.

Both things can true.

The future is now.

 

 

Dallas Mavericks vs. Thunder preview (Game 23 of 82)

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  • Dallas Mavericks (8-15, 12th in the West) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (21-1, 1st in the West)
  • When: Friday, 05 December 2025 at 8:30pm CST
  • Where: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
  • TV: Prime Video
  • Offensive Rating: DAL: 107.6 (30th) / OKC: 119.0 (5th)
  • Defensive Rating: DAL: 111.3 (4th) / OKC: 103.8 (1st)
  • Net Rating: DAL: -3.8 (22nd) / OKC: 15.1 (1st)
  • Streaks: DAL: 3 W’s in a row, 5-5 in last 10 / OKC: 13 W’s in a row

The Set-Up

The decision for when to start a rebuild has to be an extremely difficult one for an organization. Sometimes, it’s self-inflicted. Sometimes, it’s thrust upon you unexpectedly. But it’s a decision fraught with potholes, pitfalls, and doubt. A decision that can set your franchise back years, possibly decades. And, yet, for most every team, it’s a decision that needs to be made once every 10-15 years. For Oklahoma City, the team knew they needed a refresh after the departure of Kevin Durant and the subsequent first round exits of the Russell Westbrook/Paul George-led teams. But that weird transitional season was also needed to get off the previous train and jump onto a new one. The season with Chris Paul, a newly acquired Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, rookie Lu Dort, potential 6th Man of the Year Dennis Schroder, and Steven Adams is one that lives happily in the minds of many Thunder fans, but also one that helped position the Thunder for what they currently are today.

Which brings me to the neighbors south of us, down I-35. Dallas is in a weird spot where they have some of the pieces needed to jump-start a rebuild (Cooper Flagg and Ryan Nembhard), but also are in a holding pattern with older stars such as Anthony Davis, Klay Thompson, and the currently injured Kyrie Irving. They aren’t winning, but they also aren’t losing enough. These next few months before the trade deadline will be very interesting in Dallas.

This is the 2nd of 3 meetings this season between these regional rivals. OKC won the first meeting 101-94, in Dallas, in a game that saw the Thunder big men dominate on the scoreboard and on the glass. Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein, and Jaylin Williams combined to score 38 points and grab 30 rebounds, with 6 of those being offensive.

Betting Info, presented by FanDuel

  • Line: OKC -15
  • O/U: 229.5

Injury Report

OKC

  • Alex Caruso – OUT (quad)
  • Lu Dort – OUT (adductor strain)
  • Isaiah Hartenstein – OUT (calf)
  • Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee/ACL)
  • Nikola Topic – OUT (cancer treatment)

DAL

  • Dante Exum – OFS (knee)
  • Daniel Gafford – Questionable (ankle)
  • Kyrie Irving – OUT (knee/ACL)
  • Dereck Lively – OUT (foot)
  • PJ Washington – Questionable (ankle)

Three Big Things

  1. Ryan Nembhard – Last season, in the Finals, no players on the Indiana Pacers, outside of Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakim, had more of an impact against the Thunder than Andrew Nembhard. Dallas decided to take a chance on Andrew’s younger brother, Ryan, as an undrafted free agent this past summer. And over the past four games, all starts, Ryan Nembhard has been balling out and leading the Mavericks to a 3-1 record over that stretch. Nembhard has been averaging 17 points, 7.5 assists to 1.3 turnovers, and shooting an absurd 65% from the field and 67% from three over that 4-game stretch. The one game where he did struggle during that 4-game stretch was against the Los Angeles Clippers, who have big rangy defenders like Kris Dunn who can make life difficult for a smaller point guard. With Dort and Alex Caruso out, that onus will fall on Cason Wallace and Ajay Mitchell.
  2. Comfortable Dub – The more games Jalen Williams gets under his belt, the more comfortable and in rhythm he gets. He hit the 20 point mark in their last game against the Warriors, scoring 22 points. His playmaking has been in mid-season form, as he’s averaging over 6 assists per game in his first 3 games. And his shooting percentage was above 50% for the first time this season in their last game. Everyone is asking whether the Thunder should throw their hat into the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstake, but honestly, Dub coming back may be their important “acquisition” this season.
  3. Upset Potential – The Mavericks are coming into this game the hottest they’ve been all season. They are riding a 3-game winning streak, Nembhard, Cooper Flagg, and Anthony Davis are all balling out, and Dallas’ defense has been consistent. You can almost always throw records out when it comes to regional rivalries and the Thunder have the biggest target on their back this season. OKC has been a little unfocused over the past few games and if that continues, it could come back to bite them in the butt this game.

Sacramento Kings vs. Thunder preview (Game 16 of 82)

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  • Oklahoma City Thunder (14-1, 1st in the West) at Sacramento Kings (3-11, 14th in the West)
  • When: Wednesday, 19 November 2025 at 7:00pm CST
  • Where: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
  • TV: FDSN-OK
  • Offensive Rating: SAC: 109.8 (25th) / OKC: 118.7 (4th)
  • Defensive Rating: SAC: 120.4 (27th) / OKC: 103.2 (1st)
  • Net Rating: SAC: -10.6 (26th) / OKC: 15.5 (1st)

The Set-Up

In the last preview for these two teams, I essentially wrote a eulogy for Russell Westbrook’s career. The Thunder were playing at home and this was one of two possible games the Thunder faithful had to watch Westbrook ball out in person. Due to how late in the offseason it took for Sacramento to sign Westbrook and the lack of offers from other teams, it felt like we were closing in on the swan song of Westbrook’s career. Westbrook doesn’t strike as the kind of player that would announce a farewell tour. Instead, he feels like the kind of player that either retires in the offseason without warning, plays until the wheels fall off, or goes silently into the night if no team in the league shows interest in him.

With how he played in the first few games of the season, I thought we were in the “wheels are falling off” timeline. But since the first of November, Westbrook has been averaging 15.8 points, 7.7 rebounds, 7.9 assist, and nearly 1 steal a game, with 44/38.5/73 shooting split. Nothing terribly impressive, but also nothing to where you are shoveling dirt onto a body. There is still an NBA player there, so maybe we may get another season or two of Westbrook visits to OKC. Or, honestly, this may be the last visit as an NBA player. So enjoy it. Cheer him when he’s announced and appreciate everything he’s done for OKC.

This is the 3rd and final meeting of the season between these two teams. Oklahoma City won the first meeting 107-101. After being down for most of that game, the Thunder used a 17-4 run in the final 6 minutes of the game to secure the victory. Then, the Thunder shellacked the Kings in Sacramento 132-101 in the Thunder’s first NBA Cup game.

Betting Info presented by FanDuel

  • Line: OKC -18.5
  • O/U: 231.5

Injury Report

OKC

  • Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee/ACL)
  • Nikola Topic – OUT (cancer treatment)
  • Aaron Wiggins – OUT (adductor strain)
  • Jalen Williams – OUT (wrist)
  • Kenrich Williams – OUT (knee)

SAC

  • Keegan Murray – OUT (thumb)
  • Domantas Sabonis – OUT (knee)

Three Big Things

  1. Monster Hart – The last time these two teams played, Hartenstein scored a career-high 33 points to go along with 19 rebounds. Part of that was due to the fact that Domantas Sabonis was out that game. While we would never mistake Sabonis for being a defensive stud, we also know that he’s big enough to at least contend with Hartenstein and keep him relatively in check. The husk that is Drew Eubanks and rookie Maxime Raynaud were no match to Hart. And that same scenario plays out today with Sabonis being out.
  2. Perimeter Defense – Sacramento’s one saving grace is that they are top-10 in 3pt percentage. But in true Kangz fashion, they are 29th in 3-point attempts. In their first meeting of the season, the Kings started the game off by shooting 6-14 from 3 in the first half, buoyed by an unfathomable 3-4 shooting performance from deep for Westbrook. That shooting variance changed in the 2nd half and allowed OKC to get back in the game and eventually win. About the only chance Sacramento has in this game is in hoping for that kind of positive shot variance for an entire 48 minutes.
  3. 4th quarters – Another game, another opportunity to rest players at the end of game. Don’t discount this when the Thunder are playing deep into May and June. These moments of respite will come in handy as the season progresses and gets more difficult.

 

Thunder @ LA Clippers preview (Game 8 of 82)

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  • Oklahoma City Thunder (7-0) @ Los Angeles Clippers (3-3)
  • When: Tuesday, 04 November 2025 at 10:00pm CST
  • Where: Intuit Dome, Inglewood, CA
  • TV: NBC/Peacock
  • Offensive Rating: LAC: 115.4 (14th) / OKC: 117.3 (8th)
  • Defensive Rating: LAC: 116.0 (20th) / OKC: 104.2 (1st)
  • Net Rating: LAC: -0.7 (19th) / OKC: 13.1 (1st)

The Set-Up

The Oklahoma City Thunder are looking for their best start in franchise history. Previous to this, they started last season 7-0 before they met the Nuggets in Denver and Russell Westbrook posted one of his best games of the season (29 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists). A Peyton Watson block on a Shai Gilgeous-Alexander lay-up attempt as time expired allowed the Nuggets to walk away victorious, 124-122. It was definitely a sign of things to come later in the playoffs that season. Last year’s team rode that wave all the way to a franchise record 68 wins and, of course, the team’s first championship in Oklahoma City.

Before that, in the time of, as my 16-year old daughter would put it, “old basketball”, the 2012-13 team started the season 21-4 and the 2013-14 team started 22-4. Those team were led by Kevin Durant, Serge Ibaka, and the aforementioned Westbrook.

This is the first of three meetings this season between the Thunder and Clippers. Last season, the Thunder swept the season series 4-0, winning by an average of almost 10 points. In total, the Thunder have beat the Clippers five times in a row.

Betting Info, presented by FanDuel

  • Line: OKC -7.5
  • O/U: 221.5

Injury Report

OKC

  • Lu Dort – Questionable (illness)
  • Ajay Mitchell – Questionable (bilateral gluteal contusion)
  • Thomas Sorber – OFS (knee – ACL)
  • Nikola Topic – OUT (cancer treatment)
  • Jalen Williams – OUT (wrist)
  • Jaylin Williams – Questionable (shoulder sprain)
  • Kenrich Williams – OUT (knee)

LAC

  • Bradley Beal – Questionable (Load Management)
  • Kawhi Leonard – Questionable (Load Management)
  • Jordan Miller – OUT (hamstring)
  • Kobe Sanders – OUT (knee)

Three Big Things

  1. Pace – The Clippers are old. They look old (most of team has gray in their hair or beards). And they play old. The Clippers are the 2nd slowest team in terms of pace. The Thunder aren’t too far behind, ranking in at 26th, but we all know that has more to do with the personnel on the floor and the injuries, than how the team actually wants to play. Once this team has some semblance of health, the transition offense will likely uptick, which will bring up the pace. If the Thunder can look like the team that played against the Pelicans on Sunday, they should be able to use their youth and speed to their advantage.
  2. Force turnovers – The Thunder are elite where the Clippers struggle. The Clippers are 29th in the league in turnovers at 17.8 a game and worst in turnover ratio. The Thunder, on the other hand, are third in the league at forcing turnovers, at 17.4 per game. When they do turn the other team over, they score 23.9 points per game, which is good for 2nd in the league. On the other end of that spectrum, the Clippers do a poor job of getting back on defense once they have turned it over. They are 2nd worst in the NBA in Opponent Points off Turnovers, allowing 23.5 points per game.
  3. SGA –

Sacramento Kings vs. Thunder preview (Game 5 of 82)

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  • Sacramento Kings (1-2) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (4-0)
  • When: Tuesday, 28 October 2025 at 7:00pm CST
  • Where: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
  • TV: FDSN-OK
  • Offensive Rating: SAC: 111.8 (20th) / OKC: 113.6 (18th)
  • Defensive Rating: SAC: 114.0 (14th) / OKC: 104.4 (1st)
  • Net Rating: SAC: -2.2 (18th) / OKC: 9.2 (4th)

The Set-Up

It’s kind of crazy being a fan of a team who’s extremely proficient up and down the organization. From ownership to the front office to the coaching staff to the players (and this includes their G-League team), the Oklahoma City Thunder are as efficient as they effective. It’s always been one of their key tenants in building a team culture that targets purposeful action. Things that you see in other successful organizations: the San Antonio Spurs, the Miami Heat, the Pittsburgh Steelers, etc. Organizations that from the top on down have an expectation and a plan to execute those expectations.

Annnnnnd then, there’s the Sacramento Kings. A team whose two decade-long status as a middling team has given rise to a nickname that acts as the alter ego to their wishes of a well run organization: the Kangz. The Kings of the early 2000’s that featured Chris Webber, Vlade Divac, and Doug Christie were the darlings of the NBA. Unfortunately, they ran into the beginning run of the Shaq/Kobe Lakers and were never able to scale that mountain. From there, it’s been flub after flub that has kept the team at or near the middle and away from the talent of the early lottery. When they’ve had the opportunity to draft high in the lottery, they’ve completely blown it (namely, 2018 when they drafted Marvin Bagley III over Luka Doncic). When they’ve gotten good young talent (De’Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis), they haven’t been able to build a team around them and sustain any type of success. Now, they are just trying their best to stay above water which will net them another middle of the pack season where they will be in the high lottery. Thank the basketball gods that I reside in Oklahoma.

This is the first of three meetings this season between the Kings and Thunder. The Thunder swept the season series last year, winning by an average of 23.7 points and have won five in a row against the Kings.

Betting Info presented by FanDuel

  • Line: OKC -10.5
  • O/U: 227.5

Injury Report

OKC

  • Chet Holmgren – OUT (back soreness)
  • Isaiah Joe – OUT (knee)
  • Thomas Sorber – OUT (knee – ACL)
  • Nikola Topic – OUT (testicular procedure)
  • Jalen Williams – OUT (wrist)
  • Kenrich Williams – OUT (knee)

SAC

  • Nique Clifford – OUT (hamstring)
  • Keegan Murray – OUT (thumb)

Three Big Things

  1. Strengths vs. Weaknesses – The Sacramento Kings are defensively weak on the interior. They allow 56 points per game in the paint (24th), 22.3 points off turnovers (28th), 18.3 second chance points (24th), and are last in the league in rebounds grabbed. Conversely, the Thunder score 54.5 points in the paint (10th), 22.3 points off turnovers (5th), and are 4th in the league in rebounds, which opens up the opportunity for 2nd chance points.
  2. Two-big Lineup – One of the biggest storylines heading into this season was whether the Thunder would continue to lean into the 2-big lineup or start to move away from it. Four games in, the Thunder have started the 2-big lineup in all the games and each of the big men is averaging a double/double. Last season, in 316 minutes played, Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein had an offensive rating of 122.9, a defensive rating of 109.4, and a net rating of 13.5. This season, the offensive rating is 123.1, the defensive rating is 104.3, and the net rating is 18.8. In 2-man lineups that have played at least 80 minutes (20 minutes/game), the 2-big line-up is second behind the SGA/Cason Wallace 2-man lineup. In short, the two-big lineup is working much better so far this season.
  3. Russell Westbrook – There may not be too many more opportunities to see the King of the Prairie in his original field of play. Russell Westbrook was who OKC needed when they needed a hero the most. We all know what Russ means to the franchise. He’ll be the second number in the rafters and the first statue outside the arena. He’ll likely have a street in the city named after him. But we all saw how uneasy it was waiting for Westbrook to sign with the Kings a week before the season started. We don’t know when the end will come, but we all know the end is near. So appreciate any opportunity to cheer Westbrook on. On this team, he is no longer a threat like he was with the Denver Nuggets. Do what we do and give the man a raucous applause when he enters the game…because we don’t know how many more times we have to do this.

After the Storm: A Multiversal look at OKC and Hurricane Katrina

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If you know me, you know that I’m a sucker for a good comic book story. Whether it’s the MCU or the DCEU, a story where the hero (or villain) goes through an ethical journey is one that I will sit through while killing a bucket of buttery, salted popcorn. Lately, the MCU has explored the concept of the multiverse, where there is a boundless collection of infinite realities and timelines, each with its own unique variations of the universe. For example, in another universe, the Portland Trailblazers don’t draft Sam Bowie in 1984, and instead, draft a guard from the University of North Carolina by the name of Michael Jordan. Unfortunately, in that universe, Jordan tears his ACL midway through his rookie year and never develops into the Michael Jordan we know in our universe. In that universe, Nike never explodes into the company we know and the closest thing to Jordan as a brand is Jordache (if you know, it’s probably time to schedule a colonoscopy).

Back on our universe, on August 28th, 2005, a monstrous hurricane by the name of Katrina was releasing all it’s force on the city of New Orleans, Louisiana. The power from the storm overwhelmed the levees, and NOLA, a city that was already located below sea level, was inundated in flood water from the failed infrastructure. The devastation wrecked everything in it’s path, whether it was living or non-living. Once the waters receded, the picture in front of everybody was bleak at best. Casualties from those who decided to ride out the storm. Homes, even those of the multistory variety, completely flooded to the roof. A population transplanted to other cities in the general vicinity. A city decimated to the studs.

Once the important stuff was noted, the things that make a city, a city, were next on the docket. New Orleans, known for the French Quarters, Mardi Gras, jazz, world-class cuisine, and a unique night life, was a city that was put on pause. Included in that was the city’s sports scene. The NFL season was about to begin and the New Orleans Saints needed to find a replacement home due to all the damage sustained by the Superdome. They would not be able to play in New Orleans that season and found refuge in San Antonio, Texas.

On the horizon, was the NBA season. The New Orleans Hornets also needed to find a new home, not just due to the damage to their home arena, but also due to the fact that, at that point, early in the city’s recovery, there was not enough population in the city to sustain a season of home basketball games. We all know the story…The NBA needed an arena (and a city) that was NBA-ready for an unknown amount of time. In walks Oklahoma City, with their small city sized population and an arena ready for a tenant. The rest is history. The Hornets played in OKC for two years. The city fell in love with their new team and lusted to have this feeling for the rest of time. The political, civil, and business machinations did their things over the next couple of years, and eventually, OKC ended up with a team of their own, albeit via Seattle.

The Thunder were born. We fell in love with young men by the names of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. We felt the pain of losing a championship and then the pain of watching “our guy” voluntarily leave to play for a rival. We were nursed back to the health by the King of the Prairie. We lived through our first real rebuild and then fell in love with another iteration of the team, which eventually netted us a championship. A sports story for the ages. From tragedy (the Murrah building bombing) to triumph (the championship parade), these bookends in this chapter of the city will be the anchor points that we point to when we talk about our story.

But what if…

Hurricane Katrina never happened?

When you talk about the multiverse, they always point to events that lead to where we currently are in time. They call these points in time “Nexus Events”. For Oklahoma City, their nexus events were the bombing and Hurricane Katrina. They shaped the city we know of today. They shaped the relationships we’ve built, the buildings we’ve constructed, the memories we’ve forged. It opens up a cornucopia of questions for how things change if Katrina never occurred.

Thousands of miles away, they shaped what happened in Seattle, WA. Imagine a world where you’ve only known Durant to play for the Seattle Supersonics. A world where Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp gave way to Kevin Durant and….Jerryd Bayless?

What about New Orleans itself? Do they continue to be at the bottom of the league for attendance? Or do they pull an OKC and fall totally heads over heels for those Chris Paul and David West teams. Or does the bad attendance continue and the forced hand eventually leads to the Hornets moving to, oh, I don’t know, somewhere like Oklahoma City?

So many question. So many possibilities. But the tie that binds is still the same. There is no championship in Oklahoma City without the destruction from Hurricane Katrina. A tragedy that had major ramifications in the lives of many people. A lot can definitely change in 20 years.

Detroit Pistons vs. Thunder preview (Game 76 of 82)

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  • Detroit Pistons (42-33) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (63-12)
  • When: Wednesday, 02 April 2025 at 8:30pm CSTS
  • Where: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
  • Offensive Rating – DET: 114.6 (12th) / OKC: 119.2 (3rd)
  • Defensive Rating – DET: 112.0 (10th) / OKC: 106.0 (1st)
  • Net Rating – DET: 2.6 (11th) / OKC: 13.2 (1st)

The Set-Up
Greatness. It’s a combination of many variables that allows a team to be called great. The Oklahoma City Thunder had a previous iteration that many people considered great. The Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Serge Ibaka teams may have been great, talent-wise, but did they lack that greatness mindset that other teams may have possessed. Think about the Steph Curry, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson Warriors. Great team, but a greatness mindset to match. The Jordan, Pippen, Rodman Bulls. Same thing. I think this is where we stand with this current iteration of the Thunder. A great team with a mindset to match.

This is the second and final meeting of the season between these two teams. The Thunder won the first meeting in Detroit, 113-107. It has been one of the more tighter games for the Thunder after the All-Star Break.

Betting Info

  • Line: OKC -13.5
  • O/U: 232.5
  • Injury Report

    OKC
  • Alex Caruso – Questionable (ankle)
  • Ousmane Dieng – OUT (calf)
  • Alex Ducas – OUT (quad)
  • Ajay Mitchell – OUT (toe)
  • Nikola Topic – OUT (knee)
  • Aaron Wiggins – OUT (Achilles)

    DET
  • Cade Cunningham – OUT (calf)
  • Tobias Harris – Questionable (Achilles)
  • Ron Holland II – OUT (suspension)
  • Jaden Ivey – OUT (leg)
  • Marcus Sasser – OUT (suspension)
  • Isaiah Stewart – OUT (suspension)

Three Big Things

1. Take Care of Business – The Pistons are likely going to be missing key pieces of their rotation in this game. Isaiah Stewart and Ron Holland II are out after their suspensions from the fracas against the Timberwolves a couple of nights ago. Cade Cunningham is likely out due to a calf issue. If the Thunder play their game, this baby may be over by halftime.

2. Rebounding – Probably about the only statistic where the Pistons have a leg up on the Thunder is rebounding. But that’s with a full roster. With Cunningham and Stewart out, the responsibility of manning the boards may fall solely on Jalen Duren and Tobias Harris, who is coming back from injury. The Pistons may not have the personnel to exhibit dominance in this area tonight.

3. J-Dub, All-NBA? – With this game, Jalen Williams officially reaches 65 games played for the season. He’s already seen his first All-Star game appearance this season. Is he now in line for a spot on one of the three All-NBA teams? It’ll be close and he may literally be the first guy outside of the 15 players on the All-NBA teams. But his play on both ends of the floor may be the determining factor that gets him on one of the All-NBA teams. His versatility on the offensive and defensive ends of the floor may get him the nod over someone who may only play one end of the floor.

Thunder @ Denver Nuggets preview (Game 1 of 82)

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  • Oklahoma City Thunder (0-0) @ Denver Nuggets (0-0)
  • When: Thursday, 24 October 2024 at 8:00pm CST
  • Where: Ball Arena, Denver, CO
  • TV: TNT

The Set-Up

There hasn’t been a more anticipated season for the Thunder than this upcoming season. You can maybe argue the 2012-13 season where the Thunder were coming off a Finals appearance. Or maybe the 2015-16 season where the team was stacked with talent, but also a ticking timebomb. But for some reason, this season feels different. Maybe it’s the wide-open nature of the league, where a new champ has been crowned the last 6 seasons. Maybe it’s the fact that this feels like the most cohesive and deepest team in Thunder history. Maybe it’s the fact that youth is still on our side and we still have one of the most, if not the most, coveted asset chest in the league. Whatever it is, the vibes are still immaculate, the calendar is starting on a new season, and hope is springing eternal. It’s the first step in the journey. Game 1. Thunder Up!

This is the first of 4 meetings this season between these two division, conference, and possibly, championship-contending rivals. The Thunder won the season series last year 3-1, winning the last three games of the series after getting trounced in their home-opener.

Betting Info

  • Line: DEN -1.5
  • O/U: 227.5

Continue reading →

Thunder @ San Antonio Spurs preview (Game 59 of 82)

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  • Oklahoma City Thunder (41-17, 2nd in the West) @ San Antonio Spurs (11-48, 15th in the West)
  • When: Thursday, 29 February 2024 at 7:30pm CST
  • Where: Frost Bank Center, San Antonio, TX
  • Offensive Rating – SAS: 109.0 (27th) / OKC: 119.4 (3rd)
  • Defensive Rating – SAS: 117.5 (24th) / OKC: 111.1 (4th)
  • Net Rating – SAS: -8.5 (27th) / OKC: 8.4 (2nd)

The Set-Up

It’s scary how quickly this team has gotten good. The previous iteration of the Thunder with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook were great because those two players were top-5 players in the league and their combined talent overwhelmed most teams. Their major flaw was the scheme, both offensively and defensively, around them. As they got into the playoffs, elite coaches could scheme against the lack of options on the team once you got past those first two players.

What we are seeing with this new version of the good Thunder is that while the top 2-3 players on the team aren’t yet on par with prime level KD and Russ, the scheme around them allows more leeway, not only for the big 3, but also the supporting cast. While both teams fielded talented players, this team has great coaching on its side. And the scary part is Coach Daigneault is still learning.

This is the 3rd of four meetings this season between the Spurs and Thunder. Oklahoma City has won the previous two by 36 and 26 points, respectively. They meet for the final time in April.

Magic Numbers

  • To lock up the 10th seed (play-in guaranteed) – 15
  • To lock up the 6th seed (playoffs guaranteed) – 17

Betting Info

  • Line: OKC -11.5
  • O/U: 236.5

Injury Report

OKC

  • None

SAS

  • Marcus Morris Sr. (Not With Team) – OUT
  • Charles Bassey (knee) – OUT

Three Big Things

  1. Track Meet potential – Both of these teams are top-10 in Pace and in Fastbreak Points, which makes sense with both being two of the youngest teams in the league. The difference is on the defensive end where Oklahoma City is the 3rd best team at defending in transition, whereas San Antonio, is the 11th worst.
  2. The Chet vs. Wemby match-up – The first four minutes of the fourth quarter in their last game was a glimpse into what most fans want to see from these two. The battling, the shit-talking, the snarls, the passive-aggressiveness, the “calling for the ball”. But here’s the reality: that doesn’t happen if OKC isn’t up by 24 heading into the final quarter. The Thunder coaching staff wouldn’t have allowed it and Chet wouldn’t have allowed himself to get lured into a detrimental one on one match-up in the middle of a tight game. While both players are highly competitiveness, I think Chet has a slight leg up in the maturity department. With all that said, though, Chet has been on a tear since the All-Star break and it would be awesome to see him have a great statistical game against Wembanyama.
  3. Turn them over – The Spurs turn the ball over a ton and the Thunder create a ton of turnovers. Sounds like a match-up that will favor the Thunder.

Los Angeles Clippers vs. Thunder preview (Game 55 of 82)

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  • Los Angeles Clippers (36-17, 3rd in the West) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (37-17, 2nd in the West)
  • When: Thursday, 22 February 2024 at 7:00pm CST
  • Where: PayCom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
  • Offensive Rating – LAC: 119.7 (3rd) / OKC: 119.2 (4th)
  • Defensive Rating – LAC: 114.3 (13th) / OKC: 111.9 (4th)
  • Net Rating – LAC: 5.4 (5th) / OKC: 7.3 (2nd)

The Set-Up

And we’re back to your regularly scheduled program. From the studio that brought you “28 Days Later”, “28 Weeks Later”, and “28 Years Later” comes the latest film, “28 Games Left”. An action-drama-comedy that follows a young cast of characters as they battle numerous villainous foes on their way to the promised land. A land, they once thought their ancestors would capture, but never could. The film stars up and coming action star and poet laureate Shay Gilly, eye-wear model Squints Diaganolt, comedian Dub Will-I-Ams, and method actor extraordinaire Sticks Homegren. The movie will be directed by 20-time Oscar winner and head of the Boston chapter of the Mensa Institute, Samson Prezzi.

This is the third and final meeting of the season between these two teams. The Thunder won the first meeting, 134-115, in Oklahoma City in December. The Clippers returned the favor on their homecourt, 128-117, the following month.

Magic Number

  • To lock up the 10th seed (play-in guarantee) – 20
  • To lock up the 6th seed (playoffs guaranteed) – 24

Betting Info

  • Line: OKC -1.5
  • O/U: 235.5

Injury Report

OKC

  • None

LAC

  • None

Three Big Things

  1. Pace – There isn’t a ton that separates these two teams statistically. They are both great shooting team that are both disruptive defensively. Where they differ a bit is in their pace of play. The Thunder rank 10th in pace while the Clippers rank 22nd. In their win against the Clippers in December, the Thunder made it a focus to push the ball early in possessions and catch the Clippers off-balance defensively. The Clippers were more aware of that in their 2nd meeting and consistently shut that off for the Thunder.
  2. Gordon Hayward and Bismack Biyombo – The new acquisitions for the Thunder will make their debuts tonight. If you haven’t already read Dylan’s article, there are many reasons why the debut of Hayward should make you excited. Don’t expect to see too much of Biyombo. Thunder coach Mark Daigneault already said that he would be more of a situational player. We will also see the debut of married man Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. If the All-Star game was any indication, married man SGA may be a completely different animal for the NBA to handle.
  3. Games of hella consequence – These are the games we were longing for when we were watching Jaylen Hoard and Georgios Kalaitzakis ball out there for the Thunder several years ago. The tie-breaker between these two teams is at stake tonight. Second place in the West is at stake tonight. Keeping pace in the top of the West is at stake tonight. And SGA’s continued MVP campaign is at stake tonight. All the rotation players for the Clippers have been in similar situations to this multiple times in their careers. For the Thunder, games like tonight are continued learning experiences, but at an accelerated pace. It’s like they are in an NBA honors class.