Category Archives: NTTB Rumblings

Daily Thunder Rumblings – 12 September 2017

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Russell Westbrook was on the Jimmy Fallon Show last night and it was awesome.

A chronology of Paul George’s recent history with the Pacers that led him to this point. I don’t think Thunder fans will like the end of the timeline, though.

Lottery reform is on the agenda again, and the Thunder have a history of pushing back against any proposed lottery reform: “In 2014, Presti lobbied against lottery reform which would have given all 30 teams an equal chance at the first pick, citing how such a system could hurt organizations in small markets. ESPN’s Zach Lowe reported at the time that NBA owners voted 17-13 in favor of lottery reform then. The league needed 23 “yes” votes to pass the rule. The Thunder voted, no.”

Enes Kanter holding a camp for kids in Oklahoma City.

It’s from about 6 months ago, but this is an interesting read from training camp invitee Bryce Alford on the Player’s Tribune: “After almost four years here at UCLA, I like to think I haven’t let the haters bother me too much — I like to think that I’ve never cracked. There was one time, though. It was in a game my sophomore season. I can’t remember who we were playing, but we won. And — the strangest thing about it — I played fine, if not pretty well. At least I thought so. But as I was walking off the court, I heard a voice behind me.”

Daily Thunder Rumblings – 11 September 2017

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NBA.com previews the Oklahoma City Thunder: “Whoever had Oklahoma City in the George trade pool should go immediately to Las Vegas and bet heavy. Almost out of nowhere, the Thunder emerged as winners in the George sweepstakes and one year after losing Durant have added a star to side next to Westbrook. Not only did OKC pull it off, nudging aside other suitors such as the Cavs and Celtics and Lakers, but the price was surprisingly low. The Thunder surrendered Oladipo, a good but not spectacular guard that they foolishly paid like a superstar two summers ago, and Sabonis, their 2016 No. 1 pick who was inconsistent. The trade surprised many observers given what it cost OKC, and even if George turns out to be a one-year rental, it’s no big deal.”

Andre Roberson and Patrick Patterson make ESPN’s top 100.

If you’re into fantasy basketball, here’s your guide to the Thunder: “Thanks to the Oklahoma City Thunder’s offseason moves, Westbrook may have trouble replicating his league-winning impact from last season. Rather than playing alongside a marginalized Victor Oladipo in the backcourt, he’ll now have an All-Star teammate in the form of Paul George and a grizzled veteran in Patrick Patterson accompanying Steven Adams in the frontcourt. While OKC likely boosted its chances of a deep playoff run with its roster makeover, Westbrook should have less on his plate offensively this season.” Continue reading Daily Thunder Rumblings – 11 September 2017 →

Daily Thunder Rumblings – 08 September 2017

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Jonathan J. Bates of WTLC looks at a potential death line-up for the Thunder: “The Thunder welcome two significant additions this season: Paul George and Patrick Patterson. It is not only that they are better players, but also the skill sets they bring that will radically change the Thunder. George shot 46.1 percent from the field and 39.3 percent from downtown per game. Patterson shot 37 percent from the three point line and averaged 6.8 points. 6.8 points seems low, but he only averaged 24 minutes per game as the fourth scoring option on the team. The Raptors only used him (Usage Rate). According to Scott Rafferty of Fansided, Patterson knocked down 36.9 percent of his catch-and-shoot 3-pointers.”

Dan Feldman of NBC Sports looks at the premise of the Thunder being a two superstar team once again: “Durant is better than George, sure. But Westbrook now is also better than the Westbrook who played with Durant. George might also fit better with Westbrook than Durant did, which can go a long way in overcoming the talent deficit. For a star, George is exceptionally comfortable off the ball – important as Westbrook dove headfirst into controlling everything post-Durant last season. George can also be a lockdown defender. And when Westbrook sits, George can dominate the offense himself.” Continue reading Daily Thunder Rumblings – 08 September 2017 →

Daily Thunder Rumblings – 07 September 2017

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This season should be a bit of a resurgence for Steven Adams: “Number one, spacing should NOT be an issue this year. Patterson is considered the ultimate addition not because of his ability to score or convert, but instead, how he will be Westbrook and George’s ultimate pocket tool to create space and offensive opportunities. With that in mind, the constant fear of lack of space and depth for Westbrook to succeed shouldn’t be on Adams’ mind, allowing him to attack the rim, snatch balls away, and be the monster of a player he was born to be.”

Back to things that really matter: Patrick Patterson wants you to choose who has the best dog between he and a few of his former teammates.  Continue reading Daily Thunder Rumblings – 07 September 2017 →

Daily Thunder Rumblings – 06 September 2017

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img_4133-5Woke up this morning and it was a bit chilly! Fall is coming. Basketball is coming! Here are the Rumblings…

R.K. Anthony of WTLC says if Steven Adams is to be successful this season, he needs to work on his post moves: “Watch the Adams, Kanter, and Sabonis practice video again. Kanter and Sabonis utilize a hop catch. Perhaps without a great deal of enthusiasm or on every single rep, but the fundamental is there in their back-to-basket game. But Adams never executes one … ever. If the Thunder wants Adams to develop a back to the basket post game, it is imperative they remember how raw he still is for his age and must follow the basics on every rep, starting with his footwork BEFORE he catches the ball.” Continue reading Daily Thunder Rumblings – 06 September 2017 →

Daily Thunder Rumblings – 05 September 2017

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img_4133-5A new week, starting a day later. Short work week. Let’s get it started. Here are the Rumblings.

A look at what Paul George will add to the Thunder via advanced statistics: “Anthony Morrow looks like something of a small sample size outlier — he’s known for his shooting not his driving prowess, and those numbers would likely have reversed if he had played more minutes. Westbrook ranks slightly above average in both areas. Alex Abrines was a solid shooter but didn’t offer much as an off-the-dribble creator. Jerami Grant’s numbers look extremely interesting but, again, small sample size is a concern here — Grant averaged 0.84 points per drive on 155 drives last season after averaging 0.72 points per drive on 523 drives over the previous two seasons. We see the same thing with his catch-and-shoot numbers — 39.4 percent on 109 attempts last year, 29.7 percent on 279 attempts his first two seasons.”

A couple images of Westbrook’s tour in China promoting Jordan brand.  Continue reading Daily Thunder Rumblings – 05 September 2017 →

Daily Thunder Rumblings – 01 September 2017

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img_4133-5Wake up, wake up, wake up, it’s the first of the month……Here are the Rumblings.

Nick Gallo of OKCThunder.com looks at Jerami Grant’s impact on the team: “Heading into his second season with the Thunder, Grant will get a chance to get his feet under him a little more thanks to a full training camp with Head Coach Billy Donovan. A chance to integrate on the group during a month straight of practice was a privilege Grant wasn’t afforded last season when he was acquired in a trade just a week into the season. His fellow wing Andre Roberson called the trade a turning point early in the year for the Thunder. Part of the reason why is Grant’s flexibility as a player, which helped the Thunder immensely when it came to choosing lineups, rotations and matchups.”

Russell Westbrook is bringing a comedy show to Oklahoma City.  Continue reading Daily Thunder Rumblings – 01 September 2017 →

Daily Thunder Rumblings – 31 August 2017

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img_4133-5End of the month. Man, August felt long. On to September and training camp. Here are the Rumblings.

Vegas has projected the Thunder to win 51.5 games. Here’s a rundown from NewsOK of the odds for the entire league.

The deadline to waive a player and use the stretch provision expires today. Brett Dawson says, “Don’t expect the Thunder to use it this season.”

GQ chronicled Westbrook and his dad sneakers: “Why not? Those might be Russell Westbrook’s favorite words, appended to most of the all-world guard’s Instagram posts. They explain his explosive on-court style (Why not slalom through five defenders?), and his off-court style, too. Why not wear an ab-bearing t-shirt? Why not wear overalls? Why not wear a pair of Nike Air Monarch IVs, the Swoosh’s famously ugly dad sneakers?” Continue reading Daily Thunder Rumblings – 31 August 2017 →

Daily Thunder Rumblings – 30 August 2017

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img_4133-5Welcome to the Rumblings. Let’s get over the hump (day)!

Kenneth Teape of Thunderous Intentions says the anxiety is growing with every passing day in regards to Russell Westbrook’s extension: “Last offseason, a motivating factor for Westbrook to sign that extension with an out clause was to hit the 10-year plateau of playing in the NBA. When a player hits 10 years of service, his max contract earnings increase. A 10-year veteran could sign a contract worth 35 percent of a team’s cap. That timeline meant that Westbrook could opt out of his contract in 2018 and reevaluate his future. It gave the Thunder a chance to put a competitive team around Westbrook, which they did. The Thunder were able to acquire Paul George via trade with the Indiana Pacers, arguably the biggest surprise of the offseason.”

Albert Dadson of Thunderous Intentions looks at Doug McDermott looking to improve his role this upcoming season: “In his senior season in 2013-14, he won the AP Player of the Year award, the Naismith Player of the Year award, and the John R. Wooden award. He also became the first player in 30 years to make the All-American team three straight years. Some players that have done that are Wayman Tisdale, Patrick Ewing and Bill Walton. All the players that have accomplished this feat have made the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.” Continue reading Daily Thunder Rumblings – 30 August 2017 →

Daily Thunder Rumblings – 29 August 2017

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img_4133-5Still feeling bad for Houston. Sending good vibes their way. Here are the Rumblings.

Former Thunder player Anthony Morrow was pulled over in Commerce, Ga, and had a less than pleasurable experience: “Next question out of his mouth is: ‘Are there any drugs or guns or large amounts of cash in this car?’ I’m like: ‘No, I don’t do drugs, I don’t smoke, I don’t do [any] of that’ He nods at my car, he says: ‘what’s that odor?’ I say: ‘That’s called a vape, it’s a vaporizer. You can buy it any store, it’s legal. It’s not even tobacco.’ OK, cool. He takes my registration and my license. He leaves, comes back. ‘Are you sure there’s nothing in this car that’s going to get you in trouble or get you, you know, in jail?’ Basically.”

Russell Westbrook offers a sneak-peak at some of the new Thunder Nike gear.  Continue reading Daily Thunder Rumblings – 29 August 2017 →