Tag: Luca Doncic

OKC’s winning-streak snapped in 107-97 loss to Mavericks

Dennis Schroder got the start in place of Chris Paul and led the Thunder with 20 points. Three other players were in double-digits.

Oklahoma City had their five-game winning streak snapped on Monday night a 107-97 home loss to the Dallas Mavericks.

The evening featured multiple tributes to Kobe Bryant, who died on Sunday morning along with his daughter Gianna and seven others when the helicopter they were traveling in crashed 40 miles outside of Los Angeles.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander wore a Kobe No. 8 home jersey into Chesapeake Energy Arena and both he and Dennis Schroder wore Kobes during pregame.

Multiple players paid tribute to Kobe with their shoes, either wearing Kobes or writing messages of condolences to Bryant, Gianna and the victims on the sides.

As the games did yesterday, Monday’s matchup between the Thunder and the Mavs started with a moment of silence, followed by violations on each team’s opening possession. Dallas won the tip and took an 8-second violation in honor of Kobe’s first number, followed by OKC, who took a 24-second shot clock violation to honor the number he wore at the end.

Chris Paul did not play on Monday night for personal reasons. He was not with the team and Billy Donovan did not elaborate on the situation surrounding his point guard. It was the first game he had missed all season.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is now the only player on the Thunder to start every game.

He scored 16 points on 5-of-20 shooting from the field, leading Donovan to tell reporters, including Erik Horne of The Athletic, “he didn’t have a great offensive night”.

Dennis Schroder got the starting nod and led OKC with 21 points. Danilo Gallinari and Deonte Burton were also in double-figures.

Nerlens Noel also returned to the rotation after missing Saturday’s game after surgery to repair a fractured cheek. Noel scored nine points in 19 minutes.

Mavs star Luca Doncic led all scorers with 29 as part of a double-double.

Oklahoma City is back in action on Wednesday when they head to the West Coast to take on the Sacramento Kings.

Schroder and Gallinari return to each score 20 in win over Mavericks

Chris Paul hit the go-ahead shot with 40.6 seconds remaining as OKC beat Dallas 106-101. The Thunder finish the month of December 11-4.

It was quite the return for both Dennis Schroder and Danilo Gallinari.

Both players returned from ankle injuries to score 20 apiece in Oklahoma City’s come from behind win over the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday night.

Schroder had missed Sunday’s game against the Raptors with a sore right ankle while Gallinari had missed four games with a sore left ankle.

While Schroder and Gallo were the driving force for OKC throughout the night, the fourth quarter belonged to Chris Paul.

Paul scored 13 of his 17 points in the final frame, including the go-ahead bucket with 40.9 seconds remaining.

Schroder and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander each hit a pair of free throws to complete the 106-101 victory.

Three other players were in double-digits for the Thunder. Gilgeous-Alexander had 19, Nerlens Noel chipped in 12, while Steven Adams added 10.

Luca Doncic scored a game-high 35 as part of a double-double. Terrance Ferguson drew the starting defensive assignment but quickly found himself in foul trouble. Oklahoma City also used Paul and Schroder against Doncic, in an attempt to at least slow him down.

Hamidou Diallo also spent some time guarding Doncic. He played 19 minutes and scored four points in his first game back since injuring his right elbow against the Lakers on Nov. 22.

With the win, Oklahoma City improves to 18-15, sitting at three games over .500 for the first time this season, and climbing into the seventh spot in Western Conference standings.

OKC has won seven of their last eight, and finish the month of December 11-4.

The Thunder will start the New Year on the road. They head to San Antonio in the first of a four-game road trip. Oklahoma City and the Spurs square off on Thursday.

Luka Doncic and Ja Morant may provide perspective for Warriors future

Playing against Luka Docic, Ja Morant and Trae Young will give the Golden State Warriors a glimpse of what having a modern lottery pick could look like.

Over the past five seasons, the Golden State Warriors have been a team focused on the now. But without star power filling the void of injured players and one of the worst records in the NBA, it’s time to look to the future.

The Dubs have a few interesting young pieces, but that’s where it ends— a few. Eric Paschall, Ky Bowman and Omari Spellman all have flashed promise at times. But none were blue-chip prospects built to lead the Warriors into the future.

Over recent NBA drafts, there’s been an influx of exciting youngsters bursting into the league. The players available at the top of the NBA draft haven’t garnered much attention in the Bay Area because most fans were focused on Golden State playing deep into the postseason.

With the Warriors currently scheduled to be at the top of the NBA draft lottery, teams with young talent might provide some perspective.

When teams like the Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder and Portland Trail Blazers popped up on the schedule, Warriors fans were excited. Now, teams like the Dallas Mavericks, Atlanta Hawks and Memphis Grizzlies (whom the Warriors will play over the next month) could give fans a glimpse at what having a modern lottery pick will look like.

On the current road trip, the Warriors already played the New Orleans Pelicans, who spent the first overall pick in 2019 on Zion Williamson out of Duke. Due to injury, Williamson hasn’t made his debut yet, but that doesn’t mean the Dubs won’t get a shot at a top pick soon.

The Warriors head to Dallas to face phenom Luka Doncic. The Slovenian isn’t only one of the league’s most talented youngsters, he’s one of the league’s most exciting players overall. The reigning Rookie of the Year is averaging 30.6 points, 10.3 assists and 11.6 rebounds per game in November. What doesn’t show on the stat sheet is how Doncic controls the game for the Mavs. He’s a true court general with the swagger that looks like he’s going to cause problems in the Western Conference for years to come.

After Doncic, the Warriors will get a taste of the favorite for the 2019-20 Rookie of the Year award: Ja Morant, another impressive point guard who is leading Memphis into a new era of “grit and grind.” Similar to Doncic, Morant’s feel for the game is that of a veteran. He has the confidence and swagger of a veteran. If you doubt him, he’ll make you pay.

Over the next 10 games, the Warriors will get to see a bevy of recent lottery picks, also including Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Tyler Herro, Coby White, Lauri Markkanen, Markelle Fultz, PJ Washington, Malik Monk and, for the grand finale, Trae Young. All players picked in the top 13 with the average age of 20.5, Markkanen is the old man of the group, at 22. Paschall, Bowman and Spellman are all 22 or older, with Jordan Poole the only Warrior under 21.

As exciting as it is to play against All-Stars like LeBron James, James Harden and Giannis Antetokounmpo, it’s important to gauge the type of talent the Warriors could be getting in the June draft. If Golden State’s season finishes on its current trajectory, the Warriors will have a chance to acquire a talent similar to Doncic, Morant or Young.