Sam Presti on SGA bucking what NBA fans say they hate: He plays both ends of the floor, never complains and moans “he has three technical fouls, none for complaining he got one for waving a towel in support of a teammate” said he “plays every night so you can’t get him on that” and the next one is he has brought the mid range back to an art form so he isn’t a guy that is just launching 3s. Then the other one is these guys are totally inaccessible, well the guy signs 400 autographs before every game. Based on those narratives, he would be doing them right. So if we are just talking about trying to draw fouls, well every other great player tries to draw fouls. And only 2.5% of those fouls were challenged. 4 of them were overturned.
Gameday. This shirt you will wear. This chair you will not use. It is Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals.
For only the second time in NBA history, both teams facing each other in a Game 7 have at least 62 wins. This heavyweight series has reached its final chapter. And though only the players get to touch the basketball, our fans in the arena tonight in downtown OKC will help determine the outcome.
In the playoffs this year and last, the Thunder are 17-3 at home and 10-7 on the road. At home or on the road, it’s the same players, the same coaches, the same basketballs, but the results are quite different. The difference is you.
Tonight, if you’re in the arena, you will give it everything you have for 48 minutes. By the end, you should be as exhausted as the players. You must always remember that it is a privilege and an obligation to be in that arena tonight. You are not a mere spectator. You are carrying the cheers and the hopes of millions of Thunder fans watching on TV across Oklahoma City and the world. You are there tonight to claim sports immortality on behalf of Thunder fans everywhere.
To the fans in the arena tonight - Arrive early. No sitting except in timeouts. Get back for the start of the third quarter. Give it everything you’ve got for all 48.
To the fans in their living rooms or bars and watching across Oklahoma City and the world - We can hear you, too. We’re all In this together.
It’s Game 7. Thunder Up.
Tyrese Haliburton says the Thunder had the best road environment the Pacers played in last season.
“Last year I think that it [Oklahoma City] was the best road environment we played in. It’s unbelievably loud. I would almost argue it’s like—like I played Kansas in college, I was like, ‘there’s no way it’s that loud in this building. They have to be pumping sound or something.’ I don’t want to make that accusation towards Oklahoma City, but it is so loud in there you can’t even hear yourself think. You experience that more in like college basketball, but I think OKC does a great job of kinda having that like college environment in there; it’s pretty ridiculously loud.”
(Via @PatMcAfeeShow) | #ThunderUp
"The way they guard, how physical they are, we don't get that same luxury to be able to play as physical on the other end at times.”
— Stephon Castle.
(h/t @ohnohedidnt24)
After being in Frost Bank Center in SA.... I can say with confidence that the Thunder crowd is head and shoulders better.
Just an insane environment here tonight.
Oklahoma City Thunder star Jalen Williams – out since April 22 with a hamstring strain – is listed available against the San Antonio Spurs for Game 1 of the Western Conference finals.
Whoever came up with the color rush in San Antonio deserves a large raise. This is outstanding. Also, for those not wearing shirts in other buildings, what are we doing? Too cool for this?
Spurs and their fans were more than ready for the first playoff game in 7 years. A++.
“I love coach, with all my heart”
This is the biggest thing we are missing in the current landscape
Multiyear relationships where coaches help players grow into Men and Women
It’s the single best thing about coaching
As an AD, I constantly remind our coaches what a captain really is. It is not always your best player, even though that is the ideal. It is the player who lives out your program’s culture every single day. The one who holds teammates accountable, shows up and works, puts the team first, and does the little things right when no one is watching.
A captain is not just a talented kid who makes plays. It is the standard everyone else should follow.
"I don't have to be their life, but they are my life."
Kelvin Sampson talks on the importance of not taking a break to make sure his players are taken care of for the next step in their lives. ❤️
Shout out to Emmanuel Sharp. Came into college an under recruited 3⭐️, redshirts his first year at Houston.
Plays 4 years strong ALL at UH, 3 Sweet 16s, a Final Four, played 3600 minutes, hit over 300 3s. Awesome human being too, incredible college career.
Rarity in CBB🫡