Back in ’91, there was a young, athletic team that had some unquestioned individual talent, but just couldn’t overcome their faults. The Bad Boy Pistons had beat them up and scalped them for three straight years, and everyone outside of Chicago was saying you couldn’t win with a selfish player and you couldn’t win when your center had less athletic ability than half the league’s referees, and your point guard looked like the old guy with the knee brace who dominates the local YMCA pickup. But then something just clicked, the pieces came together, and Detroit took a seat on the tidal wave. Last night, the same thing happened in OKC as the Thunder completed their improbable comeback with a 107-99 Game 6 win to send themselves to the NBA Finals. Read More »

As the basketball world has been wrapped up in Rajon Rondo trade rumors and Chris Paul trade demands (or non-demands), two pieces of the “Big Four” of the NBA’s best point guards have remained outside of the fray. Along with Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook‘s name hasn’t been been mentioned in any real credible rumors, despite some of the drama that went down at the end of last season in OKC.

The Thunder want to do their best to make sure Westbrook’s name stays of the rumor mill and make sure he knows he’s loved in OKC. Read More »

Last week, people couldn’t seem to understand why the Celtics would trade Kendrick Perkins to the Thunder for Jeff Green. While the running joke around the League was that Boston will now go down in history as still never losing a playoff series when their starting five of Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Perkins has been intact, Oklahoma City GM Sam Presti took that statement to heart. Realizing that a trip to the NBA Finals most likely goes through Los Angeles or San Antonio, today they ensured that they’ll have as good a shot as any. Read More »

After an outstanding three-year career at Kansas, which included a 2008 NCAA Championship and three Big 12 titles during his tenure, Cole Aldrich was a Lottery pick this June. First selected by the Hornets before being trading to the Thunder on Draft Night, the Bloomington, Minn. native gladly returned to the Midwest. So with everyone’s expectations for the Thunder going through the roof this season, we decided there was no one better to turn to for the inside scoop on life in OKC. In his third entry, Cole talks about rookie hazing and life in the NBA D-League. Read More »

Quick, name the top point guards in the high school class of 2003 playing in the NBA right now. There is Chris Paul, who has solidified himself as one the top guards in the world. You have the reigning Most Improved Player in Aaron Brooks. There’s Shannon Brown, who has two rings with the Lakers. And now you may have to add Mustafa Shakur to this list after singing with the New Orleans Hornets this summer. Read More »

Continuing in an odd line of humility and sharp thinking amidst the rubble of free agency, the Oklahoma City Thunder and Kevin Durant have agreed on a five-year extension. Unlike the stars of the 2003 Draft class (outside of Carmelo Anthony), Durant is taking on the maximum number of years, with no opt-out. He will be in the Midwest for a long time. Read More »

Longtime Nets President of Basketball Operations Rod Thorn announced he is stepping down on July 15. Thorn wants to guide the Nets through the beginning of the free-agent bonanza before stepping aside. With Thorn out as GM, and owner Mikhail Prokhorov‘s deep pockets, a wide range of names have been mentioned to replace Thorn. Here we break down the candidates: Read More »

The Raptors and Thunder are two teams heading in starkly different directions. The Thunder were one of the feel good stories of the NBA this past season. They have one of the best young cores in the League, and a team chemistry that is not often seen. On the other hand, Toronto struggled this past season with chemistry issues, underachievement, and now faces the likely loss of star forward Chris Bosh. While these two teams are going in opposite directions, they can both help each other greatly. Read More »

We’ve been high on the Thunder all season, but even we were impressed to see just how fast the young guns in Oklahoma City have put the pieces together. Coach Scott Brooks, GM Sam Presti and everyone in the organization have managed intelligently – and drafted high-character guys – to build a team that will challenge in the Western Conference for years to come. And after last night’s 101-96 statement win against the defending champs, they look poised to make some noise right now. Kevin Durant is going to consistently drop near 30 points a game, Jeff Green is far better than he’s given credit for and rookie Serge Ibaka is emerging as a defensive force in the post. But the key to the Thunder’s success is their second-year point guard, Russell Westbrook. Read More »