Chet Holmgren recorded four blocks in the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Game 2 victory over the Phoenix Suns.

The Thunder defeated the Suns 120-107. The Thunder now leads the series two games to zero.

Holmgren was a dominant force defensively, recording four blocks and seven defensive rebounds. He also scored 19 points while shooting 50 percent from three-point range. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander also had a great game, scoring 37 points and dishing out 9 assists. 

The Suns were led by their wing duo of Devin Booker and Dillon Brooks. Brooks scored 30 points while Booker scored 22 points. Despite this, the Suns couldn’t find a way to stop the Thunder’s offense.

Alexander and Brooks were seen arguing on the court. Brooks played tough defense on Alexander, but Alexander scored more times than not. Alexander was asked about his arguments with Brooks in the postgame interviews.

“He was just doing his usual antics. Then, I scored on him. I let him hear it a little bit,” Alexander said. 

Brooks is known for his tough style of play. In Game 1, he received a flagrant foul after hitting Holmgren in the face while going for a loose ball. 

For Brooks, getting the mental edge is just as important as hitting shots. In the second quarter, Brooks fouled Alexander, causing Alexander to fall. Brooks looked visibly frustrated that a foul was called, claiming that Alexander flopped.

One possession later, Alexander hit a shot over Brooks and pointed at him with his thumb. This is a reference to a meme where Jerry from Tom and Jerry points at Tom to mock him after he gets hurt.

Despite their back-and-forth, there doesn’t seem to be hard feelings between the two. Both were members of Team Canada in the 2024 Summer Olympics.

The next game of this series will be on April 25.

The Oklahoma City Thunder kicked off their 2025-26 NBA season Tuesday night in front of a packed Paycom Center, celebrating their first NBA championship in franchise history. They unveiled their banner and had a ring ceremony before facing the Houston Rockets.

Players, coaches and fans watched as the 2025 championship banner rose to the rafters, marking the culmination of a historic 68-14 season that ended with the Thunder hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy last June.

The Thunder also revealed their custom-made championship rings, designed by The Champions Collective, featuring intricate details that pay tribute to both the team’s success and Oklahoma’s heritage.

Each ring features a removable inner band engraved with the player’s jersey number and signature. The top opens to reveal an image of the team celebrating their championship win. One side showcases the team’s record and player number, surrounded by lightning bolts — a nod to the Thunder’s name — and the other displays the year 2025 alongside the team’s logo.

The design also incorporates a local tribute: the outer palm side of the ring honors the Gates of Time and Reflecting Pool at the Oklahoma City National Memorial. Inside the ring, the Latin phrase “Labor Omnia Vincit,” meaning “Work conquers all” and serving as Oklahoma’s state motto, is engraved.

Fans cheered as team captain Shai Gilgeous-Alexander accepted his ring to a standing ovation, which symbolized a new era for the franchise that began its rebuild just a few seasons ago. As the banner settled above the court, the celebration turned to the future, with the Thunder looking to defend their title and prove that last season was only the beginning.

The Oklahoma City Thunder evened the NBA Finals on Sunday night, beating the Indiana Pacers 123-107. It was a full team effort as five Thunder players scored double-digit points as the Thunder were able to bounce back after the loss in Game 1 to the Pacers, tying the series 1-1 before going to Indianapolis.

2025 MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led all scorers with 34 points, which puts him in historic company.

Sunday night marked Gilgeous-Alexander’s ninth consecutive home playoff game with at least 30 points, which makes him one of only two players in NBA history to score at least 30 points in nine straight home playoff games, alongside Wilt Chamberlain (per Greg Harvey of StatsPerform). Entering Game 2, Gilgeous-Alexander was tied with Hall of Famers like Michael Jordan, Jerry West and Bob Pettit with eight straight games scoring at least 30 points, according to Stathead.

It was a massive win for the 2025 MVP, but it was also a huge win for the Thunder, as those points contributed to the Thunder’s Game 2 victory over the Pacers. The Thunder could have easily lost all momentum after losing due to Tyrese Haliburton’s game-winning shot to give the Pacers the lead with 0.3 seconds left in Game 1. Instead, the Thunder bounced back and played with intentionality and intensity to ensure the series was tied entering Game 3.

“I’m being myself,” said Gilgeous-Alexander, whose 72 points in the series are the most by a player in his first two Finals games, surpassing Hall of Famer Allen Iverson in 2001 by a point. “I don’t think I tried to reinvent the wheel or step up to the plate with a different mindset. Just try to attack the game the right way. I think I’ve done a pretty good job of that so far.”

It was Gilgeous-Alexander’s 12th 30-point performance during these playoffs, which surpasses Kevin Durant in 2014 for the most in franchise postseason history.

He had a very efficient outing, shooting 11 of 21 from the field, after a Game 1 that saw him miss 16 field goal attempts. His performance on Sunday set the tone early and steadied the Thunder just about every time the Pacers tried to make a run.

Game 3 is set for Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time, and Sunday’s win guarantees Gilgeous-Alexander a shot at breaking Chamberlain’s record by scoring 30 points in 10 straight home playoff games.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have punched their ticket to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2012, becoming the second-youngest team (average age of 25.6 years old) to advance to the Finals, trailing only the Portland Trail Blazers’ 1976-77 championship team, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

The Thunder crushed the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals with a 124-94 victory.

The Thunder were able to prove that they can handle the playoff prosperity and celebrated another big step toward their championship aspirations with a boisterous sellout crowd at the Patcom Center.

“The focus through the distraction of a closeout game to go to the Finals is what was most impressive,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said postgame. “I mean, they were laser-focused today, and that allowed our best to come to the surface.”

The Thunder jumped to a 17-point lead in the first quarter, when the Thunder held the Timberwolves to nine points, Minnesota’s fewest in any quarter this season and in the franchise’s playoff history. The Thunder had a 65-32 halftime lead after the Timberwolves had more turnovers (14) than made field goals (12) against the Thunder’s defense, which ranks number one in the league this season.

“It almost seemed like we did everything that we were supposed to do,” said Shai Gilgeous-Alexander postgame, who had 34 points and eight assists on his Western Conference finals MVP performance. “We made it tough on the guys we were supposed to make it tough on. Well, I thought it was tough for everybody. We were clicking on all cylinders as far as what their tendencies are, what our game plan is, how we want to impact the game, how we want to impact the ball.”

Gilegous-Alexander generated 32 points in the first half, matching Minnesota’s total. Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams combined for 30 points in the half and combined for 41 in total.

“It’s great to feel like you didn’t leave anything on the table,” Holmgren said postgame.

The Thunder wait on the winner of the Eastern Conference finals, which the Indiana Pacers lead 3-1 over the New York Knicks.

The Oklahoma City Thunder swept the Memphis Grizzlies despite Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, an MVP finalist, underperforming early on in the series.

With 38 points on 13-of-24 shooting, Gilgeous-Alexander closed out the Grizzlies in Game 4, leading the Thunder to a 117-115 win.

“I didn’t think he played any different,” Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said. “I just think he got into a groove.”

Despite shooting only 35.3% — his worst three-game stretch of the season — Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder blew out the Grizzlies in both home games and pulled off a 29-point comeback in Game 3.

Gilgeous-Alexander, who led the league with 32.7 points per game on 51.9% shooting this season, started Game 4 with the hot hand, hitting his first seven shots and scoring 16 points in the first quarter.

“I’m impressed with my level to, I guess, stay with it,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “In the past, I, for sure, would’ve turned down the aggressiveness a little bit. I think I made a jump as far as that this year. That’s something I’m definitely proud of. I try not to focus on the results and just focus on my mental development. I think I’ve taken a step forward in that, and I had a night like tonight because of it.

“In the past, I definitely would’ve shied away from the moment because of where my shooting was headed. I think I’ve taken a step mentally, but I think I’ve done so all season and been paid off in the moment in the night where we needed it.”

First-time All-Star Jalen Williams delivered for the Thunder throughout the series, putting up 23.3 points and 5.3 assists per game and closed out the Grizzlies with a 23-point, five-assist performance in Game 4.

Oklahoma City survived a cold night from three — making only seven-of-35 — thanks to Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams, and an aggressive defense that forced 22 Memphis turnovers and converted them into 32 points. The Grizzlies were without Ja Morant, sidelined by a left hip contusion.

The Thunder racked up 103 points off turnovers against the Grizzlies.

The Thunder finished the season with the NBA’s top-ranked defense and led the league in points off turnovers at 21.8 per game.

Gilgeous-Alexander’s three consecutive rough shooting games were unexpected, though his teammates were quick to defend his overall impact before the series finale.

“I think he played a hell of a series,” Chet Holmgren said. “He was making the right plays all series, making the right reads, trusting people, and that’s been really helpful, not only for myself, but for [Williams], for everybody down the list. And I don’t see that changing. He’s going to continue to play great. And when that ball’s going in at a high clip, you guys are going to be up here asking me how special he was that night.”

The Thunder are set to take on the winner of the Denver Nuggets-Los Angeles Clippers series in the second round.

The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 129-122 on Wednesday, improving to 32-4 to maintain the best record in the NBA. The Thunder remain second best with a similarly dominant 30-6 record, but Cleveland came out on top in the rubber match between conference leaders.

In many ways, the game was a distillation of the exact play styles that have made both teams powerhouses in the 2024-25 season. The Thunder leaned heavily on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the MVP front-runner who delivered again in a 31-point performance. Forward Jalen Williams also came through with 25 points and nine assists. 

But while the Thunder, stocked to the brim with young talent, were as effective as ever on offense Wednesday, the team’s elite defense could not contain Cleveland. Instead of counting on one star, the Cavaliers were efficient from top to bottom, relying on seven different players to put up double-digit points totals. Star guards Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland performed well but took a back seat to forwards Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley. Allen scored 25 points with 11 rebounds, while Mobley scored 21 with 10.

While the Thunder appear to be next in a long line of traditional championship contenders, building around superstar Gilgeous-Alexander, the Cavaliers are unique in their surprise run to the top of the Eastern Conference. Instead of relying on a single playmaker, the team instead focuses on elite efficiency and playmaking ability from everyone on the floor.

To defeat a team like the Thunder, opponents must choose one of three approaches: try to contain Gilgeous-Alexander, isolate him from the rest of his team, or run the Thunder’s historically strong defense off the floor with lights-out shooting. All three options have proven immensely difficult this season, but Wednesday’s game proved that defeating the Cavaliers in their current iteration is even harder. 

There is no clear target on Cleveland’s offense, no obvious focal point. Trying to contain the team is like trying to plug too many holes in the side of a boat. The Thunder remain the best defense in the league, but the team was completely hapless for long stretches against the Cavaliers, who stunned them with one of the most well-rounded attacks in the NBA’s recent history. In a league dominated by selfish basketball, Cleveland has developed a many-headed monster.

Of course, many insiders speculate that the Cavaliers are still doomed to also-ran status when the postseason arrives. From a long-term perspective, the criticisms come easily. The team has too many moving pieces and is too dependent on shooting efficiency. It’s a house of cards. Players get hurt; players go cold. The Celtics and Thunder have more bankable superstars and stronger defenses. The Cavaliers will rack up wins now but won’t be able to sustain momentum in a series. 

Looking at it months in advance, all of it checks out. They’re all logical things to say. But no one wants to play Cleveland tomorrow, and the number of days until the postseason is rapidly receding with each and every victory.

Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards said that the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is his MVP pick for the 2024-25 season. Gilgeous-Alexander scored 40 points in another awe-inspiring performance Wednesday, leading Oklahoma City to a 113-105 victory over Edwards and the Timberwolves.

“He’s consistent every night,” Edwards said. “His team gonna give him the ball and just let him rock out every night. It’s nothing to think about. ‘Hey, get Shai the ball and he going to get busy, and then we’re going to figure it out after that.’ I love watching that. It’s incredible, man. If he is keeping him like that, I hope they give [MVP] to him this year for sure. I feel like he should have won it last year, but he’s playing out his mind right now.”

Gilgeous-Alexander finished second in MVP voting behind Nuggets big man Nikola Jokic last season, finishing with 30.1 points per game with 6.2 rebounds and 5.5 assists. This season, he is scoring 31.2 points per game, putting up nearly identical stats across the board while leading the Thunder to a 25-7 record, five games ahead of the next team in a stacked Western Conference. Oklahoma City has long been considered the team of the future, and that team is now a frightening force in the West.

As the best player on an undeniable championship contender, Gilgeous-Alexander’s MVP case is only gaining momentum as he sustains an elite performance level season over season. Voter fatigue is an undeniable factor, but the only difference between Gilgeous-Alexander’s case last year and this year is that the Thunder have gained more territory in the national conversation. He remains the same player, one that was likely deserving of the award a year ago. 

Edwards is a phenomenal player in his own right, slowly maturing into a leader on a young and sometimes aimless Timberwolves team. But recognizing Gilgeous-Alexander as the league’s best player is an affirmation that the future is squarely behind him. At this rate, his ascension seems inevitable.

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After earning first-team All-NBA honors Wednesday, the Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Doncic and Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are in line to receive some of the largest contracts in NBA history in the near future. The two young stars excelled in the Western Conference in the 2023-24 season, leading their teams to historic runs.

Many different stories came out of this year’s All-NBA announcement, some more critical than others. On one hand, many fans rejoiced over the return of three-time MVP Nikola Jokic to the first team after he missed out in 2023. On the other hand, many have knocked the league for strictly enforcing its game-limit rule, which forced players to compete for at least 20 minutes in 65 games to be eligible for the honor.

The stories involving Doncic and Gilgeous-Alexander, however, are ongoing, as All-NBA honors are merely a chapter in their meteoric rises in the NBA.

Doncic, the Maverick’s 25-year-old point guard, earned his fifth straight first-team designation by a nearly unanimous vote, with all but one of the 99 voters selecting him. He is just the third player, along with Tim Duncan and Kevin Durant, to make the First Team five times before the age of 26.

Beyond his individual achievements this season, which include his first scoring title, Doncic is currently leading the Mavericks in an underdog postseason run to the Western Conference Finals. As the fifth seed in the conference, the team defeated the Clippers and first-seeded Thunder and now hold a 1-0 series lead over the Timberwolves.

Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder may have just lost to the Mavs in the playoffs, but Oklahoma City still exceeded every possible expectation in 2023-24 season. The young team, still in the midst of rebuilding, earned a 57-25 record to lead the Western Conference. Gilgeous-Alexander, also age 25, performed phenomenally, scoring 30.1 points per game over the course of the season.

With Doncic and Gilgeous-Alexander nearing the end of their designated rookie extensions, they’re both likely to earn lucrative deals in the near future. Doncic’s next deal would begin in the 2026-27 season while Gilgeous-Alexander’s would start one year later.

According to ESPN, the Mavericks star is in line to receive a five-year contract for around $346 million. Meanwhile, Gilgeous-Alexander could sign a four-year deal for $279 million that would culminate in a record-breaking $81 million salary in the 2030-31 season. These two stars have been spotted as the NBA’s new leaders, and in time, they will be paid to reflect that immense value.

What’s the NBA playoffs without controversy?

Dallas and Oklahoma City participated in a back-and-forth series, and game six looked no different. The teams traded blows and lead changes before a foul call with less than two seconds left tilted the odds in the Mavericks’ favor. Whether the Thunder deserved to lose this way will be debated for years, but Oklahoma City had a chance multiple times to put the game out of reach. Their helplessness on the glass and Dallas shooting almost 50% from three did in the Western Conference’s #1 seed. Three Mavericks scored over 20 points as the veteran Dallas squad proved too much for the up-and-coming Thunder.

Lu Dort and Thunder started on fire, leading 16-6 before the Mavericks stymied their offense flow, forcing OKC to go 2-11 at one point in the quarter and trailing by only four with four seconds left. A Jalen Williams three just a few steps in front of half-court stole back momentum and quieted the home crowd. OKC would ride that wave during the early portion of the second quarter as they regained a double-digit lead. Dallas went on a 10-0 run over three minutes, but the young Thunder team responded on the road. With 2:37 in the first half, the Thunder outscored the Mavs 14-4 and took a 16-point lead into the locker rooms. Budding superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander dropped 12 of his 36 points in the second quarter as he tried to carry his team over the line as he has all playoffs.

Dallas fell behind by 17 multiple times in the first minutes of the second half, but they did not go away in front of their home crowd. The key to their comeback came from their three-point shooting as they went 6-11 from long range in the quarter and cut the deficit to seven heading into the fourth quarter.

The maturity of the Dallas team came through down the stretch. They trailed by multiple possessions for the first seven minutes of the quarter, but a Derrick Lively dunk plus the foul brought them in within two. Lively destroyed the Thunder on the glass, especially in the fourth quarter, and his offense inside kept the Mavericks within reach. A minute later, P.J. Washington canned his first basket from long range off a Luka Doncic assist as the game was all square at 105. The teams traded shots down the stretch as four straight possessions ended with baskets before the Thunder blinked first. Chet Holmgren missed a second-chance three, and the Mavericks scored to lead by five with 1:11 to go. However, with their backs against the wall, the Thunder scored six straight points and led 116-115.

With time winding down and Dallas needing a basket, Washington went up for a game-winning three. The PF went up to shoot, but the ball never reached the rim. Gilgeous-Alexander challenged his shot, and although his hand hit part of the ball, the referees felt that he got too much of his body and called a foul with 1.5 seconds left. The big man knocked down his first two free throws before intentionally missing the third as the Mavericks took game six and booked their ticket to the Western Conference Finals, winning 117-116.

The Thunder played a valiant series, but their inexperience came through. They did not do a good job of guarding without fouling throughout the series, especially in game six, and their inability to close out games led to their demise. The team should be back in this situation next year with a stronger roster, as they hold multiple draft picks and millions of dollars in cap space.

Dallas will take on the winner of Minnesota and Denver but will start their next round on the road.

Luka Donic is hurt.

Last night, TNT shared a graphic detailing an albatross of his ailments: right knee sprain, left knee soreness, back soreness and left Achilles soreness. During timeouts, he places an ice pack the size of a backpack on his upper body and another on his left bag, making him look more like the Michelin Man than an NBA assassin.

For most humans, that means two weeks in bed and a six-month recovery time.

For Doncic, it meant a 31-point triple-double, which sent Dallas to the brink of the Western Conference Finals and stunned the Oklahoma City crowd.

Back on their home floor, the Thunder raced out to an early 8-2 advantage two minutes into the game. Dallas responded minutes later with a 9-0 run. The teams traded jabs to start the first quarter, and the Mavericks held a slender two-point lead at the end of the first.

The separation of the sides began in the second as Doncic poured it on inside the Paycom Center. The European contributed 17 of the Maverick’s 30 points in the period with 4-6 shooting and four assists as Dallas took a 54-44 lead into the break.

Dallas continued to hound Oklahoma City on the perimeter as the Thunder could not muster much offense after halftime. OKC scored just 23 points in the third, slightly better than the 22 they put up in the first and second. Shai Gilgeous-Alexender did all he could to keep his team in it, but the MVP candidate received little help. Only one Thunder player scored over 12 points, and the Mavs won the assist battle 27-20. The stagnant offense allowed Dallas’s lead to swell by as much as 15 midway through the quarter as Doncic sunk another three.

The Thunder trailed by 12 going into the final frame, but Doncic scored on back-to-back-to-back possessions at the beginning of the quarter, putting the Mavs up 18. The game seemed finished, but credit OKC for battling back. A Chet Holmgren dunk cut the lead to seven as the Thunder roared back with a 12-1 run and scored on four straight possessions.

That was the closest they would get.

On the ensuing possession, Doncic dished to P.J. Washington, and the big man splashed in a three. The Thunder’s offense dried up, and they did not score for over three minutes before Gilgeous-Alexander hit a mid-range jumper as his team trailed 99-88 with 1:45 to go. Dallas made their free throws down the stretch, something they did not do the game before, and stole game five on the road 104-92. Doncic dominated, but four other Mavericks players entered double figures as their team effort put Oklahoma City on the brink. Now, a young Thunder team must go on the road and grind out a victory in Dallas to force a game seven back on their home floor.

After game three, the magic seemed to begin to run out on the Thunder’s magical year.

Even though Oklahoma City finished with the best regular-season record in the Western Conference, they have the youngest roster remaining in the playoffs. After dropping two straight to the Dallas Mavericks, their lack of playoff experience started to catch up with them.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander proved that age was just a number. The MVP candidate dropped 34 points on an efficient 14-26 from inside the arc and kept the Thunder afloat while the team around him verged on collapsing. His teammates rewarded his efforts as OKC finished the game on a 20-14 run and stole game four on the road in a contest they had little business winning.

The night started disastrously for Oklahoma City. Dallas, powered by their home floor and an efficient start from their superstars Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, raced out to a 22-8 advantage. The Mavericks smashed their way into the lane and created a lay-up, open three-point attempt or took free throws on almost all of their early possessions. Dallas wanted to bury the young Thunder team early and blitzed them for multiple double-digit leads in the first half.

The largest pushback Mark Cuban’s team faced for most of the game came from themselves. The Mavs missed 11 free throws on the night, on 12-23 shooting from the charity stripe in one of the worst displays of foul shooting in NBA history. Their inability to take advantage haunted them throughout the game.

The Thunder finished the first half with a below-average 43 points, and they left their offense in the locker room to start the third. They did not score in the opening two minutes of the frame before SGA scored four straight points for his team and broke their scoring skid. From then on, OKC looked more composed, and their production followed suit. The Thunder cut the deficit to only four points, entering the fourth as they increased their ball movement and stretched out the Maverick’s defense.

However, they did not start the fourth quarter on time. In the early moments of the frame, SGA’s squad quickly fell behind by eight and looked to be heading back home down 3-1.

All of a sudden, the offense reignited.

The next three Thunder makes came from behind the arc as their outside shooting kept them within reach of the Mavs. A mini spurt is all that Gilgeous-Alexander needed as he scored or assisted on 14 of the following 16 OKC points. Dallas did not have an answer for the young superstar, and their inability to create stops affected their offense. They scored just five points over three minutes with five minutes left in the contest as the Thunder began to put a stranglehold on game four. Doncic had a chance to tie the game at 96 but missed the front end of two attempts at the foul line with 10 seconds left. Oklahoma City came up composed at the line, as they had done all night, shooting 23-24 from the stripe, and sunk their free throws final free throw attempts to put the game out of reach.

Although both teams played with incredible defensive intensity for most of the night, with a combined 22 blocks between the two, the Mavericks threw this game away and wasted a golden chance to put the Thunder on the brink of elimination. Doncic and Irving let their team down, combining to shoot a putrid 10-31 from the floor and knocking down only 27 points. After it seemed that the stars found their footing in the series, Dallas will be the team answering questions about their ability to close out games and rise up in big moments.

Oklahoma City did their job and will enjoy the confines of home as two of the potential next three games are played in the Sooner state.

In the summer of 2019, the Oklahoma City Thunder traded Paul George to the Los Angeles Clippers for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari, five first-round picks and two pick swaps. The blockbuster trade was the biggest move for a single player in NBA history, in a memorable summer that saw some of the league’s top talent relocate to new teams. The massive haul given up by the Clippers for George was also an insurance move to guarantee the team landed two-time Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard.

The common thought was that the Thunder would tank for the next few years, loading up on draft capital and making moves for bigger stars down the road. They tried that method for a few years, and were able to stockpile more than 15 first-round picks over the next seven years. While playing the long game, led by general manager Sam Presti, the Thunder built a strong, young team in a much shorter span than many expected.

Over the past three seasons, Oklahoma City has drafted Josh Giddey, Chet Holgrem and Jalen Williams, all of whom are currently starters and each averaging at least 10 points, four rebounds and two assists per game. Along with Gilgeous-Alexander, the young core has proved that they aren’t just a team with potential in a few years but rather a championship contender today.

In that span, the Thunder also drafted Brandon Clarke, Immanuel Quickly, Alperen Shengun and Derrick Lively II, but all were traded before they could ever put on an OKC jersey. Despite trading them away before playing a single minute with the team, the hit rate on the Thunder’s draft picks by Presti is unrivaled by any other team and should be cause for their concern.

Even with their untouchable drafting record, the primary cause for the Thunder’s success has been Gilgeous-Alexander. For the second straight year, the 25-year-old is averaging more than 30 points per game, along with 5.7 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 2 per contest. Though at the time of the trade,  Gilgeous-Alexander seemed like just a small piece of the pie offered for George, his 30 points per game is a feat George has yet to accomplish in his career. He also received first-team All-NBA honors in 2023, as opposed to George last making the list in 2019, his final year with the Thunder.

The draft picks offered for George would have been enough for most teams to accept the deal, but the addition of Gilgeous-Alexander was an unforeseen luxury for Oklahoma City. Since the trade, the Clippers have seen more success in the regular season and playoffs, but have had an overall better team than the Thunder. Though it hasn’t played out in long-term winning just yet, the common thought around the league is that Gilgeous-Alexander has been a better and more impactful player than George.

As of March 16, the Thunder are currently tied for first in the Western Conference with the Denver Nuggets with a 47-20 record. The team is third in points per game at 120.7, second in field goal percentage at 50% and first in three-point shooting at 39.4%. Oklahoma City is also the second-youngest team in the NBA with an average age of 24.12 years old, but their lack of experience hasn’t stopped their regular season success.

With their young roster at the top of the standings Oklahoma City is in unfamiliar territory, but that shouldn’t mean they should be counted out. The last time the team made the NBA Finals was in 2012, with a squad that was drafted and developed by the team in the form of Russell Westbrook, James Harden and Kevin Durant. Yes, it’s unfair to compare this year’s team to the one from 12 years ago, but they look and feel similar, and are currently carrying themselves like the team that was three games away from the franchise’s first NBA Championship.

The Portland Trailblazers are filing a protest to the NBA and Commissioner Adam Silver following a nail-biting 111-109 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night.

Many are shocked that the NBA Constitution still allows for official protests, given the significant technological advancements in the league through features such as the extensive replay review system.

As written in the NBA Constitution, “Upon receipt of a protest, the Commisioner shall at once notify the member operating the opposing team in the game protested and require both of said members within five (5) days to file with him such evidence as he may desire bearing upon the issue. The Commissioner shall decide the question raised within five (5) days after receipt of such evidence.”

The protest will also cost the Blazers $10,000 to file, but will be refunded if successful.

In this case, the evidence is clear. With less than 20 seconds left in the game, the Blazers had inbounded the ball with a 109-108 lead, and point guard Malcolm Brogdon faced a heavy-pressure double-team once he crossed half-court. The Blazers had two timeouts remaining, and head coach Chauncey Billups was quick to travel down the sideline and scream and gesture to call one of those timeouts, but referee Brandon Schwab had his back to Billups and no timeout was given.

Instead, Schwab called a double dribble on Brogdon, which resulted in a turnover and a double technical foul call on Billups, which saw him ejected from the game. Thunder star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander made one of the two technical free throws, tying the game 109-109, giving the Thunder the ball on the final play of the game where Thunder forward Malcolm Brogdon hit a fading mid-range jumper to take the lead with two seconds remaining. The game ended 111-109.

“We’ve got timeouts,” Billups said postgame. “Referees usually are prepared for that, you know, that instance, that situation. I’m at half-court, trying to call a timeout. It’s just frustrating. My guys played too hard for that. It’s a frustrating play.”

Portland dropped to 12-31 with the loss and the Thunder moved to 30-13 and first place in the West after the Timberwolves’ loss to the Hornets on Monday night.

The last protest to be upheld in the NBA was in 2007 when the Miami Heat recognized that their center, Shaquille O’Neal, was incorrectly ruled to have six fouls when he only had five. This would be the first one in 17 years.

The Blazers will look to bounce back against the Rockets and the Spurs this week, while the Thunder will move on to play the Spurs and Pelicans in their next two games.

Kentucky freshman guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will leave the Wildcats after just one year and enter the 2018 NBA Draft.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to Enter NBA Draft

The 19-year-old Canadian won SEC Tournament MVP honors in March. Gilgeous-Alexander began the season as the ninth-highest rated player on the Wildcats’ roster. He is ranked 12th on ESPN’s top 100 prospects list.

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“After consulting with my coaches at Kentucky and those involved with my process, I have weighed the pros and cons, and I would like to renounce my college eligibility in order to enter the 2018 NBA Draft,” Gilgeous-Alexander told ESPN via text. “I would firstly like to thank God, who made all of this possible and has covered me in his mercies from day one. I have worked really hard to get to this point, and because of the sacrifices and support of others, I am closer to my dreams.”

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Kentucky coach John Calipari lauded Gilgeous-Alexander in multiple tweets on Monday.

The 6-foot-6 freshman averaged 14.4 points, 5.1 assists and 4.1 rebounds in 37 games. He shot 40 percent from three and 82 percent from the free throw line in his only year with Calipari’s squad, according to ESPN. However, he only attempted 1.5 3-pointers per game.

The Wildcats won all three of their SEC Tournament games and reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Kentucky — a No. 5-seed in the latter tourney — lost to Kansas State 61-58 in that third-round matchup.

“I decided to enter the NBA draft because I believe I am ready for this next step,” Gilgeous-Alexander told ESPN. “I’ve worked hard, weighed the pros and cons, conducted my research, and I’m ready. I am and will continue to work hard at my craft every day, and I’m ready for the challenge of the NBA.”