A Thunderous Season
By: Fernando Corrales
The beginning of the NBA season is underway. Oklahoma City Thunder fans have high hopes for them this season, after having a fifty-win season last year. They lost to the Lakers in the playoffs last season due to their lack of size inside. Andrew Bynum and Pao Gasol dominated the boards. The other flaw that the Thunder had was their three-point shooting. During the summer they acquired Cole Aldrich from the University of Kansas, Morris Peterson from the Hornets, and Daequan Cook from the Miami Heat. Cole Aldrich gives them size down low at the height of 6-11. Morris Peterson and Daequan Cook are good three point shooters. The new additions to the Thunder have made them a much better team.
The first game for the Thunder proved not to be an easy one, as they played the Chicago Bulls. Kevin Durant and Russel Westbrook scored a total of 58 points combined. Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose led his team with 28 points which wasn’t enough to stop the duo of Durant and Westbrook as they fall to the Thunder in a 95-106 loss. The Thunder’s next game was against the Detroit Pistons. Kevin Durant scored 30 points for the second time. Thunder Center Serge Ibaka added a double-double with 16 points and 10 boards. Jeff Green’s layup with 2.5 remaining on the clock spoiled the Pistons home opener as they won 105-104. The first two losses of the Thunder came in Game 3 and Game 4 against the Utah Jazz and the Los Angeles Clippers. Utah had five players score in double-figures and cruised to a 120-99 victory over the Thunder, while the Los Angeles Clippers Eric Gordon scored 27 points and Eric Bledsoe had 17 and eight assists in place of injured starter Baron Davis to lead the Los Angeles Clippers to a 107-92 victory Wednesday night against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Staples Center. Game five was against the Portland Trailblazers. Oklahoma City held Portland without a field goal until the final second in overtime to score a 107-106 victory. Game 6 proved to be the toughest opponent the Thunder had as they faced the Boston Celtics. The Boston Celtics used an early run to scoot out to a 22-point lead and then held off a late Oklahoma City rally to beat the Thunder 92-83. Ray Allen and Paul Pierce led the Celtics with 19 and 17 points, while Kevin Durant scored a season-high 34 and Russell Westbrook added 16 for a short-handed OKC squad. The Thunder played without power forward Jeff Green. Game 7 was against the Philadelphia 76ers. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook over-powered the Philadelphia 76ers, scoring 62 points between them, to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 109-103 win.
The Thunder are 4-3, they are currently third of the Northwest Division behind the Portland Trailblazers and the Utah Jazz. Despite early losses, things are starting to look brighter with the return of Nick Collison in the near future. He led the Thunder in received charges last season. There is no timetable for his return. All we can look forward to right now is Friday night’s game against the Portland Trailblazers.
Works Cited
Arrit, Dan. Thunder-Clippers Notebook. 4 11 2010. 8 11 2010 <http://www.nba.com/games/20101103/OKCLAC/gameinfo.html#nbaGIboxscore>.
Eggers, Kerry. Thunder-Blazers Notebook. 5 11 2010. 8 11 2010 <http://www.nba.com/games/20101104/OKCPOR/gameinfo.html#nbaGIlive>.
Gauruder, Dana. Thunder-Pistons Notebook. 30 10 2010. 8 11 2010 <http://www.nba.com/games/20101029/OKCDET/gameinfo.html#nbaGIboxscore>.
Renner, Randy. Bulls-Thunder Notebook. 27 10 2010. 8 11 2010 <http://www.nba.com/games/20101027/CHIOKC/gameinfo.html#nbaGIlive>.
—. Celtics-Thunder Notebook. 7 11 2010. 8 11 2010 <http://www.nba.com/games/20101107/BOSOKC/gameinfo.html#nbaGIboxscore>.
—. Jazz-Thunder Notebook. 31 10 2010. 8 11 2010 <http://www.nba.com/games/20101031/UTAOKC/gameinfo.html#nbaGIlive>.
—. Sixers-Thunder Notebook. 10 11 2010. 11 11 2010 <http://www.nba.com/games/20101110/PHIOKC/gameinfo.html#nbaGIboxscore>.