betts
11-26-2009, 07:04 AM
Last night I was watching Sports Center, and they were talking about Oklahoma City. Several things I noticed compared to last year: We're casually accepted as part of the league, rather than always having a comment about us previously being the Sonics, references to moving, etc. I also noticed they call us Oklahoma City, rather than the Thunder. My husband, who's a casual basketball fan but tries to humor me said: "We've arrived. You can't put a dollar value on being on ESPN this many nights of the year." I think he's right. Having an NBA team is only one piece of what it takes to become a better city, but it's a surprisngly big one, IMO. Also, make sure you read to the bottom of the article and see what Scott Brooks says about the players and Oklahoma City.
http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=14471
The Oklahoma City Thunder just may have earned increased league respect, and perhaps some new fans, after their decisive win 104-94 over the Utah Jazz Tuesday night. The Thunder showed how effective their defense can be on an opponent's floor and demonstrated that they are learning how to close out games. The team arrived back in Oklahoma City yesterday morning around 2:30 am, then reported to practice at noon.
Foremost on their mind was the Utah win and the upcoming game Friday night at home against the Milwaukee Bucks. There is significant buzz around this game as ESPN dropped the previously-scheduled game (Suns/T-Wolves) and will air the Thunder/Bucks game instead.
Here are random notes:
- Brooks talked about the good Thunder defensive effort in Utah; he wasn't sure how many of the 24 Jazz turnovers were attributed directly to OKC's hands. "Offensively, we played as good as we possibly can," Brooks said. "The starting unit did a good job sharing the ball and looking for a good shot, instead of looking for 'my shot'."
- Thabo Sefolosha said Deron Williams wasn't as playing as aggressive in the second half of last night's game which allowed team defense to shine.
- While recognizing that it's a "great opportunity for our fans to be on ESPN," Brooks is thinking more along the lines of just playing consistently Friday night. Simply put, he sees the game as another opportunity to go out and play good basketball.
- About the ESPN coverage, Sefolosha said "we're probably not going to think about it too much." The late 8:30 pm tip has just one meaning to him: a "longer nap."
- Admitting it may sound "corny," Brooks said the players have a lot of pride playing in Oklahoma City.
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http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=14471
The Oklahoma City Thunder just may have earned increased league respect, and perhaps some new fans, after their decisive win 104-94 over the Utah Jazz Tuesday night. The Thunder showed how effective their defense can be on an opponent's floor and demonstrated that they are learning how to close out games. The team arrived back in Oklahoma City yesterday morning around 2:30 am, then reported to practice at noon.
Foremost on their mind was the Utah win and the upcoming game Friday night at home against the Milwaukee Bucks. There is significant buzz around this game as ESPN dropped the previously-scheduled game (Suns/T-Wolves) and will air the Thunder/Bucks game instead.
Here are random notes:
- Brooks talked about the good Thunder defensive effort in Utah; he wasn't sure how many of the 24 Jazz turnovers were attributed directly to OKC's hands. "Offensively, we played as good as we possibly can," Brooks said. "The starting unit did a good job sharing the ball and looking for a good shot, instead of looking for 'my shot'."
- Thabo Sefolosha said Deron Williams wasn't as playing as aggressive in the second half of last night's game which allowed team defense to shine.
- While recognizing that it's a "great opportunity for our fans to be on ESPN," Brooks is thinking more along the lines of just playing consistently Friday night. Simply put, he sees the game as another opportunity to go out and play good basketball.
- About the ESPN coverage, Sefolosha said "we're probably not going to think about it too much." The late 8:30 pm tip has just one meaning to him: a "longer nap."
- Admitting it may sound "corny," Brooks said the players have a lot of pride playing in Oklahoma City.
OKCThunderFans — The Biggest Thunder Fans On Earth (http://www.okcthunderfans.com)