OKC Thunder in the news: Fan petition for Adams Game of Thrones cameo, Abrines works to improve
Welcome to OKC Thunder – In the news for Sunday August 13, featuring topical daily news on your favorite team.
As the weekend wraps up here is the In the News column offering the hottest OKC Thunder news for your consumption. Today’s column features Steven Adams mustache removal initiating a petition for him to appear on Game of Thrones, Alex Abrines working hard to improve, and Lee Jenkins feels Thunder could be Warriors biggest challenge.
Adams missing mustache leads to petition:
When Steven Adams shaved off his mustache he probably didn’t expect the out cry it would produce. It’s not surprising Enes Kanter (his fellow Stache Brother) would be have a reaction. But, there is no way Adams could have prepared for what occurred. Fans responded in droves commenting on the OKC Thunder big man’s new look. But, it was one fan who jumped on Adams newly shorn face making him a perfect candidate to appear on HBO’s wildly successful series Game of Thrones. As I covered in TI’s article:
"As the petition shows no signs of slowing down and has the New Zealand big man’s stamp of approval I wonder if HBO will sit up and take notice. It’s not exactly out of the ordinary for famous non actors to appear on GOT. Just recently singer Ed Sheeran appeared. In the season 7 premiere Arya Stark comes upon a group of soldiers at Riverlands including the signing Sheeran."
Khal Drogo's son is a Drogon..... I think you'd be equally as devastating in battle though pic.twitter.com/1yirc1Jzdh
— Byron James (@ByronJKnight) August 11, 2017
Pundits cite OKC Thunder as Warriors greatest competition:
Lee Jenkins joined Colin Cowherd noting why the Thunder could very well finish second in the West. Thunderous Intentions has made similar statements so this isn’t ground breaking news. Like our scribes Jenkins notes how OKC’s defense will measure up well to face the Warriors. Undoubtedly Golden State will be the team all others are chasing, but OKC will definitely have the roster pieces to defend the Warriors.
The portion of Jenkins comments on OKC can be heard here.
"Lee Jenkins joins Colin Cowherd to discuss how Paul George improves the Oklahoma City Thunder enough to reach the Western Conference Finals."
Abrines focused on passing and defensive improvement:
OKC Thunder writer Nick Gallo offers an article detailing Alex Abrines first season in the NBA and his offseason work. While Abrines didn’t exactly burn up the league there were intriguing signs. Particularly, the Spanish youngster improved later in the season. This because Abrines got more acclimated to the NBA game. In particular, Abrines seemed to gel well with Doug McDermott late in the season and through the playoffs.
More from Thunderous Intentions
- Stealing one player from every Southwest Division team for the OKC Thunder
- Should the OKC Thunder chase after a disgruntled hometown hero?
- 3 OKC Thunder players who can step up in Aleksej Pokusevski’s absence
- Aleksej Pokusevski sidelined approximately 6 weeks with ankle injury
- Damian Lillard does not fit with the OKC Thunder
First of all, Abrine’s rookie season pinpointed specific areas requiring improvement. As a result, the most imperative area to focus on was defense. Part of this can be isolated to his frail frame. But, Gallo’s article cites Abrines is working , on adding size in the weight room. Additionally, he’s working on his lateral slides.
"Abrines will be working on his ballhandling, finishing and passing this offseason, a crucial focus of most Spanish players who are often some of the most diversely skilled in the world. The most important part of his NBA development arc however, will be his defense.Part of that is simply physical. Abrines is long and athletic at 6-foot-6, 190 pounds but is devoting a large portion of his offseason to both bulking and speeding up. It’s no easy task to do both, but it will be a requirement for Abrines to stay in front of NBA guards. At his position, that’s the surest path towards being an impact player in crunch time for the Thunder. The way the modern NBA floor is spread with shooters everywhere, having “good feet” like Abrines does, according to Head Coach Billy Donovan, is an advantage."
That wraps up OKC Thunder In the News for August 13. Enjoy the final day of the weekend and be sure to make OKC Thunder, In the News is part of your daily fix.