Richard Jefferson on OKC playing physical with Wemby:
“Wemby is getting the crap beat out of him. That’s what it takes. Kobe Bryant gets the crap beat out of him, Shaquille O’Neal would get the crap beat out of him, like I’m saying. Thats a part of the formula in the postseason is to be ultra physical with the other team best players. I’m not here to tell you it’s right or wrong, I’m here to tell you the reality. Michael Jordan literally did a 6 episodes documentary of the Detroit Pistons beating the sh*t out of Michael Jordan, beating the actual sh*t out of him, and what did he do? He went in the gym had to get stronger. This is basketball history people, you get to the postseason ultra physicality. Is what it is.”
(Via @RoadTrippinShow)
The @okcthunder “preferred” starting lineup has missed a combined 115 games leading to 30 different lineups; the most in @NBA history by a team to win 60 games
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Michael Jordan are the only players in NBA History with multiple seasons averaging the following numbers:
• 30+ PTS Per Game
• 6+ AST Per Game
• Under 9 Free Throws Attempted Per Game
This is insane. The OKC Thunder are absolutely DOMINATING the league, and their supposed starting five has played a grand total of...ZERO minutes together?!
Seriously, read that again.
ZERO. MINUTES.
We're witnessing something truly wild here.
⚡ The Thunder join the 1969-70 Knicks and the 2015-16 Warriors as the only teams in history to reach this mark.
They are actively threatening the 73-9 wins record, the one everyone thought was untouchable.
⚡ OKC is crushing opponents by an average of +16.2 points per game.
This pace is on track to smash their own NBA record of +12.9 set last season and is a higher margin than even the '96 Bulls or '16 Warriors had at this point.
⚡ Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is playing so efficiently, the Thunder are blowing out teams so badly that he ranks outside the top 240 in total minutes played in the fourth quarter.
Yet, somehow, he still leads the entire league in clutch points scored. He's winning games before they even get close.
The injuries to key guys like Jalen Williams, Lu Dort, and Isaiah Hartenstein would have been a season killer for almost any other contender.
For OKC, it's simply a testament to their ridiculous depth.
We haven't even seen the final form of the Thunder, and they are already making history.
(H/T /u/Interesting-List-641)