Monthly Archives: September 2018

Thunder At A Glance – 13 September 2018

Thunder At a Glance, , , , , , ,

img_4063Royce Young (ESPN) on the news of Russell Westbrook having arthroscopic knee surgery on his right knee: “Westbrook experienced some stiffness in the knee over the past week during individual workouts while preparing for training camp. He elected to have a standard scope as a pre-emptive “maintenance” procedure rather than potentially dealing with issues throughout the season.”

Erik Horne (NewsOK) talks to NBATV about the Westbrook surgery. 

OKCThunder.com looks at the summer that Alex Abrines had: “Abrines took the leap with his longtime girlfriend Carla this summer, and the Thunder will be looking for him to do the same on the court heading into training camp and the 2018-19 campaign. In a league that relies massively on shooting and playmaking from the perimeter, Abrines holds the qualities that could make him a crucial member of the rotation. The key, however, is for those offensive gifts to be combined with a defensive integrity and versatility that fits into the Thunder’s gameplan.” Continue reading Thunder At A Glance – 13 September 2018 →

Russell Westbrook undergoes arthroscopic procedure

News, Offseason Beat,

img_6316The Oklahoma City Thunder announced on Wednesday that All-Star guard Russell Westbrook underwent a successful arthroscopic procedure on his right knee. The statement stated that Westbrook experienced some inflammation in his knee over the weekend and Westbrook, his advisers, and the team decided it would be best to have the “proactive” procedure. The surgery was performed by Dr. Neal El’Attrache at the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic in Los Angeles, Ca.

Last year, Westbrook missed part of training camp after electing to have a PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) injection in his left knee after experiencing some discomfort in that knee. Five years ago, Westbrook suffered a torn meniscus on his right knee in Game 1 of their playoff series against the Houston Rockets when Patrick Beverly ran into Westbrook’s knee going for a steal attempt as Westbrook slowed down to call a timeout.

Complications while recovering from the initial meniscus surgery necessitated a second surgery at the beginning of the 2013-14 season. Westbrook had to go under the knife for a third time in December of that year due to increased swelling in his knee. In total, Westbrook had three surgeries on his right knee over an 8 month period in 2013. He’s been relatively healthy since then, missing only 20 games total since the end of the 2013-14 season.

Since then, Westbrook has had two triple-double seasons, has led the league in scoring twice, and won the 2017 NBA MVP. According to the Thunder, Westbrook will be re-evaluated in 4 weeks. The addition of Dennis Schroder means the Thunder will at least head into the preseason with a viable replacement for Westbrook. Something the team hasn’t had in a while. The Thunder’s first regular season game is October 16th, against the Golden State Warriors in Oakland, Ca.

 

Thunder At A Glance – 12 September 2018

Thunder At a Glance, , , , , ,

img_4063Jon Hamm (Bleacher Report) on the Thunder need to show before they can become the West’s 2nd best team: “But in order for that to happen, Westbrook is going to have to surrender a degree of control, since he can’t pass the ball to himself. Having continuity with center Steven Adams and George, plus the addition of Schroder may make him more comfortable with relaxing his grip on the offense.”

Michael Bolin (247 Sports) says former Thunder center Dakari Johnson will sign with a team in China: “According to a report from the Chinese newspaper Jinan Times, Johnson has come to an agreement with the Qingdao Eagles on a deal that will bring the former Kentucky Wildcats standout to Asia as a professional for the first time in his career.” Continue reading Thunder At A Glance – 12 September 2018 →

Too Quick To Forget: 10 Facts About Nerlens Noel

Random Thoughts, , , ,

noel dre

On July 2nd it was announced that Nerlens Noel was signing with the Oklahoma City Thunder for 2 years at the veteran minimum. That’s right, the guy that refused to sign a 4 year/$70 million deal with the Mavericks signed for vet min with the Thunder. With Paul George, Jerami Grant, and Ray Felton all re-signing, signing Deonte Burton, drafting and signing Hamidou Diallo, and of course the trade that saw Carmelo Anthony shipped elsewhere in return for Dennis Schröder and Timothé Luwawu Cabarrot… people tend to forget about Nerlens. Well that’s because not many people know a lot about him.

Well as Lin Manuel Miranda as Alexander Hamilton said in the Hip Hop Musical “Hamilton”:

“(ENTER: ME)”

As not only a Thunder fan, but a MASSIVE Kentucky Wildcats fan (#BBN), I am here to shed as much light on the player, and personality that Nerlens Noel is.

Sit back, grab yourself a snack (maybe even a hotdog), and enjoy. Continue reading Too Quick To Forget: 10 Facts About Nerlens Noel →

Thunder At A Glance – 11 September 2018

Thunder At a Glance, , , , , , ,

img_4063Erik Horne (NewsOK) with a preview of what could be the Thunder’s new City edition jerseys: “On Monday, Red Earth – a non-profit which promotes the traditions of American Indian arts and cultures – posted photos of the new uniforms on its Twitter page. Those photos are accurate, The Oklahoman learned.”

Horne (NewsOK) on Team USA selecting Bryce Alford of the Oklahoma City Blue to play on the USA World Cup Qualifying Team: “The FIBA World Cup Qualifying games are used to qualify nations that will compete in the 2019 FIBA World Cup in China, as well as seven nations to the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Coached by former NBA head coach Jeff Van Gundy, the team will begin the second round of qualifying on Sept. 14 against Uruguay in Las Vegas, then play Panama on Sept. 17 in Panama City.” Continue reading Thunder At A Glance – 11 September 2018 →

Thunder At A Glance – 10 September 2018

Thunder At a Glance, , , , , ,

Friend of the site, Stephen Dolan of Thunderous Intentions was correct about Andre Roberson’s involvement with shooting coach Chris “Lethal Shooter” Matthews: “Now, with this knowledge firmly in hand, we can move on to hopes and dreams. In an ideal world, Dre would shoot 40 percent from three, 85 percent from the line, and heal with the speed of Wolverine. But even in our dreams, let’s try to be reasonable.”

Congrats to Thunder assistant coach Maurice Cheeks on his induction to the NBA Hall Of Fame.

https://youtu.be/BwAdZquXl-0 Continue reading Thunder At A Glance – 10 September 2018 →

Thunder At A Glance – 07 September 2018

Thunder At a Glance, , , , , ,

img_4063Nick Gallo (OKCThunder.com) talks about Dennis Schroder’s journey to the NBA: “Dennis always heard that when people pass away, family and friends around them sometimes do things they regret. He aimed to not fall down that path. As a result, he dove headfirst into basketball, relying on his coach Calin to help him develop a mindset and tenacity to help him not just overcome his slight frame, but to amplify his talents when he shot up to 6-foot-1.”

Patrick Patterson discusses using Mueller Sports Medicine products in this paid ad on Sports Illustrated: “These experiences with injury helped him push through recovery from knee surgery a year ago, just as he was set to begin the regular season with a new team. “I was nervous at first because I’ve never had any kind of knee issues before,” Patterson discloses. “But thankfully, with the great team I have around me, we were able to find the best solution and address the issue. Now I feel great.” Continue reading Thunder At A Glance – 07 September 2018 →

Thunder At A Glance – 06 September 2018

Thunder At a Glance, , , , , , , , , ,

img_4063Royce 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 – 06 September 2018 →

Thunder At A Glance – 05 September 2018

Thunder At a Glance, , , , , , , ,

img_4063Nick 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 Thunder At A Glance – 05 September 2018 →