Tag Archives: Russell Westbrook

NTTB Rumblings – 09 February 2018

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img_4063Fred Katz (Norman Transcript) on the quietness of the trade deadline outside of Cleveland: “The Thunder, of course, were in that category: active in conversations without anything tangible to show for it. It’s a new normal for the NBA, where teams were weary about taking on longterm money and trading first-round draft picks inside a more fiscally conservative environment.”

Erik Horne (NewsOK) on why he thinks the trade deadline was so quiet: “Could a deal have been done? Yes. Would it have made the Thunder better? The team didn’t think so. The same could be said for the Spurs, Rockets, Celtics and Warriors. The Thunder wasn’t the only team among the contenders in their respective conferences who held off from making a roster-altering decision on Thursday.” Continue reading NTTB Rumblings – 09 February 2018 →

Thunder @ Lakers preview (Game 56 of 82)

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  • When: Thursday, 08 February at 9:30 pm CST
  • Where: Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA
  • TV: TNT/FSOK
  • Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1 FM, 640 AM, 930 AM (Spanish))
  • Line: OKC -3.5 | O/U – 216.5

The Set-Up: For many teams, the game after the trade deadline is a battle of attrition. The players that were traded away, of course, will not be available for their old team. And, unfortunately, because of travel and needing to get physicals, won’t be available for their new teams either. With injuries and transacted players, some teams are left with rosters the size of playoff rotations. Continue reading Thunder @ Lakers preview (Game 56 of 82) →

NTTB Rumblings – 08 February 2018

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img_4063Sam Amick (USA Today) on Paul George’s upcoming free agency decision: “He’s well aware how his choice will affect the lives of others, from his actual family to this Thunder group that wants so badly for him to return alongside Russell Westbrook. So he picks his words wisely, even goes over old interviews to make sure he’s saying what he means and meaning what he says. Yet as the 3 pm EST trade deadline nears on Thursday, and with the Thunder (31-24) set to face the very Lakers team that is widely seen as the No. 1 threat for his services, there’s one thing that is helping him be more at ease: he’s not going anywhere just yet – if ever.”

Russell Westbrook and Paul George are here to take your basketball.

Paul George had a big fan at the Warriors’ game: Former Fresno State Bulldog Derek Carr of the Oakland Raiders.  Continue reading NTTB Rumblings – 08 February 2018 →

NTTB Rumblings – 02 February 2018

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img_4063Russell Westbrook had an incident with a fan after the Nuggets game: “You gotta be able to protect the players, man,” he said. “The fans are obviously there to enjoy the game, but they can’t come onto the floor. That’s totally unacceptable.”

Nick Gallo’s (OKCThunder.com) post-game recap: “After giving up 40, 32 and 32 points in the first three periods, the Thunder’s defense suddenly tightened up in the fourth quarter behind a grimy, scrappy effort by the second unit and scintillating performances by Paul George and Russell Westbrook down the stretch. With just 1.4 seconds left in regulation, the Thunder had allowed just 20 fourth quarter points.”

In addition to being in the All-Star Game, Paul George will also be in the 3-point shooting contest.  Continue reading NTTB Rumblings – 02 February 2018 →

Thunder @ Wizards preview (Game 51 of 82)

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okc logo atWashington-Wizards

  • When: Tuesday, 30 January 2018 at 6:00 pm CST
  • Where: Capital One Arena, Washington D.C.
  • TV: FSOK
  • Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1 FM, 640 AM, 930 AM (Spanish))
  • Line: OKC -2.5 | O/U – 219

The Set-Up: Consistency was something the Oklahoma City Thunder struggled with early in the season. They’d play like the best team in the world against the likes of the Golden State Warriors, but then lose by 15 to the struggling Dallas Mavericks. The talent on this team is evident, that is for certain. But it’s a talent that consists of veteran alpha scorers. Guys who tend to get bored when the level of competition on the opposite end of the court is not on par with them.  Continue reading Thunder @ Wizards preview (Game 51 of 82) →

NTTB Rumblings – 30 January 2018

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img_4063Tamberlyn Richardson (Thunderous Intentions) on Joel Embiid’s maturation process (after posting a picture of him dunking on Westbrook post-loss): “His peers voted Kristaps Porzingis ahead of him to start in the All-Star Game, so either they feel the unicorn was more deserving, or they take issue with his trolling.  Both players are exceptional, but it’s doubtful a majority of GMs would pick Porzingis before Embiid, unless they think he’d be a better chemistry fit.”

I don’t think LaLa Anthony will be signing a long-term contract in Oklahoma City.

Jamie Cooper (Dime Magazine) interviews Paul George on a wide variety of subjects: “But honestly, he doesn’t take anything. It’s a natural energy that he has. He’s just an energetic guy, from practices to playing games. I knew who he was as a competitor, but he wants to win at all costs, and he goes hard like that every day. So, it’s great to be alongside a guy like that.” Continue reading NTTB Rumblings – 30 January 2018 →

NTTB Rumblings – 29 January 2018

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Kevin Pelton (ESPN) on how big the fallout could be from Andre Roberson’s injury: “A number of statistics point to Roberson’s value at the defensive end of the court. According to NBA Advanced Metrics, the Thunder have allowed 11.8 more points per 100 possessions this season with Roberson on the bench. And when Roberson missed 10 games earlier this season, mostly with tendinitis in the patellar tendon he injured Saturday, Oklahoma City’s defense wasn’t the same. The Thunder allowed opponents to score 2.8 percent more efficiently than their usual offensive rating in those 10 games, as compared to holding them 3.2 percent below their typical efficiency with Roberson.”

Des Bieler (Washington Post) with a recap of the Thunder/Wizards game: “Later in the game, OKC’s Paul George made a valiant attempt to exact revenge on Westbrook’s behalf — “I was trying to finish that one,” he said after the game — by throwing down a titanic jam. George failed, but he earned a trip to the free throw line and, one would imagine, his teammate’s gratitude.” Continue reading NTTB Rumblings – 29 January 2018 →

Thunder beat the Sixers 122-112 on the second night of a back to back

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Box Score

With their minds on their fallen comrade and playing their third game in four nights, the Oklahoma City Thunder took to the court on Sunday with heavy legs and heavier hearts. If their previous meeting with the Philadelphia 76ers was any indicator, the Thunder knew this would be a 48 minute (or 63 minute) kind of game.

A lot of the first quarter was focused on the interactions between Joel Embiid and Russell Westbrook, who had a little bit of a spat at the end of their first meeting in Philadelphia earlier this season. It didn’t disappoint early on as Embiid had a clean drive to the basket after losing Steven Adams on the perimeter and had only Westbrook in between himself and the basket. Westbrook tried to take a charge, but Embiid went up and created a poster. The rest of the first quarter was back and forth affair with the Thunder taking a two point lead heading into the second. Paul George paced the Thunder in the first frame with 13 points on 4/8 shooting from the field. Continue reading Thunder beat the Sixers 122-112 on the second night of a back to back →

76ers vs. Thunder preview (Game 50 of 82)

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  • When: Sunday, 28 January 2018 at 5:00 pm CST
  • Where: Chesapeake Energy Arena, Oklahoma City, OK
  • TV: ESPN/FSOK
  • Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1 FM, 640 AM, 930 AM (Spanish))
  • Line: OKC -4.0 | O/U – 213

Star date: Day 1, post Andre Roberson.

The Injury Reaper was busy on Friday and Saturday. It went on an easterly track, going from New Orleans to Memphis and then, finally, to Detroit. It took out three key players that will have an impact on the rest of the season moving forward. The first victim was New Orleans Pelicans big man DeMarcus Cousins, who was struck down by a torn Achilles tendon on Friday. Then Saturday morning, the Memphis Grizzlies released a statement stating point guard Mike Conley, who had been out since November, would miss the remainder of the season with surgery on his bothersome heel/foot. Continue reading 76ers vs. Thunder preview (Game 50 of 82) →

NTTB Podcast (Episode 25) – Get Well, Andre

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IMG_4109On Episode 25 of the NTTB podcast,we discuss the following topics:

  • The Impact of Andre Roberson’s Injury
  • Line-up Changes
  • Trade Possibilities
  • Week in Review – Wins against Brooklyn, Washington, and Detroit
  • Paul George in the All-Star Game
  • PG’s quotes on his upcoming free agency decision
  • 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 under the NTTB Podcast. Make sure you leave us a 5-star review if you can. As always, Thunder Up!