OKC Thunder Tie Series (2-2) With The Houston Rockets After Comeback Victory (117-114)

OKC Thunder Tie Series (2-2) With The Houston Rockets After Comeback Victory (117-114)

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by | Aug 25, 2020 | Featured, NBA

 

This series has been a toss-up and Game 4 didn’t disappoint at all when it came to the excitement. Oklahoma City was coming into this game down 2-1 and wanted to get back in this series tonight with a big performance. This was a high scoring game but the game came down to adjustments and defense. Tonight Billy Donovan was able to make the proper adjustments in his lineup as he was able to allow his three guards to continue to attack the Rockets defense like they did in Game 3. Dennis Schröder’s seeing the basket right now bigger than the ocean as he was able to go for a playoff career-high in points tonight going for 30. Dennis has been able to bring that energy to the Thunder team on both sides of the ball and you can tell he’s got his legs back under him from missing those games outside the bubble. It didn’t matter who was in front of Dennis tonight his first step was lightning fast as he was blowing by the Rockets zone defense.  When Dennis’ playing like this on a nightly basis it’s tough for anyone to beat the Thunder because their confidence is at an all-time high. If Dennis Schröder doesn’t win the 6th Man of the Year award it would be a crime because he means that much to this Thunder team.

 

 

Chris Paul came through with another clutch performance in back to back outings and has continued to show people this isn’t a flashback. CP3 finished the game with 26 points on the night but came through in clutch time just like he’s done for OKC during the regular season. Time and time again Chris Paul continues to put his teammates in a position to win and he continues to make the smart offensive play. One thing that really helps CP3 out is the fact that he knows the D’Atoni system and he already knows what the Rockets want to run. Down the stretch, Chris was able to get to his spots and used his stepback to finish the deal against the Rockets when it counted the most. Chris Paul was in the MVP discussion all season and tonight he was able to be extremely valuable in the biggest moments of the game. Billy Donovan has shown trust and faith in his team all season and remained calm when having his three guards take it to Houston on the court. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had a quiet 18 points tonight but was all over the boards as he finished with 12 rebounds. Shai is the future of this team while being able to be in the present with leaders like Chris Paul and Dennis Schröder it’s really helped his game grow on a nightly basis. When SGA plays with this type of confidence he’s one of the smoothest players and he’s gaining this playoff experience that can help moving forward in this postseason.

 

 

 

The Houston Rockets had some chances to really put the Thunder away but never capitalized on it. Houston came out the gate in the second half 8/8 from the field and was up by 15 points. James Harden has been unstoppable in this series as we know he’s going to get his points but when he goes to the bench Houston struggles. Harden was guarded by Lu Dort again tonight as he finished with 32 points and 15 assists. The Thunder can live with Harden getting his points they can’t let the other guys on the Rockets shoot with confidence. Harden has been able to get anything he wanted in this series but it’s all about making him work and OKC has done that. Jeff Green has been killing the Thunder off the bench and he finished with only 10 points tonight. Jeff Green has used the mismatch against Steven Adams to his advantage but tonight the shots he was hitting before didn’t fall.

 

 

In the last two games, Danuel House has been able to score and make the most of the open looks that he’s received in breakdowns. House finished with 21 points tonight as this series has been all about the other guys. It’s clear that Harden has done everything that he can but since Lu Dort has entered the lineup it’s been a little tougher. The Rockets ramped up some of Russell Westbrook’s work as there is hope that he will come back for Game 5. If Russell Westbrook’s available for Game 5 in this series the emotions and physical play will be enhanced as the Brodie’s coming to save the day. Russell Westbrook in this series will be a huge boost to the Rockets as they look to advance to the next round.

 

 

Game 5 is on Wednesday as the series is now tied at (2-2)

 

 

 

Aug 25, 2020 No Comments
Kicks Through the Lens (Week 1 of Playoffs)

Kicks Through the Lens (Week 1 of Playoffs)

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by | Aug 25, 2020 | Featured, NBA, Sneakers

Week 1 of the playoffs is officially over and boy were we entertained. There were a couple usual sweeps that we saw coming but for the most part all of the series have been very competitive. Will there be an upset on the horizon if one of these higher seeded teams doesn’t get their act together? Is the East more of a race than people anticipated? Nothing like having playoff basketball in August and September to help answer all of these questions.

 

Kawhi Leonard’s new signature shoe with New Balance is displaying some very colorful iterations – ones that go against Leonard’s reserved personality. Kobe’s 42nd birthday would’ve been this past week and players all over the league were paying tribute and sporting old signature models of his. Budding young superstar, Luka Doncic, has put the league on notice that he not only has arrived, but he is here to stay and to take over. Jordan Brand is probably sitting back grinning ear to ear, happy that they were able to sign the now 21-year-old to their company. Paul George’s kicks have been on fire, unfortunately his game has yet to resemble his “Playoff P” mantra. P.J. Tucker wowed us the past week with yet another sneaker we have never seen on court. King James paid homage to Crenshaw’s very own, Nipsey Hussle. Will someone knock off Lebron for this past week’s #1 spot in our Kicks Through the Lens?

 

 

15. Adidas D.O.N. Issue #2 “Pick & Roll” – Donovan Mitchell

 

           

 

 

14. Jordan XXXIV P.E. – Kemba Walker

 

     

 

 

13. Nike PG 1 P.E. – Paul George

 

     

 

 

12. OVO x Jordan XVI – P.J. Tucker

 

     

 

 

11. New Balance The KAWHI – Kawhi Leonard

 

     

 

 

10. Nike Kobe 5 Protro P.E. – P.J. Tucker

 

     

 

 

9. Nike PG 1 P.E. – Paul George

 

     

 

 

8. Jordan CP3.XII (Southern University) Custom – Chris Paul

 

     

 

 

7. Nike Kobe 5 Protro P.E. – T.J. Warren

 

     

 

 

6. Jordan XXXIV “Welcome to the Zoo” – Jayson Tatum

 

     

 

5. Nike LeBron XVII “Air Command Force” (Alternate) P.E. – LeBron James

 

     

 

 

4. Undefeated x Nike Kobe 5 Protro “Dirty Dozen” – Joe Harris

 

           

 

 

3. Nike LeBron XVII “Crenshaw” P.E. – LeBron James

 

           

 

 

2. Jordan XXXIV “Taco Jay” P.E. – Jayson Tatum

 

                             

 

 

1. OVO x Jordan VIII “Charles Oakley” P.E. – P.J. Tucker

 

           

    

 

 

 

 

Aug 25, 2020 No Comments
3 Headed Snake Of CP3, SGA, Schröder Lead OKC To Game 3 Victory (119-107)

3 Headed Snake Of CP3, SGA, Schröder Lead OKC To Game 3 Victory (119-107)

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by | Aug 23, 2020 | Featured, NBA

 

The Oklahoma City Thunder came into this game down 2-0 in the series. Chris Paul said, “I need to be better” and that’s exactly what happened. Chris Paul delivered tonight in a big way as he was able to finish with 26 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists. Chris Paul was the true leader that we’re used to seeing tonight as he was able to get to his spots and motivate his teammates. Tonight Chris was very aggressive and you can tell he set the tone for the whole OKC Thunder team. When Chris Paul has his offense going it gets his teammates into the game a lot more and it opens up the offense for spacing. The Thunder were able to space the floor a lot better today as they controlled the pace in this one more than Houston did. The lineup that changed the series in my opinion was when Billy Donovan put SGA, CP3, and Schröder in the lineup together.

 

 

The 6th Man of the Year candidate Dennis Schröder stepped up in a big way tonight as he was able to beat the Rockets off the mismatches when they had Gordon or House on him. Schröder was able to showcase his offensive talents and had a game-high for the Thunder with 29 points. Schröder brought the energy and was able to give OKC the edge when it came to attacking the rim. Schröder was hitting his floater, attacking the paint, and was hitting his jumper at a consistent rate. When Schröder plays like this the Thunder are hard to beat. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continued his great play as he finished the night with 23 points and none bigger than his 3 pointer in the corner coming off the CP3 dish to bring it to overtime. SGA has found his swagger and put his stamp on this series after that huge shot. SGA has the ability to beat the Houston Rockets off the dribble every time he gets downhill and needs to continue that if the Thunder will be successful.

 

 

 

When all 3 of the OKC guards play this good on a daily basis this Thunder team will be tough to get out. All 3 can control the pace of the game on both the offensive and defensive side. The unsung hero for this game against the Rockets was Lugentz Dort who defended James Harden the best that we have seen in recent memory. Dort was able to make it tough on Harden all night long. Dort is a big body that was able to make Harden’s drives tough and he’s been able to defend without fouling. If Lu Dort can keep this defensive intensity up on Harden it gives OKC a great chance.

 

(Mike Ehrmann/Pool Photo via AP)

 

The aggressiveness of OKC got James Harden fouled out at the start of overtime. Harden was able to finish the game with 38 points and he didn’t even have a great outing shooting from the field. The biggest mismatch that has kept the Rockets in control has been the Jeff Green/Steven Adams battle. Every time that Adams gives Jeff Green any space he’s made the Thunder pay and that continued tonight as Green finished with 22 points. The fact that Jeff Green has been able to get good looks inside and outside when he wants is a problem. The Thunder knows that Harden will get his but the fact that other players have been able to hit some big shots throughout the series has hurt OKC. The Thunder will have to expect that James Harden will not get fouled out again and that he will get some calls next game. James Harden said “We let this one slip” so look for Harden to try and get his game going early in Game 4 on Monday. The Rockets missed a lot of 3 pointers tonight that they have hit in the previous two games and the Thunder will need to continue to contest those 3 pointers if they want to make it two wins in a row.

 

 

 

Game 4 will be at 3 PM on Monday as the series is Houston (2-1) right now

Aug 23, 2020 No Comments
Houston Role Players Step Up Big Time In Game 2 Victory Over OKC (111-98)

Houston Role Players Step Up Big Time In Game 2 Victory Over OKC (111-98)

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by | Aug 21, 2020 | Featured, NBA

 

The Oklahoma City Thunder made the proper adjustments after struggling in Game 1. Tonight you can tell the Thunder came out with a lot more energy and were locking up defensively. The addition of Lugentz Dort back to the starting lineup helped out big time. The defense that Dort played on James Harden was as good as it gets. Dort was able to defend Harden using his length and his body so he wasn’t giving up any position to Harden. On the night James Harden finished with 21 points on 5/16 shooting from the field. James Harden wasn’t getting the usual calls that would put him on the line as he only attempted 9 free throws. Dort was a huge boost to this team and you can tell that his presence helped other players to be able to get their offense going as well. One of the players that was able to apply pressure to the Rockets defense all night was Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as he finished with a playoff career-high 31 points. Shai was aggressive from the tip-off and didn’t look back at all. This was the most emotional that was seen from SGA in a long time. You can tell he made it a mission to be able to put the team on his back with his offense and it worked. Shai was hitting stepback 3 pointers and was going in for some of those tough finishes.

 

 

The Thunder played a great game overall as they played their pace throughout the game. In Game 1 the Thunder got caught playing Houston Rockets ball and through 3 quarters the Thunder were in the driver seat with the momentum. Both Gallinari and Schröder were able to contribute to helping SGA on the scoring end as they both combined for 30 points. The two biggest mismatches that OKC tried to execute on in the 1st half was Steven Adams and Danilo Gallinari. OKC has the height advantage and they need to stick to their game plan and it seemed as though they got away from it in that 4th quarter. Chris Paul postgame said that he needs to do better heading into Game 3 and OKC will definitely need his big game. This OKC Thunder team is unstoppable when the 3 headed monsters of Chris Paul, Dennis Schröder, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander all play well. The Thunder will need to come out in Game 3 on Saturday and punch them in the mouth first.

 

 

The Thunder were able to slow down James Harden in this game. It seemed as though every time Harden went to the bench his teammates stepped up big time. Tonight Daniel House was able to drop 19 points and he added 9 rebounds. The Rocket’s small ball worked today as they were able to get a lot of second-chance points off offensive rebounds. It looked like each loose ball just bounced out to a shooter and House was one of those people that benefited. House was hitting 3 pointers and he was able to have his defense help his offense with some easy buckets. The Rockets had 7 players in double figures and they were able to hit big shots in big moments. Austin Rivers came out with some extra juice and had 11 big points during a moment in the game when Harden was in foul trouble.

 

 

Eric Gordon and Jeff Green have been playing out of their minds. Any time the Thunder miss out on a switch or get out to the player too slow it seemed as though Green and Gordon made them pay. Both of them combined for 30 points for the Rockets and they held it down for Harden as he was on the bench. The Rockets bench has stepped up in this series as they’ve been able to score points and hang with OKC with Harden resting. This victory just shows that type of confidence that Houston has been playing with and this has been without Russell Westbrook. James Harden got it going in the 4th quarter but his teammates were able to help him out big time. It was tough for Dort to guard Harden with foul trouble and late in that 4th it didn’t matter who was guarding him. The Houston Rockets had broken the record for most 3 pointers attempted and made in a playoff game. Tonight Westbrook was coaching his teammates on the sideline and encouraging them with unlimited energy. The Rockets small ball has been working but if OKC can get a game from all 3 of their star point guards at once this series can change real quick.

 

 

Game 3 will be on Saturday at 5 pm as the Thunder look to claw back into this series.

 

 

 

Kevin C. Cox/Associated Press

Aug 21, 2020 No Comments
2020 NBA Draft Lottery: The Information You Need To Know

2020 NBA Draft Lottery: The Information You Need To Know

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by | Aug 20, 2020 | Featured, NBA

Amidst all the enjoyment that onlookers of the Playoffs have felt, it’s time to look to next season — whenever that’ll start — and declare who will officially hear their name called out for the grace of the first selection in this year’s NBA Draft during the NBA Draft Lottery, starting today, August 20, at 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. This lottery will begin just a half-hour before Game 2 of Laker-Blazers tips off at 9 p.m. ET.

While the teams inside the bubble are battling for a championship, the teams outside of it have been making the preparations for a better 2020-21 campaign than the one they had this season, evident in them not being one of the 22 teams invited to the Lake Buena Vista bubble in Disney Springs.

Though under different circumstances and not in person due to the whole COVID-19 thing, this will be the first-ever virtual draft lottery. As to how it will go, the league won’t fix what’s broken as NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum will announce the order of who will pick from 14th to 1st overall by plucking ping-pong balls from a bowl, just like he has every year.

For this season’s lottery draft, there are a lot of storylines left on the table awaiting their fate. Here are just a few:

Possible first-and-second-overall picks LaMelo Ball and Anthony Edwards’ potential destination, the sleeping giant Golden State Warriors who have a high probability of continuing their dynasty with the addition of a high first-rounder, the San Antonio Spurs having to hear their name announced as a lottery pick team for the first time since 1997, and shockingly unpredictable odds that leverage the opportunity to land the first overall pick for everyone.

The amenity of landing the first-overall pick is a franchise-changing experience for both fan and executive, and the golden ticket of a pick is known to bump the morale of an organization overnight. So what lucky franchise will be granted that chance tonight?

With that said, we’ll let you know about all of the information you need about tonight’s draft lottery, as well as the odds for each team and if they’ll be in the middle of the pack for picks, or at the top of the mountain with the first selection.

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How To Watch

As mentioned earlier, the draft lottery will begin at 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time on ESPN, 30 minutes before the Los Angeles Lakers look to tie the series against the Portland Trail Blazers at 9 p.m. ET on the same channel. You can also catch it on the ESPN App.

The show will feature a combination of players and organizational members posing as representatives from all 14 lottery teams, including two-time MVP and 3-time NBA champion Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors, former second-overall pick and All-Star D’Angelo Russell of the Minnesota Timberwolves and another former first-rounder De’Aaron Fox of the recently-outed-from-the-bubble Sacramento Kings.

The NBA Draft will be held on October 16 and will be shown on both ESPN and the ESPN app.

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This Year’s Lottery Odds

Last season, the NBA began drawing the top four selections in the lottery with new odds for each slot. These are some things to know about these odds:

  • The teams with the three worst records have the same odds for both the No. 1 pick (14%) and staying in the top four (52%).
  • The team with the worst record has a 47.9% chance to fall to No. 5. The lowest a team could fall under the old system was to No. 4 — there was previously just a 35.7% chance of that happening.
  • Teams in Slots 9 through 6 have a 20-37% chance of jumping into the top five. Previously, that range was 6-22%.

Here’s a quick look at the odds for every team with a chance to win a top pick this year, per ESPN and the NBA’s official odds:

1. Golden State Warriors

  • Average pick: 3.7
  • No. 1: 14%
  • Top three: 40.1%

2. Cleveland Cavaliers

  • Average pick: 3.9
  • No. 1: 14%
  • Top three: 40.1%

3. Minnesota Timberwolves

  • Average pick: 4.1
  • No. 1: 14%
  • Top three: 40.1%

4. Atlanta Hawks

  • Average pick: 4.4
  • No. 1: 12.5%
  • Top three: 36.6%

5. Detroit Pistons

  • Average pick: 5.0
  • No. 1: 10.5%
  • Top three: 31.6%

6. New York Knicks

  • Average pick: 5.5
  • No. 1: 9.0%
  • Top three: 27.6%

7. Chicago Bulls

  • Average pick: 6.2
  • No. 1: 7.5%
  • Top three: 23.4%

8. Charlotte Hornets

  • Average pick: 7.0
  • No. 1: 6.0%
  • Top three: 19.0%

9. Washington Wizards

  • Average pick: 8.0
  • No. 1: 4.5%
  • Top three: 14.5%

10. Phoenix Suns

  • Average pick: 9.2
  • No. 1: 3.0%
  • Top three: 9.9%

11. San Antonio Spurs

  • Average pick: 10.3
  • No. 1: 2.0%
  • Top three: 6.6%

12. Sacramento Kings

  • Average pick: 11.9
  • No. 1: 1.3%
  • Top three: 4.3%

13. New Orleans Pelicans

  • Average pick: 12.1
  • No. 1: 1.2%
  • Top three: 4.0%

14. Memphis Grizzlies

  • Average pick: 13.7
  • No. 1: 0.5%
  • Top three: 1.7%

Aug 20, 2020 No Comments
Harden’s 37 PT Performance Leads HOU To Game 1 Victory Over OKC (123-108)

Harden’s 37 PT Performance Leads HOU To Game 1 Victory Over OKC (123-108)

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by | Aug 19, 2020 | Featured, NBA

 

This series has a lot of storylines coming into Game 1 but the biggest one was Russell Westbrook being out. Westbrook was out with a quad injury that forced the Rockets to put Eric Gordon in the starting lineup. The Houston Rockets came out in this game faster than a Ferrari on an open highway. The pace that the Rockets played in that first half had the Thunder on their heels all night. Everyone wanted to see how the small-ball lineup of Houston would fair against the Thunder big lineup and we got our first glimpse. The Rockets make it tough on defenses with that small lineup because you get caught either trying to cover the 3 point shooter or crash the middle for the slasher. Tonight James Harden was able to take advantage of that as he finished with 37 points and was able to score anywhere on the court. James had the stepback working, crossovers to the rim, and free throws working all night. The aggressiveness of James Harden made it easy for the other players on the Houston Rockets to get their games going as well. The Thunder put multiple bodies on Harden all night but it didn’t matter tonight with the confidence he was playing with.

 

 

Eric Gordon looked like the Gordon of old as he was hitting some long-range 3 pointers and was attacking the rim hard. Gordon replaced Westbrook in that starting lineup and didn’t disappoint as he finished with 21 points on the night. Another player that had a huge game was Jeff Green who played some center and power forward as he made the Thunder pay from downtown. Jeff Green was open as Thunder players got caught being in the wrong spot on the court and he made the most of the moment. Jeff Green looked like he was back in his OKC days himself with dunks and crossover drives as he finished with 22 points on the night. When James Harden gets help from the bench like he did tonight from his teammates this team is very tough to beat. In this game, there were multiple times where Harden was getting rest while his team was up by double digits. If OKC’s going to win this series they need to make it a point to take advantage of the Rocket’s second unit and defend better.

 

 

The Thunder usually plays off their defense as it helps create offense but that wasn’t the case tonight. Tonight the Thunder played a lot of isolation ball which didn’t work throughout the game. This OKC team is known for their ball movement and getting everyone involved with touches and they need to get back to that in Game 2. The Thunder need to take more advantage of the mismatch with Steven Adams in the paint and let the offense flow through the big man. Adams was a walking bucket when he was able to get the ball and looked extremely dominant. The Thunder got sucked into the 3 point contest at times with Houston and got away from Thunder Basketball. Steven Adams finished the game with 17 points and 12 rebounds tonight and we should continue to see numbers these numbers from him in this series. Chris Paul was having a tough outing in the first half of the game but managed to get his offense going as he finished with a near triple-double with 20 points, 9 rebounds, and 10 assists. This Thunder team will go as far as CP3 brings him and if they’re going to win Game 2 CP3 will have to get his game going a lot earlier.

 

 

The bright spot for the Thunder tonight was the shooting from Danilo Gallinari as he was able to get his shot any time he wanted on the court because the Rockets couldn’t guard him. Gallinari was able to finish the game with 29 points on the night. When Gallinari plays like this he’s a special talent but the other players like Dennis Schröder and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will need to help out big time in the next game. The Rockets punched the Thunder in the mouth but Game 2 on Thursday OKC has a chance to punch back. The Thunder were playing at the Rocket pace and they will need to play their game in order to be successful.

 

 

 

Photo Credit: Kim Klement/Associated Press

Aug 19, 2020 No Comments