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Thunder at T-Wolves preview (Preseason Game 2)

Posted on October 5, 2018 by Alex Roig

twolves

When: Friday, 05 October 2018 at 7:00 pm CST
Where: Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
TV: None (Streamed at OKCThunder.com and the Thunder app)
Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1 FM, 640 AM, 930 AM (Spanish))

There are times where basketball takes a backseat. Whether it’s the death of a loved one or a personal set-back, the human aspect of athletics usually gets lost in the minutiae of sports. On Wednesday, Paul George missed the Thunder’s preseason opener due to a personal matter. That personal matter turned out to be the passing of his girlfriend’s father. Continue reading →

Thunder At A Glance – 26 September 2018

Posted on September 26, 2018 by Alex Roig

Erik Horne (NewsOK) on the prowess of Dennis Schröder in the pick and roll and an update on Andre Roberson: “When Thunder post-practice opened to the media, Roberson was in a rotation of wing players taking catch-and-shoot 3-pointers off passes from team assistants. It wasn’t a lot of movement, but when the drill was finished, Roberson chased after a ball without running and even gave it a few kicks before corralling it.”

Grant Afseth (OKC Thunder Wire) on how the bench role could help Schröder: “The top area where Schröder will make an impact for Oklahoma City will be with his playmaking and ability to run an offense. The Thunder are used to having a high-usage guard like Westbrook in their starting unit as their focal point, and they haven’t had someone on their bench to lean on in a similar fashion. That’s where Schröder comes into play.” Continue reading →

Thunder At A Glance – 18 September 2018

Posted on September 18, 2018 by Alex Roig

Nick Gallo (OKCThunder.com) on Steven Adams being the Thunder’s center of gravity: “The same can be said of the Thunder big man’s impact on the defensive side of the ball. With precise and deliberate communication and quick feet, Adams helps guards stay in front of the ball in pick and roll coverage. He can even switch out to the three-point line when it’s necessary or there’s a good matchup. With each successive year, the force that Adams brings to the team continues to grow, and that consistent improvement is why he’s become one of the most essential players on the Thunder’s roster and one of the very best centers in the NBA.”

Erik Horne (NewsOK) on the Blue’s acquisition of KJ McDaniels: “G-League contracts are with the league, not with the parent teams. McDaniels currently doesn’t have an NBA contract, but if he were to enter into a G League contract, the Blue, not the Thunder, would own his rights. The Blue would also own McDaniels’ rights if he were to play overseas, then return and sign a G League contract.” Continue reading →

Thunder At A Glance – 14 September 2018

Posted on September 14, 2018 by Alex Roig

Terrance Ferguson and Tyler Davis visited the OKC Police Athletic League to play some volleyball and football with some kids.

Erik Horne (NewsOK) on the Thunder players listed on SI’s Top 100 list: “Sports Illustrated released its list in segments throughout the week, culminating in the Top 10 on Thursday. Steven Adams (No. 38) and newly-acquired guard Dennis Schroder (No. 80) were also on the list.”

Here is Sports Illustrated’s full list if you would like to see it: “Playing in Oklahoma City works for him. George does his best work when he doesn’t have to handle the ball on every possession, which is never really a problem with Russell Westbrook around. Both operate in ways that make the other’s job easier: Westbrook’s shot creation is a relief to George, who can do more of his work off the ball. Meanwhile, George is enough of a draw that a defense can’t just load up against Westbrook’s drives. One pushes, the other pulls.” Continue reading →

Thunder At A Glance – 06 September 2018

Posted on September 6, 2018 by Alex Roig

Royce Young (ESPN) on Mo Cheek’s relationship with Russell Westbrook: “For Westbrook, it has always been about controlled chaos, like Pecos Bill trying to rope the cyclone. Cheeks is often the lasso, the intermediary between the method and the madness.”

Ryan Harris (Welcome To Loud City) on whether the Thunder’s bench improved enough: “Ideally, the Thunder would be able to rest Russell Westbrook and Paul George at the same time and not get killed. The additions to the bench over the offseason were nice, but the younger guys from last seasons squad need to take a step forward this year as well. Right now, it isn’t 100% clear who will start between Jerami Grant and Patrick Patterson. For this post, I’ll assume Patterson is on the bench, though I think both guys will get their opportunity to start.” Continue reading →

Thunder At A Glance – 05 September 2018

Posted on September 5, 2018 by Alex Roig

Nick Gallo (OKCThunder.com) interviews Abdel Nader on his experiences since becoming a member of the Thunder: “Not long after the trade this offseason that brought him to Oklahoma City, Abdel Nader made a surprise first-place showing in Paul George’s celebrity fishing event. A couple weeks later, the newest Thunder forward was standing on the pitcher’s mound Kauffman Stadium as a part of the Thunder Night at the Kansas City Royals. Neither angling nor baseball are passions of Nader – he’s more of a soccer guy – but the newcomer small forward is doing all he can to jump into this Oklahoma City Thunder experience headfirst.”

The Thunder announces it’s 2nd annual technology partnership with eight entrepreneurial start ups around OKC: “The program provides free space, resources, corporate perks and an impressive mentor network from in and out of state business leaders, investors and influencers. At the end of the 12-week program, the founders will have an opportunity to present their plans to the investment and business community in Oklahoma and across the U.S.” Continue reading →

NTTB Podcast – Episode 42 (Thunder Memories and Southeast Failures)

Posted on August 26, 2018 by Alex Roig

On Episode 42 of the NTTB podcast, we discuss the following topics:

Andre Roberson’s recovery timeline
Looking at the Thunder wing options
Possible NBA rule changes
Paul George’s interview with DRAMA
Abdel Nader’s contract deadline pushed back
Top 3 Thunder memories
Southeast Division preview
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/111153/785489-episode-42-thunder-memories-and-southeast-failures.mp3?download=true

The Thunder’s Summer of Love

Posted on August 16, 2018 by Alex Roig

abrines dre wedding If the Oklahoma City Thunder’s summer could be encapsulated into one word, that word would be “love”. Not that smooshy, Barney-inspired “I love you, you love me” love. No. What the Thunder have shown this offseason is love that is running hand in hand with their maturing nature. This isn’t a bunch of 20-somethings planning how they are going to get laid on a Saturday night. It’s not Thunder U, anymore. The Thunder’s core is past the point where words like love, marriage, and monogamy are just reserved for the 12-year vet at the end of the bench. They are, in a word, getting older.

As fans, we sometimes view athletes as overgrown teenagers with huge allowances. Man-children looking for the next great thrill after the game. A player gets into a bar fight: Oh, that’s just boys being boys. A players ends up with 8 children from 6 different women. Welp, that’s athletes for you. We celebrate the man’s man, living the single, athlete life vicariously through our favorite ball players. Continue reading →

NTTB Thunder Rumblings – 15 August 2018

Posted on August 15, 2018 by Alex Roig

Tamberlyn Richardson (Thunderous Intentions) on Corey Brewer’s interview with Aaron Torres: “Brewer says Russell Westbrook is one of the most positive players he’s ever had as a teammate and what people say about Russ being driven isn’t just idle talk. It’s often been discussed by his teammates, but Brewer mirrors the notes of how incredible of an athlete Russ is.”

Steven Adams made the richest New Zealander list for the first time (via NewsHub): “Adams is included for the first time, coming in at the bottom of the list with a net worth of $50 million. He’s halfway through a four-year $145 million dollar deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder in what is the largest contract ever signed by a New Zealand athlete.” Continue reading →

NTTB Thunder Rumblings -13 August 2018

Posted on August 13, 2018 by Alex Roig

Give a listen to the new episode of the NTTB Podcast. We discuss whether Russell Westbrook is running out of excuses, review the schedule, and much more.

Erik Horne (NewsOK) chronicling the loss of long time NBA/Thunder photographer Layne Murdoch, who passed away on August 10: “We’ve lost a friend and special member of the Thunder family,” the post reads. “Layne was among the best in the business and a fixture on the Thunder baseline for the first ten seasons. The images he captured at our games and events provide a vivid archive of our team and organization. Beyond his skills as a photographer, Layne’s smile, sense of humor and engaging personality connected him with anyone he met. He had a deep passion for his craft, our team and our city.”

Condolences to Layne Murdoch’s family and friends. Lord knows, a lot of the pictures on this website have been used without his permission. He was a technician with the camera. He could tell a story with his pictures. Continue reading →