Category: OKC Thunder Blog

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Andre Roberson out for rest of season

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The Thunder, who this season have relied primarily on defense to get their wins, will be without their main defensive stopper at the guard/forward spot, Andre Roberson, for the remainder of the season. Here’s the Norman Transcript reporting:

Oklahoma City Thunder shooting guard Andre Roberson underwent successful knee surgery Sunday, the team announced. The Thunder expect him to miss the remainder of the 2017-18 season.

Roberson ruptured his left patellar tendon during the third quarter of Saturday’s 121-108 win over the Detroit Pistons. The injury occurred when he planted his left leg awkwardly while trying to jump for an alley-oop from Russell Westbrook. Instead of receiving the ball and finishing the play, he flipped in the air and landed hard on his backside. After a few minutes on the ground with trainers and teammates around him, Roberson left the court on a stretcher.

The Thunder’s defensive stopper missed eight games because of left patellar tendinitis from Dec. 31 to Jan. 17. Rookie wing Terrance Ferguson started in his place during seven of those. Ferguson started once again Sunday against the Philadelphia 76ers. Roberson also received plasma injections in his knee during the offseason.

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Paul George replaces DeMarcus Cousins on 2018 NBA All-Star team

DeMarcus Cousins has suffered a nasty injury that will end his season.

He’s on the Pelicans, a Western conference team.

So, his replacement on the Team LeBron 2018 NBA All-Star team has to be from the West as well.

Adam Silver has made his decision. It’ll be OKC Thunder forward Paul George.

For more info, read this: Paul George named NBA All-Star game injury replacement for DeMarcus Cousins

No All-Star spots for Carmelo Anthony or Paul George

Russell Westbrook has been chosen as a reserve for this year’s NBA All-Star Game, the league announced Tuesday. With Paul George, Carmelo Anthony and Steven Adams falling short of making the team, Westbrook is the only Oklahoma City Thunder player to be named a reserve. No Thunder players will start.

This will be the seventh All-Star appearance of Westbrook’s career. The last time he missed out on the game, excluding his injury-ridden 2013-14, was during 2010, his second season.

Westbrook was averaging 24.8 points, 9.7 rebounds and a league-leading 10.1 assists heading into Tuesday night’s game against the Brooklyn Nets, bringing him close to a triple-double average for what would be a second consecutive season. He became the second player in NBA history to average a triple-double last year.

“If I make it, then that’ll be a blessing,” Westbrook said of All-Star last week. “If I don’t, then I’ll go on vacation with my family.”

— Norman Transcript

Thunder score 148 points vs Cavs

The Thunder offense has been disappointing most of this season. But the Cavs defense has been absolutely miserable, and it only seems to be getting worse, at least via the eye test. With Kevin Love playing just three minutes due to illness, LeBron and the rest of the Cavs put up 124 points Saturday afternoon, yet still lost by 24. Here’s the Oklahoman reporting:

The third quarter started, and LeBron James, seeking an illustrious mark, was stuck on nine points.

James was isolated against Paul George — who was nearly a Cleveland player last summer until trade talks broke down between the Cavs and Pacers. George expertly stayed in front of the driving James, with him and Steven Adams meeting James at the rim. Another miss, James’ fourth within six feet of the rim.

Nothing came easy for the king in a 148-124 Thunder blowout.

James needed 25 points to become the seventh player in NBA history to reach 30,000 career points. Instead, James was subbed out with 6:37 left in the fourth quarter and the Thunder ahead by 26.

James finished with 18 points on 8-of-17 shooting, 0-of-4 from 3-point range.

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Raptors vs Thunder an anticipated matchup

The Raptors are 23-9, which is the second best record in the Eastern conference. The Thunder are 19-15, tying them for the West’s 5th best winning percentage – though OKC are on a five-game winning streak and have been recently playing their best basketball of the season. The two teams battle tonight in OKC. It’s a matchup worth watching. Here’s the Norman Transcript reporting:

The Toronto Raptors have run through the Eastern Conference with a similar core and thus, a similar type of isolation-heavy offense over the past few years. But the Oklahoma City Thunder’s next opponent will look different than many fans might expect come Wednesday night.

Even with players like point guard Kyle Lowry and binge scorer DeMar DeRozan carrying over, the Raptors have implemented far more motion into their offense this year. They’re taking 36 percent fewer mid-range shots. And lately, DeRozan, who spent the first eight years of his career dominating on long 2s, has taken his success to the 3-point line. He’s hit 13 triples over the past three games.

It will be a special task for OKC defensive stopper Andre Roberson, who has guarded DeRozan well historically, but who will have to deal with a different type of player come Wednesday.

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Carmelo Anthony misses game with sore back

The Thunder won on Sunday, against a vastly inferior opponent in the Mavericks. OKC did this without the services of center Steven Adams or forward Carmelo Anthony. Here’s the Oklahoman reporting:

Carmelo Anthony’s back had been bothering him, but not enough to miss a game.

That changed on Sunday, suddenly and late.

Less than an hour before the Thunder tipped off a 112-99 win against the Dallas Mavericks, Oklahoma City announced Anthony would sit with back soreness. Thunder coach Billy Donovan said he didn’t know until about an hour before tip that Anthony would be out.

“The one thing I really admire about Melo is, he loves to play,” Donovan said after the game. “Even for a guy that’s been in the league in his 15th year, he loves to play. He went through the walk-through. He tried to do everything he could to get himself to play.”

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Thunder an excellent defense team so far

Logic suggested that the Thunder, who boast three offensive stars, would be better offensively than defensively. But through these first three weeks of the regular season, it’s been the reverse. Here’s the Oklahoman with more:

The focus came right away, to hear the Thunder tell it.

It had assembled this offseason as a collection of big-name offensive talent — Paul George, Carmelo Anthony, Russell Westbrook — but its fresh start had been focused on stops.

There was, the Thunder say, a defensive mindset from day one…

Statistically, the Thunder ranks among the NBA’s best defensive teams. It allows 97.6 points per 100 possessions, the second-best mark in the league. No team gives up fewer points in the paint than the Thunder’s 37.6 per game.

But there have been signs of slippage in the past two games, losses to Boston and Portland in which OKC has allowed 103.6 points per 100 possessions.

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Carmelo Anthony has a catch-phrase for rebounds

Here’s a fun item on Thunder forward Carmelo Anthony, who has brought to OKC a catch-phrase he apparently yells each time he grabs a rebound. And amusing comments from joke-cracking teammate Steven Adams. The Norman Transcript reports:

Carmelo Anthony’s rebounding has gone viral — and it’s not because of the quality of his boarding.

Anthony has developed a catch phrase: every time he corrals a missed shot, he screams “Get the [expletive] out of here!” It’s loud enough that the microphone on to the rim often picks up the sound.

“I’ve been doing it for a long time,” he said. “I think now it’s just coming with the whole mindset thing, focus, that motivation to want to get that on the rebound attempt and being aggressive on the glass and just kind of motivating myself.”

Of course, Thunder center Steven Adams, who has never, ever cursed in his whole life, has stronger thoughts on Anthony’s on-court profanities.

“I let him get [the rebound]. He doesn’t have to say those harsh words,” Adams said of Anthony calling him off for boards. “He doesn’t have to talk like that, mate…It’s a bit mean. I thought we were on good terms.”

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Thunder sign PJ Dozier to two-way contract

The Oklahoma City Thunder has signed guard PJ Dozier to a two-way contract, it was announced Tuesday by Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti.

In two seasons at South Carolina, Dozier (6-6, 205) appeared in 70 games (64 starts) and averaged 10.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.34 steals in 24.0 minutes per game.

During the 2017 NCAA Tournament, Dozier averaged 12.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game as he helped the Gamecocks clinch their first Final Four berth in school history.

Starting in the 2017-18 season, each team is allowed two players on two-way contracts, in addition to the standard 15 players on the roster. Players on two-way contracts spend most of the season in the NBA G League, but can be called up to their NBA team for a maximum of 45 days.

Thunder waive Isaiah Canaan, Semaj Christon, Chris Wright and Yannis Morin

Thunder waive Isaiah Canaan, Semaj Christon, Chris Wright and Yannis Morin

The Oklahoma City Thunder waived guards Isaiah Canaan and Semaj Christon along with center Yannis Morin and forward Chris Wright, the team’s Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti announced.

Canaan saw action in three preseason games with the Thunder and averaged 5.7 points, 2.0 assists and 1.3 rebounds in 12.8 minutes.

Christon appeared in two preseason games for Oklahoma City where he averaged 3.5 points and 2.0 rebounds in 17.0 minutes. Last season, he appeared in 64 games (one start) for the Thunder and averaged 2.9 points, 2.0 assists and 1.4 rebounds in 15.2 minutes.

Morin and Wright were originally signed on Oct. 11.