Here are some *snippets* from the text. I didn’t want to cut parts of the paragraphs so it’s pretty long but this is pretty much the gist of the article.
> Vegas set the Oklahoma City Thunder’s over/under at 23.5 wins in the preseason. They passed it before the 50-game mark. When you exceed expectations this swiftly in the NBA, you draw an added layer of attention attached to a pair of bigger picture questions: How is this happening and where is it going?
> The Thunder have emerged into a more advanced stage. They currently sit at 24-26, on the fringe of a Play-In spot in the crowded Western Conference and rising. January was a blossoming. They went 9-5 over that 14-game stretch, putting up the league’s third-most efficient offense (119.8 rating) and seventh stingiest defense (112.1).
**It starts with Shai**
> It never took much critical analysis to understand how valuable that 2019 Paul George trade could become for the Thunder. Oklahoma City grabbed Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and five future first-round picks for a star with wandering eyes. One of those picks has already turned into Jalen Williams, the polished young wing who is producing as a rookie (12.1 points, 51 percent shooting, more than a steal per game) and profiles as a high-level complementary piece for the next decade.
> “The way he’s handled the situation says a lot about his character,” Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green said of Gilgeous-Alexander. “He’s kind of been a young vet since his second year here. A lot of guys want something else. He’s taken it head on and embraced it. I respect him for that.”
> “We saw it in the playoffs,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “Supreme confidence in the midrange game. Getting to his spots, pump-faking and making these 12-, 15-footers.”
> Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 23.7 and 24.5 points the last two seasons. That’s a ton. But 30 per game is an entirely different level. It elevates you into the elite class of scorers that bend defenses and completely change the court chemistry. Only Joel Embiid, Luka Dončić, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jayson Tatum are currently averaging more.
> Thunder center Mike Muscala is one of the beneficiaries of Gilgeous-Alexander’s explosion. Muscala, a 10-year pro, is in his fourth year with the Thunder, the team’s established veteran and still a potent threat from deep. Muscala is 46 of 121 from 3 this season. Of those 46 makes, 29 of them have come via a Gilgeous-Alexander assist.
**Giddey as the-copilot**
> “I try not to micromanage them shot by shot like it’s a video game,” Daigneault said. “But we try to educate them on diet. It’s more about your whole diet. You can have things in your diet that are not necessarily healthy for you. But you need to supplement that with a good base. The same thing goes for your shot diet. I thought, early in the season, he was driving and not overly physical when he got into the teeth of the defense. He was just kind of settling for those (floaters). Then he wasn’t getting enough of the other stuff to be efficient.”
> Giddey only made 45 percent of his shots in October and November. In 26 games since the start of December, he’s above 50 percent. That bump in efficiency is directly related to a more aggressive approach and healthier shot diet. In 14 January games, he went 52 of 78 in the restricted area. His assists are up and his turnovers are down.
> “He’s been more physical on the drive,” Daigneault said. “His fouls have upticked. He’s getting to the rim more. He’s out in transition more. Then the deeper you get, the more of a threat you are. That’s where his passing comes into play.”
> “You could bomb contested 3s all night and that’s a highly inefficient shot,” Daigneault said. “In fact, I think a contested 3 has become the new midrange. Teams are so sophisticated analytically now that it’s swung where teams are taking 3s to take them. Those are not always great shots.”
> One of the larger big-picture questions for the Thunder will surround Giddey’s fit next to Gilgeous-Alexander. Both are lead guards. Both average 5.7 assists per game. Both will control action plenty over the course of any game. But the on-ball pecking order goes Gilgeous-Alexander first and Giddey second.
> “The best thing about it is we’ve both learned to play off one another,” Giddey said. “Those things take time. It was never going to be smooth from Day 1. Two guys that are better with the ball in their hands had to learn how to give it up, get it back. We’ve figured that out. A lot of that is playing off. I’m learning to cut and play out of the dunker a little more, space the floor for him but at the same time be aggressive when it’s in my hands.”
**The defensive-minded supporting cast**
> Holmgren, over the long term, projects to be the exact defensive ingredient they’re missing. The Thunder don’t have a true rim protector. While Holmgren recovers from a Lisfranc injury, they’ve started Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Muscala and, of late, Jaylin Williams at center. None of the three are feared in the paint.
> But the Thunder have still found a way to generate more stops than most modern defenses. Their 112.1 rating entered Tuesday as the league’s eighth-ranked unit. Luguentz Dort is a powerful stopper able to switch between guards and wings. Jalen Williams has good size and is advanced for his age on that end. Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 1.7 steals and 1.1 blocks per game. Giddey is getting better on that end. Kenrich Williams competes.
Timelycommentor
This may be unpopular, but Slater can kick rocks. Great writer, but he bolted along with KD. Understandable that it probably was a great career move, but it just leaves a sour taste.
2 Comments
Here are some *snippets* from the text. I didn’t want to cut parts of the paragraphs so it’s pretty long but this is pretty much the gist of the article.
> Vegas set the Oklahoma City Thunder’s over/under at 23.5 wins in the preseason. They passed it before the 50-game mark. When you exceed expectations this swiftly in the NBA, you draw an added layer of attention attached to a pair of bigger picture questions: How is this happening and where is it going?
> The Thunder have emerged into a more advanced stage. They currently sit at 24-26, on the fringe of a Play-In spot in the crowded Western Conference and rising. January was a blossoming. They went 9-5 over that 14-game stretch, putting up the league’s third-most efficient offense (119.8 rating) and seventh stingiest defense (112.1).
**It starts with Shai**
> It never took much critical analysis to understand how valuable that 2019 Paul George trade could become for the Thunder. Oklahoma City grabbed Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and five future first-round picks for a star with wandering eyes. One of those picks has already turned into Jalen Williams, the polished young wing who is producing as a rookie (12.1 points, 51 percent shooting, more than a steal per game) and profiles as a high-level complementary piece for the next decade.
> “The way he’s handled the situation says a lot about his character,” Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green said of Gilgeous-Alexander. “He’s kind of been a young vet since his second year here. A lot of guys want something else. He’s taken it head on and embraced it. I respect him for that.”
> “We saw it in the playoffs,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “Supreme confidence in the midrange game. Getting to his spots, pump-faking and making these 12-, 15-footers.”
> Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 23.7 and 24.5 points the last two seasons. That’s a ton. But 30 per game is an entirely different level. It elevates you into the elite class of scorers that bend defenses and completely change the court chemistry. Only Joel Embiid, Luka Dončić, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jayson Tatum are currently averaging more.
> Thunder center Mike Muscala is one of the beneficiaries of Gilgeous-Alexander’s explosion. Muscala, a 10-year pro, is in his fourth year with the Thunder, the team’s established veteran and still a potent threat from deep. Muscala is 46 of 121 from 3 this season. Of those 46 makes, 29 of them have come via a Gilgeous-Alexander assist.
**Giddey as the-copilot**
> “I try not to micromanage them shot by shot like it’s a video game,” Daigneault said. “But we try to educate them on diet. It’s more about your whole diet. You can have things in your diet that are not necessarily healthy for you. But you need to supplement that with a good base. The same thing goes for your shot diet. I thought, early in the season, he was driving and not overly physical when he got into the teeth of the defense. He was just kind of settling for those (floaters). Then he wasn’t getting enough of the other stuff to be efficient.”
> Giddey only made 45 percent of his shots in October and November. In 26 games since the start of December, he’s above 50 percent. That bump in efficiency is directly related to a more aggressive approach and healthier shot diet. In 14 January games, he went 52 of 78 in the restricted area. His assists are up and his turnovers are down.
> “He’s been more physical on the drive,” Daigneault said. “His fouls have upticked. He’s getting to the rim more. He’s out in transition more. Then the deeper you get, the more of a threat you are. That’s where his passing comes into play.”
> “You could bomb contested 3s all night and that’s a highly inefficient shot,” Daigneault said. “In fact, I think a contested 3 has become the new midrange. Teams are so sophisticated analytically now that it’s swung where teams are taking 3s to take them. Those are not always great shots.”
> One of the larger big-picture questions for the Thunder will surround Giddey’s fit next to Gilgeous-Alexander. Both are lead guards. Both average 5.7 assists per game. Both will control action plenty over the course of any game. But the on-ball pecking order goes Gilgeous-Alexander first and Giddey second.
> “The best thing about it is we’ve both learned to play off one another,” Giddey said. “Those things take time. It was never going to be smooth from Day 1. Two guys that are better with the ball in their hands had to learn how to give it up, get it back. We’ve figured that out. A lot of that is playing off. I’m learning to cut and play out of the dunker a little more, space the floor for him but at the same time be aggressive when it’s in my hands.”
**The defensive-minded supporting cast**
> Holmgren, over the long term, projects to be the exact defensive ingredient they’re missing. The Thunder don’t have a true rim protector. While Holmgren recovers from a Lisfranc injury, they’ve started Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Muscala and, of late, Jaylin Williams at center. None of the three are feared in the paint.
> But the Thunder have still found a way to generate more stops than most modern defenses. Their 112.1 rating entered Tuesday as the league’s eighth-ranked unit. Luguentz Dort is a powerful stopper able to switch between guards and wings. Jalen Williams has good size and is advanced for his age on that end. Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 1.7 steals and 1.1 blocks per game. Giddey is getting better on that end. Kenrich Williams competes.
This may be unpopular, but Slater can kick rocks. Great writer, but he bolted along with KD. Understandable that it probably was a great career move, but it just leaves a sour taste.