OKC Thunder season end round table: Best ‘moment’ of season

Intentions continue our OKC Thunder roundtable as we reflect back on the 2020-21 season.

Previously, our round table offered opinions on:

• The most impressive individual performance (click here)
• The Robin to Luguentz Dort’s Batman (click here)
• Best non-rookie addition to the club (click here)
• The player who carved out a role in the future core (click here)
• Former teammate who’ll feast this postseason (click here)
• The Thunder player most excited to see next season (click here)
• Most Improved Player on Thunder (click here)

OKC Thunder season end roundtable – best highlight or moment

Despite the tanking season, there were plenty of great moments this season. Several are top of mind …

Lu Dort falling down and being mobbed by his teammates after sinking the game-winner. Beating the Celtics in Boston to end a 14-game losing streak. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander demonstrating he has the chops to fill the very big shoes left vacant by former captain Chris Paul.

Theo Maledon showing the poise of a seasoned vet virtually from his first minutes on the hardwood. Kenrich Williams summoning the type of grit that players like Marcus Smart and Kyle Lowry are known for as leaders on their squads, etc, etc.

The Intentions team offers up their favorite specific moment of the season.

Question 8: If you could pick one highlight or moment from this season what would it be?

Tamberlyn Richardson – @TTOTambz

By far, my favorite moment was witnessing the handle of Aleksej Pokusevski. There were so many incredible dimes dished it was hard to limit it to one. And even then, once I narrowed it down my favorite occurred in the G-League bubble as he runs out of bounds he passes it back to Moses Brown (over this head, behind his back). However, since we’re talking varsity games I settled on this one…

https://twitter.com/NBATV/status/1384314983622660097

Mark Nilon – @MarkNilon_NBA

Lu Dort’s game-winning trey against the San Antonio Spurs, hands down!

While the sophomore’s stat line of 16 points and four boards on 50 percent shooting from the field and 57 percent shooting from deep, perhaps the most impressive thing to me was that this win proved the OKC Thunder have players in tow not named Shai Gilgeous-Alexander who can step up and get this team a ‘W’.

The play was a drive-and-kick between a running Horford and a well-positioned Dort on the right sideline that, ultimately, gave Oklahoma City the 102-99 victory, all while SGA had the luxury of watching from the complete opposite side of the court.

Brandon Dale: @MrOKCtober

I thoroughly enjoyed watching the OKC Thunder beat the Brooklyn Nets on January 10th of this year. That entire game was exciting because of OKC’s come-from-behind effort to rally and get a big win against the favorites in the Eastern Conference.

Shontelle Matano: @ShontelleMatano

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

It would have to be the moment Lu Dort shot his first-ever game-winner against the Spurs in February. Dort’s teammates frantically ran to him, cheering and hugging him. It was a special moment. That moment was OKC in an image. It showed a team connected through their values of resilience and family. It showed a team that allows underdogs to rise and kids to become legends.

It was beautiful to see and conveyed a stronger message that despite the challenges of this season on the court but also with the pandemic, that it’s all about staying together and finding moments of joy.

Even if it was just for the duration of a game or a small part of our day, OKC helped us find that.

Matthew Hallett – @mervsports78

I always find these questions difficult, The highlight of the season is definitely the development of all the players. Every moment this team competes is also a highlight for me.

Moments like when Pokusevski scored his first bucket, his first three-point shot will stick with me. When Kenrich Williams did something that he should not physically be able to do, also highlights. Every drive and score from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, I just love what this team is fighting to become