Next 10 Games

[earlywinegareth]

Here's the Thunder schedule for the remainder of February:

2/3 @ New Orleans
2/6 @ Golden State
2/9 @ Portland
2/16 Dallas
2/20 @ NY
2/21 @ Minnesota
2/23 Phoenix
2/24 @ San Antonio
2/26 Minnesota
2/28 Toronto

I'm going out on a limb and say OKC goes 8-2 the rest of the month.

[jstaylor62]

They have been whipping up on the Eastern Conference, but now they need to whip up on the Western Conference!

I agree with 8-2. Going 5-1/4-2 on the road will be impressive. They will beat Dallas at home and lose at San Antonio on the back to back game. But, also lose to either Portland on the road or Toronto at home.

[LIL_WAYNE_2012_PREZIDENT]

saying theyll go 9-1 wouldnt be a stretch at all
but
saying theyll go 4-6 or 5-5 wouldnt be a stretch either

[OKCisOK4me]

The best thing is that even if they go 5-5, they'll still be 6 games above .500. I sure hope this team can pull away from the .500 mark with these 10 games!

[jstanthrnme]

I think 6-4 is realistic. Of course, there is a lot of ground to gain when we beat the conference teams, and the players know this. Amazing that right now, we are 3 games out of 3rd place in the conference. On the other hand we're only 2 games ahead of the 11th place in our conference..

[betts]

I think 6-4 is very realistic, and I agree, I wouldn't be completely floored if we went 9-1. Very happy, yes. Floored, no. We don't have to play the Rockets, Cavs, Lakers or Celtics in these ten games, and those are the opponents I'm always dubious about.

OKC Thunder Fans - Oklahoma City NBA — Oklahoma City NBA - Fans of the Thunder

[CCOKC]

I'll predict 6-4 also. We don't match up well against Portland. They are probably the most physical ( to put it nicely ), we have a hard time against Dallas, Phoenix could go either way and @ San Antonio on a back-to-back after their Rodeo Road Trip when they start to take the season seriously. We could win those but I doubt we would be favored in any of those games except Phoenix. The other teams are weaker than we are but we could always have an off night.

[Kerry]

I think 8-2 is reasonable but the reality is that this team that is a little better than .500 so picking any 10 game stretch indicates a 6-4 record.

[westsidesooner]

I don't follow NBA as close as I should, in fact I usually only watch the last qtr of the Thunder games. (bad fan) .....how many teams make the playoffs from each confrence......is it the top 8?

[betts]

Yes, top 8. We're currently in 8th place, but there's a lot of basketball left to play.

[Laramie]

Here's the Thunder schedule for the remainder of February:

2/3 @ New Orleans W
2/6 @ Golden State W
2/9 @ Portland
2/16 Dallas
2/20 @ NY
2/21 @ Minnesota
2/23 Phoenix
2/24 @ San Antonio
2/26 Minnesota
2/28 Toronto

I'm going out on a limb and say OKC goes 8-2 the rest of the month.

Earlywinegareth: So far we are 2-0; looks like you have a lifeline left--would you like to take it against Portland who will be without the services of Brandon Roy? OKC is a 1 point favorite by Vegas odds!

[earlywinegareth]

Let 'er ride!

OKC can set a new win-streak record with a win tonight...Blazers are 1/2 game behind OKC in the conference standings = good motivation.

KD is closing in on another major record...he's scored at least 25 pts in 24 consecutive games - the longest such streak since Allen Iverson's 27-game run in 2000-01.

Congrats to "Hustle" Westbrook for a well-deserved award - Western conference player of the week!

[OKC@heart]

They did it! Woohoo! That is a win for the Thunder yet again!

[jstaylor62]

The win against Portland on the road was a great win! Portland is good at home and a division opponent.

[Laramie]

The win against Portland on the road was a great win! Portland is good at home and a division opponent.

This was a statement win for the Thunder; especially since the Trailblazers are all banged up and injured.

[CCOKC]

And it was on NBA TV. Nice words from Kevin McHale and Chris Webber afterwards. Not just KD although he is a stud. They just gushed on our defense. Chris Webber wanted everyone in OKC to realize how lucky we are to be able to watch this team day in and out because they are very special.

[OKC@heart]

That is one of the definite perks of having a successful professional team on the national stage. They act as ambassadors of introduction to our City. Cause people to think about what is Oklahoma City like? That definitely helps the OKC cause!

[Kerry]

And it was on NBA TV. Nice words from Kevin McHale and Chris Webber afterwards. Not just KD although he is a stud. They just gushed on our defense. Chris Webber wanted everyone in OKC to realize how lucky we are to be able to watch this team day in and out because they are very special.

It was clear the two guys calling the game were either pro-Portland or anti-Thunder or both. According to comments from the play by play guys the Trail Blazers NEVER committed a single foul and every Thunder foul was flagrant. Worst play-by-play I have ever heard.

Even when the Blazer guy went over Collison’s back and hit the floor hard they said Collison should have tried to catch him and never once acknowledged the actual foul.

[mkrace]

It was clear the two guys calling the game were either pro-Portland or anti-Thunder or both. According to comments from the play by play guys the Trail Blazers NEVER committed a single foul and every Thunder foul was flagrant. Worst play-by-play I have ever heard.

Even when the Blazer guy went over Collison’s back and hit the floor hard they said Collison should have tried to catch him and never once acknowledged the actual foul.

NBA TV does none of their own original broadcasts. They pick up the hometown broadcast of 1 of the 2 teams. In this case, the Trail Blazers. Hometown broadcasts are always biased to a degree. The announcers are paid by the team. TNT, ESPN, etc. are usually fair as the announcers are paid by the network, not the teams or the NBA.

[betts]

Chris Webber wanted everyone in OKC to realize how lucky we are to be able to watch this team day in and out because they are very special.

Which might be a not-so-subtle dig at what the national media thinks about our attendance and television market share. They've been talking about the fact that we haven't been selling out the arena consistently, and that not that many people are watching the Thunder play.

They are very special, I agree. I can't wait for the game tomorrow night. It's been too long without a home game.

OKC Thunder Fans - Oklahoma City NBA — Oklahoma City NBA - Fans of the Thunder

[Kerry]

NBA TV does none of their own original broadcasts. They pick up the hometown broadcast of 1 of the 2 teams. In this case, the Trail Blazers. Hometown broadcasts are always biased to a degree. The announcers are paid by the team. TNT, ESPN, etc. are usually fair as the announcers are paid by the network, not the teams or the NBA.

Thanks - that explains a lot! Only a Trail Blazer homer would have called a game like that.

[jstanthrnme]

Looking at the next ten:

2/20 @ New York
2/21 @ Minnesota
2/23 Phoenix
2/24 @ San Antonio
2/26 Minnesota
2/28 Toronto
3/2 Sacremento
3/3 @ Denver
3/5 @ LA Clippers
3/7 @ Sacremento

I can see OKC going 8-2, hoping PHX deals Stoudemire. I don't think they will.. So I'd pencil that PHX game as a pick 'em right now.. So maybe 7-3. I don't think we'lll pull off a V in Denver or San Antonio (which are two we really really need).

But this should be an oppurtunity to gain some ground in the standings, especially if you look at the next ten of Dallas and Utah and see how tough their sked's get.

[betts]

Lots of great pub for the Thunder on Sports Center tonight, although they did manage to AGAIN ask KD about what it is like living in a place like OKC, saying the other players in the NBA say there isn't much to do there.

[jstaylor62]

That was a flat out incredible win against Dallas! Got behind early, but never lost their poise. The comeback in the second quarter was unbelievable. Dallas looked a little tired late in the quarter. I was afraid Dallas would come out after halftime rested and ready, but the Thunder defense held them in check. Nowitzki should be tipping Sefolasha and Green for the massage like coverage they gave him in the second half!

Thunder are on excellent course to go 8-2 in Feb!

[TaoMaas]

Was it just me or did Dallas seem to throw in the towel a bit early? I think they were down by 8 with just under 2 minutes to go when they brought in their subs. I couldn't decide if they were out of gas or just knew that the Thunder weren't going to back off.