2009–10 Oklahoma City Thunder season
Encyclopedia
The 2009-10
Oklahoma City Thunder
season was the 2nd season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association
(NBA).
With NBA scoring champion Kevin Durant
, second-year point guard Russell Westbrook
, and forward Jeff Green
leading the way, the Thunder made the playoffs as the youngest team in the NBA with the 28th highest total salary in the league. The team became the youngest NBA playoff team (23.19, using data going back to 1952) based on average age weighted by minutes played.
From a business perspective, the team began to show positive financial performance after years of losses in Seattle and a transition-cost laden 2008-09 season. In December 2009, Forbes Magazine estimated the team's operating profit at $12.7 million, and estimated the overall franchise value at $310 million, good for 20th in the NBA.
2009–10 NBA season
The 2009–10 NBA season was the 64th season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 27, 2009, and ended on Wednesday, April 14, 2010....
Oklahoma City Thunder
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder are a professional basketball franchise based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ; their home court is at Chesapeake Energy Arena....
season was the 2nd season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
(NBA).
With NBA scoring champion Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant
Kevin Wayne Durant is an American professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association . A 6'9" small forward/shooting guard who is also capable of playing power forward, Durant was the consensus 2007 National College Player of the Year and the...
, second-year point guard Russell Westbrook
Russell Westbrook
Russell Westbrook is an American professional basketball player currently playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA. He was drafted by the Thunder's former incarnation, the Seattle SuperSonics, which relocated from Seattle, Washington to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma...
, and forward Jeff Green
Jeff Green (basketball)
Jeffrey Lynn Green is an American professional basketball player with the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association. Green attended Georgetown University until following his junior year, when he entered the 2007 NBA Draft...
leading the way, the Thunder made the playoffs as the youngest team in the NBA with the 28th highest total salary in the league. The team became the youngest NBA playoff team (23.19, using data going back to 1952) based on average age weighted by minutes played.
From a business perspective, the team began to show positive financial performance after years of losses in Seattle and a transition-cost laden 2008-09 season. In December 2009, Forbes Magazine estimated the team's operating profit at $12.7 million, and estimated the overall franchise value at $310 million, good for 20th in the NBA.
Key dates
- June 25, 2009: The 2009 NBA Draft2009 NBA DraftThe 2009 NBA Draft was held on June 25, 2009, the WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U.S...
took place in New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. - July 8, 2009: The free agencyFree agentIn professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
period started. - October 28, 2009: The Thunder play their first regular-season game, and achieve their first regular-season victory, in a 102-89 home win over the Sacramento KingsSacramento KingsThe Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
. - January 2, 2010 Kevin Durant scored more than 30 points in his seventh consecutive game, breaking the franchise record set by Spencer HaywoodSpencer HaywoodSpencer Haywood is a retired American professional basketball player.- High school :In 1964, Haywood moved to Detroit, Michigan, where he attended Pershing High School...
in January 1972. - January 20, 2010: The Thunder surpass their win total from 2008-09 with their 24th season victory, a 94-92 win at the Minnesota TimberwolvesMinnesota TimberwolvesThe Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
. - February 24, 2010: Kevin Durant’s 21 points in a loss to the San Antonio Spurs ends his streak of 29 consecutive games with 25 or more points.
- March 2, 2010: The Thunder surpass the 500,000 season home attendance figure in a 113-107 victory over the Sacramento Kings at the Ford Center.
- March 12, 2010: Durant had his 36th game with 30 or more points this season, breaking the franchise record set by Spencer Haywood in the 1972–73 season. Durant ended the regular season with 41 games of 30 points or more.
- April 3, 2010: The Thunder clinch a playoff spot for the first time in city franchise history with a 121-116 victory over the Dallas MavericksDallas MavericksThe Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
. - April 14, 2010: Durant becomes the youngest scoring leader at the age of 21, taking the distinctinon from Max ZaslofskyMax ZaslofskyMax "Slats" Zaslofsky was an American professional basketball player and coach.-Biography:Zaslofsky attended Thomas Jefferson High School in Brooklyn, and St. John's University. He was Jewish....
(1947–48 BAA scoring leader at the age of 22). The Thunder also end the season on a positive note, beating the Memphis GrizzliesMemphis GrizzliesThe Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
114-105 – their 27th season home sellout, bringing total home attendance to 738,149 (an average of 18,003 per game, 12th in the NBA). - April 22, 2010: The Thunder win their first-ever Oklahoma City franchise playoff game with a 101-96 victory over the Los Angeles LakersLos Angeles LakersThe Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
at the Ford Center.
Roster
Depth Chart
As of end of season:Pos. | Starter | Bench | Reserve | Inactive | ||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nenad Krstic Nenad Krstic Nenad Krstić is a Serbian professional basketball player for CSKA Moscow. Krstić is officially listed at 7'0" tall.-KK Partizan:... |
Nick Collison Nick Collison Nicholas John Collison is an American professional basketball player, currently a power forward for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA, and well known in basketball circles for his accomplishments at the University of Kansas.- Early life and high school career :Nick Collison was born in Orange... |
Byron Mullens | PF Power forward (basketball) Power forward is a position in the sport of basketball. The position is referred to in playbook terms as the four position and is commonly abbreviated "PF". It has also been referred to as the "post" position. Power forwards play a role similar to that of center in what is called the "post" or "low... |
Jeff Green Jeff Green (basketball) Jeffrey Lynn Green is an American professional basketball player with the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association. Green attended Georgetown University until following his junior year, when he entered the 2007 NBA Draft... |
Serge Ibaka Serge Ibaka Serge Jonas Ibaka Ngobila , commonly referred to as Serge Ibaka, is a professional Spanish basketball player of Congolese origin, playing the power forward position for Real Madrid of the Liga ACB. He is also under contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA, but is playing in Spain because... |
Etan Thomas Etan Thomas Dedreck Etan Thomas, commonly referred to as Etan Thomas , is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association.-College:... |
DJ White | SF Small forward The small forward, or colloquially known as three, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. Small forwards are typically somewhat shorter, quicker, and leaner than power forwards and centers, but on occasion are just as tall... |
Kevin Durant Kevin Durant Kevin Wayne Durant is an American professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association . A 6'9" small forward/shooting guard who is also capable of playing power forward, Durant was the consensus 2007 National College Player of the Year and the... |
SG Shooting guard The shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team... |
Thabo Sefolosha Thabo Sefolosha Thabo Patrick Sefolosha is a Swiss professional basketball shooting guard who plays for Fenerbahçe Ülker in Turkey. He is also under contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA, but is playing overseas because of the 2011 NBA lockout.... |
James Harden James Harden James Harden may refer to:*James Harden , Northern Irish politician*James Harden , Professional basketball player for the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder... |
Kyle Weaver Kyle Weaver Kyle Donovan Weaver is an American professional basketball player. He played college basketball for Washington State University, and was drafted 38th overall by the Charlotte Bobcats in the 2008 NBA Draft... |
PG Point guard Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that... |
Russell Westbrook Russell Westbrook Russell Westbrook is an American professional basketball player currently playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA. He was drafted by the Thunder's former incarnation, the Seattle SuperSonics, which relocated from Seattle, Washington to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma... |
Eric Maynor Eric Maynor Eric Demarqua Maynor is an American professional basketball player at point guard for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA. He played college basketball for the VCU Rams... |
Kevin Ollie Kevin Ollie Kevin Jermaine Ollie is an American former professional basketball player. He played for eleven National Basketball Association franchises in thirteen seasons... |
Mustafa Skakur Mustafa Shakur Mustafadeen "Mustafa" Abdush Shakur is an American professional basketball player for A.S. Junior Pallacanestro Casale in Italy. He was not drafted by an NBA team, but he signed with and was subsequently released by the Sacramento Kings, before playing in any NBA regular season games... |
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