Thunder preseason tips off in little over an hour; Thunderous Intentions has you covered on up-to-date information from the game.
Thunder preseason basketball means less than a month away from Thunder regular season basketball. YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!! Before the game starts, here are…
Five things to watch for today
- How does Domantas Sabonis respond after an awesome Blue & White Scrimmage?
- Will Russell Westbrook and Victor Oladipo look like the best defensive backcourt in the league?
- What does the frontcourt depth chart look like after training camp?
- Will Semaj Christon be a viable replacement for Cameron Payne?
- Can Kyle Singler/Josh Huestis play like respectable small forwards?
IT’S GAMETIME BABY
First OKC starting lineup: Russell Westbrook-Victor Oladipo-Andre Roberson-Domantas Sabonis-Steven Adams.
Oladipo has come out attacking early. Having a second perimeter scoring threat is going to be key for them this season.
Sabonis hits a three early on. The rook didn’t shoot many collegiate threes, he’s obviously worked on his range in the offseason. Than he gets an offensive rebound off a free throw!!!! Domantas is living up to the potential so far.
THE THUNDER SCORED OFF A BEAUTIFULLY EXECUTED INBOUNDS PLAY. Westbrook isn’t dominating the ball, the players are buying into what Donovan is preaching.
OKC is using their athleticism just like we expected. The wings get out in transition and the bigs are always prepared for an offensive rebound.
First timeout. Thunder lead 20-12 with 5:53 left in the first. Alex Abrines is the first off the bench, subs in for Oladipo.
Related Story: What to expect from Alex Abrines
Well the defense is living up to expectations. OKC already has three steals, and their turning it into easy transition points.
They have six dunks ALREADY!!! Three in the first three possessions after the timeout. It’s obvious that they came out to play. Anddddd an And-one dunk from Roberson. Real Madrid can’t do anything with OKC’s athleticism; hopefully it translates positively to the NBA.
Kanter’s first touch results in an easy bucket after Real switched on the pick-and-roll. Russ needs to make that pass every time there’s a mismatch. 30-16 OKC with less than 3 minutes to go in the first.
Sabonis is finally subbed out for Ilyasova. Plenty of scorers on the floor for Westbrook in Abrines, Ilyasova and Kanter. And the first possession falters, Westbrook goes one on one and misses. Sigh.
Thunder run a beautiful set, ends in Westbrook contested three though :(. But he makes it, guess we can’t complain. It’s obvious that every pass is made with a specific idea in mind. Bigs are setting off-ball screens to get guys open. It looks like real basketball!!!!
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Westbrook is passing A LOT in transition, maybe a little too much. Kyle Singler gets his first points of the preseason because of it though.
Quarter ends with the Thunder up 35-22. One random note: Abrines-Ilyasova had a pick-and-pop play that didn’t work but could be deadly once the two play together more.
Second Quarter
Russ finally gets a breather, Ronnie Price turns the ball over on the first possession. Give Semaj a chance!!
ABRINES WITH A HEAD FAKE SPOT UP THREE. CASH MONEY. That’s what he brings to the table; now he just has to hit consistently.
Kanter has been blocked twice now. Love the guy to death but he needs to be more physical, especially against these smaller opponents.
Ilyasova with the feed down low. Donovan has made it an emphasis to feed the big men. Big change, but necessary change, from last season.
Wow Oladipo just looked so smooth shooting that pullup three off the pick from Kanter. And guess what? Easy money three points. 44-26 with 8:48 left.
Thunder have had active hands on defense, but sometimes a little too active. Madrid has had too many second chance points from over-rotating. Real is leading the rebounding margin 14-11. A lot of that has to do with the Thunder making shots, but still reason to concern considering they were one of the best rebounding teams in the league last year.
7:37 left. Price-Oladipo-Singler-Ilyasova-Kanter. And a disgusting backcut by Oladipo for an easy reverse layup. He’s been the most impressive player on the court so far.
Ronnie Price takes the charge on 3-2 fastbreak. Thunder have missed those veteran plays in the postseason. THAN THE 32-YEAR OLD TRIES TO RISE UP FOR A SLAM!!!! (he got fouled so it’s okay that he missed)
If a wing is standing with the ball, chances are a pick-and-roll is coming. Price just penetrated and kicked for a wide open three for Ilyasova. YEET!
Adams improved post moves havent translated to this game. He’s failed to draw iron a few times now. Not good once he gets to NBA-sized bigs.
Josh Huestis is now in the game. Sabonis has reentered as well. Thunder getting a little sloppy with the ball, Madrid cuts lead to 15.
Oh no. Adams goes down after making a floater. He’s walking to the locker room to get checked out. Seems to be just a little shaken up. Please don’t make this serious. 58-42, 2:42 left in the second.
Anthony Morrow is checked in, Oladipo is getting some run at the point. Huestis showing his value as a rebounder from the wing position, skies through for a nice offensive rebound.
Ugh Sabonis is a tank for only being 20. He just bullied a Real big for an easy layup. Came off a pick-and-roll with Oladipo. OKC has so many different combos to run a the P&R, it’s freaking awesome.
Oladipo the PG has taken a Westbrook-level amount of shots. Draws the foul with 4 seconds left in the half; pretty clear he was going to take the last shot as soon as they got the rebound.
Real makes a freak shot buzzer beater to end the first half at 65-50 OKC. Should be a bigger margin, but the reserves got most of the play time second quarter.
First Half Thoughts
Not a terrible first half to start the season. I love all the P&R combos Donovan experimented with. He has so many different lineups at his disposal; he should have fun this season.
Where was Joffrey Lauvergne? I was really excited to see how the Frenchmann would play for OKC, I’m sure we will see him in the second half.
Good ole’ Russ was serious about playing defense. He had a nasty steal off a behind-the-back pass. More importantly, his primary focus has been getting his teammates involved. #rebirthofruss
Related Story: The Rebirth of Russell Westbrook
Third Quarter
Thunder rolling out same starters but replace Adams with Kanter. Defense could be an issue with those two on the court andddddddddd Real hits a three in Sabonis’ grill.
FINALLY Kanter shows up and uses his size to clean up the glass for an easy putback. Donovan comes back with a mid-range post up for Westbrook. Been a few of those this game; Donovan has to utilize Russ in the right spots or he won’t be efficient enough to win MVP.
Wayyyyyyyyy too many passes for Oklahoma CIty. Did you think I’d ever say that? Results in a Kanter three, he misses but Sabonis gets the putback. 75-56 Thunder.
Real scores five quick so Billy calls a timeout. Oladipo shot from two feet behind the arc the possession before; I like the aggresiveness but he needs to pull it back a little.. okay a lot.
Russ with a sloppy pass brings Thunder turnover total to 9. Madrid’s defense hasn’t been THAT great, hopefully just early season kinks.
ANTHONY MORROW STROKES HIS FIRST THREE OF THE SEASON. Came off of nice handoff by Ilyasova. OKC has so many more offensive sets in their arsenal this season.
Defense has looked poor this quarter. Real’s ball movement has been much better and they are truly confusing the Thunder’s defensive rotations. 83-70 with 4:33 left in the third.
Westbrook hits his second three of the game. His shot is more fluid; he’s shooting on his way up instead of at the peak of his jump.
Kanter looks soft. Yeah he was fouled, but every time he’s pushed he flails his arms. The Stache Bros dominated because they could out-physical the Spurs; Kanter looks like he could be pushed over by a dandelion right now.
OKC isn’t playing too great right now so I wanted to see Sam Presti. He makes me happy. 87-76 with a little under three minutes to go.
Ugh classic Westbrook. He attacks and kicks it out to an open Ilyasova. Ilyasova passes the shot up, swings it around to a wide open Russ in the corner. He waits until the defender comes THAN shoots. Brick. Ugh.THANK WHOEVER YOU BELIEVE IN FOR ANTHONY MORROW. The form may make you uncomfortable, but the swish is a thing of beauty.Kanter with 5 quick points down low; Thunder keep feeding the post when a guard switches to a big. 95-84 Thunder with 12.2 seconds left.
Sergio Llull hits ANOTHER buzzer beater to bring the game within 8. One quarter left. Real is 12-23 from behind the arc today. We could be in for an upset…
Fourth Quarter
Real hits another three, TERRIBLE defense by Anthony Morrow. Sidenote, Kaleb Tarczewski has entered the game before Mitch McGary. See ya later Mitch.
Real is not letting up, lead is cut to 5 with 10:19 left! They are getting wide open shots; this lineup is doing a terrible job communicating.
Victor Oladipo might be the savior of this game. He’s got seven straight points…partly because he’s the only one shooting the rock.
Thunder are just playing lazy on defense, allowing a Madrid wing to get behind everyone for an easy layup. Lead is cut to 3. Will be interesting to see if Donovan plays for the win.
Okay I’m happy again.
Abrines comes off the screen for another three, putting OKC up by 9. He looks uber comfortable in set-piece shots.
Sabonis is going to have to watch his hands this season. He’s very foul prone when the ball enters the post; good thing he’s only 20!
Ilyasova’s defense is underrated by Thunder fans, he’s scrappy and can guard inside and out. Singler, on the other hand, thinks its acceptable to push screeners out of the way. Now Real’s shooting free throws for the rest of the quarter.
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112-111 Thunder are now losing with 4:26 left.
Billy Donovan….. WTF ARE YOU DOING?!?!? This Price-Abrines-Singler-Ilyasova-Kanter lineup is getting destroyed on the defensive end. Real is scoring at literally every possession.
Luckily they have no answer for Kanter down low, who keeps matching Madrid point for point. He’s got 25 points on the day off of 10-13 shooting. Just doing what he does best.
Sabonis is in for Ilyasova with 2:22 left. Donovan wants the rook to get used to intense games down the stretch. Meanwhile Kanter hits another jumper to put OKC up 5 with 2 minutes left.
ABRINES WITH THE CLUTCH THREE TO ANSWER REALS THREE. Than he gets lazy on defense and allows a little floater 🙁 BUT THAN HE HITS ANOTHER THREE AND TAKES A CHARGE OMG ALEX ABRINES IS THE MVP OF THIS TEAM!!!!!!
RUSS IS FIRED UP! (on the bench)
Oladipo as the crunch-time point guard here scares me. He’s been shooting way too much for me to trust him right now. 125-121 with 32 seconds left.
Oladipo takes a crazyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy shot and air balls, luckily OKC steals the outlet pass and Oladipo makes one of two.
Sabonis fouls the three point shooter with 4 seconds left. Doesn’t matter if you are a rookie, you can’t make that mistake.
Wow.
Missed free throw, Llull gets the loose ball and nails another three to beat the buzzer….. overtime in Madrid.
First Overtime
Donovan is riding out Oladipo-Abrines-Singler-Huestis-Kanter. If this lineup sees the court once during the regular season I will cry.
Oladipo is scaryyyyyyyyyyyyyyy athletic. He just destroyed two Real defenders with a dunk. When he drives he scores, when he shoots… well he airballs. He’s gotta learn what is working for him this game.
Golly Sergio Llull CANNOT miss. He’s 6-7 on threes now.
Oladipo is FINALLY FEEDING Kanter on the roll. It only took him 53 minutes to realize that Kanter is a mismatch for this team. 133-132 Real Madrid up with less than 2 minutes remaining.
Sometimes teams can’t miss…today was one of those days. Thunder down 140-134 with 35 seconds left. Too many defensive breakdowns at the end of crunch time. Same old Thunder…
Donovan runs pick the picker to get an open look…. with Kyle Singler. Airball. Thunder lose 142-137 to Real Madrid. Ugh.