OKC 2025-2026 Games Thread; "The Title Defense"

Big nick · Post #41 » by **Big nick** » Thu Nov 6, 2025 4:49 pm

I really hated we paid Chet that much, not that I don’t think he is worth, it I just worry about him staying healthy. I just don’t think he will have a long career. But when he’s healthy he’s very good.

bbms · Post #42 » by **bbms** » Mon Nov 10, 2025 4:30 pm

yeah... hartenstein and cason are playing out of their minds and ajay emerging... thunder looks like they have clear decision to make on dort... hopefully he silences me with another suffocating defensive masterclass in the playoffs.

Post #43 » by **Dadouv47** » Mon Nov 10, 2025 4:51 pm

bbms wrote:yeah... hartenstein and cason are playing out of their minds and ajay emerging... thunder looks like they have clear decision to make on dort... hopefully he silences me with another suffocating defensive masterclass in the playoffs.

It can go either way between four players but I think we have a Caruso decision to make and it piss me off because I love him. Dort is only 26 so he could still be "good" during 4-5 years at least depending on how much money he wants. Caruso is already 31, injury prone and won't probably help us a long time. Then we don't know how much Cason wants and it can be a huge problem. Last but not least, I don't think we can afford losing Hart. I value Chet more than most Thunder fans but the playoffs showed how important it is for him to have some kind of help because of foul trouble and rest time. It's gonna be almost impossible to find another big that could contribute close to what Hart brings to us so I hope we can find an extension with him.
Ultimately we are gonna lose one of those four players (if not 2 depending on how much money they want) and I think trading Caruso is the most obvious choice even if it hurts and I love the guy.

bbms · Post #44 » by **bbms** » Mon Nov 10, 2025 8:32 pm

i wouldn't do caruso simply because he's a cheat code, specially in the playoffs.

bbms · Post #45 » by **bbms** » Mon Nov 17, 2025 5:18 pm

shai already own the record of fewest turnovers by a 30ppg scorer in a season. in 2024 he scored 30ppg on 2.2 topg.

in 2025-26 he's on pace to shatter that record with 32 ppg and 1.6 topg.

1 - '24 shai 30 ppg, 2.2 topg
2 - '96 jordan 30 ppg, 2.4 topg
3 - '25 shai 32 ppg, 2.4 topg

along with shai there's markkanen also shattering that record with 30 ppg and 1.4 topg which just further tell how ridiculous what shai's doing is. 81% of shai's fgm are unassisted while only 16% of makkanen's fgm are unassisted.

bbms · Post #46 » by **bbms** » Tue Nov 18, 2025 12:40 pm

single season xrapm updated today

shai at the top. caruso and chet in the top 10. cason in the top 15.

seems like the ccc cason caruso chet are still the cheatcodes of dominating streaks. which is good to see and the real spine of this team commanded by shai. shai+ccc = death lineup.

next isaiah joe and hartenstein (who are playing some of the best basketball ive seen from them)

what got me most surprised was that aaron gordon is #4 league wide. that definitely checks out with what i saw in those series. aaron gordon is a stud and the piece that held that defense together. hope he gets some flowers this season.

bbms · Post #47 » by **bbms** » Thu Nov 20, 2025 12:51 pm

come on mark i really wanna watch carlson, barnhizer, youngblood and ajay in the jazz game :lol:

Devilanche · Post #48 » by **Devilanche** » Thu Nov 20, 2025 1:08 pm

bbms wrote:come on mark i really wanna watch carlson, barnhizer, youngblood and ajay in the jazz game

The 5th man is Dieng for sure.

bbms · Post #49 » by **bbms** » Thu Nov 20, 2025 4:46 pm

Devilanche wrote:
bbms wrote:come on mark i really wanna watch carlson, barnhizer, youngblood and ajay in the jazz game

The 5th man is Dieng for sure.

he's the team capitain :lol:

Devilanche · Post #50 » by **Devilanche** » Thu Nov 20, 2025 11:14 pm

Joe defensive improvements are unlikely to carry over to the playoffs right?

bbms · Post #51 » by **bbms** » Thu Nov 20, 2025 11:32 pm

Devilanche wrote:Joe defensive improvements are unlikely to carry over to the playoffs right?

i have zero trust in him anyway to deliver anything in the playoffs anyways, but he is playing really well right now. he strikes as someone that shrinks when the game is big to me

Devilanche · Post #52 » by **Devilanche** » Thu Nov 20, 2025 11:34 pm

bbms wrote:
Devilanche wrote:Joe defensive improvements are unlikely to carry over to the playoffs right?

i have zero trust in him anyway to deliver anything in the playoffs anyways, but he is playing really well right now.

I’m wondering if it’s time to move him but our 3 point percentage without him is downright embarrassing.

Looking through 3 points gunner across the league .. Is there a 3-4 way whereby we move him to another team , someone like Sam Hauser come to us (Boston trying to duck below tax line) and 3rd team get some assets from both of us?

Post #53 » by **Dadouv47** » Fri Nov 21, 2025 12:27 am

Devilanche wrote:
bbms wrote:
Devilanche wrote:Joe defensive improvements are unlikely to carry over to the playoffs right?

i have zero trust in him anyway to deliver anything in the playoffs anyways, but he is playing really well right now.

I’m wondering if it’s time to move him but our 3 point percentage without him is downright embarrassing.

Looking through 3 points gunner across the league .. Is there a 3-4 way whereby we move him to another team , someone like Sam Hauser come to us (Boston trying to duck below tax line) and 3rd team get some assets from both of us?

I don't trust him at all either unfortunately because we need his skillset but I think we can wait the offseason. We never know if a guy like Wiggins gets injured and we might need to give Joe a shot in the playoffs (also never know if somehow he starts hitting his 3's in the POs). That being said he's certainly the player I want us to trade next offseason because of money issues coming.

Post #54 » by **Dadouv47** » Fri Nov 21, 2025 12:36 am

So happy that Chet didn't get the rookie max escalators now that he's the favorite to win DPOY. I'm happy to see him play so well on offense too.

Can't deny that it's championship or bust for us and I hate that but gotta enjoy the process. We have one of the most dominant team ever (probably 3rd behind the Bulls and Warriors) and we have no clue how long it will last so gotta enjoy every game because it won't happen again. I believed in our FO during the rebuild but I never thought that kind of stuff would be possible.

Post #55 » by **Dadouv47** » Fri Nov 21, 2025 12:37 am

bbms wrote:come on mark i really wanna watch carlson, barnhizer, youngblood and ajay in the jazz game

only games of the season I want us to lose :lol:

Still gonna be difficult for that pick to convey. Utah will tank at some point while other bad teams like NOLA have no incentive to lose games.

Post #56 » by **Clav** » Fri Nov 21, 2025 8:24 pm

Dadouv47 wrote:
bbms wrote:come on mark i really wanna watch carlson, barnhizer, youngblood and ajay in the jazz game

only games of the season I want us to lose

Still gonna be difficult for that pick to convey. Utah will tank at some point while other bad teams like NOLA have no incentive to lose games.

oh I thought you guys just wanted to rebel against the NBA Cup :lol:

joking aside, we are not the team to rely on to lose to the Jazz, it will be the Clippers, Memphises, and Sacramentos of the NBA that we need to lose to them.

Post #57 » by **Dadouv47** » Sat Nov 22, 2025 11:00 pm

Fire Presti. It's inexcusable not to start our G league team against Utah. Always knew Presti was a fraud. Just got lucky to get Shai, draft JDud, Chet and Jwill in the same draft, drafted Cason instead of Lively and decided not to trade for John Collins or Olynyk.

Kizz Fastfists · Post #58 » by **Kizz Fastfists** » Sat Nov 22, 2025 11:22 pm

Dadouv47 wrote:Fire Presti. It's inexcusable not to start our G league team against Utah. Always knew Presti was a fraud. Just got lucky to get Shai, draft JDud, Chet and Jwill in the same draft, drafted Cason instead of Lively and decided not to trade for John Collins or Olynyk.

I honestly don't know which was dumber. LAC going all-in for a roster with no shot at winning a title or Dallas trading Luka under the impression that it would somehow make them a better team. Presti and LAL pulling off insane trades to abuse the idiots. Did Presti know Nico was going to commit career suicide and have the Mavs tanking before getting the 2028 pick swap?

Post #59 » by **Dadouv47** » Sat Nov 22, 2025 11:30 pm

Kizz Fastfists wrote:
Dadouv47 wrote:Fire Presti. It's inexcusable not to start our G league team against Utah. Always knew Presti was a fraud. Just got lucky to get Shai, draft JDud, Chet and Jwill in the same draft, drafted Cason instead of Lively and decided not to trade for John Collins or Olynyk.

I honestly don't know which was dumber. LAC going all-in for a roster with no shot at winning a title or Dallas trading Luka under the impression that it would somehow make them a better team. Presti and LAL pulling off insane trades to abuse the idiots. Did Presti know Nico was going to commit career suicide and have the Mavs tanking before getting the 2028 pick swap?

Mavs way dumber. Luka is still a superstar for almost a decade even if he was fat and is a bit overrated by some fans. They just went to the Finals the year before and improved their roster. I still think the Clippers did the right thing but they had to do what Kawhi wanted and get a top 3 MVP in PG13. This was the easiest trade from Presti and that was the easiest move he made in our rebuild. Getting CP3, two FRPs and two swaps for Westbrook was way more impressive.

Post #60 » by **Dadouv47** » Sat Nov 22, 2025 11:37 pm

Shouldn't take this team for granted but we are so freaking good it feels like we are playing a different sport...Warriors vibe.

I embraced the rebuild and liked most of Presti's moves but I never thought that kind of stuff would be possible. I really think he's the GOAT GM...some luck for sure but doing this in a small market is very special.

Hate the "championship or bust" mentality and we may never win another title but gotta be honest that we should win if we are healthy. That being said the Nuggets are scary good too and match up pretty well against us.