Tag: Tre Mann

Former Gator Tre Mann notches first career triple-double at any level

Tre Mann recorded his first career triple-double ever at any level of competition on Sunday for the Thunder.

It has been a couple of years since former Florida guard Tre Mann departed Gainesville for the National Basketball Association, where he currently serves as a backup on the Oklahoma City Thunder. On Sunday night against the Memphis Grizzlies with both teams primarily playing their reserves in the regular-season finale, the erstwhile Gator notched his first-ever triple-double at any level of competition.

Mann finished with 24 points on 9-for-16 shooting from the field, along with 12 assists and 12 rebounds in 47 minutes of court time. As a reward for his efforts, his teammates drenched him in cold water and Gatorade — a fitting finish for the former Florida standout.

“I seen it coming but I didn’t know they were going to keep coming,” Mann joked, vowing revenge. “I’ll get them back though.”

The feat caps off a rough campaign for Mann, who appeared in 67 games with five starts while averaging 17.7 minutes per game. For the 2022-23 season, he averaged 7.7 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 0.7 steals per game in his year in OKC.

“It was a tough year for me obviously, but I just focus day-to-day trying to get better,” Mann said, “I am a better player than I was last year, just didn’t get to show it this year.”

The Thunder are mired with the 10th seed in the upcoming NBA playoffs while the Grizzlies are way up at the second seed. The ninth-seeded Pelicans lost, which means they will host the Thunder in their play-in tournament game on Wednesday, April 12, on ESPN.

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Player grades: Tre Mann collects triple-double in 115-100 win over Grizzlies

Player grades for the Thunder’s 115-100 win over the Grizzlies on Sunday.

OKLAHOMA CITY — With both teams playing their backups, the Oklahoma City Thunder collected their 40th win of the season in a 115-100 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies.

OKC finishes 40-42, a 16-win improvement from last year. That is a much better record than the general consensus suggested before the season.

This game marked the regular-season finale for both teams, which elected to sit their starters due to the Thunder being stuck with the 10th seed and the Grizzlies being stuck with the second seed.

The Thunder relied on their starting lineup this entire game as the only reserves Aaron Wiggins (eight minutes) and Lindy Waters III (12 minutes) played sporadic minutes. OKC’s starters averaged 44 minutes.

Meanwhile, the Grizzlies only used six players in this game, each playing at least 33 minutes.

The Thunder used a 38-24 third-quarter advantage to flip a two-point halftime deficit into an eight-point advantage heading into the fourth quarter.

In the final frame, the Thunder used an 18-10 run to open up a game-high 20-point lead over the Grizzlies. OKC utilized the cushion to cruise the rest of the way for the relaxed win.

Overall, the Thunder outscored the Grizzlies, 68-51, in the second half to collect win No. 40.

Starting backcourt Jared Butler and Tre Mann took full advantage of the impromptu opportunity as they combined to score 49 points on 19-of-37 shooting, which included the latter collecting his first career triple-double.

“He’s a better player today than what he was a year ago,” Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said about Mann. “Now the year hasn’t gone as well relative to his expectations for sure as it did last year but he’s definitely a better player than what he was a year ago.”

Meanwhile, this game brought back flashbacks of last year’s summer league as Kenny Lofton Jr. dominated with a career-high 42 points on 17-of-25 shooting and 14 rebounds. It’s been a nice weekend for the former G Leaguer, who signed a full-time NBA deal on Saturday.

2021 lottery pick Ziaire Williams also had a good showing with a career-high 24 points on 9-of-19 shooting and nine assists.

Truthfully, not a ton of eyes paid attention to this game as it affected neither the Thunder nor the Grizzlies.

The more important game on the NBA schedule was the New Orleans Pelicans vs. Minnesota Timberwolves game that tipped off at the same time. Thunder fans were likely glued to that game as it determined OKC’s play-in opponent.

The Pelicans lost, which means they will host the 10th-seeded Thunder in their play-in tournament game.

“We’re gonna treat it like another game,” Daigneault said about the Play-In. “We’re gonna put a gameplan out there. Make sure that our guys are really clear on it. We have two days to prepare… I’m excited to see what our best punch looks like in obviously a high-stakes game where there’s a lot of distraction and a lot of noise.”

Let’s look at Thunder player grades for the regular-season finale.

Player grades: Thunder fail to reach .500 with 128-111 loss to Raptors

Player grades for the Thunder’s 128-111 loss to the Raptors.

As has been the theme of the season, the Oklahoma City Thunder failed to capitalize on another chance to reach .500 with a 128-111 loss to the Toronto Raptors.

The Thunder rode a three-game winning streak and a 6-1 record in their last seven games into Thursday’s chance to break even with their record. Playing in the home country of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Lu Dort, the Thunder struggled to gain control of the game.

Despite the lopsided final score and the fact the Raptors led by as many as 20, it wasn’t a blowout. Instead, it was a back-and-forth game with 11 lead changes and five ties in three quarters. Neither team led by more than 11 points until the fourth quarter. The Raptors used a 35-24 advantage in the fourth quarter to build the final margin.

Being forced to play at a high pace, the Thunder struggled to limit turnovers and defend in transition. OKC turned the ball over 13 times, a high number compared to the low 18 team assists. In the fast break, the Raptors created a 23-6 scoring advantage.

“Toronto was on brand tonight,” Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said. “I thought they were the aggressor. A lot of the fast breaks in the first half were off of our turnovers… They were the aggressor on both ends of the floor, which is kind of their brand of basketball. It’s how they win.”

The Raptors also feasted on second-chance points, outscoring the Thunder 21-12 in that department. On the boards, the Raptors dominated with a massive 59-39 advantage and a 19-11 offensive rebounds advantage.

It was a well-balanced attack by the Raptors as six players scored at least 16 points. All-Star Pascal Siakam headlined the win as he finished with 25 points on 9-of-19 shooting, 14 rebounds and eight assists.

Other contributors include Gary Trent Jr., who scored 23 points on 8-of-12 shooting off the bench. A Trent Jr. 3 iced the game as it gave the Raptors a 20-point lead with 4:52 left in the game.

Jakob Poeltl recorded a 16-point and 12-rebound double-double. Fred VanVleet and Scottie Barnes each scored 19 points and O.G. Anunoby had 17 points.

Overall, the Raptors’ starting lineup combined to score 96 of their 123 points.

For the Thunder, it was the SGA show as he finished with an efficient 29 points. The Toronto native played great in his homecoming against the Raptors in the 17-point loss.

“We didn’t play our best but we kept the game in striking distance,” Daigneault said. “When you don’t play your best, that’s all you can hope for. We just never got kinda to the solution, on either end of the floor, in a consistent way.”

Let’s take a look at Thunder player grades.

Player grades: Short-handed Thunder blown out by Suns, 132-101

Player grades for the Thunder’s 132-101 loss to the Suns.

Considering the circumstances leading into Wednesday’s game, the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 132-101 loss to the Phoenix Suns should not be that surprising.

When the Thunder ruled Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams out against the Phoenix Suns prior to Tuesday’s win over the Golden State Warriors, it felt as if the groundwork was being laid for a scheduled loss.

The Thunder — playing on the second night of a back-to-back — were without two of their four best players including their All-Star guard. Meanwhile the Suns, who entered the game on a three-game winning streak, enjoyed two days off prior to this game.

After slipping in pregame warmups, Kevin Durant’s late scratch from making his Suns home debut creaked the door open a little bit for the Thunder on a potential upset win, but that door was quickly shut by KD’s co-star.

Devin Booker scored 44 points on 17-of-23 shooting and 6-of-10 shooting from 3. By half, Booker had 30 points. Without Durant, Booker dominated.

“It was just one of those nights,” Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said following the Thunder’s largest loss of the season.

To OKC’s credit, it held its own in the first half, trailing by just eight points at the break. After trailing by 13 points following the first quarter, a 31-26 second-quarter advantage helped the Thunder close the gap.

“I thought we did a great job after the start of the game giving ourselves a chance,” Daigneault said. “Just couldn’t get a handle on it. Obviously, Booker was great tonight. Their offense was cooking. We didn’t do a great enough job offensively to keep pace with them.”

Lindy Waters III’s career first half made up for Gilgeous-Alexander’s absence as he scored 21 points on 6-of-8 shooting from 3.

“Just trying to play fast. Play Thunder basketball and let it fly,” Waters said about his hot night from 3.

But once the scoring dried up in the second half, the Suns began to pull away and a 44-point third quarter helped them build a 24-point lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Even without Durant, the Suns enjoyed a blistering shooting performance. The Suns shot 49-of-94 (52.1%) from the field and 20-of-43 (46.5%) from 3.

While it’s a downer for Suns fans that Durant’s anticipated home debut was delayed, they left the arena happy with an easy win against an injury depleted and fatigued Thunder squad.

Other contributors for the Suns include Chris Paul, who finished with 18 points and nine assists. Off the bench, Terrence Ross added 24 points and went 6-of-10 from 3. Deandre Ayton had 12 points and eight rebounds.

Meanwhile, it was a rough shooting night for the Thunder as they shot 33-of-88 (37.5%) from the field and went 15-of-43 (34.9%) from 3. The Thunder turned the ball over 16 times, a high number especially considering their low 22 team assists.

Let’s take a look at Thunder player grades.

OKC Blue: Tre Mann highlights 133-113 loss to G League’s Hustle

A quick recap of the OKC Blue’s 133-113 loss to the Memphis Hustle on Monday.

The OKC Blue had a notable news day on Monday when they lost to the G League’s Memphis Hustle, 133-113.

Before the game, the Oklahoma City Thunder announced they have assigned Tre Mann to the Blue and called up Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, who is on the verge of making his NBA return from an ankle sprain.

During the weekend, the Blue also made a pair of roster moves. The first was trading a 2023 G League first-round pick for Chasson Randle and the second was trading DJ Wilson for a 2023 G League first-round pick.

The loss drops the Blue’s record to 7-13. Here are the most notable individual performances from the game:

  • Tre Mann: 24 points on 10-of-20 shooting, 4-of-8 shooting from 3, six assists, seven rebounds
  • Ousmane Dieng: 18 points on 7-of-16 shooting, 2-of-6 shooting from 3, five rebounds
  • Andre Roberson: four points, eight rebounds, four assists, three steals
  • Jahmi’us Ramsey: 20 points on 8-of-14 shooting
  • Olivier Sarr: eight points, eight rebounds
  • Sacha Killeya-Jones: 13 points on 6-of-11 shooting
  • David Roddy: 29 points on 10-of-20 shooting, 6-of-11 shooting from 3
  • Jake LaRavia: 25 points on 8-of-12 shooting, 4-of-8 shooting from 3, seven rebounds, five assists
  • Ziaire Williams: 20 points on 9-of-20 shooting, 10 rebounds, seven assists

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Player grades: Thunder can’t contain Klay Thompson in 141-114 loss to Warriors

Player grades for the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 141-114 loss to the Golden State Warriors.

The Oklahoma City Thunder continue to deal with their boogeyman as they lose to the Golden State Warriors for the second time in a week, 141-114.

The Thunder are now 0-8 against the Warriors in the last three seasons.

2.5 games separate both teams in the standings, but several years of experience and a massive talent gap were on full display on Monday.

After the Thunder opened a 37-31 lead following the first quarter, the Warriors blitzed the Thunder in the middle quarters and outscored them 73-48.

Like they’ve been doing for nearly a decade now, the Warriors forced the Thunder to play at their pace and buried them with hot outside shooting that quickly avalanched their lead and made the fourth quarter garbage time.

The Warriors went 56-of-97 (57.7%) from the field and dished out an absurd 43 assists. The Warriors made a season-high 26-of-50 (52%) from three.

Klay Thompson — like he’s done all his career — led the three-point barrage with 42 points on 15-of-22 shooting and 12-of-16 three-point shooting. In two games against the Thunder, Thompson is shooting 18-of-30 (60%) from three.

Some things never change, do they?

“Some of the early (Thompson three-pointers) were on me,” Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said. “We were betting on our guards kinda pursuing him… If you bring the big up there, it opens up a can of worms in other areas of the game… That’s why they’re a good team. They present dilemmas.”

Outside of Thompson, Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins both had awesome nights. Poole finished with 21 points and 12 assists. Wiggins finished with 18 points and held Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in check.

Off the bench for the Warriors, Donte DiVincenzo also had 14 points and seven assists. JaMychal Green had 12 points. Kevon Looney grabbed 11 rebounds.

If the Warriors continue to play like this, Steph Curry’s extended absence shouldn’t be felt.

Despite the 27-point loss, scoring points wasn’t the problem for the Thunder.

The Thunder went 44-of-91 (48.4%) from the field and 11-of-32 (34.4%) from three. The Thunder also outshot the Warriors from the free-throw line, 21 attempts to seven attempts.

What ultimately lost the Thunder the game was the three-ball. A 45-point disadvantage from threes will do that to you.

The Thunder weren’t able to stop the Warriors’ infamous third-quarter runs, as they were outscored 44-26 in that period. The Warriors shot 9-of-15 from three during that span and the Thunder didn’t have the offensive ammo to keep up.

Let’s take a look at Thunder player grades.

In victory over Thunder, Rockets rookie Tari Eason records third straight double-double

“When you bring energy, especially off the bench, I think it’s infectious,” says #Rockets rookie Tari Eason (20 points, 13 rebounds). “It bleeds into the team in all facets.”

HOUSTON — Rockets rookie forward Tari Eason has always had to prove to people that he belonged on the basketball court.

He had to prove it to his high school coach, former NBA player Brandon Roy, who never called Eason’s name during the 2018 state championship game in Washington. The following year, Eason was instrumental in leading Garfield to back-to-back titles.

When he transferred to LSU from Cincinnati, most believed that the player who made the All-ACC freshman team would immediately start once he got to Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

He did not.

That did not deter Eason. He knew he would have to, once again, prove to the coaches he was an asset on the court. He did that by becoming the first player in SEC history to win the Sixth Man of the Year honor while being named to the All-SEC first team.

Eason is no stranger to showing coaches and fans what he brings to the court consistently, which is hard work and dedication.

“When you put in the work, and you stay true to what got you here (NBA), it doesn’t matter what anybody thinks of me or what the outside world thinks,” Eason said of his work ethic. “I know who I am, and I know what I bring, and I am just going to continue to do that.”

Eason provides a skill set that helped the Rockets (13-38) win back-to-back games for the first time in nearly two months.

On Wednesday night, Houston defeated Oklahoma City, 112-106, thanks in large part Eason’s third consecutive double-double. He finished with a career-high 20 points and 13 rebounds, including 12 on the offensive end.

“I’ve never seen someone get 12 offensive rebounds and 13 total,” Rockets head coach Stephen Silas said postgame.

The Rockets finished with 24 offensive rebounds and 65 total rebounds.

“For us to have 65 rebounds in an NBA game and 24 on the offensive end, it shows you where we were at tonight,” Silas said.

Eason, 21, was selected in the first round of the 2022 NBA draft and is seen as one of the building blocks for the Rockets’ future. The tenacity he brings to the court is what Houston needs to balance a team with so much young talent.

That ferocity was on display early as he scored 10 points and grabbed four rebounds in just five minutes of action. From there, as he has shown on numerous occasions, his engine never turns off.

With 9:35 left in the fourth quarter, the Rockets were clinging to a 90-89 lead over the Thunder, and it looked as if the momentum was about to swing Oklahoma City’s way. Well, that was until Eason imposed his will onto his opponent.

After KJ Martin missed a layup, Thunder guard Tre Mann grabbed the rebound, but Eason stole the ball before he could gain his composure.

That set up a wild sequence that resulted in Eason getting four offensive rebounds, scoring a basket and getting fouled.

All in one play.

“Anytime I step on the court, I want to bring a lot of effort, a lot of hustle,” Eason told reporters during his postgame press conference. “That’s just what I do. When you bring energy, especially off the bench, I think it’s infectious. It bleeds into the team in all facets.”

Eason has come a long way from what he called “embracing the suck” last month when he struggled to find comfort on the court.

“I feel like as time goes on, I have gotten more acclimated,” Eason told reporters. “As time goes on I am going to get more and more acclimated. It is just a matter of time, but I definitely feel like I am more comfortable out there, for sure.”

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Rockets rookie Tari Eason records third consecutive double-double in victory over Thunder

“Anytime I step on the court, I want to bring a lot of effort, a lot of hustle,” Eason told reporters during his postgame press conference.

HOUSTON – – Houston Rockets rookie forward Tari Eason has always had to prove to people that he belonged on the basketball court.

He had to prove it to his high school coach, former NBA player Brandon Roy, who never called Eason’s name during the 2018 state championship game. The following year, Eason was instrumental in leading Garfield to back-to-back titles.

When he transferred to LSU from Cincinnati, most believed that the player who made the All-ACC Freshman team would immediately start once he got to Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

He did not.

That did not deter Eason, as he knew that he would have to, once again, prove to the coaches that he was an asset on the court. He did that by becoming the first player in SEC history to win Sixth Man of the Year and be named All-SEC First Team.

So, as you can see, Eason is no stranger to showing coaches and fans what he brings to the court consistently, which is hard work and dedication.

“When you put in the work, and you stay true to what got you here (NBA), it doesn’t matter what anybody thinks of me or what the outside world thinks,” said Eason about his work ethic. “I know who I am, and I know what I bring, and I am just going to continue to do that.”

Eason brings a skillset that has helped the Rockets win back-to-back games for the first time in nearly two months.

Houston defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night by a score of 112-116 behind Eason’s third consecutive double-double. He finished the game with a career-high 20 points and 13 rebounds; 12 came on the offensive end.

“I’ve never seen someone get 12 offensive rebounds and 13 total,” Rockets head coach Stephen Silas said after the game about his rookie’s performance.

The Rockets finished the game with 24 offensive rebounds and 65 total rebounds for the night.

“For us to have 65 rebounds in an NBA game and 24 on the offensive end, it shows you where we were at tonight,” said Silas.

Eason, 21, was selected in the first round of the 2022 NBA Draft and is seen as one of the building blocks for the Rockets’ future. The tenacity he brings to the court is just what Houston needs to help balance out a team with so much young talent.

That ferocity was on display early as he scored ten points and grabbed four rebounds in just five minutes of action, and as he has shown on numerous occasions, his engine never turns off.

With 9:35 left in the fourth quarter, the Rockets were hanging on to a 90-89 lead over the Thunder, and it looked as if the momentum was about to swing Oklahoma City’s way. Well, that was until Eason imposed his will onto his opponent.

After K.J. Martin missed a layup, Thunder guard Tre Mann grabbed the rebound, but Eason stole the ball from him before he could gain his composure.

That set up a wild sequence of basketball that resulted in him getting four offensive rebounds, scoring a basket, and getting fouled.

All in one play.

“Anytime I step on the court, I want to bring a lot of effort, a lot of hustle,” Eason told reporters during his postgame press conference. “That’s just what I do. When you bring energy, especially off the bench, I think it’s infectious. It bleeds into the team in all facets.”

Eason had come a long way from what he called “Embracing the suck” last month when he struggled to find comfort on the court.

“I feel like as time goes on, I have gotten more acclimated,” Eason responded after being asked about his role in the lineup. “As time goes on I am going to get more and more acclimated. It is just a matter of time, but I definitely feel like I am more comfortable out there for sure.”

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Player grades: Sloppy offense causes Thunder to lose to Rockets, 112-106

Player grades for the Thunder’s 112-106 loss to the Rockets.

Heading into their next two games against the Houston Rockets, the Oklahoma City Thunder had a chance to get two easy wins on paper and get back to .500 for the first time since being 4-4 early in the season.

Instead, all the Thunder can do now is hope for a split after losing to the Rockets, 112-106.

The Thunder struggled out of the gates once again as they trailed the Rockets — who were missing their starting backcourt of Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr. — 34-25 following the first quarter.

A drowsy start by the Thunder matched the energy inside the Toyota Center.

After digging themselves into an early hole, it was a game of catch-up.

The Thunder eventually took over the lead in the third quarter due to an impressive 28-17 advantage. Alas, it wouldn’t hold as the Rockets enjoyed a 28-20 fourth-quarter scoring advantage that led them to the upset win.

“I thought they were more ready to play from the jump,” Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said. “We had a hard time. In the first half, they just played with a lot more force than we did… It wasn’t a 48-minute effort on our part and it was on theirs.”

A Kenyon Martin Jr. 26-foot three-pointer essentially sealed the game as the Rockets grew their lead to seven points with 3:05 left in the game. The following three Thunder possessions ended in two turnovers and a missed shot.

Those three possessions encapsulated the type of offensive woes the Thunder suffered on Wednesday.

It was an ugly offensive showing for the Thunder as they shot 38-of-103 (36.9%) from the field and an even uglier 12-of-43 (27.9%) from 3. While the Rockets didn’t shoot the ball much better, they dominated inside of the paint and outscored the Thunder 66-46.

The 20-point difference in points inside the paint essentially decided the game. The Rockets also took advantage of their size by dominating the Thunder on the glass, out-rebounding them 65-52.

“I thought they set the tone for the game in the first half and kinda had us on our heels,” Daigneault said.

Considering how well the Thunder have played — going 9-4 in January and entering playoff conversations — losses like these are hard to stomach for playoff aspirations.

The Thunder are the better team than the Rockets, yet — for whatever reason — have struggled to collect easy-on-paper wins against them. In the last two seasons, the Thunder are 1-5, which includes a blowout loss to them earlier this season.

Without Green and Porter Jr., veteran guard Eric Gordon led the way for the Rockets as he finished with a season-high 25 points on 8-of-17 shooting. Rookie forward Tari Eason also added a career-high 20 points and 13 rebounds off the bench.

Martin Jr. had 18 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Alperen Sengun finished with 10 points, 12 rebounds and four assists.

The Thunder will get a chance to right the ship with a rematch against the Rockets at home on Saturday.

Let’s take a look at Thunder player grades.

Player grades: Historic offensive night leads SGA-less Thunder to impressive 150-117 blowout win over Celtics

Player grades: SGA-less Thunder blowout Celtics, 150-117.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Well, that was fun.

In easily their most impressive win of the season, the Oklahoma City Thunder blew out the Boston Celtics in an historic display of offense, 150-117.

In what looked like a nearly guaranteed loss after the late scratch of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder not only turned in their best performance of the season — but arguably their best performance in franchise history.

The Thunder set a franchise record for most points in a game (150). They were able to do that in regulation!

The Thunder finished with five players who scored at least 20 points for only the second time in franchise history. The Thunder held a season-high 37-point lead at one point.

The Thunder did all this without their best player and essentially their entire frontcourt! It was hard to believe what was actually happening at Paycom Center. It felt like everything was going perfectly for the Thunder throughout.

The Thunder shot an absurd 58-of-98 (59.2%) from the field and 20-of-40 (50%) from 3. The Thunder finished with 31 assists and did a great job at sharing the wealth. Of the 10 available players, seven scored at least 10 points. No one scored more than 25.

Outside of Darius Bazley, everybody was a positive in the plus-minus department, which indicates the Thunder had control of this game throughout the entire 48 minutes.

The large patches of green among the OKC crowd slowly disappeared as Thunder fans let their excitement be heard in the arena with loud jolts of energy being injected every other possession.

Overall, this was one of the most fun nights in the Mark Daigneault era. That it happened against a title contender in the Celtics — who entered the night with the best net rating — AND without their best player makes it feel surreal.

To celebrate the impressive win, let’s hand out grades for the five 20-point scorers for the Thunder.

Spoiler alert: It’s all A’s.