The Oklahoma City Thunder had a very busy final week of preseason action with four games. They ended the preseason on a tough but promising note, taking their 4-3 record into the regular season.
What Went Down
New Orleans 105, Thunder 102 – Thursday, Oct. 17
Know Thy Enemy
- The Pelicans have a new name, new jerseys (that I don’t really like), and a new backcourt. Although Tyreke Evans didn’t participate in this past game, the trio of Evans, Jrue Holiday and Eric Gordon will be loads of fun. Look for this renovated backcourt to help Anthony Davis make that extra step towards stardom.
The Pelicans were victorious over the Thunder last Thursday in thrilling fashion. This game was quite the nail-biter, as the last two minutes were must-see preseason action (how often have you heard that sentence before?) Eric Gordon led New Orleans with 21 points and Brian Roberts helped maintain the lead late in the game on some sweet iso drives. There were a lot of positives for the Thunder in this loss. For starters, Kevin Durant added 25 points and six rebounds, but didn’t play a minute in the fourth quarter. That’s totally fine by me, because it’s nice to see the bench play meaningful minutes in a low-pressure situation. The first half MVP was Ryan Gomes, who was 3-for-3 from behind the arc. He could be a huge help off the bench for the 3-point challenged Thunder. Steven Adams continued his fantastic preseason, dropping 10 points and 15 rebounds. Reggie Jackson was in charge of the crunch-time scoring for OKC, but struggled with turnovers late. Although 21 turnovers don’t inspire confidence, the Thunder demonstrated their depth with seven players in double figures.
Thunder 88, Jazz 82 – Sunday, Oct. 21
Know Thy Enemy
- The Jazz added some serious assets this offseason, acquiring five future picks and creating loads of cap space for the future. They also locked up forward Derrick Favors for the next four years, as they plan to build around the core of Favors, Enes Kanter and Gordon Hayward. For NBA nerds, that big three is awesome. But this Jazz revival won’t happen for a while, as they are dipping their toes in the tanking pool this year.
Although Kevin Durant sat out the entire second half, the Thunder squeaked out a victory over the Jazz on the back of Reggie Jackson. He looked a lot better than he did against New Orleans, going 3-for-3 from behind the arc, and didn’t commit a single turnover. The frontcourt trio of Serge Ibaka, Nick Collison and Steven Adams looked great. Adams provided double-digit rebounds yet again and Ibaka’s low-post game continues to drastically improve. OKC played a wacky lineup, with Andre Roberson starting at the 2. You’d think that mean the Thunder would grab EVERY REBOUND FOREVER, but Gordon Hayward took him to school. But all in all, another nice preseason victory.
Suns 88, Thunder 76 – Tuesday, Oct. 22
Know Thy Enemy
- The Suns also have new jerseys (that I do really like) and are flirting with tankdom this year. They’ve turned their team over to ex-Clipper Eric Bledsoe, who will keep the pace fast and furious. Top pick Alen Len has played limited minutes in this year’s preseason and looks quite raw. They will be bad.
This was a downright ugly game. With Kevin Durant resting, the Thunder offense stagnated. As a team, they did not shoot well, going 2-for-19 from 3. Jeremy Lamb continued his offensive struggles in the preseason, especially in the first half. He was able to get in a groove by the second half, but his 4-for-11 shooting from the field isn’t a great sign of hope. Reggie Jackson led the Thunder with 18 points and looked aggressive when he attacked the rim. Like the rest of the team, he couldn’t get his outside shot working and was 1-for-6 from deep.
Eric Bledsoe of the Suns is really fast. He was the best player on the floor for most of the game last night and demonstrated why he is no longer a backup. It was also interesting to see the juxtaposition of Alex Len and Steven Adams, two raw, potential-filled rookies. Adams continued to impress, putting up 10 points and eight rebounds in 26 minutes. Len, on the other hand, was held scoreless and only added three rebounds in 10 minutes. None of this means anything for their future careers, but Adams sure looks a lot better than Len in the preseason so far.
Bulls 104, Thunder 95 – Wednesday, Oct. 23
Know Thy Enemy
- Derrick Rose back! He finally returns to a team that was still a contender last year without him. Jimmy Butler became a star because of his defense on LeBron in the playoffs and will only improve this season. They looked poised to dethrone the Heat in a much deeper Eastern Conference.
In a highly competitive affair between two of the top teams in the league, the Bulls beat the Thunder 104-95. But the Thunder can take plenty of positives from this loss. For starters, Jeremy Lamb finally broke out of his slump! Rejoice! His 22 points on 9-of-16 shooting are huge for his confidence entering the regular season. He had an up-and-down preseason, but it’s nice to see him end on a high note.
Kevin Durant had a typical game, dropping 22 points in 32 minutes. However, Scott Brooks subbed him out with eight minutes to go in the fourth quarter and he never returned. That definitely played a factor as the Bulls slowly pulled ahead. Reggie Jackson had the impossible task of guarding Derrick Rose and did an admirable job. But Rose looks awesome and when he’s hitting his 3s, no one can guard him. On a positive note, Steven Adams rules. Jeff Van Gundy agrees, too. He put up 11 and seven, with a pair of blocks and steals. I can’t wait to see him in the regular season.
GIF of the Week
Hasheem Thabeet earned a suspension for the season opener with this head-butt on Pelicans center Greg Stiemsma. It seemed to be just a love tap, but the league has spoken. Sorry, Hasheem.
Because it was such a busy week, have two GIFS! Here’s Kevin Durant demonstrating his offensive glory on Luol Deng.
Looking Forward
REGULAR SEASON! The Oklahoma City Thunder have their first real game next Wednesday against the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City. The preseason sure has been fun, but all good things must come to an end.
Thunder Up.