Dean Blevins: A Thunder Title & Kudos, Jennie

Kudos to the Oklahoma City Thunder and the University of Oklahoma women.

I best specify because there are lots of female athletes in Norman who are killing it – specifically, consistent national champion programs in softball and gymnastics.  

Thunder-Ball 

The Thunder won what I considered to be a significant game in beating defending champ Denver to win the season series 3-1. Certainly, aided by the fact that Nuggets star Nikola Jokic sat out because of pain in his lower back. Not quite as debilitating but nonetheless significant, OKC was without injured studs Jalen Williams and Ike Joe.

Remarkably consistent player-of-the-year candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander did it again – he could score 30 sitting out a game injured – sticking it to a still-strong Denver bunch notching 34 points in the 105-100 victory Wednesday night.

Seemingly at least one player short of a championship-contender, Oklahoma City continues its winning formula of movement, sound defense that can be dominant when big Chet Holmgren is his usual self of defending the rim like a hall-of-famer, smart play, uncommon effort and strong shooting to win at an unexpected rate.

After a disappointing no-show game in losing to Minnesota in an important game two nights earlier, Holmgren returned to his rookie-of-the-year caliber play. Afterwards, Chet said, “It’s human nature, as a perfectionist, you always want to make the play. Sometimes you're so focused on trying to make every single shot that you start thinking too much about the one single shot. Guys take thousands of shots every season. Nobody makes all of them. I’ve just gotta understand that.” 

Hey, the guy is as smart as he is competitive. And legend has it the 7-1 Gonzagan expects to win every single matchup and every single game he plays.

So, at this particular moment, the Thunder’s 33-15 record is third-best in the league. Not conference. Behind only Boston’s 37-11 and the first-in-the-west T-Wolves at 34-14 – or one game ahead of second place OKC. That’s two games ahead of the potentially-scary-good Clippers and 9 ½ games ahead of …. drumroll please … the Los Angeles Lakers, who’ll do well to get back to .500.

One last thing. Leave it to Mark Daigneault to find a way to employ and get oft-needed production from one Vasilije Micic. The rookie 30-year-old second unit playmaker couldn’t outrun or outjump me. Hyperbole moment, sorry. But the extraordinarily bright playmaker is so crafty and capable, that he’s becoming a bigger part of the Thunder arsenal. A career-game last night, it's so cool to see this Thunder team throw out so many different-looking units/guys to adapt to whatever opponents present to them.

This 2023-24 Thunder team is not championship ilk. But it’s awfully effective, fun to watch and on its way to deep playoff runs.

And dare I say, an NBA championship in the next three seasons.

Jennie-Ball

Jennie Barnanczyk’s basketball Sooners did something Wednesday that OU teams had not done in more than 20 years: defeat a Top 2-ranked team.

Without injured star Ayoka Lee – who’d set an NCAA record with 61 points against OU in 2022 – K-State rolled in after winning 14 straight. OU had won 7 of 8 league games and used Skylar Vann’s 21 to win 66-63. OSU transfer Lexy Keys excelled as she and Aubrey Jones contributed 10 apiece. Given up for dead after losing 4 of 5 in the non-con schedule in December, OU’s exceptional coach is getting the most out of an unselfish and smart (see the OKC Thunder) crew of cagers who are on top of the heap in Big 12 standings.

Good Luck To OSU & Bryce Thompson

Good luck to Oklahoma State and its best player Bryce Thompson, who looks to be out for the year. On Thursday, Mike Boynton announced the former five-star Kansas signee has a torn labrum and will miss a significant amount of time. I may be old, but after multiple labrum surgeries, I would not put any money of Bryce’s return this season.

Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you on TV.

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