20-21 OKC Thunder Regular Season News

Post #241 » by **ThunderBolt** » Thu Feb 11, 2021 4:06 pm

thedoppelganger wrote:If we're unable to trade Horford by the deadline, I hope the plan is to shut him down at some point before the end of the season. He's been killing it since he came back from his absence, going to cost us some L's before too long.

The bottom of the East is so, so bad, and it hadn't really hit me before now that the shortened season means that they all have 10 fewer games against each other and the same amount against the West as usual. And with how bad the East has been against the West this year, it might be a scenario where only 2 of the bottom 8 are from the West. Saving grace is that they'll all be in the hunt for the play-in until late in the season.

I think Dallas makes most sense. Their fans are ready to dump KP for nothing. I have a hard time believing their front office would do so without a major injury. That leaves Dallas needing to find a third team to send James Johnson. Not sure how that would work but they could potentially get horford and hill.

Post #242 » by **ThunderBolt** » Thu Feb 11, 2021 4:11 pm

jambalaya wrote:To me, "the big picture" is about what has actually happened and to some extent actual trendlines and not a lot about imagined / potential changes.

SGA improved but is not yet at All-Star level.

Dort improved modestly but is still way below average on most metrics. Modestly above average on one.

Bazley slipped some and is way way way below average.

Diallo is average on some metrics.

Maledon has had a few good games but overall performance rates as among worst for any 2020 draftees.

I don’t think anyone really believes we’re going to build a true contender with two second round picks, undrafted Dort and a late frp in bazley. Trends are important but it seems a little premature. Besides shai, if only one one of the other guys becomes a good player that seems like win.

jambalaya · Post #243 » by **jambalaya** » Thu Feb 11, 2021 5:56 pm

SGA - Dort might be ahead of Sexton - Okoro now and future but ahead of who else? Few.

cjmcallist · Post #244 » by **cjmcallist** » Thu Feb 11, 2021 7:15 pm

ThunderBolt wrote:
jambalaya wrote:To me, "the big picture" is about what has actually happened and to some extent actual trendlines and not a lot about imagined / potential changes.

SGA improved but is not yet at All-Star level.

Dort improved modestly but is still way below average on most metrics. Modestly above average on one.

Bazley slipped some and is way way way below average.

Diallo is average on some metrics.

Maledon has had a few good games but overall performance rates as among worst for any 2020 draftees.

I don’t think anyone really believes we’re going to build a true contender with two second round picks, undrafted Dort and a late frp in bazley. Trends are important but it seems a little premature. Besides shai, if only one one of the other guys becomes a good player that seems like win.

Agree. If this Roster = All Star + 1 starter level player, that's a win.

That's why we have to stop winning games. It does feel like the better SGA gets, the more important the 2021 draft is. If we miss out on this year, the next year feels too late.

Old Man Game · Post #245 » by **Old Man Game** » Thu Feb 11, 2021 8:39 pm

Dort's regressed so hard on this three point shot. it isn't just that it's not going in anymore it's the the shot physically looks more like it did last season.
Very depressing.

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Post #246 » by **ThunderBolt** » Fri Feb 12, 2021 12:30 pm

Read on Twitter

Woerzboerg · Post #247 » by **Woerzboerg** » Fri Feb 12, 2021 12:30 pm

Old Man Game wrote:Dort's regressed so hard on this three point shot. it isn't just that it's not going in anymore it's the the shot physically looks more like it did last season.
Very depressing.

He rolled out the tank.

Post #248 » by **slick_watts** » Sun Feb 14, 2021 1:42 pm

sga is leading the league in drives per game, all of a sudden. slightly ahead of luka in frequency, both way ahead of the rest of the pack. as a driver overall, his productivity resembles luka's closely. both of them pass the ball relatively frequently, low turnovers on their drives, get to the line about the same on their drives-- the biggest difference is luka gets more assists, presumably because his teammates are better at making shots.

of the top 50 in drives per game, sga is 8th in pass%, behind mostly point guards (with the exception of demar derozan). this aspect of his game this year has probably been most surprising to me. he has looked comfortable as a play maker off the dribble from the start of the season.

he's still not to the point where he looks comfortable as a 30-35% usage guy like the best superstar ball handlers / scorers in the league, but he's in the process of making an ascension and i'm hoping it isn't fluke-y. i'd adjust his ceiling to being a 1b on a good team.

thedoppelganger · Post #249 » by **thedoppelganger** » Wed Feb 17, 2021 9:30 pm

Read on Twitter

Good read that Vecenie's doing, we'll be in the top 10 of this for a while going forward

Post #250 » by **ThunderBolt** » Wed Feb 17, 2021 10:07 pm

Spoiler:

I really can't believe we are in the top ten. He must really like Dort and Shai.

Also, Shai got some good comments from Hollinger today too.

Spoiler:

cjmcallist · Post #251 » by **cjmcallist** » Fri Feb 19, 2021 2:01 pm

thedoppelganger wrote:

Read on Twitter

Good read that Vecenie's doing, we'll be in the top 10 of this for a while going forward

Yeah, mad props to Presti. I was pleasantly surprised at Vecenie's thoughts... Particularly when you consider that Poku was the only player drafted when we knew we were headed into the tank.

Post #252 » by **ThunderBolt** » Sun Feb 21, 2021 11:53 am

I'm just going to merge regular season discussion and all game threads in to one until the board gets more active.

Read on Twitter

Post #253 » by **Dadouv47** » Sun Feb 21, 2021 12:26 pm

Damn losing today would be soooo good. No clue how though

thedoppelganger · Post #254 » by **thedoppelganger** » Sun Feb 21, 2021 4:35 pm

The Cavs have been the worst team in the league during February, so not sure sitting Horford would even help that much. This is the perfect time to sit him on the first night of a B2B for the first time this season, would almost be a wink to the fan base from the front office.

Post #255 » by **ThunderBolt** » Sun Feb 21, 2021 4:43 pm

thedoppelganger wrote:The Cavs have been the worst team in the league during February, so not sure sitting Horford would even help that much. This is the perfect time to sit him on the first night of a B2B for the first time this season, would almost be a wink to the fan base from the front office.

They looked decent early in the season, swapped Drummond for Allen and have been horrible. Go figure.

Post #256 » by **Dadouv47** » Mon Feb 22, 2021 12:51 am

ThunderBolt wrote:
thedoppelganger wrote:The Cavs have been the worst team in the league during February, so not sure sitting Horford would even help that much. This is the perfect time to sit him on the first night of a B2B for the first time this season, would almost be a wink to the fan base from the front office.

They looked decent early in the season, swapped Drummond for Allen and have been horrible. Go figure.

Losing Larry Nance Jr. was big for them. Also Sexton/Garland coming back to earth

Not watching the game though. No mood to watch this since I can't really be happy about anything good we make during this game...feel like it's a key game to tank and lose

Post #257 » by **ThunderBolt** » Mon Feb 22, 2021 1:20 am

I wasn’t ever super high on Dort so his regression isn’t as disappointing to me as Bazley’s struggles. I really hope his struggles this year pay dividends down the road.

Post #258 » by **Dadouv47** » Mon Feb 22, 2021 1:44 am

well SGA wants to be a franchise player and doesn't want us to get a guy like Cade or Kuminga ;(

Post #259 » by **Dadouv47** » Mon Feb 22, 2021 1:58 am

Oh well terrible night with Pistons, Wolves, Cavs losing and a win for us.

At least SGA is balling. His ceiling is higher than I thought. He will need help though.

Post #260 » by **ThunderBolt** » Mon Feb 22, 2021 2:00 am

Theo has shown some good things too.