Thunder Back Up - A 2017 OKC Dynasty

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Re: Thunder Back Up - A 2017 OKC Dynasty

Matchup Preview: Oklahoma City Thunder @ Philadelphia 76ers

It's opening night in the NBA, and fans in Oklahoma City aren't sure what to expect. For the first time since the franchise moved from to Seattle to OKC, neither Kevin Durant nor Russell Westbrook is on the roster. The Thunder's new GM put an emphasis on defensive players that show a lot of hustle, hoping that this young nucleus can grow into a championship team one day. Their first test is against the 76ers, who like to run the break, led by Jrue Holiday, but their best player bangs down low: Andrew Bynum.

Oklahoma City Thunder (0-0) Lineup

PG Tony Wroten (78)
SG Lewis Brady (76)
SF Perry Jones (78)
PF Ernest Knight (74)
C Serge Ibaka (89)

Philadelphia 76ers (0-0) Lineup

PG Jrue Holiday (85)
SG Jimmy Butler (76)
SF Danny Granger (78)
PF Thaddeus Young (80)
C Andrew Bynum (89)

[JazzMan]

Re: Thunder Back Up - A 2017 OKC Dynasty

Lewis Brady YES!

[miz468]

Re: Thunder Back Up - A 2017 OKC Dynasty

Lewis Brady YES!

Haha the guy didn't have great potential, but he came in as a pretty good player for Phoenix. He's a really good defensive player that can score as well. The Suns picked up Jeremy Lamb, who has higher upside, so I made sure I picked up Lewis Brady when I dealt them Westbrook.

I'm excited to see what he can do.

[miz468]

Re: Thunder Back Up - A 2017 OKC Dynasty

Lewis Brady YES!

Apparently this is what he can do...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_qVszp8GkE

[miz468]

Re: Thunder Back Up - A 2017 OKC Dynasty

Oklahoma City @ Philadelphia: Stingy Defense and Scrappy Play Lead Thunder to 106-100 Win

Oklahoma City was the underdog in this one, but they didn't seem to know that. Never relying too heavily on one player, the young Thunder played hard-nosed basketball and gelled almost instantly in this roster's first game together. This team still has a long way to go, but this isn't a bad start.

Player of the Game: Perry Jones OKC

19 points
10 rebounds
4 assists
2 steals

Oklahoma City (1-0) Stats

C Serge Ibaka - 22 points, 7 rebounds
PG Tony Wroten - 17 points, 2 rebounds, 9 assists, 1 steal, 1 block
SG Lewis Brady - 12 points, 2 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal

Philadelphia (0-1) Stats

PF Thaddeus Young - 21 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block
PG Charles Jenkins - 18 points
C Andrew Bynum - 17 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal

[miz468]

Re: Thunder Back Up - A 2017 OKC Dynasty

Matchup Preview: Oklahoma City Thunder @ Orlando Magic

The new-look Thunder have won one and lost one to start the season, and now they'll face their toughest test yet, the Orlando Magic. Orlando is a buzzsaw with the best young talented roster in the league, and they were built by the man that's running the show in Oklahoma City now. The Magic are huge favorites.

Oklahoma City Thunder (1-1) Lineup

PG Tony Wroten (78)
SG Lewis Brady (76)
SF Perry Jones (78)
PF Ernest Knight (74)
C Serge Ibaka (89)

Orlando Magic (2-0) Lineup

PG Bryce Baker (76)
SG Chris Bishop (97)
SF Paul George (90)
PF Stephen Braithwaite (95)
C Anthony Graham (72)

[miz468]

Re: Thunder Back Up - A 2017 OKC Dynasty

Oklahoma City @ Orlando: Thunder Keep It Close, But Fall 109-108

The Thunder were huge underdogs in this one, but they fought to the very end. After going on a run at the end of the game to bring it close, Oklahoma City found themselves down by a point with less than a minute left. After Stephen Braithwaite missed a shot, Lewis Brady dribbled the length of the court and dished it off to Tony Wroten, who blew past Bryce Baker. Wroten went up for the layup and the win, but the buzzer sounded before the ball left his hand, and the made shot was waved off, giving Orlando the victory.

Player of the Game: Chris Bishop ORL

27 points
5 rebounds
4 assists
2 steals

Oklahoma City (1-2) Stats

C Serge Ibaka - 22 points, 12 rebounds
SF Perry Jones - 21 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal
SG Lewis Brady - 17 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals

Orlando (3-0) Stats

SF Paul George - 19 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 1 block
PG Bryce Baker - 19 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists
PF Stephen Braithwaite - 16 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks

[miz468]

Re: Thunder Back Up - A 2017 OKC Dynasty

Oklahoma City Monthly Update: November

November Record: 7-10
Season Record: 7-10

Oklahoma City Player Stats

C Serge Ibaka - 14.4 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.9 BPG
SG Lewis Brady - 16.3 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 4.5 APG, 1.5 SPG, 1.6 BPG
SF Perry Jones - 16.2 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 3.6 APG, 1.4 BPG
SF Ryan Stafford* - 15.2 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 2.1 APG, 1.1 SPG, 1.0 BPG
PG Tony Wroten - 10.2 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 6.7 APG, 1.1 SPG
PF Jeremiah Turner* - 7.8 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 1.4 APG
SG Maurice Copeland - 6.8 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 1.7 APG
PF Ernest Knight - 6.2 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 1.7 APG, 1.0 SPG, 1.4 BPG
C Rufus Hamilton* - 3.2 PPG, 2.2 RPG
PG Charles Valentine* - 2.6 PPG, 1.3 APG

Western Conference Rookie of the Month: SG Antoine Thomas LAC
Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month: SF James Scott BOS

Western Conference Player of the Month: Kevin Durant LAL
Eastern Conference Player of the Month: LeBron James MIA

Western Conference Playoff Picture

1. Houston Rockets (13-4)
2. Sacramento Kings (12-5)
3. Utah Jazz (11-9)
4. New Orleans Hornets (9-8)
5. Denver Nuggets (10-9)
6. Los Angeles Lakers (10-9)
7. Phoenix Suns (10-9)
8. Portland Trailblazers (10-9)

Eastern Conference Playoff Picture

1. Orlando Magic (12-4)
2. Indiana Pacers (11-5)
3. Detroit Pistons (12-7)
4. Miami Heat (8-6)
5. Chicago Bulls (10-8)
6. Atlanta Hawks (10-8)
7. Philadelphia 76ers (10-8)
8. Brooklyn Nets (9-8)

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Re: Thunder Back Up - A 2017 OKC Dynasty

Oklahoma City Monthly Update: December

December Record: 10-5
Season Record: 17-15

Oklahoma City Player Stats

C Serge Ibaka - 13.1 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 1.9 APG, 2.1 BPG
SG Lewis Brady - 15.4 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 3.9 APG, 1.3 SPG, 1.5 BPG
SF Perry Jones - 15.2 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 3.3 APG, 1.4 BPG
SF Ryan Stafford* - 14.3 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 2.1 APG, 1.1 SPG, 1.2 BPG
PG Tony Wroten - 10.7 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 6.5 APG, 1.2 SPG
PF Jeremiah Turner* - 8.1 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 1.6 APG
SG Maurice Copeland - 7.7 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 1.9 APG
PF Ernest Knight - 6.4 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 1.2 APG, 1.0 SPG, 1.5 BPG
C Rufus Hamilton* - 3.8 PPG, 2.9 RPG
PG Charles Valentine* - 2.5 PPG, 1.3 APG

Western Conference Rookie of the Month: Terrance Young GS
Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month: Jermaine Harrison MIL

Western Conference Player of the Month: Dre Redd NO
Eastern Conference Player of the Month: Stephen Braithwaite ORL

Western Conference Playoff Picture

1. Houston Rockets (22-9)
2. Utah Jazz (20-12)
3. Denver Nuggets (16-13)
4. Golden State Warriors (17-14)
5. Sacramento Kings (16-14)
6. Oklahoma City Thunder (17-15)
7. Portland Trailblazers (16-14)
8. New Orleans Hornets (16-14)

Eastern Conference Playoff Picture

1. Orlando Magic (20-9)
2. Indiana Pacers (20-9)
3. Detroit Pistons (21-11)
4. Miami Heat (18-11)
5. Toronto Raptors (18-13)
6. Philadelphia 76ers (17-14)
7. Cleveland Cavaliers (16-14)
8. Chicago Bulls (17-15)

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Re: Thunder Back Up - A 2017 OKC Dynasty

Matchup Preview: Oklahoma City Thunder @ Phoenix Suns

The Thunder are off to a surprising start to this season after a fantastic month of December. Tonight, they'll face off with the Phoenix Suns, who they traded Russell Westbrook to last off-season. Phoenix is barely out of the playoffs right now, trailing Oklahoma City by 1.5 games.

Oklahoma City Thunder (19-16) Lineup

PG Tony Wroten (78)
SG Lewis Brady (76)
SF Perry Jones (78)
PF Ernest Knight (75)
C Serge Ibaka (89)

Phoenix Suns (16-16) Lineup

PG Russell Westbrook (93)
SG Jeremy Lamb (78)
SF Henry Bradford (71)
PF JJ Hickson (80)
C Al Jefferson (89)

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Re: Thunder Back Up - A 2017 OKC Dynasty

Oklahoma City @ Phoenix: Thunder Hold On at the End, Take Down Suns 113-107

The Thunder have been one of the league's more pleasant surprises this year. After finishing 5th-worst in the league last year, they now sit in position to make the playoffs, although it's only two months into the season. Today, they faced Russell Westbrook and the Suns. The key to this game was rookie Ryan Stafford, who defended Westbrook nearly all game and kept him from scoring like he can.

Player of the Game: Lewis Brady OKC

18 points
3 rebounds
6 assists
2 steals
2 blocks

Oklahoma City (20-16) Stats

SF Perry Jones - 20 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 blocks
PG Tony Wroten - 17 points, 2 rebounds, 14 assists, 1 steal
C Serge Ibaka - 18 points, 9 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks

Phoenix (16-17) Stats

SG Jeremy Lamb - 31 points, 1 assist, 3 steals
C Al Jefferson - 18 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals
PG Russell Westbrook - 13 points, 7 rebounds, 13 assists, 3 steals

[miz468]

Re: Thunder Back Up - A 2017 OKC Dynasty

NBA Rumor: Is Ryan Stafford Ready to Start in Oklahoma City?

Ryan Stafford was selected by the Thunder with the #2 overall pick in the draft this year, and he was widely considered to be the best defensive player to come out of college in years. So far, he hasn't disappointed.

Stafford is averaging over a steal and a block per game while coming off the bench as Oklahoma City's sixth man. On 2KSports.com's Award Race rankings, he is leading for Sixth Man of the Year and trails only Terrance Young for Rookie of the Year. Head Coach Scott Brooks has expressed his desire to have Stafford on the floor more to guard the opposing team's best scorer, but said that he didn't want to rush his development.

With Oklahoma City unexpectedly in the playoff hunt, and Stafford living up to the hype so far, now may be the time to give him the starting nod. Ernest Knight is a solid player for Oklahoma City. He's spectacular on defense, but nonexistent offensively. With Perry Jones having a breakout season, the smart play for Brooks would be to move Jones down to the 4, start Stafford at the 3, and bring Knight off the bench for a defensive spark.

[miz468]

Re: Thunder Back Up - A 2017 OKC Dynasty

Matchup Preview: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Portland Trailblazers

Two of the hottest teams in the NBA face off tonight in a divisional matchup between Oklahoma City and Portland. Both teams have won seven out of their last ten games, and both are tied for second place in the division, behind Utah. Tonight will be rookie Ryan Stafford's first career start for the Thunder. We'll see if the defensive boost he provides will be enough to help slow down this Portland offense.

Oklahoma City Thunder (24-18) Lineup

PG Tony Wroten (78)
SG Lewis Brady (76)
SF Ryan Stafford (78)
PF Perry Jones (77)
C Serge Ibaka (89)

Portland Trailblazers (23-17) Lineup

PG Damian Lillard (87)
SG Eric Gordon (86)
SF Corey Williams (71)
PF John Henson (80)
C Meyers Leonard (77)

[miz468]

Re: Thunder Back Up - A 2017 OKC Dynasty

Oklahoma City vs. Portland: Wroten's Clutch Free Throws Lead Thunder to 109-103 Win

After a back-and-forth game, it was free throws that settled it. Tony Wroten went to the line twice with less than 15 seconds left and only a one-point lead. He hit all four shots. The game ended when Damian Lillard missed a well-contested jumper, and Ryan Stafford dribbled the clock out, making a garbage time three at the buzzer to pad his stats. Stafford's first start was a successful one, as he almost got a triple-double, and Perry Jones thrived at the power forward position, which is a more natural spot for him.

Player of the Game: Perry Jones OKC

27 points
12 rebounds
3 assists
2 blocks

Oklahoma City (25-18) Stats

SF Ryan Stafford - 15 points, 8 rebounds, 10 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks
PG Tony Wroten - 18 points, 6 rebounds, 8 assists, 1 steal
C Serge Ibaka - 18 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block

Portland (23-18) Stats

SG Eric Gordon - 22 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals
PG Damian Lillard - 21 points, 3 rebounds, 8 assists, 3 steals
PF John Henson - 12 points, 17 rebounds, 1 assist

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Re: Thunder Back Up - A 2017 OKC Dynasty

Oklahoma City Monthly Update: January

January Record: 10-5
Season Record: 27-20

Oklahoma City Player Stats

C Serge Ibaka - 15.5 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 1.7 APG, 2.0 BPG
SG Lewis Brady - 15.7 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 3.9 APG, 1.2 SPG, 1.4 BPG
SF Perry Jones - 14.5 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 3.2 APG, 1.4 BPG
SF Ryan Stafford* - 13.2 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1.3 SPG, 1.3 BPG
PG Tony Wroten - 11.4 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 7.0 APG, 1.1 SPG
PF Jeremiah Turner* - 7.6 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 1.6 APG
SG Maurice Copeland - 8.2 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 1.7 APG
PF Ernest Knight - 6.3 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 1.0 APG, 1.0 SPG, 1.4 BPG
C Rufus Hamilton* - 3.7 PPG, 3.0 RPG
PG Charles Valentine* - 2.6 PPG, 1.3 APG

Western Conference Rookie of the Month: Antoine Thomas LAC
Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month: Gordon Snyder ATL

Western Conference Player of the Month: Kevin Durant LAL
Eastern Conference Player of the Month: Derrick Rose CHI

Western Conference Playoff Picture

1. Houston Rockets (34-15)
2. Utah Jazz (29-19)
3. New Orleans Hornets (28-20)
4. Los Angeles Lakers (27-21)
5. Oklahoma City Thunder (27-20)
6. Portland Trailblazers (26-20)
7. Denver Nuggets (24-23)
8. Golden State Warriors (23-24)

Eastern Conference Playoff Picture

1. Indiana Pacers (31-15)
2. Orlando Magic (29-14)
3. Toronto Raptors (31-16)
4. Detroit Pistons (30-18)
5. Miami Heat (28-18)
6. Chicago Bulls (27-21)
7. Atlanta Hawks (24-23)
8. Philadelphia 76ers (23-23)