Intentions hope you’ve enjoyed our annual OKC Thunder season-end round table. The final contribution is up today. For those that missed the previous entries in the series, you can view them by clicking on the links below.
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)
- Best Moment of the season (click here)
OKC Thunder season end roundtable – Favorite game of 2020-21 season
It hasn’t always been easy this season to be in a constant state of losing games. As fans of the franchise, it’s been an adjustment after so much winning and success in the prior 12 seasons. Thunder Nation is learning to enjoy individual highlights and occasional wins as the franchise rebuilds.
With that in mind, Intentions serves up our final question of the round table end-of-season series…
Question 9: Which game was your favorite of this season?
Mark Nilon – @MarkNilon_NBA
The Shai Gilgeous-Alexander-less overtime game against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Directly following up an overtime loss to the Lakers just two days prior — which had SGA suiting up –, the Thunder came into the outing without their top gun.
Instead of rolling over, however, they managed to play a great team-oriented game that saw four of their eight players scoring in double figures, Al Horford having a stupendous all-around impact (25 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, four steals, and a block on 61 percent shooting), and the Thunder’s defensive unit managing to hold LA to a putrid 29 percent shooting from deep.
While Oklahoma City still wound up losing the game, seeing the tanking Thunder take the defending champions to the wire in overtime was an absolute thrill to watch.
Tamberlyn Richardson – @TTOTambz
This season has been difficult and while the fan base understands the ends will justify the means extended losing takes a toll.
As such, the win versus the Boston Celtics was my favorite game of the season. Having tied the longest losing streak in history at 14 games in a row it was one of the few times this season when the players were adamant they weren’t going to lose.
Saying that and doing it are two different things especially at Boston Garden which is one of the more difficult venues to play in. The Celtics entered the match on a 7-2 stretch having beaten top-ranked teams like the Knicks, Nuggets, Blazers, Lakers, and Suns.
Undeterred, Luguentz Dort returned on a mission still nursing an injury that resulted in him missing 11 of the previous 16 matches. Dort led the Thunder with 24 points while Darius Bazley delivered one of his best efforts producing a double-double of 23 points and 10 rebounds. Baz delivered a massive dunk late in the match which seemed to motivate his teammates and propel them to the victory.
Brandon Dale: @MrOKCtober
This question is relatively easy to answer because when Lu Dort hit a game-winner against the Spurs, it was the only time I forgot fans were not in the stands. That matchup was an astounding back and forth and ended dramatically. The dogpile at the end made this one a game for the ages. At this point, OKC was gelling as a unit, and to see them come out on top in a game like that was a good result.
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
For me, it’s between Hamidou Diallo’s breakout and memorable 23 point game against his home city New York Knicks on January 8th. Or Lu Dort’s 42 point performance against the Jazz on April 13.
Both games were so much fun to watch and it was incredible to witness both Diallo and Dort shine. It’s tough to choose just one but I’ll go with the Knicks game.
That was probably one of the first times we saw Diallo rise and show us his true potential. We definitely miss watching his phenomenal athleticism.
Matthew Hallett – @mervsports78
To be honest it was the win against the Boston Celtics. This team needed a win to boost their spirits and they played with such heart.