The Thunder’s first season in Oklahoma City was expected to be filled with many losses.
P.J. Carlesimo’s Oklahoma City Thunder has faced a difficult schedule so far this season. Photo BY NATE BILLINGS, THE OKLAHOMAN
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But a 1-10 start?
General manager Sam Presti warned fans a methodical approach to building a winner around young players would take time. But even Presti is disappointed the Thunder has trailed by 20 or more points in several games.
"We’ve hit a rough stretch to start the season,” Presti said. "We’re capable of playing much better basketball. Our focus is to get better. We clearly have some work to do.”
The Thunder has lost eight consecutive games. After tonight, the next four games will be against the Hornets, Suns and Cavaliers. That’s why some view tonight’s game against the 1-9 Los Angeles Clippers as the closest thing to a must-win as an NBA team can have in mid-November.
"I’m sure both of us are looking at it the same way, this is one we have to get,” said Thunder coach P.J. Carlesimo. "When you’re not winning, every game is a must win. I wouldn’t minimize the importance of it. But we still have 70 more games after this one.”
A week from now, the schedule is more favorable. OKC’s losses have come against teams with a combined 59-39 record. Starting Nov. 28, only two of 11 games in a three-week stretch will be against teams with winning records. That’s why ending the losing streak tonight could provide some needed momentum.
"Absolutely,” Carlesimo said. "There’s no guarantee what it would mean the next time. But theoretically it helps your confidence. Going back-to-back with New Orleans this weekend we need to play better. If we can play like we did (Monday night) that would be significant.”
How important would a win be?
"It would be huge,” said Nick Collison. "It gives you a lot more than another W on the record. It helps the psyche of the team. We’ve got to find a way to get a win.”
Teams mired in losing streaks search for positives.
The first two weeks the defense played well. Jeff Green has shown glimpses of major improvement his second season. Center Robert Swift, at times, has provided production in the paint. Kevin Durant is capable of a monster game any night.
"We haven’t gotten off to the start we wanted, but there have been some positives,” Presti said. "Everyone is committed to doing their part. We feel we have the focus of the organization in the right place and will continue to work at it.
"I don’t want to paint a picture we’re down or discouraged. We have to recognize where we are and move on from this point. The way to do that is looking where we are and put in the work.”
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I find it entertaining watching the banter go back and forth protecting and defending a team thats Ok's, but wants to hold onto a formers citys history but with another color and a new name. A team that has but one player that has made the play-offs with the Sonics but just can't let go. For this you will always be tied to that beautiful city of Seattle but never ever meeting there standard. As for you Seattleite, let it go. The owner took the real fight out of that team before they left. He thinks they will build, but attendance will slide and he will have to sell. Bad team, bad economy=bad sales.. its a college town!!
They sucked in Seattle last year. Be proud, no one came to watch. Mariners and Seahawks were pretty good. U of Wash and Wash State were great. Maybe Gary Payton will come back and try to be a commentor for college basketball.
I hope the dunder gets beat by a hundred points tonight. I hope all the okie pukes are crying their eyes out in the Ford Center. Nothing makes me happier than to see all you hicks completely miserable. The more you stupid okies are unhappy, the more it brightens my day.....stupid okie pukes....
Sorry fake Philip, there not playing in Seattle anymore. I'd be happy to sell you a ticket for a couple of hundred bucks but you'll be sitting all alone inside of the dark, cold, lifeless Key arena.
Wow....you mean we have a chance to be 2-10 after tonight?..............that's practically one millimeter above bottom feeder. Where can I get my courtside several hundred dollar ticket?
Speaking of being underdogs, I believe that UW, WSU and the Seasucks have been underdogs in almost every game that they've played this year...HOW CRAZY IS THAT??????
This time last year, Seattle had an NBA team and all OKC had was minor league hockey....now it's just the opposite....isn't that funny!
Funny thing is the Dunder are underdogs on their own court. So much for the home court advantage. I guess if people did not leave half way through the 3rd quarter, it might be different. But I highly doubt it.
I do look forward to bassa'ball season, just so I can watch all the excuses being made here about why the dunder suck, why they lost, how badly they have to win, and get to witness firsthand the slumping attendance figures as the season wears one...and watching the losses pile up at about 10-1 over wins....
Just remember, the season is 13.4% over and the dunder are only 5% of the way to meeting their goal of 20 wins....something tells me they're going to FAIL, big time....
Wouldn't it be great if the 1-10 team got trounced by the 1-9 team? I think this would truly solidify the fact that the dunder suck....I do look forward to the live blog tonight....after reading the despair from the sportswriters of this rag and some of the videos in which disparaging remarks are made about the dunder, I'm so looking forward to tomorrows headlines about how the losing streak continues....
Nice that you can finally admit that only a "few" fans wanted the sonics to stay. You can finally admit to lack of fan support. That's a good first step in letting this all go.
Slade The Blade, Seattle - Nov 19, 2008 at 12:58 pm
The taxpayers sounded off in Seattle and refused to finance a rich mans folly.
The city government may have tried to make the Sonics stay, but the taxpayers didn't, with the exception of a few Seattle fans.
I KNOW this truth hurts you and the Okies who were rabidly fanatic for somebody out there to recognize okaysee as a "big league city", thinking it would bring recognition here, but thus far it's been a lame attempt and it's going to stay that way.
Seattle told the NBA to hit the road? Wow, news to me. I thought there was a trial to try to make the sonics honor their lease. Didn't Ballmer step and try to buy the team?
Keep telling yourself that seattle told the nba to hit the road, when in reality it was the NBA that told seattle they weren't good enough anymore.
I know it hurts, but that's the truth.
Slade The Blade, Seattle - Nov 19, 2008 at 11:56 am
Good call Rick...Seattle was smart to tell the NBA to hit the road. Unlike these stupid hicks here, the Seattlites understand the meaning of "more important things". They have truly visionary leadership from great men like Frank Chopp.
I'm glad you're tuned in, Rick but these okies are too stupid to ever get it.
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Looking ahead
The Thunder’s schedule has been challenging the first three weeks. It doesn’t get any easier in the next week. But starting Nov. 28, only two opponents over an 11-game stretch currently has a winning record.
Oct. 28-Nov. 26
Opponents’ record: 81-49 *
Nov. 28-Dec. 19
Opponents’ record: 41-63
* excluding Minnesota, which is the Thunder’s only win
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Anyone know a good Exorcist?
Yeah..and either place, you'd have an equal chance of seeing the home team win.....
1. Every sportswriter this paper has.
2. Every player, coach and manager on the dunder team.
3. The (so called) fans
Did I miss anybody??
This time last year, Seattle had an NBA team and all OKC had was minor league hockey....now it's just the opposite....isn't that funny!
I do look forward to bassa'ball season, just so I can watch all the excuses being made here about why the dunder suck, why they lost, how badly they have to win, and get to witness firsthand the slumping attendance figures as the season wears one...and watching the losses pile up at about 10-1 over wins....
Just remember, the season is 13.4% over and the dunder are only 5% of the way to meeting their goal of 20 wins....something tells me they're going to FAIL, big time....
The taxpayers sounded off in Seattle and refused to finance a rich mans folly.
The city government may have tried to make the Sonics stay, but the taxpayers didn't, with the exception of a few Seattle fans.
I KNOW this truth hurts you and the Okies who were rabidly fanatic for somebody out there to recognize okaysee as a "big league city", thinking it would bring recognition here, but thus far it's been a lame attempt and it's going to stay that way.
BTW TPup...cleanup needed on aisle 3....
Keep telling yourself that seattle told the nba to hit the road, when in reality it was the NBA that told seattle they weren't good enough anymore.
I know it hurts, but that's the truth.
I'm glad you're tuned in, Rick but these okies are too stupid to ever get it.
Plunder 1-10=9%