#oklahoma-city-thunder

#oklahoma-city-thunder

For decades, the NBA Draft went by with the Knicks either as spectators or on the outside looking in.Past front-office leaders like Isiah Thomas traded draft picks like they were worthless.Or, like Phil Jackson, they squandered late first-round picks on players with low upside, only to fade out of the league in a few years.

For the first time in NBA history, we could have all four teams from the state of California qualify for the playoffs.And according to the sports books, it is the Golden State Warriors who are the favorites of the bunch to advance the furthest in the post season.The pack is shockingly led by the Sacramento Kings.

DALLAS Klay Thompson talked about using the final nine regular-season games as a warm-up for the postseason.Golden State's composure Wednesday night in a high-stakes matchup against the Dallas Mavericks with playoff implications on the line was a good start.Both teams played with desperation down the stretch, but Golden State pulled out the 127-125 win in the two team's third and final meeting.

The vibes are buzzing when the Warriors play at home.A 29-7 record at Chase Center buoys their playoff hopes and the invigorating home win streaks inspire talk of the Warriors finally turning a corner.But the road Warriors are nothing like the home Warriors.Those big scoring games that lift them at home can't plaster over poor defensive communication that completely falls apart when Golden State is on the road.

Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images The Boston Celtics reportedly bolstered their frontcourt Thursday.Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported they traded for big man Mike Muscala in a deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder.Boston gave OKC a return package of Justin Jackson and two second-round picks.

Klay Thompson's consistent play throughout this season has made him an essential player in this tense first-round series between the Warriors and the Kings.And it could manifest another Game 6 Klay moment.Thompson played in foul trouble throughout most of Game 5 and finished with 25 points, second only to Stephen Curry's 31.

With massive postseason implications on the line Friday night, the Lakers lived up to the challenge, beating the Oklahoma City Thunder 116-11 in the penultimate game of their current homestand.The win not only moves the Lakers to a tie for seventh place in the standings, but also, gives them an important tiebreaker now over the Thunder.

With just ten games left in the regular season heading into Wednesday night, the Lakers started off their final stretch on the right foot, taking care of the Phoenix Suns 122-111.The Lakers are now 36-37, and back in play-in positioning in a Western Conference race that's as tight as ever.Prior to the game, Darvin Ham hinted he had "something up his sleeve" regarding the starting lineup.

Brooklyn Nets' Spencer Dinwiddie (26) is restrained after being called for a technical foul during the first half of the team's NBA basketball game against the Sacramento Kings on Thursday, March 16, 2023, in New York.BROOKLYN Things in Nets World could be better these days.The Nets dropped their fourth consecutive game on Tuesday night and are dangerously close to falling into a play-in round spot with another date with the Cavaliers set for Thursday.

If the Nets hope to avoid the Play-In Tournament and retain their standing as an uncontested playoff team, they're going to have to solve their rebounding issue.It's the Achilles heel for a team still clinging to postseason aspirations in the aftermath of the Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving trades.The Nets can get stops and, at times, generate quality offense - but their lack of true depth at the five and true size in the front court leaves them susceptible to being outworked on the glass.

Even after three years in the NBA and two seasons with the Toronto Raptors, Precious Achiuwa remains one of the most maddening players in the league to watch.While he is a quality defender and rebounder, he is also liable to play like Freddie Gillespie on any given night.Achiuwa went through a stretch where he was consistently averaging a double-double as a spot starter, but he has looked completely dazed and confused since being moved back to the bench.

The Los Angeles Lakers announced a few hours before their Friday tip-off vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder that D'Angelo Russell - who was originally not on the team's injury report - had been downgraded to questionable with previously unmentioned "right hip soreness."Following his midseason trade to the Lakers, Russell previously missed six games with a right ankle sprain (and the majority of a seventh in which he sustained the injury).

Six players scored at least 16 points for the Toronto Raptors on Thursday, led by 25 from Pascal Siakam, as a total team effort propelled them past the Oklahoma City Thunder, 128-111.The win follows up a relatively similar 125-110 trouncing of the Nuggets at home - and is Toronto's sixth straight victory at Scotiabank Arena - as they improve to 34-36 and move to within half a game of Atlanta and the No. 8 seed.

Celtics The Celtics added another big before the trade deadline.The Celtics have acquired big man Mike Muscala from the Oklahoma City Thunder, according to multiple reports.According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Celtics are sending Justin Jackson and a pair of second-round picks to OKC in exchange for Muscala.

LeBron James held the microphone while addressing the media Sunday before the NBA All-Star Game in Salt Lake City, focusing on what's ahead for the Lakers."It's 23 of the most important games of my career for a regular season," James said."And, it's the type of mindset that I have and I hope the guys will have coming off the break."

PORTLAND, Ore.-- Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson finds inspiration in a Kobe Bryant quote, "Greatness isn't just on the court, it's everything you do."It has shaped Thompson as a creature of habit when it comes to his game preparation.He goes through the same warmup routine each game -- the same one he has been doing for years.

The Raptors have a chance to string multiple wins together tonight has they host an injury-ridden Minnesota Timberwolves team in Toronto tonight.The Raptors most recently won against the Oklahoma City Thunder, and sit in ninth place in the Eastern Conference.The Timberwolves on the other hand are eighth in the Western Conference, but will be missing a plethora of players going into tonights' game.

A life outside the Play In Tournament is slipping away from the Toronto Raptors, but there's still upside potential.One game back of the Atlanta Hawks, they still have a chance to host one of the play in games.It's not the most inspiring goal, but something small for the bulletin board nonetheless.The Oklahoma City Thunder come into Toronto tonight with similar circumstances, though a bit more upside exists.

The Oklahoma City Thunder are stomping into Scotiabank arena tonight to face off against the Toronto Raptors for the second time this season and this time there is plenty at stake for both of these teams.OKC sits at a record of 34-35 and are currently the 9th seed so they are looking to get every win they can so they can rise up in the standings and the same can be said for Toronto who sits at a record of 33-36 and is also the 9th seed currently.