Oklahoma City Thunder 2023-24 Season

[FighttheGoodFight]

I think Cason should just start over Giddey. I think we get more out of it. Giddey just a bad matchup against Dallas.

[warreng88]

SGA just willed this team back into it. Cason Wallace also with the fantastic minutes down the stretch. Now if we can just have someone...anyone to start performing even close to where they were during the season then OKC can wrap this up.

Yeah, JDub hit 26% for 14 points. I don't know what his season average is, but I know it is higher. He was just off tonight. Chet had a great game. We need some more points off the bench. If Wiggs or Joe can get hot one get, that would stretch the floor for the other guys and make it more difficult to cover.

[Laramie]

SGA (34 pts) out scored both Doncic & Irving (27pts) in game 4. Credit Dort, he's wearing down Doncic, also the double-team on Irving shut him down. Wallace's play on Irving was also a big factor in the win.

JDub will be needed to double his output (scoring) in Game 5 as it is obvious that Dallas is confused by the pressure being applied by the Thunder.

Thunder won Game 4 winning the free throw battle: OKC 23-24 (95.8%) vs DAL 12-23 (52.2%) - difference 11 points.

We will need to up our game in OKC for Game 5 to go up 3-2; then finish the Mavs off in their own building in Game 6.

[Libbymin]

Yeah the Mavs poor free throw shooting and SGA knocking down all those mid range shots were key in keeping us in striking distance.

I like Cason more and more as I see him play. I know Giddey catches some deserved flak for some of the bad shots he takes, but he does make a difference in getting our ball movement going.

Also, I took a look at the Mavs Reddit, and even the vast majority of their fans were sick and tired of seeing Luka complaining to the refs after every play.

[okatty]

Wow that was one hell of a win tonight! We played like absolute crap for so much of that game but we found a way to keep sticking around somehow and stole that one back. Still need MUCH better play from guys like Chet, JW, and Giddey but I’m thrilled that we were able to pull that one out.

I think Cason should just start over Giddey. I think we get more out of it. Giddey just a bad matchup against Dallas.

To me, Giddy needs to be playing when SGA and/or JDub are on the bench. He is much better with the ball in his hands than he is stationary with one of the other players controlling the ball. He can attack and it just suits his game more. Mark D has been really flexible on rotations and minutes but has been pretty inflexible on the starting 5. I’d be up for seeing Giddy come off the bench as I think those minutes would fit his game more.

Regardless, WHAT A WIN!?!? Been enjoying the talking heads this morning. Even Shannon Sharp is sick of Luka and his crying and moaning.

Game 5 should be fun!

[PhiAlpha]

To me, Giddy needs to be playing when SGA and/or JDub are on the bench. He is much better with the ball in his hands than he is stationary with one of the other players controlling the ball. He can attack and it just suits his game more. Mark D has been really flexible on rotations and minutes but has been pretty inflexible on the starting 5. I’d be up for seeing Giddy come off the bench as I think those minutes would fit his game more.

Regardless, WHAT A WIN!?!? Been enjoying the talking heads this morning. Even Shannon Sharp is sick of Luka and his crying and moaning.

Game 5 should be fun!

Yeah that's my thought as well. He wasn't bad tonight and his minutes off the bench for SGA were good. He's just a terrible fit on the offensive side of the ball against the starting lineup. Throw him in off the bench this series and let him cook against the Mavs' bench. Need Cason, J. Will, or Kenrich in that starting line up to space things better and provide a little better defense to avoid going down by 10 points in the first 5 minutes.

This is probably the best win of this Thunder era so far. Such a gritty performance after a horrid offensive performance through 3+ quarters of a near must win game. Definitely SGA's most important game in a thunder uniform so far. I'm still completely shocked that they pulled that one out.

[PhiAlpha]

Yeah the Mavs poor free throw shooting and SGA knocking down all those mid range shots were key in keeping us in striking distance.

I like Cason more and more as I see him play. I know Giddey catches some deserved flak for some of the bad shots he takes, but he does make a difference in getting our ball movement going.

Also, I took a look at the Mavs Reddit, and even the vast majority of their fans were sick and tired of seeing Luka complaining to the refs after every play.

I know! I listened to one of their post game pods and they're saying the same things we are. "Dude...you're really good... JUST PLAY!"

[FighttheGoodFight]

To me, Giddy needs to be playing when SGA and/or JDub are on the bench. He is much better with the ball in his hands than he is stationary with one of the other players controlling the ball. He can attack and it just suits his game more. Mark D has been really flexible on rotations and minutes but has been pretty inflexible on the starting 5. I’d be up for seeing Giddy come off the bench as I think those minutes would fit his game more.

Regardless, WHAT A WIN!?!? Been enjoying the talking heads this morning. Even Shannon Sharp is sick of Luka and his crying and moaning.

Game 5 should be fun!

Ever notice that Luka's knee starts to hurt once they are losing? It's like he needs an excuse to lose or something. Odd mindset.

[dankrutka]

100% to Cason moving to the starting lineup for Giddey. I think it would be good for both of them. But, I'm also okay with Giddey's minutes being down in favor of Cason, Wiggins, and Joe. I just think we need shooting to stretch out the defense so Gafford/Lively can't just camp out in the paint.

[G.Walker]

Even when we win, the Thunder still gets no love from the National media. The commentary and highlights from analysts are more "What's wrong with Dallas?" "Dallas is cooked" "Luka is not playing well". Instead of wow this Thunder team is actually good, smh.

And if we win the series, it will be more well Luka was hurt, not that the Thunder is actually a good team.

[PhiAlpha]

Even when we win, the Thunder still gets no love from the National media. The commentary and highlights from analysts are more "What's wrong with Dallas?" "Dallas is cooked" "Luka is not playing well". Instead of wow this Thunder team is actually good, smh.

And if we win the series, it will be more well Luka was hurt, not that the Thunder is actually a good team.

It's as simple as:

OKC (1,477,926) < DFW (8,100,000)

Keep winning and proving people wrong and no one will remember what a bunch of talking heads said.

[OKCRealtor]

I had a longer reply typed out earlier and got one phone call and never came back today lol. In short though we were really fortunate to win that game, big time performance by SGA. I did the math earlier on last 3 games and if I remember correct (don't feel like looking it up again) we were 27/87 on 3's which is only a 31% clip. We're getting some very good looks and they just aren't making them the way they have all season. It could be mindset/pressure on the big stage or it may just be a cold streak and we light them up next game. Also agree with Giddey- I'm ok with some of his minutes coming early but we seem to be spotting them 10 points by starting him so what do we have to lose?

[OKCRealtor]

Even when we win, the Thunder still gets no love from the National media. The commentary and highlights from analysts are more "What's wrong with Dallas?" "Dallas is cooked" "Luka is not playing well". Instead of wow this Thunder team is actually good, smh.

And if we win the series, it will be more well Luka was hurt, not that the Thunder is actually a good team.

This is true but Dallas has basically dominated us 11 of the last 12 quarters now and we haven't played particularly well. Really fortunate to pull off last night, if we get game 3 they'll flip the script again.

[Laramie]

The announcers last night obviously (IMO) seemed bias in favor of Dallas. When a Mav threw down a dunk, the explosion and excitement in their voices showed. So glad the team answered the challenge in the final four minutes.

Welcome to the Big Leagues . . .

THUNDER UP!

[kukblue1]

I have Project Stereo System. If any one has a big screen would the city stop me from setting up in the park for Saturday night

[Bellaboo]

I used to like Luka but when you watch him closely he's the biggest whiney b***h in the league. Every stop in play he's running to the refs complaining someone touched him..

I read a Mav fan forum comment board and a lot of those fans complain about him too, wanting him to shut up and play.

[Laramie]

Western Conference Semifinals - Game 5
Wednesday, May 15, 2024
Dallas Mavericks @ Oklahoma City Thunder
Paycom Center, OKC - 8:30 PM
TV - TNT RADIO - WWLS-The Sports Animal Oklahoma City (98.1 FM), Tulsa (97.1 FM)
Series tied 2 - 2

[Jake]

Shai’s teammates failed him tonight. Such a bummer.

[Laramie]

Dallas Mavericks 104 @ Oklahoma City Thunder 92



Box score https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401658192

Attendance: 18, 203

[Laramie]

Western Conference Semi Finals. Game 6
Saturday, May 18, 2024
Oklahoma City Thunder @ Dallas Mavericks
American Airlines Center, Dallas - 7:00 p.m.
TV - ESPN or ABC, RADIO - WWLS-The Sports Animal Oklahoma City (98.1 FM), Tulsa (97.1 FM)
Dallas lead series 3 - 2

[G.Walker]

It was a great run this year. But the Thunder season is over. They are still not ready. Cant shoot the ball poorly like that 2 games in a row, your gonna lose one of them. We got lucky in Game 4.

[Libbymin]

Unfortunately it feels like the Mavs have a game plan that is working quite well against us. They are clogging the paint and making it real hard to get the easy basket. Any time we would drive to the basket, we had nowhere to go or we would hesitate and keep dishing out the extra pass. We just seem unsure of ourselves offensively.

Defensively, we have been getting absolutely worked in the paint. I don’t know how many easy alley oops we’ve given up these last two games but it’s been way too many. Our lack of true center is really hurting us this series.

Lastly, our supporting cast has been subpar but to me, JW’s lack of confidence has been the most disappointing. It seems like he doesn’t wake up and attack the basket until the middle of the 4th quarter.

[retrospective]

On a positive note, TNT had an updated skyline shot in the first half; BancFirst tower was shown with the OKC animation, with Devon having the Thunder logo lit in the background. Looked as if it may have been a true live shot at the time, certainly a pretty recent clip if not.

[OKCRealtor]

Yikes. If not for a game 4 meltdown by the Mavs this would have gone 5.

Gonna need some Thunder magic but they've looked cooked the last 4 games now. Apparently we can't shoot in the playoffs. Still need time to develop & also still missing a piece or 2 probably.

[Laramie]

Yikes. If not for a game 4 meltdown by the Mavs this would have gone 5.

Gonna need some Thunder magic but they've looked cooked the last 4 games now. Apparently we can't shoot in the playoffs. Still need time to develop & also still missing a piece or 2 probably.

You correct IMO about needing a piece or 2. We need more height, Dallas getting second and third chances on some shots.