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As the blue and orange streamers rained down from the Paycom Center rafters on Wednesday, the celebration ensued. The Oklahoma City Thunder won its second-ever Western Conference Championship, sending the Thunder to its first NBA Finals since 2012.
On June 5, the Finals begin inside the Paycom Center, marking the best chance in franchise history for the Thunder to win its first NBA Championship. That isn't saying much, this is just the second time for the Bricktown Ballers to take this stage. This time, the Heat, featuring a desperate LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh, will not be waiting for them. Instead, either the No. 4-seeded Indiana Pacers or the No. 3-seeded New York Knicks stand in its way.
The Oklahoma City Thunder were dominant this season, winning 68 games in the regular season before sweeping the Memphis Grizzlies, knocking off the Denver Nuggets in seven games and making quick work of the Minnesota Timberwolves in five games en route to the Finals.
This has been a continuation of the Thunder's historic season. With the best defense the league has ever seen, a top-three player in the world and a top-to-bottom roster that is deeper than what the NBA has to offer.
The Thunder are not supposed to be here this fast. OKC is the youngest team in the playoff field and the second youngest No. 1 seed in NBA history, only ahead of last year's Thunder squad.
All season long, Oklahoma City had to deal with doubts and questions surrounding this roster. Were they ready for the moment? Could a 24-year-old be a second option on a title team? What happens when the big bad West takes games seriously, as the Thunder did all year long? The Thunder passed these quizzes with flying colors, with just one final exam remaining.
This puts the ahead-of-schedule Thunder in a unique position. Of course, Oklahoma City is only going to get better as the rest of its roster hits its prime. However, it is never guaranteed to break this right for the Thunder again, given its postseason injury luck and talent gap in the Finals. That puts plenty of pressure on this best-of-7 set starting on June 5.
However, the OKC Thunder are not going anywhere. While the same dismissive pundits who spent the 2024-25 campaign doubting the Thunder's attempt to fearmonger about the impending doom of the CBA, they miss the forest for the trees.
Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren are not even on their second NBA contracts yet, key contributor Cason Wallace can barely buy himself a beer legally and Sam Presti worked intimately with the powers that be crafting this new CBA. Oklahoma City owns the currency of basketball put in place by these new rules: Draft picks and plenty of them.
No team is better equipped than Oklahoma City to handle the raft of the League's new landscape. Not to mention, questioning the Thunder's willingness to pay the tax is rooted in ridiculous falsehoods rather than reality. Not only has OKC paid top dollar for teams of yesteryear (Including ones that were ousted in the first round) but they have also been planning on the bill coming due on this core for years. On top of built-in revenue of a new stadium –– paid for by the fans –– and the NBA's upcoming expansion.
It is too soon for dynastic talks, that has to wait for at least a couple of weeks, but with the entire roster under contract for the 2025-26 season, these Thunder are no flash in the pan.
Oklahoma City will be a force for years to come. Not only is this young roster still coming of age in the NBA, but they have the resources to continue to retool their top-notch group.
No one knows how the NBA Finals will play out –– at the moment, no one knows who is flying into Oklahoma City for Game 1 –– but this is an arrival for the Thunder, not a curtain call.
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'This Group Has Been Great': New Indiana Basketball Culture Rooted in Energy, Enthusiasm
When Indiana men's basketball began its hour-long, open-to-media practice July 30 at Cook Hall, the sudden outburst of claps and energetic yells was almost startling. It felt unsustainable for an entire practice, especially one which featured an abundance of 5-on-5 periods, sprints and defensive-oriented drills — and still ended five minutes early. Yet the new-look Hoosiers never wavered. It wasn't a facade for a day in front of the media. The practice, Indiana head coach Darian DeVries said, was par for the course — and an introduction to the new Indiana basketball culture. "I think this group has been great," DeVries told Indiana Hoosiers On SI in his press conference. "We're two months into it, but they've been terrific in terms of their approach every day. They come with a smile on their face. They bring great energy. What you saw today has been every day these last couple of months. "They come with that type of energy, enthusiasm. Their voices are heard. We want a loud gym. And that's something I think they've done a great job of responding to and bringing every day." Indiana's practice jerseys flip inside out, one side colored red and the other white. There were several competitive 5-on-5 periods of starters red-jersey versus white-jersey rotational players, and a blend of the two against graduate assistants, practice players and walk-ons. But the competitiveness never fostered outward frustration. It never crossed the line. It was fueled by the right ingredients of a culture built on character. "I think the guys have been awesome to work with this summer," DeVries said. "They've done a great job of just being receptive to coaching. They're all trying to do what we ask, and that's all we ask of them. They're not going to be perfect. We don't expect them to be perfect. "But the progress they've made from June until now has been really good. I've been really happy with it. I think they're going to continue to do that because I think they want to. They've got great togetherness, they've got great energy and enthusiasm." One of Indiana's warmup drills centered around drive-and-kick passes. Players catch a pass, drive toward the rim, jump-stop and spread the ball to the perimeter before the cycle repeats. Over and over again. Outside of the drill, DeVries has been impressed by his team's selflessness. He said the group shares the ball well, a particularly key trait for a roster with several players who were ball-dominant scoring options at previous destinations. The Hoosiers have shot-making versatility, DeVries said, as they can score from a variety of spots on the floor. They're further ahead offensively than defensively at this stage of the summer. Indiana has already found efficiency and productivity in its practices. Due to their three-game series in Puerto Rico, the Hoosiers secured 10 additional practice periods, and DeVries is pleased with the way his team has maximized its time together. That sentiment applies as much to Indiana's skill and chemistry development as its culture, and each characteristic blends together to give the Hoosiers a strong summer foundation. "From June all the way until the end of the season, it's a long year. We think you've got to approach it every day with some energy and enthusiasm," DeVries said. "Guys are going to get tired. It allows other guys to pick you up on those days. So we put a huge emphasis on that. "I think creating that type of talk and energy on a daily basis leads to productivity on the floor, too. And then the pace that we practice, we try to really kind of simulate how we want to play out on the game day floor." DeVries wants his team to play fast, aggressive and keep the pace of play moving. His practices don't have much downtime, and there's minimal talking off to the side or between drills. There were two or three water breaks that spanned one minute during the open-to-media session. If Indiana can translate its pace and efficiency from practice to games, DeVries feels his first Hoosier squad can reach intriguing heights. "I like the potential of this group, and they'll continue to work, which they have," DeVries said. "I think there's certainly some possibilities there on what this group can achieve."
Saints quarterback has 'convincing lead' in training camp battle
The New Orleans Saints' three-way quarterback competition is narrowing before the team's first preseason contest against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday. Per Ross Jackson of Louisiana Sports, second-year quarterback Spencer Rattler has looked the best at training camp this summer, going 83-of-114 passing (72.8 percent) for eight touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns and four interceptions. Rattler is beating out rookie Tyler Shough. The second-round pick has completed just 62 percent of his passes for five touchdowns and three interceptions. 2023 fourth-round pick Jake Haener has completed 69.6 percent of his passes for five touchdowns and one Interception. Jackson believes first-year head coach Kellen Moore is priming Rattler as the favorite to start in Week 1 against the Arizona Cardinals. "Over the team’s 10 practices, these three young passers have seen their chance to earn the starting role to begin the season in a rotation of first-team reps," Jackson wrote. "But there are decisions the Saints have made in the process that indicate a favorite. "After looking over individual performance stats, practice rep distribution and the team’s treatment of each quarterback throughout the important and highly-productive scrimmages on camp day 10, it’s become clear that Rattler is comfortably in the lead, for now." Jackson thinks Rattler can fend off his "convincing lead" for the starting job if he plays competently against the Chargers on Sunday. Rattler feels like the safe choice for Moore over Shough and Haener, at least to start the regular season. He appeared in seven games and started in six in 2024. Rattler played inconsistently as a rookie, throwing four touchdowns to five interceptions. However, he's had time to develop. Given his numbers in training camp, Rattler appears to be the most polished quarterback before the regular season. Shough could eventually develop into the Saints' best option, but the rookie's completion percentage against friendly competition at camp is low before he even faces live action in the preseason.
Green Bay Packers: NFL Insider Reveals 1 Huge Improvement Jordan Love Has Made During Offseason
The Green Bay Packers have some lofty goals for the 2025 NFL season, the primary one being winning the Super Bowl. And while this should be the goal of every NFL team, it is especially true for the team that calls its home Titletown. Indeed, it has been 15 years since the Packers last won a Super Bowl, a draught that fans, players, and coaches are all too well aware of. Additionally, the team has laid a foundation, over the last two seasons, with Jordan Love as the starting quarterback with young playmakers around him that, hopefully, will help Green Bay take the next step back into serious contention. And, as is the case in the modern NFL, it all begins and ends with the quarterback position, and Love is raising eyebrows with one intangible that he has been working on improving for the last two years. ESPN Insider Impressed with How Jordan Love Is Leading the Green Bay Packers One of the things that head coach Matt LaFleur wanted Love to work on more, once he became the starter back in 2023, was becoming a more vocal leader. Love is not loud or boisterous by nature, so it was something that he had to make a conscious effort on which to work. And, at least to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Love has made some great strides in that department: “This is Jordan Love’s team. That was the case by default when he took over as the starter in 2023. But Love is much more comfortable as a leader in Year 3 as a starter. LaFleur has urged his quarterback to be vocal and he’s answering that challenge. ‘Night and day,’ coach Matt LaFleur told me. ‘Even from last year, and I thought he took a big jump last year. Way more presence. As the kids say, he’s got aura.’ “Love is not the most outspoken player by nature, but he’s worked on it and believes it’s going well. Late in 2023, the list of quarterbacks playing better than him was short. But last season, the Week 1 knee injury cost him momentum and mobility. He is back to moving well, and he’s got the best supporting cast in his three years as a starter.” Love has always had the respect of his teammates, and no one needs to look further than how the entire roster rallied around him when Green Bay traded Aaron Rodgers to make way for the 2020 first round pick to take over the offense. Now, Love is entering his third year as the starting quarterback, and his sixth NFL season overall. He knows the offense, he knows the players around him. He is leading, and the Packers will go as far as he can take them. Of course, it will be a team effort, but the quarterback is the most looked to player on the field, on the sidelines, and in the locker room. Love is setting the tone, and he wants to win a Super Bowl this year, saying that it is the team’s primary focus, even before winning the NFC North. Hopefully, his vision becomes reality.
Raiders' Spytek Makes Interesting Roster Moves
It's officially the first week of the NFL preseason, as the Las Vegas Raiders are set to take on the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday night for a first glimpse of the team's new regime. However, general manager John Spytek continues to be active with the 90-man roster in training camp, making a couple of moves Sunday morning by adding two new pass-catchers to the Raiders' offense. Raiders sign free agent WR Kawaan Baker and TE Albert Okwuegbunam The Raiders announced they had signed two free agents, wide receiver Kawaan Baker and tight end Albert Okwuegbunam, adding more depth to both position groups ahead of Thursday night. In a corresponding move, TE Pat Conroy and WR Kyle Philips were waived from the 90-man roster. Okwuegbunam is the notable addition as a former well-regarded tight end prospect from the Missouri Tigers. He was a fourth-round selection by the Denver Broncos in the 2020 NFL Draft, spending three seasons with the team before he was traded in 2023 to the Philadelphia Eagles for a 2025 seventh-round choice. The former Missouri standout spent some time on the Indianapolis Colts practice squad before being released this past week. Okwuegbunam's best season was in 2022 when he caught 33 passes for 330 yards and two touchdowns. Baker was a former seventh-round pick by the New Orleans Saints out of South Alabama. The former Jaguars playmaker has spent time on four teams throughout his NFL career and played for the United Football League's San Antonio Brahmas before signing with the Raiders on Sunday. Baker was a productive college wide receiver, accumulating over 1,800 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns during his career. He capped his senior season with 51 catches, 659 yards, and eight touchdowns. Okwuegbunam is a late addition to training camp, joining a tight end room that features 2024 rookie sensation Brock Bowers and former Notre Dame standout Michael Mayer. Las Vegas signed former Carolina Panthers tight end Ian Thomas, who was a free agent signee this offseason, making the hill will be a tough one to climb for Okwuegbunam. Baker comes into the wide receiver corps with a group of young players fighting for a roster spot this month. The Raiders should have some of the most competitive battles in camp at receiver, and Baker has an opportunity to swoop in and make a name for himself. Find us on X (formerly Twitter) @HondoCarpenter and Instagram @HondoSr and weigh in on the Raiders latest addition to their roster. While here, check out our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE to discuss this take.
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