OKC - Five-peat! Final summary

[Phil89]

I think it just came down to me not making key baskets in the last minute or two unfortunately.

Just realised that I have to go unbeaten now to reach 70 wins.

[Phil89]

15/1/14

Oklahoma City Thunder [24-12] vs Memphis Grizzlies [16-14]

Thunder get back to winning ways against Grizzlies



OKC - 31 37 40 28 136
MEM - 29 41 21 31 122

Player of the Game: Kevin Durant
(35pts, 3reb, 3ast, 6stl)


OKC _______ MEM
55-94 - FGM/A - 50-89
3-12 - 3PTM/A - 7-12
23-28 - FTM/A - 15-18
30 - Rebounds - 29
32 - Assists - 31
10 - Blocks - 7
15 - Steals - 6
17 - Turnovers - 25
13 - Fouls - 17


Top Scorers
Jameer Nelson - 38
Kevin Durant - 35
OJ Mayo - 23
Brandon Bass - 22
Derrick Rose - 19
Rolf Young - 16
Michael Beasley - 15
Blake Griffin - 12
James Harden - 12
Rudy Gay - 12
JaVale McGee - 11
Howie Jeffries - 11

Assists
Jameer Nelson - 10
Derrick Rose - 9
Rudy Gay - 7
OJ Mayo - 6
Michael Beasley - 5

Rebounds
JaVale McGee - 8
Brandon Bass - 8
Roy Hibbert - 7
Howie Jeffries - 5
Rolf Young - 5

Video Highlights
Rose finds Durant and he slams it home.


Rose makes an unorthodox shot despite the foul.

-----
- Griffin and Hibbert had foul trouble in first half.
- I went on a 31-13 run in the last half of third quarter, which set up the win
- I was able to rest my big 3 in last quarter.
- Gay started on fire for them, but picked up his 5th foul early in the third.

[Andrew]

Fine way to get back to business. Guessing Durant probably would've gone off for 50 if you'd needed him to play in the fourth.

[Phil89]

Probably a strong possibility. Although I sometimes get conscious of having a player do all the scoring and try to get other players involved a bit more.

Bulls are up next

[Phil89]

16/1/14

Oklahoma City Thunder [25-12] vs Chicago Bulls [26-10]

Rose makes clutch free throws to give Thunder dramatic win



OKC - 28 38 27 31 124
CHI - 31 37 28 26 122

Player of the Game: Dwyane Wade
(27pts, 9reb, 7ast, 2blk, 1stl)


OKC _______ CHI
45-90 - FGM/A - 50-93
4-8 - 3PTM/A - 3-12
30-31 - FTM/A - 19-24
30 - Rebounds - 38
24 - Assists - 31
8 - Blocks - 11
10 - Steals - 3
17 - Turnovers - 21
15 - Fouls - 15


Top Scorers
Kevin Durant - 33
Luol Deng - 29
Dwyane Wade - 27
Roy Hibbert - 25
Al Jefferson - 24
Derrick Rose - 17
James Harden - 16
Derrick Favors - 16
Ramon Sessions - 13
Blake Griffin - 12
Michael Beasley - 12
Rolf Young - 9

Assists
Ramon Sessions - 13
Dwyane Wade - 7
James Harden - 6
Derrick Rose - 6
Beno Udrih - 5

Rebounds
Al Jefferson - 9
Dwyane Wade - 9
Blake Griffin - 8
Roy Hibbert - 7
Derrick Favors - 6
Kevin Durant - 6
Ramon Sessions - 5

Video Highlights
Hibbert shows good hustle as he causes a turnover and makes a tough shot.


With the Bulls leading 122-121, Sessions fouls Rose on the 3 pointer with 0.6 seconds left.

[Andrew]

Oh, Sessions. Never foul a jumpshooter.

Thrilling win, certainly poetic that it was Rose that shot down the team who originally drafted him.

[Phil89]

I hadn't even thought of that.

Miami are probably still the best team in the eastern conference, but the Bulls are very close now with Wade and Jefferson. Would love to play a couple of finals games in Chicago this year.

[Andrew]

Looks like they're capable of providing a challenge, so I'm all for that...even if I have to see them go down in five or six.

[Phil89]

18/1/14

Oklahoma City Thunder [26-12] vs Philadelphia 76ers [13-25]

Thunder survive double-overtime scare against 76ers



OKC - 38 31 18 40 24 26 177
PHI - 36 31 30 30 24 25 176

Player of the Game: James Harden
(41pts, 5reb, 2ast, 6blk, 4stl)


OKC _______ PHI
62-114 - FGM/A - 76-129
8-21 - 3PTM/A - 9-15
45-45 - FTM/A - 15-20
34 - Rebounds - 42
33 - Assists - 42
15 - Blocks - 14
12 - Steals - 12
28 - Turnovers - 30
16 - Fouls - 26


Top Scorers
James Harden - 41
Devin Harris - 38
George Marshall - 36
Kevin Durant - 36
Al Thornton - 34
Blake Griffin - 30
DeMar DeRozan - 27
Rolf Young - 23
Derrick Rose - 20
Tyrus Thomas - 19
Donte Greene - 13
Michael Beasley - 13
Roy Hibbert - 12

Assists
Devin Harris - 18
Al Thornton - 11
Blake Griffin - 9
Derrick Rose - 9
DeMar DeRozan - 6
Roy Hibbert - 5

Rebounds
Tyrus Thomas - 14
Blake Griffin - 11
George Marshall - 8
Darko Milicic - 7
Roy Hibbert - 7
James Harden - 5
DeMar DeRozan - 5

Video Highlights
Beasley gets past his defender and dunks.


Some nice passing leaves Harden wide open and he sinks a three.


Durant sends the game into overtime with a three.


Rose dunks to give the Thunder a 151-149 lead with 2.1 seconds left in overtime after a great screen from Hibbert.


Marshall ties the game at 151-151 and sends it into a second overtime period.

[Andrew]

Looks like quite a thriller. Beastly performance by Harden there.

[Phil89]

There is something weird about player the 76ers. I had a triple-overtime game against them last season as well. Considering the fact that they have been bottom of the eastern conference for the last few years, it's a good effort by them.

I just checked and I've had 3 triple-overtime games and 2 double-overtime games in this dynasty so far. Each very exciting.

[Phil89]

20/1/14

Oklahoma City Thunder [27-12] vs Toronto Raptors [19-20]

Griffin dominates against Raptors



OKC - 25 39 31 29 124
TOR - 27 26 23 32 108

Player of the Game: Blake Griffin
(20pts, 11reb, 8ast, 3blk, 2stl)


OKC _______ TOR
53-93 - FGM/A - 44-94
4-15 - 3PTM/A - 2-10
14-14 - FTM/A - 18-23
36 - Rebounds - 35
32 - Assists - 18
8 - Blocks - 9
7 - Steals - 6
16 - Turnovers - 17
17 - Fouls - 8


Top Scorers
Rodney Stuckey - 36
James Harden - 30
Rolf Young - 26
Evan Turner - 24
Blake Griffin - 20
Kevin Durant - 18
Amir Johnson - 16
Ed Davis - 15
Roy Hibbert - 14

Assists
Derrick Rose - 11
Rodney Stuckey - 10
Blake Griffin - 8

Rebounds
Blake Griffin - 11
Ed Davis - 10
Roy Hibbert - 7
Rolf Young - 6
Amir Johnson - 6
Samuel Ross - 6
Rodney Stuckey - 5

Video Highlights
Harden pulls out a party trick.

[Andrew]

Nice pass for the up and under. Was that a Freestyle Pass?

[Phil89]

Most of my passes are just normal passes using the x button.

[Phil89]

23/1/14

Oklahoma City Thunder [28-12] vs Portland Trail Blazers [25-16]

Blazers brushed aside by ferocious Thunder



OKC - 27 25 36 37 125
POR - 26 25 23 34 108

Player of the Game: Roy Hibbert
(25pts, 9reb, 2ast, 7blk)


OKC _______ POR
50-93 - FGM/A - 46-99
4-15 - 3PTM/A - 2-11
21-21 - FTM/A - 14-17
29 - Rebounds - 42
27 - Assists - 29
16 - Blocks - 6
9 - Steals - 7
19 - Turnovers - 27
15 - Fouls - 15


Top Scorers
Roy Hibbert - 25
Kevin Durant - 23
LaMarcus Aldridge - 23
Will Bynum - 22
James Harden - 19
Emeka Okafor - 18
Blake Griffin - 16
Michael Beasley - 16
Brandon Roy - 14
Nicolas Batum - 13
Rolf Young - 11
Derrick Rose - 10

Assists
Derrick Rose - 12
Brandon Roy - 8
Will Bynum - 8
Nicolas Batum - 6

Rebounds
Emeka Okafor - 12
LaMarcus Aldridge - 11
Roy Hibbert - 9
Brandon Roy - 7
Blake Griffin - 5
Michael Beasley - 5

Video Highlights
Rose sinks a deep two from the corner after some nimble work from Hibbert.

[Andrew]

Most of my passes are just normal passes using the x button.

That's cool. It was so quick and smooth I figured it must have been a Freestyle Pass.

[Phil89]

Thanks. I think that because I've played like 700 games now, I've got a lot of passing angles worked out.

Wish I could figure out rebounding though.

[Phil89]

26/1/14

Oklahoma City Thunder [29-12] vs Chicago Bulls [27-13]

Bulls unable to keep up with Thunder this time around



OKC - 31 27 31 28 117
CHI - 22 31 21 28 102

Player of the Game: James Harden
(28pts, 4reb, 3ast, 1blk, 1stl)


OKC _______ CHI
40-92 - FGM/A - 45-81
6-22 - 3PTM/A - 1-9
31-33 - FTM/A - 11-18
39 - Rebounds - 34
24 - Assists - 24
7 - Blocks - 10
9 - Steals - 3
15 - Turnovers - 19
12 - Fouls - 19


Top Scorers
James Harden - 28
Kevin Durant - 24
Luol Deng - 23
Dwyane Wade - 21
Al Jefferson - 20
Ramon Sessions - 18
Blake Griffin - 17
Roy Hibbert - 16
Derrick Rose - 14
Rolf Young - 12
Beno Udrih - 10

Assists
Ramon Sessions - 8
Derrick Rose - 7
Luol Deng - 6

Rebounds
Roy Hibbert - 9
Blake Griffin - 9
Al Jefferson - 8
Derrick Favors - 6
Derrick Rose - 6
Michael Beasley - 5
Dwyane Wade - 5

Video Highlights
Rose makes a tough shot off the glass.

-----
Jefferson and Favors picked up 2 fouls each in the first quarter, which probably helped my rebounding. But Hibbert also had 2 fouls.

[Andrew]

Looks like the Bulls didn't do too bad a job defensively, but just couldn't keep pace with you scoring the basketball. A scenario that's a little too familiar for my liking.

[Phil89]

I actually got off to a good start for once, which helped.

And who knows, maybe the Bulls will bring in some more scoring help before the trade deadline.

[Phil89]

27/1/14

Thunder sign Eyenga & Seraphin, waive Billups




Oklahoma City have today signed guard Christian Eyenga and forward Kevin Seraphin. They also announced that veteran Chauncey Billups had been waived.
Eyenga and Seraphin, both 24, each signed one-year deals with the Thunder. Both had been released by their previous clubs at the end of last season.
The Congolese-born guard played four seasons in Cleveland after they drafted him with pick 30 in 2009. He will add depth at the shooting guard spot.
French national Seraphin spent three season with the Wizards. He was originally drafted by Chicago, but was traded to Washington with Kirk Hinrich.

Thirty-seven year old veteran Billups was signed by the Thunder during the off-season as a backup for Derrick Rose and Eric Maynor at point guard.
He had been hoping to add another ring to his collection, but Thunder management thought that the roster spot was better used on a younger player.

Depth chart
C - Hibbert, Jeffries, Seraphin
PF - Griffin, Young
SF - Durant, Beasley
SG - Harden, Korver, Eyenga
PG - Rose, Maynor, Lin

[Andrew]

Interesting move there. Shame Billups couldn't have more of an impact for you.

[Phil89]

He was only really getting minutes in blow-out wins, which I haven't had many of this season. Rose usually plays most of the game and Eric Maynor barely plays in some games, let alone Jeremy Lin (or Billups).

So I figured that releasing Billups and bringing in two young decent players would give me more options going forward. I've got Jeffries as backup for Hibbert and even Rolf Young plays the role that Carmelo played at the Olympics in some games. But I figured having another big guy on the roster wouldn't hurt. An extra 6 fouls is the way I heard it described by one commentator recently.

An added bonus for me is that these two guys don't seem to have generic faces like some other rookies do.

[Andrew]

Sounds fair enough, seems like he was certainly expendable.

[Phil89]

28/1/14

Oklahoma City Thunder [30-12] vs Indiana Pacers [17-24]

Hibbert and Lopez have epic duel in double-overtime classic



OKC - 24 29 29 38 20 32 172
IND - 20 26 35 39 20 20 160

Player of the Game: Roy Hibbert
(31pts, 19reb, 1 ast, 8blk)


OKC _______ IND
64-116 - FGM/A - 58-129
5-12 - 3PTM/A - 10-23
39-49 - FTM/A - 34-42
43 - Rebounds - 46
30 - Assists - 26
21 - Blocks - 16
10 - Steals - 8
26 - Turnovers - 24
24 - Fouls - 26


Top Scorers
Kevin Durant - 44
Darren Collison - 38
Paul George - 32
Roy Hibbert - 31
Jesus Carlos - 28
Derrick Rose - 23
Marreese Speights - 22
Blake Griffin - 21
Brook Lopez - 20
Rolf Young - 20
James Harden - 19

Assists
Darren Collison - 14
Kevin Durant - 8
Derrick Rose - 8
James Harden - 7

Rebounds
Roy Hibbert - 19
Brook Lopez - 17
Marreese Speights - 12
Blake Griffin - 8
Kevin Durant - 6

Video Highlights
Young beats the half time buzzer with a three.


Durant sinks a three to send the game into a second overtime period.

-----
Rose fouled out whilst I was sending them to the free throw line in overtime.
Two double-overtime games in a week! Luckily I got the right result in both games.