Tag: Oklahoma City Thunder

Lu Dort reveals details of defensive-themed Thunder group chat

Lu Dort reveals details of defensive-themed Thunder group chat.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have a tight-knit group. The young roster has allowed several players to relate to each other as they all have similar experiences in the league.

That bond doesn’t just stop beyond the court. It also translates digitally. As the Thunder prepare for Game 3 with a chance to go up 3-0 over the New Orleans Pelicans, Lu Dort revealed several of his teammates share a defensive-themed group chat.

Dort said the group chat’s purpose is to send footage of defensive plays to help improve each other on that end of the floor. It’s helped as the Thunder finished with the fourth-best defensive rating in the league this season.

“It’s kinda some new stuff every day. We watch a lot of clips,” Dort said. “Whenever we got something new to talk about, we’ll be there talking about it.”

He also listed the members of the five-person chat: himself, Cason Wallace, Aaron Wiggins, Keyontae Johnson and assistant coach David Akinyooye.

This is an interesting peek behind the curtains of the Thunder’s relationship dynamics. Dort is one of the best perimeter defenders in the league and has done a wonderful job of limiting Brandon Ingram through two games of the first-round series.

The fact they share a group chat shows this group’s togetherness. Sharing information and being a knowledge sponge can only result in positives in both an individual and group level.

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams get votes for 2023-24 Clutch Player of the Year

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams get votes for 2023-24 Clutch Player of the Year.

The NBA announced Stephen Curry as its 2023-24 Clutch Player of the Year award winner. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who was a finalist for the honor, finished third in voting.

Gilgeous-Alexander collected 160 points: 11 first-place votes, 29 second-place votes and 18 third-place votes. Jalen Williams had one third-place vote for one point.

The 25-year-old scored 112 points on 58% shooting in clutch situations this season, which the league defined as being within five points in the final five minutes of a contest.

The full Clutch Player of the Year voting results can be read below:

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Gilgeous-Alexander turns his ambitions to the 2023-24 MVP award. He was named a finalist for the prestigious award with Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic.

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Mark Daigneault discusses Josh Giddey’s first 2 playoff games, what he’s liked from him

Mark Daigneault discusses Josh Giddey’s first 2 playoff games, what he’s liked from him.

The first two playoff games have produced mixed results for Josh Giddey, which also accurately describes his third season overall.

After struggling for most of the season with consistency, he had a strong finish. He played some of the best basketball of his career during the last month-plus of his campaign. The 21-year-old pointed to a switch of mindset for the turnaround.

In Game 1 against the New Orleans Pelicans, he was limited to two points on 1-of-6 shooting in 20 minutes. He subbed out with 10 minutes left in the contest and didn’t check back in.

In the Thunder’s Game 2 blowout win, Giddey was much better. He finished with 13 points, six rebounds and three assists. He was a plus-28 in 26 minutes.

Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault talked about Giddey’s first two playoff games and noted how well he has graded out as a defender along with the playmaking he provides.

“He’s played really hard defensively. We’ve moved him around. We had him on Murphy in Game 1,” Daigneault said. “Last night he was on Murphy and a mix of Herb Jones and other guys.

“I felt last night offensively, he did a good job of helping us initiate the blender with early passes. The possession that ended with a Wiggins cut that forced the timeout for them — that possession started with him moving it out of a pick-and-roll with Chet.

“That kinda got us going. That’s what he needs to do for us. That’s really helpful for us. When he’s advancing the ball up the floor and when he’s getting the thing started for us.”

If the Thunder are going to make a deep playoff run, they’ll need the version of Giddey from Game 2 rather than Game 1 more often.

It’s been an odd fit at times, but when the third-year guard has it going, he adds another advantage for OKC as a playmaker who can finish around the rim.

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Chet Holmgren explains Nike commercial with Kevin Durant, hopes for future work together

Chet Holmgren explains Nike commercial with Kevin Durant, hopes for future work together.

Since entering the league, Chet Holmgren has been open about his admiration for Kevin Durant. Both players have several similarities.

They’re 7-foot unicorns selected with the No. 2 pick of their respective drafts by the Oklahoma City Thunder. In Holmgren’s rookie season, he has made a major impact on OKC’s success as an elite shot-blocker who can handle and space the floor.

The duo was recently featured in a Nike commercial. Holmgren was part of Nike’s commercial advertising their new KD 17s. Durant narrated the commercial as Holmgren talked about setting his legacy.

Before the Thunder’s Game 2 against the New Orleans Pelicans, Holmgren discussed making the commercial. He said his relationship with Durant played a role in the process.

“That came through a Nike partnership. Having a relationship between me and Kev, too,” Holmgren said. “I thought it was a cool collab and a good look for both of us. I don’t see it being the last thing we work on together down the road.”

As one can probably predict, Thunder fans ran with the last sentence, claiming it might be the 21-year-old hinting at a potential reunion between Durant and OKC. The 35-year-old is a free agent in 2026.

The future Hall-of-Famer has also spoken highly of the Thunder in recent history. He’s fondly talked about his nine-year tenure with the Thunder and how it helped him establish himself in the league.

While a Durant return would rival the best of Hollywood scripts, Holmgren’s quote doesn’t hint at that possibility one way or the other — much to the disappointment of social media.

Holmgren likely hinted at future work with Durant related to Nike. Not on the court. Both athletes are among the faces of the brand. The rookie center had a recent interview with Boardroom, which Durant owns.

That doesn’t necessarily rule out the possibility of Durant returning to the Thunder, but Holmgren’s answer shouldn’t play a role in how someone feels about the odds of that reunion.

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Full injury report for Wednesday’s Pelicans vs. Thunder Game 2 matchup

Full injury report for Wednesday’s Pelicans vs. Thunder Game 2 matchup.

The Oklahoma City Thunder look to go up 2-0 against the New Orleans Pelicans in the first round of the 2024 NBA playoffs on Wednesday.

The Thunder have a clean bill of health for Game 2. Nobody was on their injury report.

Meanwhile, the Pelicans will be without Zion Williamson (hamstring strain), who will miss most — if not all — of the first-round series.

The Thunder outlasted the Pelicans in Game 1 with a 94-92 win. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 28 points, including a pair of crucial buckets in the final two minutes to give OKC the close victory. Chet Holmgren had 15 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks.

Tthe Pelicans struggled without Williamson. Brandon Ingram was limited to 12 points on 5-of-17 shooting. C.J. McCollum missed a potential game-winning 3-pointer in the final seconds.

Tipoff from Oklahoma City is set for 8:30 p.m. CT.

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Bringing the artist to life: How Thunder fan Nanae Yamano became an international star

Bringing the artist to life: How Thunder fan Nanae Yamano became an international star.

OKLAHOMA CITY – As the line to meet her rivaled those waiting for the Paycom Center doors to open for Game 1 of the Oklahoma City Thunder’s first-round matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans, Nanae Yamano couldn’t believe her outreach across the world.

The Thunder superfan has been a popular figure in Thunder lore for several years. She is responsible for the cartoon-style drawings the Thunder post on social media almost daily. The artist’s unique style does an excellent job of describing a day’s events in one image.

What makes Yamano’s dedication to the team even more impressive is her location. She lives in Japan, which means most Thunder games don’t tip off until the morning or afternoon in her time. For reference, the Thunder’s Game 1 win ended around lunchtime in Japan.

So how did Yamano stumble across the Thunder when other squads like the Lakers, Warriors and Celtics have a grip on the international market? She said her fandom started with the simple mundane activity of channel surfing.

“In 2012, I saw Russell Westbrook accidentally on TV and became a Thunder fan,” Yamano said.

Scrolling through television, Yamano flipped to the Thunder’s 2012 playoff matchup against the San Antonio Spurs. She was captivated by Russell Westbrook’s unprecedented athleticism and raw emotions.

What started as a simple time-killing activity snowballed into her being one of the most known Thunder fans among the fan base. So much so, the Thunder elected to fly her to the United States to attend the first two games of their first-round series against the Pelicans.

With her flying to Oklahoma City for the first time since 2019, it’s only fitting Yamano was present for the Thunder’s first home playoff game since Westbrook donned the white and blue uniform. 

It also marked the first playoff game for the Thunder’s new nucleus.

Over the last two years, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has developed into one of the best players in the league. Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren round out one of the best trios. Mark Daigneault went from an unknown to a probable Coach of the Year. The fresh-faced Thunder have broken open a new championship window that’ll likely lengthen several years.

Even though the days of Westbrook electrifying OKC are long gone, Yamano’s passion remains strong with the Thunder’s latest iteration. In her first trip to Oklahoma in five years, she has also noticed the core’s impact on the fan base, which is falling in love with this group the way it did with the old group in the early 2010s.

What were once fake beards to impersonate James Harden’s distinctive look have transformed into dangerously loud crowd barks, mimicking the rallying call Jalen Williams and Jaylin Williams have honed throughout the season after wins.

“I like this team,” Yamano said. “I became a fan because of Westbrook but now I love this team.”

As the Thunder hosted a pregame festival at Scissortail Park before Game 1, Yamano had the chance to meet local people who’ve been a fan of her work via a meet-and-greet. As each person expressed their fondness for her work, she learned that local fans’ passion extended beyond the court. It was a surreal experience for the 49-year-old to realize her influence over the rabid fan base.

“It’s a pleasant surprise,” Yamano said on her interactions with fans at the meet-and-greet. “But I’m honored and proud. … They’re saying, ‘I love your art!’ I kept saying, ‘Thank you! I’m honored to meet you guys.’”

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams receive votes for 2023-24 Most Improved Player

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams received votes for 2023-24 Most Improved Player.

The Oklahoma City Thunder had a pair of players receive votes for the 2023-24 Most Improved Player award. Philadelphia 76ers’ Tyrese Maxey won the award.

Jalen Williams finished fourth in voting with 79 points. He received five first-place votes, 11 second-place votes and 21 third-place votes. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander totaled three points with one second-place vote.

This shouldn’t be a shocker. Williams has blossomed into one of the best young wings this with an efficient scoring season. Gilgeous-Alexander has developed into an MVP candidate.

The duo led the Thunder (57-25) to the first seed. They were the youngest top-seed in league history. It was a massive jump from last season, which finished a win shy of the playoffs.

The full voting results:

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Mark Daigneault believes lengthy playoff rotation could be advantage for Thunder

Mark Daigneault believes lengthy playoffs rotation could be advantage for Thunder.

Through one playoff game, Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault has stuck to his guns. The probable Coach of the Year winner spoke several times in preparation for the playoffs about not changing the team’s identity in the postseason.

Daigneault believes the regular season is meant to build a team’s identity. To drastically change that in the playoffs is a sign of wasted opportunity in the 82-game campaign.

The 39-year-old went 11 players deep in the Thunder’s close Game 1 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday. Every player played at least seven minutes in the 94-92 victory.

Daigneault talked about the unconventional approach on Monday after the playoff win. He said it allows rotation players to get game reps and stay warm in case they are needed to step up in their roles due to injuries or adjustments.

“There’s advantages to having depth,” Daigneault said. “There’s probably like a subtle pressure to cut it down arbitrarily but they all played well last night. … You never know what a series is gonna deal you in terms of the hand you have to play.

“If we (played) eight guys last night, and we had to pivot to one of the other three or four that didn’t play. Now you’re like dusting them off. They haven’t gotten in a game yet. They haven’t touched the floor yet. They haven’t gotten a taste yet. And now you’re going to them and it’s somewhat reactive.”

Daigneault also added none of the 11 players who checked into the playoff contest for the Thunder was an obvious weakness, saying all contributed in their ways.

“I didn’t think there was a guy in the game that was like red alarm,” Daigneault said. “I understand there’s norms but we want to expose ourselves to being the best team we can be. We’re willing to do things a little differently.”

As the Thunder go deeper into the playoffs, Daigneault’s approach could be tested. Playoff rotations usually shorten the more wins teams collect. Through the first game, his philosophy has paid off.

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‘They were perfect’: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander comments on Thunder’s playoff crowd

‘They were perfect’: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander comments on Thunder’s playoff crowd.

Even though it’s his third playoff trip, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had yet to make his postseason debut in front of an OKC crowd. That finally changed on Sunday in the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Game 1 win over the New Orleans Pelicans.

The MVP finalist finished with 28 points on 11-of-24 shooting, six rebounds and four assists. This included a pair of massive buckets down the stretch to tie the contest and give OKC the go-ahead lead on a difficult and-one opportunity.

After the win, Gilgeous-Alexander spoke highly of the home crowd. The Thunder have a strong reputation for being one of the best playoff atmospheres and that lived up in Game 1.

Each time Gilgeous-Alexander went to the free-throw line, he was showered with loud MVP chants by the rowdy fans. The crowd also barked during several points of the contest in request from several Thunder players who’ve made the noise their signature call after wins.

“It was amazing, they were exactly what I expected,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “…Even when I wasn’t here and I played here the arena was always electric, always had so much energy and they were perfect.”

This could be the first of several home playoff games for the 25-year-old in OKC. The first-seeded Thunder have a real shot at a deep playoff run and will be a postseason fixture for the foreseeable future with their young core.

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Thunder’s Jalen Williams explained why he literally barked at Jonas Valanunucias during their scuffle

Oklahoma City’s Jalen Williams clearly has that dog in him.

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams is potentially one of the breakout stars of the 2024 NBA postseason.

During his first game of the playoffs, he and New Orleans Pelicans big man Jonas Valanunucias got into a brief kerfuffle. You can watch the dust-up as it happened below, but what you need to know is both parties wanted the ball and neither was willing to back down.

During the back-and-forth, Valanunucias yelled at Williams — who seemed genuinely unfazed by the interaction. If anything, it may have just fired him up a little bit.

Then, if you’ve watched the Thunder a lot this season, something very predictable happened: Williams started barking like a dog, which is what Oklahoma City players often do during postgame walk-off interviews.

If you watch to the end of that video, you can see Williams literally barking at the home crowd in Oklahoma City to get them hyped.

Or just watch the clip below to see the highlight of the bark itself:

After the game, which resulted in an Oklahoma City victory, Williams was asked about what happened during this possession.

His answer was honest, funny, and genuine to the identity of the team.

Here is what he said:

“He yelled in my face and he picked me up off the floor. So I just barked. I don’t know. It was a good energy the whole time. I thought that was pretty cool. I got to bark with the fans. They barked back. Just competitive juices going, both fighting for the ball, it’s kind of playoff basketball. It wasn’t like anything mean. We were just both going at it … It’s kind of hard to recover. Like I said, he picked me up off my feet. I didn’t really have a great response other than to bark.”

Williams and the crowd both continued to lovingly bark at each other as the game progressed.

Then as the game ended, Oklahoma City’s stars (including Williams) all barked during TNT’s walk-off interview.

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