Thunder Up! Rebuild in OKC [NBA 2k22]

[RMJH4]

R1zzo23 I had to give a quick comment here before a more detailed one. Love your graphics, presentation and writing style already after 3 pages!! I'm working my way though it now. Nice team selection so far. Few good athletes.

[R1zzo23]

Quote: Originally Posted by RMJH4

R1zzo23 I had to give a quick comment here before a more detailed one. Love your graphics, presentation and writing style already after 3 pages!! I'm working my way though it now. Nice team selection so far. Few good athletes.

Appreciate you playing catch-up and the kind words in the work so far. As far as the on-court product, we have a long way to go!


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[Scuzz]

I'm curious about what your rotations look like. What are some pairings that see the most time together? Do you play RJ next to Shai a lot? I'd imagine Hampton would be most effective next to some shooters. He's doing well distributing and grabbing boards.

[R1zzo23]

New Year Trading Spree

At the beginning of the new calendar year, it seems like some teams are looking to make small tweaks to their rosters to give them a month or so before the trade deadline to figure out if there are more moves that need to be made. Nothing at this point would be considered a blockbuster but it would be interesting to see how the teams making deals now react in a few weeks.

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Trade #1: Dallas Mavericks send C Boban Marjanovic (73 OVR) to the Detroit Pistons for PG Carsen Edwards (70)

Interesting to see the Mavs move Boban as he is averaging 12.6 points and 7.7 rebounds per game on 55% shooting from the floor. Dallas continues to start Dwight Powell (79) at the center spot with Marquese Chriss (75) and Maxi Kleber (74) off the bench. This team has completely leaned into small ball with their offensive universe revolving around Luke Doncic (96).

Carsen Edwards hasn’t played a single minute this season and is already down in the G-League for the Mavs and is not happy about it. This is clearly a salary dump as he’s an expiring $1.62m deal compared to Boban who has another $3.5m guaranteed next season.

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Trade #2: Miami Heat trade SG Duncan Robinson (76) to the Houston Rockets for SF Eric Gordon (75)

The Thunder poked around on Duncan Robinson after not seeing him play much at all this season, but the sharpshooter is a poor defender and has another four years on his contract that will see him make just south of $20m in 2025. While the Rockets are in a definite rebuild, the fit with Robinson going to Houston makes little-to-no-sense.

The Heat bring in a veteran in Gordon who has just two more years on his deal which clearly helps clear their books faster in the future. Not only does he have a better contract, he’s a minor downgrade in the shooting department but is a superior player everywhere else on the floor. This is a clear win for the Heat as they look to find their way back to the NBA Finals.

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Trade #3: Utah Jazz trade PG Trent Forrest (72) to the Denver Nuggets for SF Vlatko Cancar (71)

A low-level deal that sees the teams even out their benches with a player at a different position. Both guys are on expiring deals and neither should be seeing much floor time for their new team.

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Trade #4: Milwaukee Bucks trade C Brook Lopez (79) and a 2025 2nd Round Pick from Indiana to the Detroit Pistons for SF Hamidou Diallo (79)

The Pistons have a sneaky good lineup now with Cade Cunningham (82), Saddiq Bey (81) and Jerami Grant (82) now with Brook Lopez spreading the floor and defending the rim. They also have Isaiah Stewart (78) to play the center spot with Lopez. While Detroit is one of the worst teams in the league, they’ve got some pieces that should be able to play well together.

For the Bucks, they desperately needed a dynamic athlete on the wing and Diallo gives them just that. They still have Giannis Antetokounmpo (98), Khris Middleton (86) and Jrue Holiday (86) but are starting Grayson Allen (76) and only had Pat Connaughton (78) off the bench. Diallo should instantly see rotation minutes off the bench and possibly push Allen to the bench.

[R1zzo23]

Quote: Originally Posted by Scuzz

I'm curious about what your rotations look like. What are some pairings that see the most time together? Do you play RJ next to Shai a lot? I'd imagine Hampton would be most effective next to some shooters. He's doing well distributing and grabbing boards.

Right now most of my bench plays with the bench and starters with starters. I haven't quite figured out how to get the AI to stagger some of my starters with the bench players. Am I missing something or should I just be doing manual subs?

[R1zzo23]

Barnes Sinking Triples as Kings Sink Thunder





The Thunder started the game cooking early as Josh Giddey (8 pts, 2 reb, 9 ast, 3 stl, 3 blk) finds Lu Dort (20 pts, 4-6 3PT) with this one-handed pocket pass to set #5 up for his first triple of the game.



Although one of the fastest players in the league, De’Aaron Fox (18 pts, 5 reb, 10 ast, 3 stl) finds himself left in the dust on this blow by on the wing by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (26 pts, 6 reb, 7 ast, 1 blk).



After a quick start, mistakes by the Thunder started piling up. There were plenty of live ball turnovers that led to easy transition buckets for the Kings. They also got out-worked on the glass as Domantas Sabonis (14 pts, 18 reb, 2 ast, 2 stl) grabs one of the 16 Sacramento offensive boards and finishes with authority over Darius Bazley (10 pts, 15 reb, 2 blk).



Another mistake here by two young Thunder players as both Bazley and Giddey go out to the corner to cover rookie Davion Mitchell (4 pts, 4 reb, 6 ast) in the corner instead of stopping Harrison Barnes (24 pts, 6 reb, 3 ast, 3 stl) who was full steam ahead down the lane for a 2-hand slam.



After a series of assists, SGA took completely fooled the Kings’ defense and found himself uncovered for a thunderous finish at the rim. Staring down Fox and Mitchell, the OKC star pounded his chest letting them know he wasn’t backing down.



A momentum changing block here by Richaun Holmes (8 pts, 13 reb, 2 blk) on Derrick Favors (12 pts, 5 reb, 1 blk) saved the Kings two points and saw them knock down one of their eight three-pointers down the other end for a 5-point swing.



Frustrated on a no-call in the paint, Gilgeous-Alexander was slow to get back on defense. As the Kings pushed the pace, Donte DiVincenzo (16 pts, 3 reb, 2 ast, 3 stl) was left wide open at the top of the key just five seconds into the shot clock and banged down a triple, forcing a Thunder timeout.



While Fox struggled with his jumper throughout the night, he made sure to use his wheels and get to the rim as much as possible. After getting a switch on to the bigger, slower Giddey, Fox accelerated past the Aussie rookie for a smooth two-hand flush.



This loss squandered an incredible offensive performance by Lu Dort. His 20 points was a season-high and second on the team behind Shai’s 26. He was 7-12 from the floor, including four of six from deep, and connecting on both of his free throws. On this play, he got out on the wing for a fast break, used his size and strength to muscle Mitchell off of him and finished with authority.



Harrison Barnes finished the game with authority with one of many highlight dunks on the night, this one over Lu Dort. This was the exclamation point on a runaway win for the Kings in Oklahoma City.

[studbucket]

Your screenshots and captions tell the story of the game very well. A lot of people add screenshots, but I don't think they tell a story - you are doing a great job with that.

Also interesting to see SGA get 26 points without taking a three.

[R1zzo23]

Quote: Originally Posted by Scuzz

I'm curious about what your rotations look like. What are some pairings that see the most time together? Do you play RJ next to Shai a lot? I'd imagine Hampton would be most effective next to some shooters. He's doing well distributing and grabbing boards.

I actually found what you are talking about and trying to stagger my bench into the lineup with at least 2 starters at all times. Hopefully this can change our droughts that we have experienced throughout the season.

Quote: Originally Posted by studbucket

Your screenshots and captions tell the story of the game very well. A lot of people add screenshots, but I don't think they tell a story - you are doing a great job with that. Also interesting to see SGA get 26 points without taking a three.

Appreciate it, Stud! I've thought about going to full written articles with the screenshots sprinkled in since our season is shortened to 29 games but I like where I'm at now and think, like you said, I'm able to describe the game and how it plays out as is.

SGA is so hard to stop from getting to his spots that I try not to settle for threes with him if I don't have to. The Hot Zone Hunter badge has me trying to attack his hot spots so that means we are pulling up from the mid-range if we can't get to the rack.