Quietly, the Thunder are fomenting the new revolution. The Clippers did not have center Serge Ibaka for the final two games because of an injury suffered only days before. After the trade of George, the writing was on the wall for Westbrooks departure. The Thunder would like to make the NBA's play-in tournament or even, be still my thumper, the playoffs. He averaged 28.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, 8.1 assists and 2.0 steals per 40 minutes. Oklahoma City Thunder Playoff History Team: * Playoff history data goes back to the 1946-1947 season. New York Jets playoffs odds: over/under prediction for 2023 - ClutchPoints Thank you to the friends within the organization that took care of my family and I whenever we needed help. The two sides agreed to a five-year $205M deal under the leagues new supermax provision. All future unplayed games are assumed won/lost with a probability based upon relative team strengths. Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA (select parishes)/MA/MD/MI/NH/NJ/NY/OH/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. The two teams have not met since Dec. 16. 2022-23 Oklahoma City Thunder Season, Schedule & Results - Champs or Chumps His defense on and off the ball was spectacular Wednesday. As much as there was the offensive explosion from Zach LaVine, the Bulls defense was a key to their come-from-behind victory. Thunder Could Sneak Past Play-In to Playoffs - Sports Illustrated Durant would miss a game-tying jumper in the closing seconds as Miami held off Oklahoma City for the Game 2 win. With their Game 5 win, the Heat won their second NBA championship in team history, and the first for several Heat players, including James, who was named the NBA Finals MVP after averaging 28.6 points, 10.2 rebounds and 7.4 assists in the finals, capping it all off with his first triple double of the season in the final game. The longest win streak during the regular season for the [3], In the regular season, the Heat finished with 46 victories, good for second in the Eastern Conference. Defenders can't sag off Giddey or Jaylin Williams because they know that the Thunder have the capacity to punish any and all lapses; if you give any Thunder player too much space, it's essentially an invitation to drive to the rim. Ill take health over rust any day, that was our main thought, Lue said. With everybody getting about a week off anyway youre not gonna get better chemistry in one game.. This was the second consecutive appearance for the Heat, after losing to the Dallas Mavericks in 2011. The OKC Thunder have been one of the most impressive teams this season. The 1999 NBA playoffs was the last time that a Game 7 was not played. [17] With three minutes remaining in the game, both teams took their starters out of the game, with the Heat still leading by more than 20 points. They went In the conference finals, they defeated Wests #1 seeded San Antonio Spurs (42) despite losing the first two games. The Thunder jumped to a 3319 lead by the end the first quarter, but the Heat rallied to cut the score to 4946 at halftime, thanks to two huge three-pointers by Heat rookie Norris Cole. The complete history of the Oklahoma City Thunder slowly dismantling their golden generation, 11 best NBA rookies in 2023 Summer League, ranked. With Russell Westbrook now traded, the most important chapter in the Oklahoma City Thunders history is officially closed. 2011 NBA playoffs - Wikipedia 9 Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena, earning the chance to face the No. Westbrook and Durant adopted the term in jest. The Thunder were surging midway through the regular season with less pressure, but as every result started to count, OKC struggled with their execution, especially in the clutch. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. +89. It seemed like the Thunder had recovered from the loss of Durant. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was so great that he forcibly lifted the team to his level. Both teams have struggled recently. Previously known as the Seattle SuperSonics, the Thunder had not reached the Finals since relocating from Seattle, Washington to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma before the start of the 20082009 season. There are so many questions surrounding health for teams like the Lakers, Clippers and Suns. Wed May 3 1:00 am NBA - Regular Season Complete Oklahoma City Thunder Playoff Picture Where are the Thunder going in the playoff? For one of the youngest teams in the league, with a franchise in the middle of rebuilding, many insiders and fans say the team exceeded expectations by simply making the NBA play-in tournament, let alone beating the New Orleans Pelicans in the play-in opener. Instead, the team fell flat. With Chris Bosh playing as center, Miami was able to space the floor and add an extra dimension to its dangerous offense. Westbrook got up with a significant limp and slammed the scorers table with his right fist. That didnt seem like a fluke against the Raptors. Thunder Gameday: An Outside Shot of Making Playoffs with Wizards No. Lets rank the best rookies at 2023 NBA Summer League. Heading into a do-or-die matchup in the play-in tournament against the Timberwolves to decide who will nab the final playoff spot, the Thunder have proven that they're no longer some runty, upstart feel-good teamthey're just a straight up good one. That did not sit well with him. Outside of the Nuggets, who do you really trust at this point? Thunder's loss to Hornets shows OKC not all-in on play-in tournament 43.6 wins, or a The No. Against the Timberwolves, this switching style should be especially effective. Oklahoma City won the series against Houston in six games, but without Westbrook, the Thunder fell in the next round to the Grit and Grind Memphis Grizzlies in five games. That hampers the Thunder's chances of making the playoffs even if they win the ninth vs. 10th place game. He also had seven rebounds and five assists. 11 pick, which turned out to be Domantas Sabonis. Ive been here since I was 18, 19 years old. 3 obvious reasons the Thunder were eliminated from the NBA playoffs so In 2018, Nickelodeon's fan-favorite series The Thundermans came to an end. Steph Curry sank an 18-foot downhill eagle putt on the 18th hole to seize the win at the American Century Championship. Interestingly, Gilgeous-Alexander has more or less abandoned outside shooting because he no longer has any need to settle for outside shots. 5 Los Angeles Clippers. The reason why is simple - the Thunder have one of the best cores in the NBA. Despite brilliant performances from Westbrook in Game 4 (43 points) and Durant in Game 5 (32 points), Miami won the next three to take the title. 10 Oklahoma City Thunder No. More: Thunder 'made it very easy' for Michael Cage to support San Diego State at Final Four He kept playing, but looked like a shell of his former MVP-quality self. - The Celtics might have a gem in Jordan Walsh. The new rules didnt kick in until the following season, but new contracts for Harden and Ibaka would have pushed Oklahoma City well over the tax line. But you've also got Jalen Williams, who carried shooting splits of 50-37-90 on solid shot volume along with incredible defense. 44-38 record in the regular season. Gambling Problem? The initial promise of the great Thunder dynasty had long faded, but Westbrooks departure completed the franchises deconstruction. Steve Russell/Toronto Star via Getty Images. Their first season was in 1968, and their most recent season was in 2023. OKC Thunder in 2023 NBA play-in tournament, playoffs odds - The Oklahoman 21+ (18+ NH/WY). What was the record of the 2022-23 Oklahoma City Thunder? The No. But when the clock struck midnight, George shocked the NBA world by announcing he was staying with Oklahoma City, revealing the news at a party Westbrook threw. The Timberwolves now advance to the NBA playoffs as the eighth seed in the Western Conference. He doesn't note if expects them to advance to playoffs. The moment is ripe for the Thunder to take advantage. 8 Minnesota Timberwolves/No. Thunder could have been expected to have about Chicago had the best defense in the league after the All-Star break. George ended up signing a four year, $137 million deal. Now, all we have left is what could have been. You already know what it is @russwest44! [14], Miami won Game 3, 91-85, to go up two games to one in the series. The Mavericks have gone 3-7 in their last 10 games. While the rest of the league stocks their rotation with unidimensional shooters, the Thunder will make the NBA playoffs because they embraced the power of the dribble. Instead Oklahoma Citys roster reconstruction wasnt enough to keep its biggest star. If this roster couldnt hold a 19-point lead against an in-play opponent people were calling to be dismantled a couple of months into the season, does it really have a high ceiling? 8 seedwinner of No. Along the way, they managed to overcome serious series deficits that nearly eliminated them from the postseason, but they had strings of victories to let them survive. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. . The Oklahoma City Thunder's Over/Under win total mark is probably going to sit somewhere around 43 to 45 wins. I gained so much more respect for Serge for sacrificing himself for the team. Why the Oklahoma City Thunder should have the NBA terrified - USA TODAY OKC had a 38-21 record at the time and looked like the top challenger to the Warriors, again. Im picking Chicago to advance to the first round. The first was against the Pacers in the Conference Semifinals when they trailed in the series, 12. Get viral NBA graphics, memes, rumors and trending news delivered right to your inbox with the Clutch Newsletter. Despite their losing record (40-42), the Thunder managed to outscore their opponents on the seasontheir +1.1 net rating was 14th in the NBA, ahead of putatively better teams like the Clippers, Lakers, Nets and Timberwolves. Little did we know he really was waiving the Thunder goodbye. The picture shown is a bond that cant be broken I truly loved and enjoyed the race from start to finish. The Oklahoma City Thunder's season came to an end after losing to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the NBA play-in tournament on Friday night. Their first playoff series came against a familiar foe in the Rockets and Harden. Two nights later, they did as George asked, dealing him for a record haul of draft picks (five first-rounders and two pick swaps), along with Danilo Gallinari and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. All rights reserved. OKCs bet paid off big, With Westbrook taking a bit of a backseat, The Rockets system can actually get the best out of Russell Westbrook, Sam Presti lost a potential Thunder dynasty. New Orleans and Minnesota have a good mix of young and veteran players on their rosters. 3 Sacramento Kings vs. No. OG Anunoby is also almost certainly entering an expiring year because he has a player option after next season. Including their seasons as the Seattle SuperSonics, this was also the club's fourth Finals appearance, and first since 1996, when they lost to the Michael Jordan -led Chicago Bulls. Still, this is exactly one of the scenarios the NBA likely dreamed of when making this tournament. pic.twitter.com/jN6gBn6j1Z, If yall didnt quite get it, let me say it again. Despite losing Harden, Oklahoma City rolled to 62 wins and the NBAs best record, with Durant and Westbrook averaging 28 and 23 points per game, respectively. The Oklahoma City Thunder finished the regular season with a 40-42 record. 13, 2023, 9:38 AM ET (AP) Holmgren continues strong return with 25 points and five blocks in Thunder's Summer League win Chet Holmgren made it two big nights in a row for No. Welcome to Layup Lines, our basketball newsletter where we'll prep you for a tip-off of tonight's action, from what to watch to bets to make. For one of the youngest teams in the league, with a franchise in . The Thunder have gone 4-6 in their last 10 games with a current three-game losing streak. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is one of the 10 best players in the NBA. The Thunder defeated the Heat, 10594, in Game 1. Oklahoma City Thunder News, Scores, Status, Schedule - NBA Thompson scored 41 points while shooting 11 of 18 from three, an NBA playoff record, and outscored the entire Thunder team in the fourth quarter in a 108-101 win. I will forever cherish the relationships within the organization the friends and teammates that I went to war with on the court for nine years, and all the fans and people of the community. The reason why is simple - the Thunder have one of the best cores in the NBA. 10 Chicago Bulls, No. The Oklahoma City Thunder tanked the tank. The network released a statement to J-14 in 2017 regarding the show's fourth and final season. The OKC Thunder surprised everyone by securing a play-in tournament spot this season. 7 Los Angeles. I'm telling you that you should absolutely pound that over. But with George gone, any chance of the Thunder competing in the near term ended. ET, Eastern Conference Playoff PictureRound 1, No. That grind came with a cost. With the ball in his hands, Gilgeous-Alexander is irrepressiblehis 23.9 drives per game are more than three ahead of Ja Morant, who sits in second place with 20.3. Miami never trailed, building a 2715 first quarter lead, and holding a 17-point advantage at one point. 2023. 8 Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday with a playoff berth up for grabs. 7 Los Angeles Lakers, No. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 32 points to help the Thunder advance. announced he was unlikely to return for the postseason. The Thunder could have packed it up and tried to enter the Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes. Now he can try again, Summer League player gets his nuts stomped into dust after dunker lands on them, Joel Embiid hinted he could be next NBA superstar to request trade with cryptic comments. The incident would end up sparking years of beef between the duo. A post shared by Paul George (@ygtrece) on Jul 6, 2019 at 7:22pm PDT. The two sides re-committed to each other with a three-year, $85.7-million extension. The 2012 Thunder team was the second-youngest NBA Finals team in history. That's essentially what I'm counting on the Thunder to do. A post shared by Russell Westbrook (@russwest44) on Jul 4, 2016 at 10:40am PDT. The Thunder playoff picture table presents the probabilities that the Thunder will win each playoff spot. I think they will. [17], In the United States, the NBA Finals aired on ABC and Mike Breen and Jeff Van Gundy served as commentators. 2023 ChampsOrChumps.us Terms Privacy Policy. He does a lot of different things. The Bulls defense is a terrible matchup for the Heats plodding, moribund offense. who missed four weeks early in the season due to a broken hand, A complete timeline of Durant's foot issues, The Thunders athleticism is spooking the Warriors, It was OKC's time, until suddenly it wasn't, Trading Ibaka is risky, but is also the right move, there was a hidden meaning behind the post, How Kevin Durant ended up on the Warriors, What Kevin Durant and Thunder fans had is gone forever, with a three-year, $85.7-million extension, Russell Westbrook was the best thing about the NBA all season, Russell Westbrook was my NBA MVP pick because he defined the season, Russ won NBA MVP, then showed us his true self, reportedly had his sights on joining the Los Angeles Lakers, Paul George commits to Thunder. 2012 NBA Finals - Wikipedia Oklahoma City Thunder The Heat and Bulls met three times during the regular season, and Chicago won all three matchups, the most recent coming on March 18 at United Center. OKC will also see the return of No. He had his best individual season, averaging 32 points per game while winning MVP and leading Oklahoma City to the second-best record in the league. The 2012 Finals also marked the Miami Heat's second consecutive appearance in the NBA Finals and its third appearance overall. Robert Zeglinski has more on the absolute worst beat of Summer League so far. [13] LeBron James led the Heat with 32 points, while Durant scored 32 of his own to lead the Thunder. Here's the take: I think the Thunder could be a 50-win team next season and one of the homecourt seeds in the Western Conference. This led to easy baskets for Miami, as they took advantage of the space Bosh created. OKC Thunder Officially Control Their Own Destiny For A Play-In - Forbes First Round By losing Game 1 of their series against the New Orleans Hornets, the Los Angeles Lakers joined the San Antonio Spurs as the first top seeds to lose an opening game of the playoffs since the 16-team playoff format was introduced. Accordingly, the Thunder are able to manufacture spacing without a paucity of actual shooting. The Clippers did not have center Serge Ibaka . The Timberwolves defense succeeds because of the way it maintains the kind of structure that the Thunder offense is designed to break. Meanwhile, other young players like Josh Giddey, ROY favorite Jalen Williams and Luguentz Dort form a solid core. Call (800) 327-5050 or visit gamblinghelpline.ma.org (MA), Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). It looked like a simple photo from his Independence Day cookout, but we later learned there was a hidden meaning behind the post. SGAs performance was especially impressive. You'll regret it. They went 24-17 at home and 16-25 on the road. Rookie guard Jay Scrubb played 36 minutes Sunday and scored 14 points. You heard it here first. Then, Westbrooks revenge tour began. Thousands Of Theaters Could Ban 'Thor: Love And Thunder' - ScreenGeek Get the latest news and information for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Nick Nurses name is already being floated in coaching rumors, which doesnt exactly portend a rosy future with his current club. George thanked Oklahoma City on Instagram, shouting out Westbrook specifically. 3 seed Portland Trail Blazers. For the second summer in a row, the Thunder shook up their roster. However, for the final 16 minutes of the game, Russell Westbrook (who led the Thunder with 43 points) and Kevin Durant (who had 28 points) were the only two Oklahoma City players able to score. If you buy something from an SB Nation link, Vox Media may earn a commission. Oklahoma City Thunder Playoff Picture - PlayoffStatus.com The Lakers are serious all-in, realizing their clock ticks fast and it's time for the front office . With the first round of the play-in tournament complete, let's take a look at the updated playoff picture as the first round inches closer. If youve watched him all season, Gilgeous-Alexanders stat line was not surprising. Weeks before the start of the season, Oklahoma City announced Durant suffered a Jones fracture in his foot, which would sideline him for the first month. Thunder's loss to Hornets shows OKC not all-in on play-in tournament Including their seasons as the Seattle SuperSonics, this was also the club's fourth Finals appearance, and first since 1996, when they lost to the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls. At this point, it's essentially a two-team race to earn the final spot in the play-in tournament. 1 Denver Nuggets vs. No. There also was the matter of playoff seeding to consider: The Clippers controlled their seed third with a win, fourth with a loss. During the regular season, the 2022-23 Oklahoma City Thunder Thanks to his record-breaking year, Westbrook was named MVP of the 2016-17 season, beating out his two former teammates. Let's just start at the top. In addition to re-signing Westbrook and trading for George, Oklahoma City made a late offseason splash, acquiring all-star Carmelo Anthony from the Knicks in exchange for Enes Kanter, Doug McDermott, and a second-round draft pick. 2016 NBA Playoffs coverage There was more growth by the Thunder in this postseason than at any point of the regular season. Oklahoma City Thunder Basketball - Thunder News, Scores, Stats, Rumors [10] In addition, Daequan Cook faced the team that traded him to the Thunder in 2010. Pascal Siakam will now be in the last year of his deal. Steph Curry makes buzzer beating eagle putt to claim American Century Championship victory. Oklahoma City was also heavily interested in signing free agent big man Al Horford, who had played under Donovan in college at Florida. With Westbrook taking a bit of a backseat and Anthony off the team, George put together a stellar first half of the season. Both the New Orleans Pelicans and the Oklahoma City Thunder sit at 44-37 overall, but the Pelicans own the tiebreaker thanks to this: Both teams have the chance to make the playoffs as the eighth . The longest losing streak that the Oklahoma City Thunder had during the Dallas won this years season series, 2-1, beginning with a 51-point victory in the seasons third game. Mar 22, 2023 3:43 PM EDT In this story: Oklahoma City Thunder Oklahoma City continues to ride the hot hand with just a few games left on the 2022-23 slate. Overview The Oklahoma City Thunder have played a total of 56 seasons. Your login session has expired. While other teams are floundering and struggling to fill gaps on their roster, they'll have a complete team with players ready to go. Oklahoma City Thunder | History & Notable Players | Britannica Yes. However, with three young superstars and a good supporting cast, it felt like there were better times ahead. Four days ago, I couldnt even lift my shoulder, he said after Game 1 of the playoffs. The chances of re-signing him didnt look good. The ingredients combined to create a season finale with little intensity but, for the Clippers, also set in motion a first-round playoff series against Dallas brimming with it. r/Thunder on Reddit: Remember in the playoffs where every fan would ESPN Radio aired it as well and had Jim Durham, Jack Ramsey and Hubie Brown as commentators.[18]. With the other Thunder players struggling to make their shots, Miami was able to pull away in the end, largely thanks to late-game heroics from LeBron James, Mario Chalmers and Dwyane Wade. [12], The Heat defeated the Thunder 100-96 in Game 2, tying the series at one game a piece and giving the Thunder their first home playoff loss of the season. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. After missing 30 games with a pinched nerve in his back, Ibaka played the last two games of the season. This is Mike Sykes. Reactions on Twitter were filled with praise for the Thunder and the promise that many hope the future brings for them: More:'He's making Hamilton his': How Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's hometown shaped him. Find out the latest on your favorite NBA teams on CBSSports.com. That same day, Westbrook posted a picture of cupcakes on Instagram. 2 pick Chet Holmgren went down with a season-ending foot injury in August.
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