2010–11 Oklahoma City Thunder season
Encyclopedia
The 2010–11
Oklahoma City Thunder
season was the 3rd season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association
(NBA). The franchise built on its prior success from the previous year, winning 55 regular-season games and reaching the Western Conference finals – in the process becoming the second-youngest team ever to do so.
Sources:
and Russell Westbrook
to the 27-man national team roster for 2010–12. From July 19–24, 2010, Durant, Westbrook and Jeff Green
each attended tryout camp in Las Vegas for inclusion on the 12-man USA National Team roster at the 2010 FIBA World Championship
, to take place from August 28 to September 12, 2010 in Turkey. In late July, Durant, Westbrook and Green were each named to the narrowed 15-man USA Team roster, which participated in additional workouts August 9–16 in New York City. On August 15, 2010, Westbrook and Durant were named to the narrowed 13-man roster, which competed from August 17–20 in Madrid, Spain. On August 24, 2010, the final 12-man roster was effectively determined when USA Basketball member Rajon Rondo
withdrew from Team USA. This made Durant and Westbrook the only members of Team USA from the same NBA squad. In addition, Thunder athletic trainer Joe Sharpe also traveled as a team assistant. Thunder players participating on other FIBA teams included Nenad Krstić
(who was suspended for Serbia's
first three games following a chair-throwing incident in a tune-up match against Greece at the Acropolis Tournament
on August 19), and Tibor Pleiß
for Germany
.
At the 2010 FIBA tournament, Team USA won the championship game against Turkey, and Serbia ended the tournament in fourth place. Germany did not advance to the elimination-round phase of the comptetiion. Durant was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player, and was also a first-team All-Tournament selection. For his efforts, Durant was also awarded the 2010 Male Athlete of the Year award by USA Basketball.
to a multi-year deal, terms of which were not disclosed.
Assistant coaching and staff positions, however, changed over the summer. In late June, Thunder assistant coach Ron Adams
took a similar position with the Chicago Bulls
under their new head coach Tom Thibodeau
. As of July, the Thunder had no immediate plans to directly replace Adams. On August 24, 2010, the Thunder added former international coach Maz Trakh as an assistant coach in charge of player development, in addition to confirming the retention of remaining assistant coaches Maurice Cheeks, Mark Bryant, Rex Kalamian, and Brian Keefe.
On July 19, 2010, Thunder Assistant General Manager Rich Cho
left to take the vacant General Manager's position with the Portland Trail Blazers
. Former Thunder Director of Pro Personnel Bill Branch also joined Cho in Portland. The Thunder subsequently promoted Troy Weaver to vice president/assistant general manager, Rob Hennigan to assistant general manager/player personnel, Paul Rivers to director of minor league operations and basketball technology and Brandon Barnett to director of minor league scouting and manager of minor league operations. At the same time, the Thunder announced the additions of Michael Winger as Assistant General Manager for Legal/Administration, and David Vanterpool as a scout.
and Eric Maynor
were the most experienced players on the summer roster. The Thunder also signed forward Marcus Lewis and guard Cliff Hammonds as free agents on the summer roster. Both Durant and Daequan Cook
attended the event and participated in informal workouts. Harden averaged 17.5 points over five games, good for fifth in the summer league standings. Maynor averaged 5.0 assists over three games, good for fourth.
completed a week-long promotional tour of China sponsored by Nike
. Durant was also unveiled as the featured athlete on the cover of EA Sports
' video game NBA Elite 11
.
On August 3, 2010, the Thunder announced a multi-year contract granting FOX Sports Southwest the exclusive rights to regional television broadcasts of Thunder games.
On August 26, 2010, the Thunder organization announced that it would exercise its right to re-open naming rights negotiations for the Ford Center, which effectively guarantees a name change for the facility in the near future.
Thunder players Durant, Krstić, and Thabo Sefolosha
were featured on the October 19, 2010 cover of Sports Illustrated
's 2010 NBA Preview edition, with an accompanying feature article by SI Correspondent Lee Jenkins.
On June 23, 2010, the Thunder traded their rights to the #32 overall pick to the Miami Heat
in exchange for the #18 overall pick and the rights to shooting guard Daequan Cook
.
On draft day, June 24, 2010, the Thunder acquired shooting guard Eric Bledsoe
from Kentucky
with the 18th pick. With the 21st pick, the Thunder acquired power forward Craig Brackins
from Iowa State
. With the 26th pick, the Thunder acquired forward Quincy Pondexter
from Washington. With the 51st pick, the Thunder acquired center Magnum Rolle
from Louisiana Tech
.
However, each of these draft acquisitions was subjected to a trade on draft day:
In addition:
, Jerome Dyson and Elijah Milsap, as well as center Longar Longar. Carter and Longar were subsequently waived and removed from the roster on October 15, 2010, after one pre-season appearance each. The Thunder's final two pre-season roster additions, Dyson and Millsap, were waived on October 20, 2010 – leaving the team roster at the required 15 members heading into the regular season.
The Thunder began their regular season at home against the Chicago Bulls with an Opening Night promotion that included outdoor entertainment, a new magazine publication, and a blue-attire theme. The Thunder won the opening game, 106 to 95.
The first two months of the season saw mixed, but generally positive results for the Thunder. Through December 10, 2010, the Thunder played a schedule which statistically ranked #5 in the NBA, and #3 in the Western Conference. Despite this, the team logged a .667 winning percentage over the period. Kevin Durant lead the NBA in scoring over the period at 27.45 points per game, although he missed four games due to injury (the Thunder were 3-1 in those games). The early season was highlighted by strong performances by Russell Westbrook (who at 23.95 points per game improved his scoring average by almost 8 points per game compared to 2009-2010) and Serge Ibaka (who saw his playing time increase to over 27 minutes per game and was near the top of the league in blocks).
By the midway point in the season, the Thunder's cumulative team free-throw percentage stood at .83116, just slightly off the pace of the all-time NBA single-season record of .83186, set by the 1989-90 Boston Celtics. The team's three-point shooting, however, lagged behind other offensive categories; by early February, the team's cumulative three-point percentage was 32.8%, third-worst in the league. The Thunder's 27-14 record at the midpoint of the season was largely attributable to a potent offense (103.7 points per game, sixth in the NBA) making up for subpar defensive performance (102 opponents' points per game, 20th in the NBA). As of the All-Star break, the Thunder were rated #6 in the NBA's power ranking system, with a comparativley easy schedule over the remaining course of the season.
Through the first half of the season, the Thunder's rotation stayed relatively constant, with a starting five of:
Except for periodic injuries, the starting rotation did not change until after the trading deadline on February 24, 2011. In various combinations, the Thunder generally used a nine-man rotation through January 2011, providing reserves Ibaka, Maynor, Harden and Nick Collison
with significant playing time. During four games when Durant was out of the lineup with injury, the Thunder often utilized a lineup which simultaneously featured Green at the small forward spot with Ibaka at power forward, a combination featured more often as the early season unfolded. Starting with the January 28, 2011 game against Washington, shooting guard Daequan Cook began receiving significant minutes in the rotation, allowing the Thunder to substitute entirely new second string on multiple occasions. This combination sparked some notable Thunder streaks, including the February 5 game against Utah and the February 15 game against Sacramento.
The starting rotation changed significantly after the February 24, 2011 trading deadline. In two deals made on that date, the Thunder sent starters Jeff Green and Nenad Krstić to the Boston Celtics, and acquired eventual starter at center Kendrick Perkins
, backup center Nazr Mohammed
, and backup point guard Nate Robinson
. Perkins was unable to start immediately after his acquisition due to a left knee sprain suffered on February 22. In games on February 25 and 27, the Thunder elevated Ibaka and Collison into the starting rotation at power forward and center, respectively.
The immediate post-trade lineup shuffle resulted in the team's only three-game losing streak of the season, from February 23–27. This stretch, however, did include some bright spots, including a competitive performance against the Lakers on February 27 in which Cole Aldrich
registered his best performance of the year. On March 2, Mohammed replaced Collison as starting center.
The starting lineup changed again on March 14 with the insertion of Kendrick Perkins at starting center. This solidified the starting lineup for the stretch run of the regular season as:
The most immediate beneficiary of the new lineup, however, was sixth man James Harden, who in the first 15 games after the All-Star break increased his scoring average from 10.3 to 17.7 points per game. The new lineup's first major test came in the March 16, 2011 game at Miami, which the Thunder won due to a shutdown defensive performance in the second half. Subsequently the team was cited for lackluster play in a four-game stretch from March 18–25, but afterward put in an energetic performance against Portland at home on March 27, a win which clinched a playoff berth for the franchise for the second year in a row. The team subsequently clinched the Northwest Division championship with its April 6 victory against the Los Angeles Clippers.
The contributions of Cook and Harden in the second half of the season, combined with improved three-point shoooting from Westbrook, allowed the team to bring its overall thee-point shooting percentage to a respectable 34.7% by the end of the regular season, good for 19th in the league. Although the Thunder ended up leading the NBA in free-throw percentage at 82.3%, this number did not displace the 1989–90 Celtics record.
The Thunder were still in contention for a #2 overall playoff seed by the time of their last regular season game on April 13 against Milwaukee, the pre-game ceremonies for which featured the unveiling of a Northwest Division championship banner. However, the Thunder's overtime loss in that game, in which the starting rotation played limited minutes, guaranteed the overall #4 seed in the Western Conference and a first-round playoff matchup with the #5-seed Denver Nuggets. The Thunder ended the season with 55 wins, five more than the 2009–10 season. Overall during the regular season, they averaged 104.83 points per game (good for fifth in the league) while limiting opponents to 101.04 points per game (good for 18th in the league).
Attendance at Thunder regular season games continued to be strong in 2010–11. Despite having one of the smaller arenas in the NBA, the Thunder drew an average of 18,148 spectators per contest, ranking 13th in the league. This translated into 99.7% of the overall capacity of the 18,203-seat Oklahoma City Arena, ranking 8th in the league.
In merchandising sales figures released by the NBA on April 13, 2011, the Thunder as a team generated the sixth-most jersey sales of all NBA teams; in addition, Kevin Durant's individual jersey ranked as the seventh-most popular in the NBA.
In the May/June 2011 issue of Dime Magazine, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook were featured on the cover and named "The NBA's best duo since Shaq and Kobe."
c - clinched regular-season conference lead
x - clinched playoff spot
y - clinched division
described the Thunder team as "cocky" in comments made before the series. Game 1 of the series featured promotions similar to the "Opening Night" of the regular season, including a "blue-out" t-shirt giveaway and a "Thunder Alley" entertainment venue outside the arena. The crowd atmosphere for Game One was loud enough that it reportedly made Karl's six-year old daughter cry. The game itself was highly comeptitive, featuring nine ties and nine lead changes. The Thunder's eventual 107-103 victory was aided by a basket occurring with just over one minute left in the game by Kendrick Perkins, which the NBA later admitted should have resulted in an offensive goaltending call. After a relatively easy Game 2 at home, the Thunder earned a hard-fought 97-94 victory in Game 3 at Denver, behind the remarkable performance of Serge Ibaka, who logged a career-high 22 points along with 16 rebounds. Denver avoided elimination in a Game 4 contest in which the Thunder's Russell Westbrook was criticized for selfish play in a 12-for-30 shooting performance. The Thunder finished the series in Game 5 by winning a dramatic comeback at home, which featured Kevin Durant scoring 16 of his 41 points in the fourth quarter.
, who had upset the #1-seeded San Antonio Spurs
in a six-game series. Memphis dominated Game 1 in Oklahoma City behind a combined 54-point, 23-rebound performance by Marc Gasol
and Zach Randolph
. The Thunder's front court was able to play more aggressive defense against the duo in Game 2, leading to a 111-102 Thunder victory to tie the series. The next two games of the series in Memphis developed similalry but ended in different results. In Game 3, the Thunder surrendered a 16-point lead late in the third quarter, with the Grizzlies eventually tying the game in regulation and winning the game in overtime. In Game 4, the Thunder allowed Memphis to come back from a 10-point deficit with 5:25 remaining; afterward, the Thunder were unable to convert last-second shots in regulation and each of the first two overtime periods, before eventually pulling out a 133-123 win in triple overtime. Fatigue from this contest appeared to effect the Grizzlies in Game 5, who were limited to just 36% shooting in a runaway 99-72 Thunder victory. Oklahoma City led by 19 points at the end of the third quarter, allowing the team to rest most of its starters for the final period. The rest did not benefit the Thunder in Game 6, however, in which Kevin Durant was limited to just 11 points; by contrast, Memphis' Zach Randolph scored 30 points en route to a 95-83 Memphis victory, forcing a decisive Game 7 in Oklahoma City. The Thunder were able to clinch the playoff series in Game 7, however, benefitting from a 39-point performance from Durant as well as a triple-double performance by Westbrook.
, who had previously swept the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers in four games, allowing the Mavericks the advantage of eight days rest heading into the series. Game 1 of the conference finals saw the Thunder accumulate as much as a nine-point lead in the third quarter, but ultimately collapse under the pressure of a 48-point performance by Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki
and timely three-point shooting by reserve guard J.J. Barea
. Nowitzki's performance included an NBA-record for consecutive free throws in a game; he was a perfect 24-for-24 from the line. Oklahoma City evened the series in Game 2, where the Thunder bench scored 50 points and played much of the decisive fourth quarter. In Game 3, Dallas' defensive effort forced 14 turnovers by the Thunder, eventually opening up a 23-point Dallas lead before holding off a late Thunder charge in a 93-87 win. Game 4 unfolded positively for the Thunder through most of the contest, with the team enjoying a 15-point advantage with 4:49 remaining in the fourth quarter, having built on a large statistical lead in rebounds, assists, blocks, and points in the paint. However, the Thunder suffered from 25 turnovers in the contest, and their offense evaporated in the final five minutes, shooting 1-10 from the field, as Dallas went on a 17-2 run to tie the game in regulation, 101-101. The Mavericks eventually won the game in overtime, 112-105, sending the Thunder back to Dallas down 3-1 in the series. The Thunder season then came to an end on May 25, 2011 in a hard-fought loss at Dallas, 100-96.
During the 2011 NBA Playoffs, Kevin Durant was featured in national television commercials for Gatorade
's "G-Series" sports drink line, with one such commercial incorporating teammates Nate Robinson, Nick Collison, Cole Aldrich and Royal Ivey.
After the conclusion of the season, several Thunder players appeared at three different youth camps hosted by the team at various locations around the OKC area in June, until the NBA lockout prohibited players from appearing at Thunder camps after June 30. Kevin Durant hosted his own camp from June 29–30 in OKC, and from July 1–2 in Austin, Texas.
* - Stats with Thunder (partial season)
Sources: OKC Thunder 2010–11 Statistics
Source: OKC Thunder 2011 Playoff Statistics
2010–11 NBA season
The 2010–11 NBA season was the 65th season of the National Basketball Association . The 2011 NBA All-Star Game was played on February 20, 2011 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Miami Heat in six games, 4 games to 2, to win their first NBA title, and...
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 3rd 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). The franchise built on its prior success from the previous year, winning 55 regular-season games and reaching the Western Conference finals – in the process becoming the second-youngest team ever to do so.
Key dates
- June 24 – The 2010 NBA Draft2010 NBA DraftThe 2010 NBA Draft was held on June 24, 2010 at the Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. The draft, which started at 7:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time , was broadcast in the United States on ESPN. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur...
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 1 – 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....
negotiation period begins - July 8 – First day NBA free agents can sign new contracts; Prior conditional free agent trades can be finalized
- July 16 – First round draft picks become free agents if not given a required tender
- July 23 – Last day to withdraw a qualifying offer to a restricted free agent without the player's consent
- August 15 – Players waived on or after this date remain on waivers for 48 hours
- September 6 – Second round draft picks become free agents if not given a required tender
- October 1 – Last day to sign replacement player with Disabled Player exception if the player was injured from December 1 to June 30 and will be out for the season
- November 1 – Last day to exercise option years on scale contracts; Last day contracts can be extended
- December 15 – Players who signed a contract on or before September 15 can be traded
- February 24 – Trade deadline
- March 1 – Contract renegotiations must be completed before this date
- April 24 – Draft Early Entry Eligibility Deadline (11:59 p.m. ET)
- June 13 – Draft Early Entry Withdrawal Deadline (5:00 p.m. ET)
Team roster
Depth chart
As of end of season:| Pos. | Starter | Bench | Reserve | Inactive | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C Center (basketball) The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well... |
Kendrick Perkins Kendrick Perkins Kendrick Perkins is an American professional basketball player who plays as a center for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA.... |
Nazr Mohammed Nazr Mohammed Nazr Tahiru Mohammed [NAW-zee] is an American professional basketball player with the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder. He plays the center position. He is 6 ft 10 in and 250 lb... |
Cole Aldrich Cole Aldrich Cole David Aldrich is an American basketball player who is currently playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder in the National Basketball Association . He completed his junior year at the University of Kansas in March 2010. Aldrich was selected as a McDonald's All American in 2006. He attended... 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... |
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... |
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... |
|||
| 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... |
Daequan Cook Daequan Cook Daequan Cook is an American basketball player and currently a shooting guard for the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder.... |
|||
| 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 (basketball) James Edward Harden, Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association . A shooting guard, Harden played collegiate basketball for the Arizona State Sun Devils and was selected 3rd overall by the Thunder in the 2009 NBA Draft... |
Robert Vaden Robert Vaden Robert Anthony Vaden is an American professional basketball player. Vaden played college basketball with the Indiana Hoosiers and the UAB Blazers for two years each. After four years in college, he was drafted by the Charlotte Bobcats with the 54th pick in the 2009 NBA Draft. After the draft, his... |
||
| 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... |
Royal Ivey Royal Ivey Royal Terence Ivey is an American professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA.-Early life and college:... Nate Robinson Nate Robinson Nathaniel Cornelius Robinson is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Oklahoma City Thunder... |
2010–11 Salaries
| Player | 2010–11 Salary |
|---|---|
| Nick Collison | $13,720,000 |
| Nazr Mohammed | $6,883,800 |
| Kendrick Perkins | $6,446,720 |
| Kevin Durant | $6,053,663 |
| James Harden | $4,304,520 |
| Nate Robinson | $4,200,000 |
| Russell Westbrook | $4,017,720 |
| Thabo Sefolosha | $3,000,000 |
| Daequan Cook | $2,169,856 |
| Cole Aldrich | $2,126,520 |
| Eric Maynor | $1,417,800 |
| Byron Mullens | $1,204,200 |
| Serge Ibaka | $1,204,200 |
| Royal Ivey | $1,069,509 |
| Robert Vaden | $57,884 |
| TOTAL | $57,876,392 |
Sources:
- HoopsHype: OKC Salaries
- HoopsWorld: OKC Salaries
- ESPN: OKC Roster
International participation
In February 2010, the USA National Basketball Team named Thunder players Kevin DurantKevin 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...
and 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...
to the 27-man national team roster for 2010–12. From July 19–24, 2010, Durant, Westbrook and 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...
each attended tryout camp in Las Vegas for inclusion on the 12-man USA National Team roster at the 2010 FIBA World Championship
2010 FIBA World Championship
The 2010 FIBA World Championship, hosted by Turkey, was the international basketball competition contested by the men's national teams. The tournament ran from August 28 to September 12, 2010. It was co-organized by the International Basketball Federation , Turkish Basketball Federation and the...
, to take place from August 28 to September 12, 2010 in Turkey. In late July, Durant, Westbrook and Green were each named to the narrowed 15-man USA Team roster, which participated in additional workouts August 9–16 in New York City. On August 15, 2010, Westbrook and Durant were named to the narrowed 13-man roster, which competed from August 17–20 in Madrid, Spain. On August 24, 2010, the final 12-man roster was effectively determined when USA Basketball member Rajon Rondo
Rajon Rondo
Rajon Pierre Rondo is an American professional basketball player who plays point guard for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association . Born in Louisville, Kentucky, Rondo attended Eastern High School and Oak Hill Academy for his high-school basketball career, before receiving a...
withdrew from Team USA. This made Durant and Westbrook the only members of Team USA from the same NBA squad. In addition, Thunder athletic trainer Joe Sharpe also traveled as a team assistant. Thunder players participating on other FIBA teams included Nenad Krstić
Nenad Krstic
Nenad Krstić is a Serbian professional basketball player for CSKA Moscow. Krstić is officially listed at 7'0" tall.-KK Partizan:...
(who was suspended for Serbia's
Serbia national basketball team
The Serbian national basketball team represents Serbia in international basketball matches....
first three games following a chair-throwing incident in a tune-up match against Greece at the Acropolis Tournament
Acropolis International Tournament 2010
Acropolis International Tournament 2010 was a basketball tournament held in OAKA arena in Athens, Greece from August 17 till August 19, 2010. This was the 24th Acropolis International tournament. The four participating teams were Greece, Serbia, Canada and Slovenia.- Standings :- Tiebreaker...
on August 19), and Tibor Pleiß
Tibor Pleiß
Tibor Pleiß is a German professional basketball player. He is a 2.16 m in height center. He is currently with the Brose Baskets of Bamberg. He is also a member of the German national basketball team....
for Germany
Germany national basketball team
The German national basketball team for men is the basketball side that represents Germany in international competitions. Their biggest successes are the victory in the European Championship of 1993 at home in Germany, the silver medal in the 2005 European Championships and the bronze medal in the...
.
At the 2010 FIBA tournament, Team USA won the championship game against Turkey, and Serbia ended the tournament in fourth place. Germany did not advance to the elimination-round phase of the comptetiion. Durant was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player, and was also a first-team All-Tournament selection. For his efforts, Durant was also awarded the 2010 Male Athlete of the Year award by USA Basketball.
Coaching/Staff changes
Just before the end of the 2010 playoffs, the Thunder announced that the team had exercised extension rights on its contract with Coach Scott Brooks, keeping him under contract through the 2011–12 season. Under the contract, Brooks earns in excess of $1.5 million per season. Later, on July 22, 2010, the team announced signing its General Manager Sam PrestiSam Presti
Sam Prestigiacomo is an American basketball executive. Since June 7, 2007, he has been the General Manager of the Oklahoma City Thunder, the team formerly known as the Seattle SuperSonics...
to a multi-year deal, terms of which were not disclosed.
Assistant coaching and staff positions, however, changed over the summer. In late June, Thunder assistant coach Ron Adams
Ron Adams
Ron Adams is an American basketball coach.Adams has held coaching positions with Fresno Pacific University, UC Santa Barbara, Fresno State University, UNLV, the San Antonio Spurs, the Philadelphia 76ers, the Milwaukee Bucks, the Chicago Bulls, and the Oklahoma City Thunder...
took a similar position with the Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
under their new head coach Tom Thibodeau
Tom Thibodeau
Tom Thibodeau is an American basketball coach who is currently the head coach of the Chicago Bulls. He previously served as an assistant coach with the Boston Celtics....
. As of July, the Thunder had no immediate plans to directly replace Adams. On August 24, 2010, the Thunder added former international coach Maz Trakh as an assistant coach in charge of player development, in addition to confirming the retention of remaining assistant coaches Maurice Cheeks, Mark Bryant, Rex Kalamian, and Brian Keefe.
On July 19, 2010, Thunder Assistant General Manager Rich Cho
Rich Cho
Richard "Rich" Cho is the general manager of the Charlotte Bobcats of the National Basketball Association. Prior to the Bobcats, Cho was the general manager of the Portland Trail Blazers and the assistant general manager of the Oklahoma City Thunder...
left to take the vacant General Manager's position with the Portland Trail Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
. Former Thunder Director of Pro Personnel Bill Branch also joined Cho in Portland. The Thunder subsequently promoted Troy Weaver to vice president/assistant general manager, Rob Hennigan to assistant general manager/player personnel, Paul Rivers to director of minor league operations and basketball technology and Brandon Barnett to director of minor league scouting and manager of minor league operations. At the same time, the Thunder announced the additions of Michael Winger as Assistant General Manager for Legal/Administration, and David Vanterpool as a scout.
Training
The Thunder attended the Orlando Pro Summer League from July 5–9, 2010, during which the team won four games and lost one. No Thunder starters were assigned to Orlando; Harden, Serge IbakaSerge 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...
and 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...
were the most experienced players on the summer roster. The Thunder also signed forward Marcus Lewis and guard Cliff Hammonds as free agents on the summer roster. Both Durant and Daequan Cook
Daequan Cook
Daequan Cook is an American basketball player and currently a shooting guard for the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder....
attended the event and participated in informal workouts. Harden averaged 17.5 points over five games, good for fifth in the summer league standings. Maynor averaged 5.0 assists over three games, good for fourth.
Promotion and media news
In June 2010, Durant and teammate James HardenJames Harden
James Harden may refer to:*James Harden , Northern Irish politician*James Harden , Professional basketball player for the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder...
completed a week-long promotional tour of China sponsored by Nike
Nike, Inc.
Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
. Durant was also unveiled as the featured athlete on the cover of EA Sports
EA Sports
EA Sports is a brand of Electronic Arts that creates and develops sports video games. Formerly a marketing gimmick of Electronic Arts, in which they tried to mimic real-life sports networks by calling themselves "EA Sports Network" with pictures or endorsements of real commentators such as John...
' video game NBA Elite 11
NBA Elite 11
NBA Elite 11 is a mobile basketball video game released by Electronic Arts for iOS. It is the first installment in the NBA Elite series, succeeding EA's NBA Live series....
.
On August 3, 2010, the Thunder announced a multi-year contract granting FOX Sports Southwest the exclusive rights to regional television broadcasts of Thunder games.
On August 26, 2010, the Thunder organization announced that it would exercise its right to re-open naming rights negotiations for the Ford Center, which effectively guarantees a name change for the facility in the near future.
Thunder players Durant, Krstić, and 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....
were featured on the October 19, 2010 cover of Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
's 2010 NBA Preview edition, with an accompanying feature article by SI Correspondent Lee Jenkins.
Draft acquisitions
Heading into the week of the 2010 draft, the Thunder held rights to four draft selections:- #21 (first round),
- #26 (first round, acquired from PhoenixPhoenix SunsThe Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
), - #32 (second pick of the second round, acquired from MinnesotaMinnesota 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...
), and - #51 (twenty-first pick of the second round, acquired from MinnesotaMinnesota 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...
via DallasDallas 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...
and PortlandPortland Trail BlazersThe Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
).
On June 23, 2010, the Thunder traded their rights to the #32 overall pick to the Miami Heat
Miami Heat
The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
in exchange for the #18 overall pick and the rights to shooting guard Daequan Cook
Daequan Cook
Daequan Cook is an American basketball player and currently a shooting guard for the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder....
.
On draft day, June 24, 2010, the Thunder acquired shooting guard Eric Bledsoe
Eric Bledsoe
Eric Bledsoe is an American basketball player for the Los Angeles Clippers. He was selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder with the 18th overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft...
from Kentucky
Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball
The Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team, representing the University of Kentucky, is the winningest in the history of college basketball, both in all-time wins and all-time winning percentage. Kentucky's all-time record currently stands at 2058–647...
with the 18th pick. With the 21st pick, the Thunder acquired power forward Craig Brackins
Craig Brackins
Craig Lee Brackins is an American basketball player with the Philadelphia 76ers.He played collegiately for the Iowa State Cyclones. A power forward, Brackins was the highest-touted recruit to choose Iowa State after spending time at Brewster Academy in New Hampshire...
from Iowa State
Iowa State Cyclones men's basketball
The Iowa State Cyclones men's basketball team represents Iowa State University and competes in the Big 12 Conference of NCAA Division I.-Johnny Orr era :...
. With the 26th pick, the Thunder acquired forward Quincy Pondexter
Quincy Pondexter
Quincy Coe Pondexter is an American basketball player for the New Orleans Hornets. He was selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder with the 26th overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft and then traded to the New Orleans Hornets....
from Washington. With the 51st pick, the Thunder acquired center Magnum Rolle
Magnum Rolle
Magnum Rolle is a Bahamian professional basketball player currently with the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association. Born in Freeport, Bahamas, Rolle did not play basketball until his freshman year in high school and was taught by his coach at St. George's High School, Darrel Sears....
from Louisiana Tech
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs basketball
The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs basketball program represents intercollegiate men's basketball at Louisiana Tech University. The school competes in the Western Athletic Conference in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and play home games at the Thomas Assembly Center in Ruston,...
.
However, each of these draft acquisitions was subjected to a trade on draft day:
- The Thunder agreed to acquire Morris PetersonMorris PetersonMorris Peterson, Jr. is an American professional basketball player who is currently a free agent.- College career :...
and the draft rights to 11th overall pick Cole AldrichCole AldrichCole David Aldrich is an American basketball player who is currently playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder in the National Basketball Association . He completed his junior year at the University of Kansas in March 2010. Aldrich was selected as a McDonald's All American in 2006. He attended...
from New Orleans in exchange for the draft rights to Brackins and Pondexter. The deal was finalized after the expiration of the NBA free agent trade moratorium on July 8, 2010. - The L.A. ClippersLos Angeles ClippersThe Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
acquired the draft rights to Bledsoe in exchange for a conditional (top-ten protected) first-round pick in 2012. - The Indiana PacersIndiana PacersThe Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
acquired the draft rights to Rolle in exchange for the draft rights to 57th pick Ryan ReidRyan ReidRyan Reid is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Tulsa 66ers in the NBA Development League , a minor league basketball organization owned and run by the National Basketball Association . Reid played college basketball with the Florida State Seminoles...
of Florida State and cash consideration.
In addition:
- The Thunder acquired the draft rights to 31st pick Tibor PleißTibor PleißTibor Pleiß is a German professional basketball player. He is a 2.16 m in height center. He is currently with the Brose Baskets of Bamberg. He is also a member of the German national basketball team....
from Atlanta in exchange for cash consideration. - The Thunder acquired the draft rights to 48th pick Latavious WilliamsLatavious WilliamsLatavious Williams is an American professional basketball player who plays for the FIATC Joventut in Spain. After graduating from high school, he played with the Tulsa 66ers in the NBA Development League , a minor league basketball organization owned and run by the National Basketball Association...
of the Tulsa 66ersTulsa 66ersThe Tulsa 66ers are an NBA Development League team based in Tulsa, Oklahoma and the minor league affiliate of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Their logo design is a basketball behind mountains with a road leading up to them, all on a U.S...
from MiamiMiami HeatThe Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
in exchange for a future second-round pick.
Draft summary table
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 | Cole Aldrich Cole Aldrich Cole David Aldrich is an American basketball player who is currently playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder in the National Basketball Association . He completed his junior year at the University of Kansas in March 2010. Aldrich was selected as a McDonald's All American in 2006. He attended... from New Orleans |
Center Center (basketball) The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well... |
Kansas | |
| 1 | 18 | Eric Bledsoe Eric Bledsoe Eric Bledsoe is an American basketball player for the Los Angeles Clippers. He was selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder with the 18th overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft... to Clippers |
Shooting Guard 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... |
Kentucky Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball The Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team, representing the University of Kentucky, is the winningest in the history of college basketball, both in all-time wins and all-time winning percentage. Kentucky's all-time record currently stands at 2058–647... |
|
| 1 | 21 | Craig Brackins Craig Brackins Craig Lee Brackins is an American basketball player with the Philadelphia 76ers.He played collegiately for the Iowa State Cyclones. A power forward, Brackins was the highest-touted recruit to choose Iowa State after spending time at Brewster Academy in New Hampshire... to New Orleans |
Power Forward 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... |
Iowa State Iowa State Cyclones men's basketball The Iowa State Cyclones men's basketball team represents Iowa State University and competes in the Big 12 Conference of NCAA Division I.-Johnny Orr era :... |
|
| 1 | 26 | Quincy Pondexter Quincy Pondexter Quincy Coe Pondexter is an American basketball player for the New Orleans Hornets. He was selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder with the 26th overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft and then traded to the New Orleans Hornets.... to New Orleans |
Small Forward 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... |
Washington | |
| 2 | 31 | Tibor Pleiß Tibor Pleiß Tibor Pleiß is a German professional basketball player. He is a 2.16 m in height center. He is currently with the Brose Baskets of Bamberg. He is also a member of the German national basketball team.... from Atlanta |
Center Center (basketball) The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well... |
Brose Baskets (Germany Basketball Bundesliga The Basketball Bundesliga — commonly abbreviated BBL — is the highest level league of club basketball in Germany. The league comprises 18 teams. A BBL season is split into a league stage and a playoff stage... ) |
|
| 2 | 48 | Latavious Williams Latavious Williams Latavious Williams is an American professional basketball player who plays for the FIATC Joventut in Spain. After graduating from high school, he played with the Tulsa 66ers in the NBA Development League , a minor league basketball organization owned and run by the National Basketball Association... from Miami |
Power Forward 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... |
Tulsa 66ers Tulsa 66ers The Tulsa 66ers are an NBA Development League team based in Tulsa, Oklahoma and the minor league affiliate of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Their logo design is a basketball behind mountains with a road leading up to them, all on a U.S... (NBA Developmental League) |
|
| 2 | 51 | Magnum Rolle Magnum Rolle Magnum Rolle is a Bahamian professional basketball player currently with the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association. Born in Freeport, Bahamas, Rolle did not play basketball until his freshman year in high school and was taught by his coach at St. George's High School, Darrel Sears.... to Indiana |
Center Center (basketball) The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well... |
Louisiana Tech Louisiana Tech Bulldogs basketball The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs basketball program represents intercollegiate men's basketball at Louisiana Tech University. The school competes in the Western Athletic Conference in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and play home games at the Thomas Assembly Center in Ruston,... |
|
| 2 | 57 | Ryan Reid Ryan Reid Ryan Reid is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Tulsa 66ers in the NBA Development League , a minor league basketball organization owned and run by the National Basketball Association . Reid played college basketball with the Florida State Seminoles... from Indiana |
Power Forward 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... |
Florida State | |
Summary
The Thunder's pre-season training camp opened on September 28, 2010, with the temporary roster addition of guards Demond "Tweety" CarterTweety Carter
Demond "Tweety" Carter is an American professional basketball player.-High school career:Tweety Carter had one of the greatest high school careers in the history of the sport while attending Reserve Christian School in Reserve, Louisiana...
, Jerome Dyson and Elijah Milsap, as well as center Longar Longar. Carter and Longar were subsequently waived and removed from the roster on October 15, 2010, after one pre-season appearance each. The Thunder's final two pre-season roster additions, Dyson and Millsap, were waived on October 20, 2010 – leaving the team roster at the required 15 members heading into the regular season.
Summary
The Thunder's playoff run in 2009–10 fueled early season interest for 2010–11. The team's regular season schedule released on August 10, 2010 revealed fifteen nationally-televised games, up from three in the previous year. The Thunder also ranked among the NBA's top five teams in new season ticket sales heading into the year. This was in addition to a 93% renewal rate for season tickets from the previous year, well above the NBA average of 80%.The Thunder began their regular season at home against the Chicago Bulls with an Opening Night promotion that included outdoor entertainment, a new magazine publication, and a blue-attire theme. The Thunder won the opening game, 106 to 95.
The first two months of the season saw mixed, but generally positive results for the Thunder. Through December 10, 2010, the Thunder played a schedule which statistically ranked #5 in the NBA, and #3 in the Western Conference. Despite this, the team logged a .667 winning percentage over the period. Kevin Durant lead the NBA in scoring over the period at 27.45 points per game, although he missed four games due to injury (the Thunder were 3-1 in those games). The early season was highlighted by strong performances by Russell Westbrook (who at 23.95 points per game improved his scoring average by almost 8 points per game compared to 2009-2010) and Serge Ibaka (who saw his playing time increase to over 27 minutes per game and was near the top of the league in blocks).
By the midway point in the season, the Thunder's cumulative team free-throw percentage stood at .83116, just slightly off the pace of the all-time NBA single-season record of .83186, set by the 1989-90 Boston Celtics. The team's three-point shooting, however, lagged behind other offensive categories; by early February, the team's cumulative three-point percentage was 32.8%, third-worst in the league. The Thunder's 27-14 record at the midpoint of the season was largely attributable to a potent offense (103.7 points per game, sixth in the NBA) making up for subpar defensive performance (102 opponents' points per game, 20th in the NBA). As of the All-Star break, the Thunder were rated #6 in the NBA's power ranking system, with a comparativley easy schedule over the remaining course of the season.
Through the first half of the season, the Thunder's rotation stayed relatively constant, with a starting five of:
- PG: Russell Westbrook
- SG: Thabo Sefolosha
- SF: Kevin Durant
- PF: Jeff Green
- C: Nenad Krstić
Except for periodic injuries, the starting rotation did not change until after the trading deadline on February 24, 2011. In various combinations, the Thunder generally used a nine-man rotation through January 2011, providing reserves Ibaka, Maynor, Harden and 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...
with significant playing time. During four games when Durant was out of the lineup with injury, the Thunder often utilized a lineup which simultaneously featured Green at the small forward spot with Ibaka at power forward, a combination featured more often as the early season unfolded. Starting with the January 28, 2011 game against Washington, shooting guard Daequan Cook began receiving significant minutes in the rotation, allowing the Thunder to substitute entirely new second string on multiple occasions. This combination sparked some notable Thunder streaks, including the February 5 game against Utah and the February 15 game against Sacramento.
The starting rotation changed significantly after the February 24, 2011 trading deadline. In two deals made on that date, the Thunder sent starters Jeff Green and Nenad Krstić to the Boston Celtics, and acquired eventual starter at center Kendrick Perkins
Kendrick Perkins
Kendrick Perkins is an American professional basketball player who plays as a center for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA....
, backup center Nazr Mohammed
Nazr Mohammed
Nazr Tahiru Mohammed [NAW-zee] is an American professional basketball player with the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder. He plays the center position. He is 6 ft 10 in and 250 lb...
, and backup point guard Nate Robinson
Nate Robinson
Nathaniel Cornelius Robinson is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Oklahoma City Thunder...
. Perkins was unable to start immediately after his acquisition due to a left knee sprain suffered on February 22. In games on February 25 and 27, the Thunder elevated Ibaka and Collison into the starting rotation at power forward and center, respectively.
The immediate post-trade lineup shuffle resulted in the team's only three-game losing streak of the season, from February 23–27. This stretch, however, did include some bright spots, including a competitive performance against the Lakers on February 27 in which Cole Aldrich
Cole Aldrich
Cole David Aldrich is an American basketball player who is currently playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder in the National Basketball Association . He completed his junior year at the University of Kansas in March 2010. Aldrich was selected as a McDonald's All American in 2006. He attended...
registered his best performance of the year. On March 2, Mohammed replaced Collison as starting center.
The starting lineup changed again on March 14 with the insertion of Kendrick Perkins at starting center. This solidified the starting lineup for the stretch run of the regular season as:
- PG: Russell Westbrook
- SG: Thabo Sefolosha
- SF: Kevin Durant
- PF: Serge Ibaka
- C: Kendrick Perkins
The most immediate beneficiary of the new lineup, however, was sixth man James Harden, who in the first 15 games after the All-Star break increased his scoring average from 10.3 to 17.7 points per game. The new lineup's first major test came in the March 16, 2011 game at Miami, which the Thunder won due to a shutdown defensive performance in the second half. Subsequently the team was cited for lackluster play in a four-game stretch from March 18–25, but afterward put in an energetic performance against Portland at home on March 27, a win which clinched a playoff berth for the franchise for the second year in a row. The team subsequently clinched the Northwest Division championship with its April 6 victory against the Los Angeles Clippers.
The contributions of Cook and Harden in the second half of the season, combined with improved three-point shoooting from Westbrook, allowed the team to bring its overall thee-point shooting percentage to a respectable 34.7% by the end of the regular season, good for 19th in the league. Although the Thunder ended up leading the NBA in free-throw percentage at 82.3%, this number did not displace the 1989–90 Celtics record.
The Thunder were still in contention for a #2 overall playoff seed by the time of their last regular season game on April 13 against Milwaukee, the pre-game ceremonies for which featured the unveiling of a Northwest Division championship banner. However, the Thunder's overtime loss in that game, in which the starting rotation played limited minutes, guaranteed the overall #4 seed in the Western Conference and a first-round playoff matchup with the #5-seed Denver Nuggets. The Thunder ended the season with 55 wins, five more than the 2009–10 season. Overall during the regular season, they averaged 104.83 points per game (good for fifth in the league) while limiting opponents to 101.04 points per game (good for 18th in the league).
Attendance at Thunder regular season games continued to be strong in 2010–11. Despite having one of the smaller arenas in the NBA, the Thunder drew an average of 18,148 spectators per contest, ranking 13th in the league. This translated into 99.7% of the overall capacity of the 18,203-seat Oklahoma City Arena, ranking 8th in the league.
Promotion and media news
In March 2011, the Thunder were named to Fast Company Magazine's list of the Ten Most Innovative Companies in Sports, ranked at #6.In merchandising sales figures released by the NBA on April 13, 2011, the Thunder as a team generated the sixth-most jersey sales of all NBA teams; in addition, Kevin Durant's individual jersey ranked as the seventh-most popular in the NBA.
In the May/June 2011 issue of Dime Magazine, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook were featured on the cover and named "The NBA's best duo since Shaq and Kobe."
Conference
* - current division leaderc - clinched regular-season conference lead
x - clinched playoff spot
y - clinched division
First round
The opening series of the playoffs against the Denver Nuggets was given extra attention when Denver coach George KarlGeorge Karl
George Matthew Karl is a former National Basketball Association and American Basketball Association player. He is the current head coach of the Denver Nuggets. On December 10, 2010 he became the seventh coach in NBA history to record 1,000 wins.-Biography:Karl was born in Penn Hills,...
described the Thunder team as "cocky" in comments made before the series. Game 1 of the series featured promotions similar to the "Opening Night" of the regular season, including a "blue-out" t-shirt giveaway and a "Thunder Alley" entertainment venue outside the arena. The crowd atmosphere for Game One was loud enough that it reportedly made Karl's six-year old daughter cry. The game itself was highly comeptitive, featuring nine ties and nine lead changes. The Thunder's eventual 107-103 victory was aided by a basket occurring with just over one minute left in the game by Kendrick Perkins, which the NBA later admitted should have resulted in an offensive goaltending call. After a relatively easy Game 2 at home, the Thunder earned a hard-fought 97-94 victory in Game 3 at Denver, behind the remarkable performance of Serge Ibaka, who logged a career-high 22 points along with 16 rebounds. Denver avoided elimination in a Game 4 contest in which the Thunder's Russell Westbrook was criticized for selfish play in a 12-for-30 shooting performance. The Thunder finished the series in Game 5 by winning a dramatic comeback at home, which featured Kevin Durant scoring 16 of his 41 points in the fourth quarter.
Conference semifinals
The second round of the playoffs matched the Thunder against the Memphis GrizzliesMemphis Grizzlies
The 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...
, who had upset the #1-seeded San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
in a six-game series. Memphis dominated Game 1 in Oklahoma City behind a combined 54-point, 23-rebound performance by Marc Gasol
Marc Gasol
Marc Gasol i Sàez is a Spanish professional basketball player for the NBA's Memphis Grizzlies. He was drafted in the second round, 48th overall, by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2007 NBA Draft...
and Zach Randolph
Zach Randolph
Zachary Randolph , nicknamed Z-Bo, is an American professional basketball player currently with the Memphis Grizzlies of the NBA...
. The Thunder's front court was able to play more aggressive defense against the duo in Game 2, leading to a 111-102 Thunder victory to tie the series. The next two games of the series in Memphis developed similalry but ended in different results. In Game 3, the Thunder surrendered a 16-point lead late in the third quarter, with the Grizzlies eventually tying the game in regulation and winning the game in overtime. In Game 4, the Thunder allowed Memphis to come back from a 10-point deficit with 5:25 remaining; afterward, the Thunder were unable to convert last-second shots in regulation and each of the first two overtime periods, before eventually pulling out a 133-123 win in triple overtime. Fatigue from this contest appeared to effect the Grizzlies in Game 5, who were limited to just 36% shooting in a runaway 99-72 Thunder victory. Oklahoma City led by 19 points at the end of the third quarter, allowing the team to rest most of its starters for the final period. The rest did not benefit the Thunder in Game 6, however, in which Kevin Durant was limited to just 11 points; by contrast, Memphis' Zach Randolph scored 30 points en route to a 95-83 Memphis victory, forcing a decisive Game 7 in Oklahoma City. The Thunder were able to clinch the playoff series in Game 7, however, benefitting from a 39-point performance from Durant as well as a triple-double performance by Westbrook.
Conference finals
The Western Conference finals pitted the Thunder against the Dallas MavericksDallas Mavericks
The 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...
, who had previously swept the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers in four games, allowing the Mavericks the advantage of eight days rest heading into the series. Game 1 of the conference finals saw the Thunder accumulate as much as a nine-point lead in the third quarter, but ultimately collapse under the pressure of a 48-point performance by Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk Werner Nowitzki is a German professional basketball player who plays for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association...
and timely three-point shooting by reserve guard J.J. Barea
Jose Juan Barea
José Juan "J.J." Barea Mora is a Puerto Rican professional basketball player. He most recently played as a point guard for the National Basketball Association's 2011 champion Dallas Mavericks. Barea has played in the NBA, NBA Development League, NCAA and the BSN with Indios de Mayagüez and the...
. Nowitzki's performance included an NBA-record for consecutive free throws in a game; he was a perfect 24-for-24 from the line. Oklahoma City evened the series in Game 2, where the Thunder bench scored 50 points and played much of the decisive fourth quarter. In Game 3, Dallas' defensive effort forced 14 turnovers by the Thunder, eventually opening up a 23-point Dallas lead before holding off a late Thunder charge in a 93-87 win. Game 4 unfolded positively for the Thunder through most of the contest, with the team enjoying a 15-point advantage with 4:49 remaining in the fourth quarter, having built on a large statistical lead in rebounds, assists, blocks, and points in the paint. However, the Thunder suffered from 25 turnovers in the contest, and their offense evaporated in the final five minutes, shooting 1-10 from the field, as Dallas went on a 17-2 run to tie the game in regulation, 101-101. The Mavericks eventually won the game in overtime, 112-105, sending the Thunder back to Dallas down 3-1 in the series. The Thunder season then came to an end on May 25, 2011 in a hard-fought loss at Dallas, 100-96.
Promotion and media news
The Thunder's 2011 playoff appearances generated several new records for television ratings of individual Thunder games within the OKC market. Prior to 2011, the highest-rated Thunder game had been Game 6 against the Lakers in the 2010 playoffs (generating a cumulative 21.4 rating in OKC households among two broadcasts). In 2011, Game 6 of the Memphis series generated a 22.5 share; Game 7 generated a 23.4 share; Game 5 generated a 24.0 share; and Game 1 of the Mavericks series generated a 24.8 share.During the 2011 NBA Playoffs, Kevin Durant was featured in national television commercials for Gatorade
Gatorade
Gatorade is a brand of sports-themed food and beverage products, built around its signature product: a line of sports drinks. Gatorade is currently manufactured by PepsiCo, distributed in over 80 countries...
's "G-Series" sports drink line, with one such commercial incorporating teammates Nate Robinson, Nick Collison, Cole Aldrich and Royal Ivey.
Post-season
Despite a frustrating series against the Dallas Mavericks to end the season, community spirit surrounding the Thunder remained high after the season. An estimatd 500 fans greeted the team's private charter flight as it arrived in Oklahoma City at 1:00 a.m. the night of the Thunder's final loss.After the conclusion of the season, several Thunder players appeared at three different youth camps hosted by the team at various locations around the OKC area in June, until the NBA lockout prohibited players from appearing at Thunder camps after June 30. Kevin Durant hosted his own camp from June 29–30 in OKC, and from July 1–2 in Austin, Texas.
Regular season
| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cole Aldrich Cole Aldrich Cole David Aldrich is an American basketball player who is currently playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder in the National Basketball Association . He completed his junior year at the University of Kansas in March 2010. Aldrich was selected as a McDonald's All American in 2006. He attended... |
18 | 0 | 7.9 | .533 | .0 | .500 | 1.9 | .2 | .28 | .39 | 1.0 |
| 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... |
71 | 2 | 21.5 | .566 | .0 | .753 | 4.5 | 1.0 | .59 | .44 | 4.6 |
| Daequan Cook Daequan Cook Daequan Cook is an American basketball player and currently a shooting guard for the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder.... |
43 | 0 | 13.9 | .436 | .422 | .800 | 1.7 | .55 | .33 | .02 | 5.6 |
| 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... |
78 | 78 | 38.9 | .462 | .350 | .880 | 6.8 | 2.7 | 1.13 | 0.97 | 27.7 |
| 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... * |
49 | 49 | 37.0 | .437 | .304 | .818 | 5.6 | 1.8 | .8 | .4 | 15.2 |
| James Harden James Harden (basketball) James Edward Harden, Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association . A shooting guard, Harden played collegiate basketball for the Arizona State Sun Devils and was selected 3rd overall by the Thunder in the 2009 NBA Draft... |
82 | 5 | 26.7 | .436 | .349 | .843 | 3.1 | 2.1 | 1.12 | .29 | 12.2 |
| 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... |
82 | 44 | 27.0 | .543 | .0 | .750 | 7.6 | 0.3 | .38 | 2.41 | 9.9 |
| Royal Ivey Royal Ivey Royal Terence Ivey is an American professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA.-Early life and college:... |
25 | 0 | 6.2 | .421 | .438 | 1.0 | .6 | .3 | .24 | .04 | 1.6 |
| Nenad Krstić Nenad Krstic Nenad Krstić is a Serbian professional basketball player for CSKA Moscow. Krstić is officially listed at 7'0" tall.-KK Partizan:... * |
47 | 47 | 21.7 | .498 | .0 | .803 | 4.4 | .4 | .4 | .4 | 7.6 |
| 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... |
82 | 0 | 14.6 | .402 | .385 | .729 | 1.5 | 2.9 | .4 | .1 | 4.2 |
| Nazr Mohammed Nazr Mohammed Nazr Tahiru Mohammed [NAW-zee] is an American professional basketball player with the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder. He plays the center position. He is 6 ft 10 in and 250 lb... * |
24 | 7 | 17.9 | .573 | .0 | .625 | 4.8 | 0.3 | .7 | .4 | 6.9 |
| Byron Mullens | 13 | 0 | 6.5 | .321 | .0 | .500 | 1.8 | .0 | .2 | .2 | 1.9 |
| Kendrick Perkins Kendrick Perkins Kendrick Perkins is an American professional basketball player who plays as a center for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA.... * |
17 | 17 | 25.2 | .493 | .000 | .531 | 7.9 | .9 | .4 | .9 | 5.1 |
| Morris Peterson Morris Peterson Morris Peterson, Jr. is an American professional basketball player who is currently a free agent.- College career :... * |
4 | 0 | 5.8 | .400 | .000 | .0 | .8 | .3 | .0 | .0 | 1.0 |
| Nate Robinson Nate Robinson Nathaniel Cornelius Robinson is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Oklahoma City Thunder... * |
4 | 0 | 7.5 | .267 | .250 | .750 | .3 | 1.5 | .0 | .0 | 3.3 |
| 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.... |
79 | 79 | 25.9 | .471 | .275 | .747 | 4.4 | 1.4 | 1.2 | .5 | 5.1 |
| 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... |
82 | 82 | 34.7 | .442 | .330 | .842 | 4.6 | 8.2 | 1.9 | .4 | 21.9 |
| D.J. White* | 23 | 0 | 9.5 | .462 | .0 | .500 | 2.3 | .2 | .3 | .3 | 2.8 |
- Led team
* - Stats with Thunder (partial season)
Sources: OKC Thunder 2010–11 Statistics
Playoffs
| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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... |
17 | .0 | 24.3 | .632 | .0 | .783 | 5.8 | .9 | .88 | .88 | 6.7 |
| Daequan Cook Daequan Cook Daequan Cook is an American basketball player and currently a shooting guard for the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder.... |
17 | .0 | 11.5 | .393 | .348 | 1.000 | 1.6 | .1 | .18 | .0 | 3.8 |
| 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... |
17 | 17 | 42.5 | .449 | .339 | .838 | 8.2 | 2.8 | .94 | 1.12 | 28.6 |
| James Harden James Harden (basketball) James Edward Harden, Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association . A shooting guard, Harden played collegiate basketball for the Arizona State Sun Devils and was selected 3rd overall by the Thunder in the 2009 NBA Draft... |
17 | .0 | 31.6 | .475 | .303 | .825 | 5.4 | 3.6 | 1.24 | .76 | 13.0 |
| 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... |
17 | 17 | 28.8 | .462 | .0 | .825 | 7.3 | 0.2 | .24 | 3.06 | 9.8 |
| Royal Ivey Royal Ivey Royal Terence Ivey is an American professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA.-Early life and college:... |
2 | 0 | 3.0 | 1.000 | 1.000 | .0 | .5 | .5 | .0 | .0 | 3.0 |
| 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... |
17 | .0 | 12.9 | .377 | .36 | .789 | 1.3 | 2.2 | .53 | .0 | 4.8 |
| Nazr Mohammed Nazr Mohammed Nazr Tahiru Mohammed [NAW-zee] is an American professional basketball player with the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder. He plays the center position. He is 6 ft 10 in and 250 lb... |
14 | .0 | 10.6 | .412 | .0 | .400 | 2.3 | .0 | .29 | .43 | 2.3 |
| Kendrick Perkins Kendrick Perkins Kendrick Perkins is an American professional basketball player who plays as a center for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA.... |
17 | 17 | 28.2 | .453 | .0 | .576 | 6.1 | .8 | .24 | .76 | 4.5 |
| Nate Robinson Nate Robinson Nathaniel Cornelius Robinson is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Oklahoma City Thunder... |
3 | .0 | 4.0 | .286 | .333 | 1.000 | .0 | .3 | .0 | .0 | 2.7 |
| 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.... |
17 | 17 | 20.2 | .463 | .154 | 1.000 | 3.1 | .7 | .94 | .29 | 4.6 |
| 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... |
17 | 17 | 37.5 | .394 | .292 | .852 | 5.4 | 6.4 | 1.41 | .35 | 23.8 |
- Led team
Source: OKC Thunder 2011 Playoff Statistics
Weekly
- Russell Westbrook was named Western Conference Player of the Week for November 15–21.
- Westbrook was named Western Conference Player of the Week for November 29 to December 5.
- Westbrook was named Western Conference Player of the Week for January 10–16.
- Kevin Durant was named Western Conference Player of the Week for January 31 to February 6.
- Westbrook was named Western Conference Player of the Week for February 28 to March 6.
- Durant was named Western Conference Player of the Week for April 4 to April 10.
Monthly
- Kevin Durant was named Western Conference Player of the Month for December 2010.
- Durant was named Western Conference Player of the Month for April 2011.
All-Star
- Thunder players Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, Thabo Sefolosha, and Russell Westbrook were designated for placement on the NBA ballot for the 2011 All-Star Game, to be played at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on February 20, 2011.
- On February 27, 2011, Durant was named as a starter to the Western Conference All-Star team, having recevied 1,736,728 total votes – the most of any forward, and second only to Kobe BryantKobe BryantKobe Bean Bryant is an American professional basketball player who plays shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . Bryant enjoyed a successful high school basketball career at Lower Merion High School, where he was recognized as the top high school...
in overall voting among Western Conference players. It was Durant's second All-Star appearance overall, and first as a starter. During the game Durant scored 34 points, second-most to Kobe BryantKobe BryantKobe Bean Bryant is an American professional basketball player who plays shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . Bryant enjoyed a successful high school basketball career at Lower Merion High School, where he was recognized as the top high school...
's 37-point effort. Durant was also named as one of six participants in the All-Star weekend's Three-Point Shooting Contest held the night before the All-Star Game, although he did not advance out of the preliminary round.
- Russell Westbrook was selected as an All-Star team reserve by a vote of the Western Conference coaches. It was his first All-Star appearance. Westbrook scored 12 points in the game. Westbrook was also voted by online fan ballot to participate in the Taco Bell Skills Challenge held the night before the All-Star Game. Westbrook advanced to the finals of the competition, placing second to Stephen CurryStephen Curry (basketball)-Freshman season:Before Stephen Curry played even one college game, head coach, Bob McKillop, said at a Davidson Alumni event, "Wait till you see Steph Curry...
.
- Forward Serge Ibaka was named as a first-time participant for the 2011 All-Star Slam Dunk Contest. Durant was assigned as Ibaka's official coach for the competition. Although Ibaka did not advance out of the preliminary round, he made an impression with his two efforts – a running dunk from the free-throw line and a dunk in which he simultaneously grabbed a "Rumble" mascot doll off the rim with his teeth. Ibaka was also named to the Sopohomore Team roster in the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge, in which he registered 14 points and two blocked shots.
- Guard James Harden was also named to the Sophomore Team roster in the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge, as the replacement for Tyreke EvansTyreke EvansTyreke Jamir Evans is an American professional basketball player with Virtus Roma in Italy. He is also under contract with the Sacramento Kings of the National Basketball Association , but is not currently playing with them because of the 2011 NBA lockout...
(unable to compete due to plantar fasciitisPlantar fasciitisPlantar fasciitis is a painful inflammatory process of the plantar fascia, the connective tissue on the sole of the foot.Longstanding cases of plantar fasciitis often demonstrate more degenerative changes than inflammatory changes, in which case they are termed plantar fasciosis. The suffix...
). Harden lead the Sophomore team with 30 points, and also recorded two assists.
Season
- At the close of the regular season, forward Kevin Durant clinched his second-consecutive NBA scoring title, averaging 27.7 points per game. In the process, he surpassed Bob McAdoo as the youngest NBA player to earn two scoring titles.
- On April 20, 2011, Kevin Durant was given the Magic Johnson Award by the Professional Basketball Writers Association, recognizing the combination of Durant's on-court performance and openness with the media during the course of the regular season.
- Kevin Durant received recognition on the All-NBA First Team at the end of the year. Russell Westbrook received recognition on the All-NBA Second Team.
Milestones
- The Thunder's January 22, 2011 win over the New York KnicksNew York KnicksThe New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
was Scott Brooks' 100th win as an NBA head coach, all with the Thunder.
- During the March 11, 2011 game against Detroit, Russell Westbrook scored the 4,000th point of his NBA career, becoming one of only five plyers in NBA history to log 4,000 points, 1,500 assists and 1,000 rebounds in their first three years.
- The March 18, 2011 game against Charlotte was Kevin Durant's 300th game in the NBA. Among active players, Durant rates third in points scored during the first 300 games, with 7,760 total points.
Injuries and surgeries
- Center Nenad Krstić underwent surgery on September 21, 2010 to repair a fracture to his right middle finger, suffered in the final game of the FIBA World Championships in Istanbul, Turkey, against Lithuania. His recovery allowed him to see playing time in the Thunder's regular-season debut on October 27, 2010 and subsequent games. Back spasms forced him to sit out games on November 26 and 28, and again from December 10 through December 22. After the January 26 game against Minnesota, Krstić developed a sore right foot which was subsequently aggravated in the February 2 game against New Orleans. Neither condition forced him to miss a start, however.
- Forward Nick Collison was rested for the beginning of the team's 2010 pre-season training camp after suffering a bruised bone in his left knee. Collison previously had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee after the close of the 2009-10 season. After a complicating stress reaction in his left leg, Collison began the regular season on the inactive list, where he remained until November 14, 2010. Collison later suffered ankle sprains in games on March 13 and 27, forcing him to sit out the contest against Golden State on March 29.
- Forward Jeff Green suffered a sprained left ankle in practice on November 6, 2010, forcing his placement on the inactive list for games from November 7 through November 12. After aggravating the injury against the San Antonio Spurs on November 14, Green was withheld from action in games from November 15 through November 20.
- Kevin Durant suffered a left ankle sprain in the game against Houston on November 17, limitng his action in that game and forcing him to sit out subsequent games against Boston on November 19 and Milwaukee on November 20. Durant subsequently sprained his left knee in the fourth quarter of the November 29 game against New Orleans, forcing him onto the inactive list for games on December 1 and 3.
- Rookie Cole Aldrich was sidelined with a left rib contusion for games on December 10 and 12.
- Guard Eric Maynor suffered a sprained right foot on January 1, 2011, but did not miss subsequent game action.
- Guard Thabo Sefolosha suffered a sprained knee after the Thunder's game on January 26, and missed subsequent games through February 2.
- Center Kendrick PerkinsKendrick PerkinsKendrick Perkins is an American professional basketball player who plays as a center for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA....
suffered a left knee sprain in the final game prior to being traded to the Thunder on February 24, 2011. While separate from the ligament injury to his right knee which kept Perkins out much of the 2010-11 season, the sprain kept Perkins out of the lineup until March 14.
- Point guard Nate Robinson underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee on March 4, 2011 after experiencing discomfort following practice on February 28. He is expected to miss 4–6 weeks, which would place his return near the end of the regular season. Robinson was placed back on the active roster for the March 29 game against Golden State, but did not play.
- Forward Serge Ibaka sprained his left ankle in Game 2 of the Memphis Grizzlies playoff series, and re-aggravated the same injury in Game 3. This forced him to miss practice time on May 5, and limited his minutes in subsequent games.
Current Roster
- On July 8, 2010, the Thunder signed current forward and All-Star Kevin Durant to a five-year contract extension. Terms of the deal were not officially disclosed. According to Durant's represenatatives, however, the deal is an NBA maximum contract for the years 2011–12 through 2015–16, with no opt-out provisions. Given the NBA's team salary cap of $58.044 million announced in July 2010, that would place Durant's 2011–12 salary at $14,511,000 — plus 30% deferred compensation, for a total of $18,864,300 — with 5% increases in each succeeding year.
- On July 30, 2010, the Thunder waived rights to guard Kyle WeaverKyle WeaverKyle 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...
.
- On October 25, the Thunder exercised its third-year contract option on guards James Harden and Eric Maynor, as well as forward Serge Ibaka and center Byron Mullens; the team also exercised its fourth-year contract option on guard Russell Westbrook and forward D. J. WhiteD. J. WhiteDewayne "D. J." White, Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Charlotte Bobcats of the National Basketball Association. His primary position is power forward but he also plays at center. He was selected with the 29th pick in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons but his...
.
- The Thunder and forward Jeff Green were unable to reach a contract extension deal by the November 1 deadline, making Green a restricted free agent after 2010–11.
- On November 23, 2010, the Thunder announced a multi-year contract extension with forward Nick Collision. Under the contract, Collison receives $6.5 million as a signing bonus (for a total compensation in 2010–11 of $13,250,000), plus $3,272,997 in 2011–12, $2,929,332 in 2012–13, $2,585,668 in 2013–14, and $2,242,003 in 2014–15.
- On November 24, 2010, the Thunder assigned rookie center Cole AldrichCole AldrichCole David Aldrich is an American basketball player who is currently playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder in the National Basketball Association . He completed his junior year at the University of Kansas in March 2010. Aldrich was selected as a McDonald's All American in 2006. He attended...
to the team's NBA D-League team, the Tulsa 66ersTulsa 66ersThe Tulsa 66ers are an NBA Development League team based in Tulsa, Oklahoma and the minor league affiliate of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Their logo design is a basketball behind mountains with a road leading up to them, all on a U.S...
. He had previously appeared in five games for the Thunder, averaging 9.6 minutes per game. Aldrich was recalled to the Thunder on December 6, 2010, after averaging 7.8 points in five games with the 66ers. He was then re-assigned to Tulsa on December 30, 2010, and later recalled to the Thunder for the team's game on February 2, 2011. Aldrich replaced Byron Mullens on the 66ers roster again on March 30, 2011, beginning his third and final assignment to the club for 2010-11 He was recalled for the final time to the Thunder roster on April 13, after posting averages of 10.3 points and 8.6 rebounds per game over his 21 cumulative starts for Tulsa.
- On December 10, 2010, the Thunder assigned Byron Mullens to the Tulsa 66ersTulsa 66ersThe Tulsa 66ers are an NBA Development League team based in Tulsa, Oklahoma and the minor league affiliate of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Their logo design is a basketball behind mountains with a road leading up to them, all on a U.S...
. After injuries to fellow centers Nenad Krstić and Cole Aldrich, Mullens was quickly recalled for the Thunder's game on December 12 after only one game with Tulsa. Mullens saw moderate floor time in five games with the Thunder during Krstić's absence, but played sparingly thereafter. Following the recall of Aldrich from Tulsa, Mullens was re-assigned to the 66ers on February 3, 2011. He was recalled to the Thunder after the team's trades on February 24, 2011 opened up a roster spot. Collectively in his first two stints at Tulsa, Mullens averaged 16.7 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. On March 10, the Thunder assigned Mullens to the 66ers for a third time, the final assignment allowed under NBA rules. This assignment ended on March 27, at which time he was reassirned to the regular Thunder roster. Cumulatively during Mullens' time with Tulsa, he played in and started fourteen games, averaging 14.9 points and 6.8 rebounds per contest.
- On March 1, 2011, the Thunder announced that the team had signed center Kendrick PerkinsKendrick PerkinsKendrick Perkins is an American professional basketball player who plays as a center for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA....
(whom the team had acquired in a trade the previous week) to a multi-year contract extension. Terms of the deal were not officially disclosed, but sources described the deal as a four-year, $34.8 million extension including bonuses. Perkins' agent described the deal similarly, as being "almost $36 million" fully guaranteed. Perkins had previously rejected a four-year, $22 million offer from the Celtics. The Celtics' offer was based on Perkins' $4.4 million 2010-11 salary combined with the NBA's rule capping contract extensions (which for non-first round draftees limits subsequent-year salaries under an extension to 110.5% of the previous year); however, the Thunder were able to increase their extension offer by paying roughly $2 million to Perkins as a bonus for 2010-11 (an amount cleared under the cap via the team's February 24, 2011 trades), which in turn increased Perkins' baseline salary for extension purposes to approximately $6.7 million. The timing of the extension was mandated by an NBA rule prohibiting renegotiation of current contracts between March 1 and June 30.
- On April 9, 2011, the Thunder filled out the remaining 15th spot on its roster by signing shooting guard Robert VadenRobert VadenRobert Anthony Vaden is an American professional basketball player. Vaden played college basketball with the Indiana Hoosiers and the UAB Blazers for two years each. After four years in college, he was drafted by the Charlotte Bobcats with the 54th pick in the 2009 NBA Draft. After the draft, his...
to a contract, the terms of which were not disclosed. The Thunder had acquired the draft rights to Vaden in 2009, but had not offered him a contract after training camp that year. Vaden spent the 2010–11 season under contract with the Tulsa 66ers, and after signing with the Thunder was immediately assigned back to the Tulsa roster for the 66ers' remaining D-League playoff games. Vaden was then assigned to the Thunder roster after Tulsa's playoff run ended with a loss to the Iowa Energy on April 18.
Draft trades
- On June 24, 2010, the L.A. ClippersLos Angeles ClippersThe Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
acquired the draft rights to Bledsoe in exchange for a conditional (top-ten protected) first-round pick in 2012.
- On June 24, 2010, the Indiana PacersIndiana PacersThe Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
acquired the draft rights to Rolle in exchange for the draft rights to 57th pick Ryan ReidRyan ReidRyan Reid is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Tulsa 66ers in the NBA Development League , a minor league basketball organization owned and run by the National Basketball Association . Reid played college basketball with the Florida State Seminoles...
of Florida State and cash consideration.
- On June 24, 2010, the Thunder acquired the draft rights to 31st pick Tibor PleißTibor PleißTibor Pleiß is a German professional basketball player. He is a 2.16 m in height center. He is currently with the Brose Baskets of Bamberg. He is also a member of the German national basketball team....
from Atlanta in exchange for cash consideration.
- On June 24, 2010, the Thunder acquired the draft rights to 48th pick Latavious WilliamsLatavious WilliamsLatavious Williams is an American professional basketball player who plays for the FIATC Joventut in Spain. After graduating from high school, he played with the Tulsa 66ers in the NBA Development League , a minor league basketball organization owned and run by the National Basketball Association...
of the Tulsa 66ersTulsa 66ersThe Tulsa 66ers are an NBA Development League team based in Tulsa, Oklahoma and the minor league affiliate of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Their logo design is a basketball behind mountains with a road leading up to them, all on a U.S...
from MiamiMiami HeatThe Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
in exchange for a future second-round pick.
Roster trades
- On June 23, 2010, the Thunder traded their rights to the #32 overall pick to the Miami HeatMiami HeatThe Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
in exhange for the #18 overall pick and the rights to shooting guard Daequan CookDaequan CookDaequan Cook is an American basketball player and currently a shooting guard for the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder....
.
- On June 24, 2010, the Thunder acquired Morris PetersonMorris PetersonMorris Peterson, Jr. is an American professional basketball player who is currently a free agent.- College career :...
and the draft rights to 11th overall pick Cole AldrichCole AldrichCole David Aldrich is an American basketball player who is currently playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder in the National Basketball Association . He completed his junior year at the University of Kansas in March 2010. Aldrich was selected as a McDonald's All American in 2006. He attended...
from New Orleans in exchange for the draft rights to Craig Brackins and Quincy Pondexter. The trade was finalized on July 8, 2010.
- In a deal made immediately before the trade deadline on February 24, 2011, the Thunder traded forward Jeff Green and center Nenad Krstić, along with the LA Clippers' 2012 first-round draft pick (previously acquired from the Clippers on June 24, 2010 in exchange for draft rights to Eric Bledsoe) to the Boston Celtics in exchange for center Kendrick Perkins and point guard Nate RobinsonNate RobinsonNathaniel Cornelius Robinson is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Oklahoma City Thunder...
.
- Also on February 24, 2011, the Thunder traded reserve forward D.J. White and reserve guard Morris Peterson to the Charlotte Bobcats in exchange for center Nazr Mohammed.
Additions
- On July 21, 2010, the Thunder signed free agent guard Royal IveyRoyal IveyRoyal Terence Ivey is an American professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA.-Early life and college:...
, formerly of the Milwaukee BucksMilwaukee BucksThe Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center....
, to a contract. Terms of the contract were not disclosed.
Subtractions
- On July 2, 2010, it was announced that free agent Kevin OllieKevin OllieKevin Jermaine Ollie is an American former professional basketball player. He played for eleven National Basketball Association franchises in thirteen seasons...
would retire as an NBA player to take an assistant coaching position with the University of Connecticut men's basketball programConnecticut Huskies men's basketballThe Connecticut Huskies is the name of the men's college basketball team representing the University of Connecticut, in Storrs, Connecticut, USA. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and the team competes in the Big East Conference...
.
- On September 2, 2010, Etan ThomasEtan ThomasDedreck 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:...
signed a free agent deal with the Atlanta HawksAtlanta HawksThe Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:...
.
Transaction summary table
| Date | Transaction Type | Thunder Acquired | Thunder Gave Up |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 23, 2010 | Roster trade | •  Daequan CookDaequan Cook Daequan Cook is an American basketball player and currently a shooting guard for the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder.... • No. 18 pick ( Eric BledsoeEric Bledsoe Eric Bledsoe is an American basketball player for the Los Angeles Clippers. He was selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder with the 18th overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft... ) |
• No. 32 pick ( Dexter Pittman Dexter Pittman Dexter Jerome Pittman is an American professional basketball player with the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association.-High school:... ) (to Miami) |
| June 24, 2010 | Draft trade | • No. 31 pick ( Tibor PleißTibor Pleiß Tibor Pleiß is a German professional basketball player. He is a 2.16 m in height center. He is currently with the Brose Baskets of Bamberg. He is also a member of the German national basketball team.... ) |
• cash considerations (to Atlanta) |
| June 24, 2010 | Draft trade | • No. 48 pick ( Latavious Williams Latavious Williams Latavious Williams is an American professional basketball player who plays for the FIATC Joventut in Spain. After graduating from high school, he played with the Tulsa 66ers in the NBA Development League , a minor league basketball organization owned and run by the National Basketball Association... ) |
• future second-round pick (to Miami) |
| June 24, 2010 | Draft trade | • protected first-round pick (of LA Clippers) in 2012 | • No. 18 pick ( Eric Bledsoe Eric Bledsoe Eric Bledsoe is an American basketball player for the Los Angeles Clippers. He was selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder with the 18th overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft... ) (to LA Clippers) |
| June 24, 2010 | Draft trade | • No. 57 pick ( Ryan Reid Ryan Reid Ryan Reid is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Tulsa 66ers in the NBA Development League , a minor league basketball organization owned and run by the National Basketball Association . Reid played college basketball with the Florida State Seminoles... ) • cash considerations |
• No. 51 pick ( Magnum Rolle Magnum Rolle Magnum Rolle is a Bahamian professional basketball player currently with the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association. Born in Freeport, Bahamas, Rolle did not play basketball until his freshman year in high school and was taught by his coach at St. George's High School, Darrel Sears.... ) (to Indiana) |
| July 2, 2010 | Free agent | • 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... |
|
| July 8, 2010 | Roster trade | • Morris Peterson Morris Peterson Morris Peterson, Jr. is an American professional basketball player who is currently a free agent.- College career :... • No. 11 pick ( Cole AldrichCole Aldrich Cole David Aldrich is an American basketball player who is currently playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder in the National Basketball Association . He completed his junior year at the University of Kansas in March 2010. Aldrich was selected as a McDonald's All American in 2006. He attended... ) |
• No. 21 pick ( Craig Brackins Craig Brackins Craig Lee Brackins is an American basketball player with the Philadelphia 76ers.He played collegiately for the Iowa State Cyclones. A power forward, Brackins was the highest-touted recruit to choose Iowa State after spending time at Brewster Academy in New Hampshire... ) (to New Orleans) • No. 26 pick ( Quincy PondexterQuincy Pondexter Quincy Coe Pondexter is an American basketball player for the New Orleans Hornets. He was selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder with the 26th overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft and then traded to the New Orleans Hornets.... ) (to New Orleans) |
| July 22, 2010 | Free agent | • Royal Ivey Royal Ivey Royal Terence Ivey is an American professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA.-Early life and college:... |
|
| July 30, 2010 | Waiver | • 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... |
|
| September 2, 2010 | Free agent | • 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:... |
|
| February 24, 2011 | Roster trade | • Kendrick Perkins Kendrick Perkins Kendrick Perkins is an American professional basketball player who plays as a center for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA.... • Nate RobinsonNate Robinson Nathaniel Cornelius Robinson is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Oklahoma City Thunder... |
• 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... (to Boston) •  Nenad KrstićNenad Krstic Nenad Krstić is a Serbian professional basketball player for CSKA Moscow. Krstić is officially listed at 7'0" tall.-KK Partizan:... (to Boston) • protected first-round pick (of LA Clippers) in 2012 |
| February 24, 2011 | Roster trade | • Nazr Mohammed Nazr Mohammed Nazr Tahiru Mohammed [NAW-zee] is an American professional basketball player with the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder. He plays the center position. He is 6 ft 10 in and 250 lb... |
• D. J. White D. J. White Dewayne "D. J." White, Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Charlotte Bobcats of the National Basketball Association. His primary position is power forward but he also plays at center. He was selected with the 29th pick in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons but his... (to Charlotte) • Morris PetersonMorris Peterson Morris Peterson, Jr. is an American professional basketball player who is currently a free agent.- College career :... (to Charlotte) |
| April 9, 2011 | Draftee signing | • Robert Vaden Robert Vaden Robert Anthony Vaden is an American professional basketball player. Vaden played college basketball with the Indiana Hoosiers and the UAB Blazers for two years each. After four years in college, he was drafted by the Charlotte Bobcats with the 54th pick in the 2009 NBA Draft. After the draft, his... |
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