Western Conference Finals Schedule
The Oklahoma City Thunder will play the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals. Game 1 is Tuesday. Here is the complete conference final schedule.
Game 1 – Tue May 17 OKC at Dallas 8:00PM ESPN
Game 2 – Thu May 19 OKC at Dallas 8:00PM ESPN
Game 3 – Sat May 21 Dallas at OKC 8:00PM ESPN
Game 4 – Mon May 23 Dallas at OKC 8:00PM ESPN
Game 5 * Wed May 25 OKC at Dallas 8:00PM ESPN
Game 6 * Fri May 27 Dallas at OKC 8:00PM ESPN
Game 7 * Sun May 29 OKC at Dallas 8:00PM ESPN
* If necessary
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The Thunder’s Second-Round Schedule Possibilities
The NBA has announced both potential schedules for the Thunder’s second-round series against Memphis or San Antonio.
If the Grizzlies win tonight, Game 1 will be played Sunday at noon inside Oklahoma City Arena. If the Spurs win tonight to force Game 7 in that series, Game 1 of the Thunder’s second-round series will be played Tuesday. If the Spurs and Grizzlies go to seven games, the only question is whether the Thunder will face Memphis or San Antonio and host the first game in a series with the Grizzlies or be on the road for the first two games in a series with the Spurs.
Thus, the Thunder’s entire second-round schedule will be become a certainty at the earliest tonight, or at the latest on Sunday afternoon. While we wait for the Grizzlies and Spurs to settle their series, potentially in tonight’s Game 6, here are the two scenarios that the Thunder currently face. Again, these dates and times are set in stone. The opponent is all that’s up in the air.
1. If game 7 is not necessary in the San Antonio-Memphis series
Game 1 – Sun May 1 Memphis at Oklahoma City 12 p.m. ABC
Game 2 – Tue May 3 Memphis at Oklahoma City 8:30 p.m. TNT
Game 3 – Sat May 7 Oklahoma City at Memphis 4 p.m. ESPN
Game 4 – Mon May 9 Oklahoma City at Memphis 8:30 p.m. TNT
Game 5 * Wed May 11 Memphis at Oklahoma City TBD TNT
Game 6 * Fri May 13 Oklahoma City at Memphis TBD ESPN
Game 7 * Sun May 15 Memphis at Oklahoma City TBD TBD
2. If game 7 is necessary in the San Antonio-Memphis series
Game 1 – Tue May 3 OKC at San Antonio /OR/ Memphis at OKC 8:30 p.m. TNT
Game 2 – Thu May 5 OKC at San Antonio /OR/ Memphis at OKC 7 p.m. ESPN
Game 3 – Sat May 7 San Antonio at OKC /OR/ OKC at Memphis 4 p.m. ESPN
Game 4 – Mon May 9 San Antonio at OKC /OR/ OKC at Memphis 8:30 p.m. TNT
Game 5 * Wed May 11 OKC at San Antonio /OR/ Memphis at OKC TBD TNT
Game 6 * Fri May 13 San Antonio at OKC /OR/ OKC at Memphis TBD ESPN
Game 7 * Sun May 15 OKC at San Antonio /OR/ Memphis at OKC TBD TBD
* If necessary.
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Potential Start Times For Game 5
The NBA has announced possible start times for the Thunder and Nuggets should they need a Game 5.
It depends on several different scenarios. But the cliff notes version is the Thunder is almost guaranteed to host the Nuggets in Game 5 on Wednesday, April 27 at 8:30 p.m. CT on TNT. So put that time down in your calendars. Unless, of course, the Thunder closes out the Nuggets in four.
The only other way Game 5 will not be played at 8:30 is if Miami sweeps Philadelphia and Memphis sweeps San Antonio. In that scenario, the Thunder would play at 7 p.m. on TNT. But the Grizzlies aren’t sweeping the Spurs, so that’s why you should plan on being downtown for an 8:30 p.m. tip-off next Wednesday…unless, of course, the Thunder closes out the Nuggets in four.
-DM-
Thunder-Nuggets First Round Schedule
The first round schedule for the Western Conference playoffs is now set.
The Thunder will open the postseason Sunday at 8:30 p.m. against Denver. The game will be televised on TNT. Game 2 will be played on Wednesday at 7 p.m. and also will be aired on TNT.
Here is the complete schedule for the Thunder’s first round matchup with the Nuggets.
Game 1 – Sun April 17 Denver at Oklahoma City 8:30PM TNT
Game 2 – Wed April 20 Denver at Oklahoma City 7 PM TNT
Game 3 – Sat April 23 Oklahoma City at Denver 9 p.m. ESPN
Game 4 – Mon April 25 Oklahoma City at Denver 9:30PM TNT
Game 5 * Wed April 27 Denver at Oklahoma City TBD TBD TBD
Game 6 * Fri April 29 Oklahoma City at Denver TBD TBD TBD
Game 7 * Sun May 1 Denver at Oklahoma City TBD TBD TBD
* If necessary.
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Scheduling reminder
A friendly reminder that four the Thunder’s next six games have starting times that are out of the norm.
* Tonight’s game at San Antonio starts at 6 p.m. as part of a doubleheader on ESPN.
* Friday’s game at Orlando, also on ESPN, will have the usual 7 p.m. start.
* Sunday’s home game against the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers starts at 1:30 p.m. on ABC.
* Next Wednesday’s home game against Indiana starts at 7 p.m.
* The March 4 contest at Atlanta begins at 6:30 p.m.
* The March 6 home game against Phoenix will start at 6 p.m.
Your Shot To See Kobe And LeBron
Want to see Kobe Bryant and LeBron James?
The Thunder and the Thunder-owned Tulsa 66ers have announced a special joint ticket package that will allow fans an opportunity to catch James and the Miami Heat and Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers in Oklahoma City this season. Both teams are coming to the (arena formerly known as the) Ford Center only once this season, and there are only a few ways for fans to get their hands on tickets.
One way to secure a seat to see the Lakers or Heat is by purchasing a “Turnpike Package.” The package includes 10 single-game tickets to select 66ers home games between late November and early April and one seat to either the Lakers or Heat contest depending on which of the two packages fans select. Pricing for the plans start at $127 for the “Loud City Pack,’ run $181 for the “Baseline Pack” and cost $336 for the “High Post Pack.”
For Tulsa area residents, the “Turnpike Package” could work extremely well. Those fans would only have to travel to Oklahoma City once, or twice if they purchase both packages. But the plan even seems like a reasonable option for Oklahoma City area fans. The 10 66ers games included in each package are sprinkled in throughout every two weeks or so, which would keep fans from driving some three hours round trip multiple times a week.
And if you really want to see the Heat or the Lakers, this might be one of the last chances to guarantee a seat. Tickets for both games will certainly be hard to come by from this point on.
The Thunder already has sold more than 12,500 full season ticket packages, and the team’s allotment of partial packages were expected to go fast as well. Single-game tickets are on sale only through Jan. 13. But by the time individual tickets go on sale for the season’s second half, which includes both the Lakers and Heat games, it might be nearly impossible to secure a seat.
The Heat game, an afternoon tilt scheduled to be televised on ABC on Sunday, Jan. 30, is not even included in the team’s 20-game half-season packages. Fans must purchase that game as an add-on. The Lakers game, which also is scheduled for ABC on Sunday, Feb. 27, is included in one of the two half-season packages and only one of the four eight-game packages.
In each of the past two seasons, the Thunder held back 50 tickets to give away before each game as part of the “Ford F-150 Drive to a Sellout.” But that promotion could now be a thing of the past with the team and the Ford dealers failing to reach an agreement on a new naming rights contract.
So if you want to see Kobe and LeBron up close this season, Thunder heads, you’ll have to buy a season ticket, purchase a half-season plan for the Lakers and pony up for the Heat add-on, secure an eight-game “Thunder Pride” package for the Lakers or get ready to commit to watching a good amount of D-League ball.
-DM-
Bulls Lose Boozer, Thunder Gets First Break
The regular season is more than three weeks away, but the Thunder already has gotten its first break of 2010-11.
Chicago announced this afternoon that prized offseason addition Carlos Boozer will miss eight weeks due to a broken right hand. The Thunder’s season opener is Oct. 27 against the Bulls, a game that will be televised nationally by ESPN. Without Boozer bullying his way around the paint, the opening night game becomes more manageable for the Thunder.
By no means does the loss of Boozer turn the Bulls game into an easy victory, though. If healthy, Chicago still will come in loaded with a cast of Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, Luol Deng, defensive wizard Ronnie Brewer, 3-point specialist Kyle Korver and up-and-coming big man Taj Gibson.
But after going 22-8 against Eastern Conference teams last season, the Thunder should use the Bulls’ early misfortune to start building a similar record against the opposing conference this year.
The bad news is Boozer’s absence removes some of the allure of the season opener. Emphasis on the word some. It’s still opening night. Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Co. still will be in uniform. And the electric Rose still will showcase his sweet array of skills. You won’t find many fans who are paying to see Boozer. But Boozer represents a small piece of the league-wide player movement that made the summer of 2010 the most exciting offseason in NBA history. Seeing him in a Bulls uniform after six seasons in Utah would have only added to the excitement that will surround not only opening night, but also this entire season. His absence helps the Thunder. But it also hampers some of the excitement we thought this game would have.
-DM-
Slicing Up The Schedule Part VI: April
Our month-by-month breakdown of the schedule has reached its end. And it looks like it will be a banner year for the Thunder.
Oklahoma City all but clinched its playoff berth with a blistering 12-4 record in March. Now, April is about how high in the standings the Thunder can climb. Things won’t be easy, though. Before waltzing into the postseason party, OKC must close out its longest road trip of the season, survive three back-to-backs, take on Denver twice and travel to L.A. to face the defending champs one final time.
But we expect the Thunder to persevere.
HOME/ROAD: Three at home; five on the road.
BACK-TO-BACKS: Three. The month kicks off with a double dip on the road, at Portland and at the Clippers. That’s followed by a road-home set that starts in Denver on April 5 and returns to OKC for another meeting with the Clippers on April 6. The final pair is another road two step that starts in L.A. against the Lakers on April 10 before swinging through Sacramento on April 11. Because all three games on the second night are against mediocre teams, the best way to judge which set is the most difficult is by examining the first game. Since it’s the Lakers who are squeezed in with Sacramento, the final set must be considered the most difficult.
DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: Strangely strong. April’s eight games are the fewest in our series. But the competition could be fierce, and three games out of the the season-high four-game road trip are buried in April. We know a trip to Portland, a home and home with Denver and a visit to Staples Center to face the Lakers gives the Thunder four tough tests off the top. The season finale on April 13 against Milwaukee will be played at home but could prove challenging as well if seeding is at stake. In the remaining three, the Thunder must travel to Sacramento on the second night of a back-to-back and has a home and away series with the Clippers. Ordinarily, two games against the Clippers could be penciled in as two easy wins. But L.A. has improved, and this year the Clippers could potentially need these last few days to help clinch a playoff berth. (more…)
Slicing Up The Schedule Part V: March
Our month-by-month breakdown of the Thunder’s 2010-11 season has reached the home stretch and, up to this point, OKC hasn’t had much trouble establishing itself as a team to be reckoned with. We expect that trend to continue in the month of March, when we’ll see 16 games on the schedule, including a very favorable six-game home stand.
The Thunder should see a few tough battles on its hand this month, but by and large these 31 days don’t offer much difficulty. If the season unfolds how we think it will, the Thunder just might topple last season’s win total prior to April. Let’s break it down.
HOME/ROAD: Nine at home; seven on the road.
BACK-TO-BACKS: Three. The Thunder will play two sets of home-road back-to-backs, while the other pairing is a road-road set. The first set is against Phoenix at home on March 6 followed by a road game at Memphis on March 7. A week later, the Thunder plays at Cleveland and at Washington on March 13 and 14. The final pairing comes at the end of the month when the Thunder plays host to Golden State on March 29 before traveling to Phoenix. All three are winnable sets.
DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: Average. With 16 games, March ties December as the Thunder’s most jam-packed months. Once again, that won’t be easy to endure. But much like December, the March schedule brings some bona fide bottom feeders. Indiana. Philadelphia. Detroit. Cleveland. Washington. Toronto. Minnesota. Golden State. That’s at least eight wins you can pencil in the Thunder for this month. A season-long six-game home stand at the end of the month should help pile up more victories. Balancing out the month, however, are road games at Atlanta, at Miami and at Phoenix. Home dates with Phoenix, Charlotte, Utah and Portland also provide solid challenges.
MARQUEE MATCHUP: At Miami on March 16. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are taking their talents to South Beach for the second and final meeting between these two teams. You can believe LeBron James sees Durant in his rear view mirror gaining ground in everything from MVP favorite to league poster boy to the NBA’s best young baller. In a nationally televised game on ESPN, the Heat won’t want to be shown up on their home court, while the Thunder will want to show it can stomp with the big boys. We can only hope to soon see this battle play out over a seven-game championship series.
TOUGHEST TEST: At Miami on March 16. The Thunder has a handful of weapons it can throw at LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in an attempt to slow down the Heat’s three-headed monster. But even with Durant, Jeff Green, Thabo Sefolosha, Serge Ibaka, Russell Westbrook and James Harden, the Heat still holds the edge. Miami’s trio, and the veterans that surround them,also have experience the Thunder core still lacks. A trip to American Airlines Arena in and of itself will be tough to overcome. Heat fans are prepping for a season-long party on Biscayne Boulevard.
WORRY-FREE WIN: Detroit on March 11. The Pistons could be pitiful. Their roster is filled two types of players, youngsters who have yet to figure out the league and veterans who are past their prime. Rip Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince have seen better days, and with this game coming after the trading deadline both could be off the roster by now. Either way, Ben Gordon, Charlie Villanueva and Rodney Stuckey are now the Pistons three most talented players and they’re all role players. Adding motivation for the Thunder, this one is scheduled before the start of a three-game road trip, meaning OKC will want to get a win in the bank before hitting the road.
CATCH THEM WHILE YOU CAN: It doesn’t matter who leaves Phoenix, the Suns have remained one of the league’s most entertaining teams because of Steve Nash. The two-time MVP brings his act to town on Sunday, March 6. Nash will be 37 by the time he makes this second visit so his days of playing at a high level have to be numbered. If you haven’t seen him perform live, we highly recommend you scurry on down to Reno Ave. for this one.
ROOKIE WATCH: Five top 10 picks come through the Ford Center in March. Indiana’s Paul George, the 10th overall pick, starts things off on March 2. Greg Monroe, the seventh pick by Detroit, visits on March 11. Gordon Hayward, Utah’s ninth pick, makes his way to OKC on March 23. Wesley Johnson, the No. 4 pick by Minnesota, comes March 25. And Ekpe Udoh (Sante Fe), who was taken sixth by Golden State, comes to town on March 29.
SAME FACE, NEW PLACE: Tracy McGrady is giving it another shot, this time with Detroit. And if he’s still on the team at this point, the seven-time All-Star will make his Ford Center debut as a Piston on March 11. T-Mac is nowhere near the assassin who led the league in scoring in back-to-back seasons. But in his Knicks debut last season (against the Thunder inside Madison Square Garden), McGrady showed he does indeed have a little something left in the tank. And the scuttlebutt is he’s improved even more after another few months of training. We’ll see how much more McGrady’s bruised and battered body can handle.
PREDICTION: 12-4. Marginal opponents mixed with a six-game home stand should provide plenty of momentum to have a very strong month. Road games at Atlanta, at Miami and at Phoenix will be tough, as well as a visit by Portland in the fifth game of that six-game home stretch. But of the remaining 12 games, there isn’t a single one on the schedule this month that the Thunder shouldn’t be able to win if focused and prepared. Now is the point in the season when the intensity in the games typically kicks up a notch. But a younger, less experienced Thunder squad survived that pressure quite well last season, going 11-5 against an even better onslaught of opponents. If OKC can replicate whatever recipe worked so well last season, it could be hovering around 50 wins by the end of March.
-DM-
Slicing Up The Schedule Part IV: February
Three down. Three to go.
Our month-by-month breakdown of the Thunder’s 2010-11 schedule rolls into February, a month that is short on games but stiff in competition. In this month, OKC is forced to deal with difficult road games, a few back-breaking back-to-backs and another date with the defending champs. Even the “bad” teams the Thunder faces this month have proven they can beat anyone, especially the Thunder, on any given night.
This stretch won’t be easy. In fact it’s a demanding month, one that will go a long way in determining how high the Thunder can climb in the Western Conference standings.
HOME/ROAD: Five at home; six on the road.
BACK-TO-BACKS: Three. The first two have the Thunder playing on the road in both games, while the month’s final back-to-back is a home-away affair. All three will be challenging. In the first pair, OKC travels to Phoenix on Feb. 4 before playing at Utah on Feb. 5. That’s two of the best home courts in the league. The second set seems to be simpler. But a road game at Sacramento on Feb. 12 followed by an early 5 p.m. Sunday tip at Golden State should cause some concern. And the final back-to-back starts at home against the L.A. Clippers on Feb. 22 before a road game at San Antonio. The Clippers should be better than last season, but regardless it’ll be the first game out of All-Star Weekend which is always tough. The Spurs, meanwhile, have a rich history of home-court dominance.
DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: Treacherous. Fresh off January’s taxing schedule, the Thunder now faces an exhausting and untimely eleven-game slate that arrives just when bodies are becoming banged up. In addition to the back-to-backs, this stretch contains four extremely difficult road games at Phoenix, at Utah, at San Antonio and at Orlando. And to further complicate things, the second meeting with the L.A. Lakers is on the tail end on Feb. 27. Two dates with Sacramento seemingly should provide some relief, but the Kings have improved and the Thunder has the difficult task of having to play them twice in four days. (more…)
