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Oklahoma City faces a must-win Game 2 in the second round against the Denver Nuggets.
After gift-wrapping the end of Game 1 to the Denver Nuggets, the Mile High Hoopers did their job in stealing away home-court advantage. A Game 2 win would just be icing on the cake and a likely death knell to the Thunder's chances to punch its ticket to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2016.
Part of the matchup nightmare is dealing with the best player in the world, Nikola Jokic (Despite Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's MVP season).
The Paul Bunyan-like baller dominated the Thunder to the tune of 42 points, 22 rebounds, six assists, a steal and two blocks while shooting 51% from the floor. A jaw-dropping statline for any other NBA player is just another manic Monday for Jokic.
There is no stopping the Nuggets franchise icon; Oklahoma City can only hope to provide some resistance to the all-time great.
“Just understanding that a lot of what they do is predicated on him and goes through him. Just understanding that we’re gonna be guarding him for 110-120 possessions… Understanding how to have the right mix of physicality and intentionality," Thunder big man Chet Holmgren said at shoot around on Wednesday.
The Oklahoma City Thunder need to win Game 2, but it is still a tall task against this battle-tested Nuggets crew.
Oklahoma City will need to force Jokic to play in a crowd in the paint and hope for the best as he sprays the ball around the hardwood to shooters. Even that, is not a fool proof plan.
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John Stockton Throws Shade At Utah Jazz: 'I Know That There Doesn't Seem To Be A Mission To Win'
The Utah Jazz were among the least impressive teams last season, something that appears to be becoming a trend for the franchise. While tanking is intended to yield positive results in the future, Jazz legend John Stockton seems to have grown frustrated with this approach. Stockton addressed this matter on "The Ultimate Assist" when asked whether he was keeping tabs on Utah. He responded: "I haven't been tracking them, but I know that there doesn't seem to be a mission to win. If that's true, that's frustrating. Because I think that culture is so hard to come by." "I know how hard it was for the Utah Jazz to become a winning organization to begin with, and I came in on the tail end of that. I got to build from that with my teammates. But I wouldn't give up that fight to win every single game, every single quarter, for anything - for future draft choices, for future anything. Because the future... it moves." During Stockton's era, Utah was at the peak of its powers. After repeatedly contending for the NBA title and dueling with Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls, the Jazz established themselves as one of the best teams in the league. Since then, Utah has fallen out of the title picture. Calmly, Stockton provided a scathing indictment of the Jazz's performance. After notching the worst record in the Western Conference in the 2024-25 season, it is abundantly clear that the franchise hasn't made many improvements. Instead, the Jazz may have set themselves up for another poor outing next season. After letting Jordan Clarkson walk in free agency, the Jazz also traded a talented young forward in John Collins for supposedly dubious reasons. With rumors suggesting that Collins' positive impact on winning games was viewed as a problem for Utah, the decision to trade him only raises more questions about the team's outlook. As things stand, the Jazz seem keen on stockpiling draft picks and expiring contracts to help roster construction efforts in the future. However, given the lack of direction, tanking may not help answer their fundamental problems. Hence, restructuring the rebuild may become an inevitability that the Jazz will have to come to terms with. To facilitate this, we created a blueprint that would allow Utah to effectively press the reset button on its current venture. But this is not to say the Jazz can't be entertaining next season. When looking at the roster, they feature some talented pieces in their ranks. From high-value assets like Lauri Markkanen and Walker Kessler to gifted young players like Keyonte George and Ace Bailey, the Jazz possess the necessary tools to create the foundation for the future. Should they choose to cultivate their team around this nucleus, Utah could be a much more intriguing side in the coming seasons. Ultimately, it would require the franchise to solidify its plans.
Bears make big decision amid concerning Caleb Williams reports
Second-year Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams and other starters were spectators for Chicago's preseason opener versus the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. While speaking with reporters on Wednesday, first-year Bears head coach Ben Johnson confirmed things will be different when his club hosts the Buffalo Bills for an exhibition matchup this coming Sunday evening. "Everyone's going to play," Johnson said, as shared by Courtney Cronin of ESPN. Johnson added that how many snaps Williams will take versus the Bills is "to be determined." The Bears will first host the Bills for a joint practice on Friday. Johnson came to this decision following multiple reports detailing the supposed struggles that Williams has endured throughout training camp. Most recently, Monday’s practice was allegedly "a low point for" Chicago's first-team offense and featured "Williams and receiver Rome Odunze both looking frustrated" after some failed connections. "I've been pretty consistent with the thought of reps, reps, reps are the most important thing to get [Williams] up to speed," Johnson explained. "And by the plan that we had a week ago, we were able to get him probably somewhere between 80 and 100 more reps than we would've been able to do had he played in the game. This week, it's a different schedule. Different length of time in terms of in between games and all that. And so, our plan right now is the guys that sat out last week, they will be playing this week." Those running the Bears hope that the hiring of Johnson, an advertised offensive guru, will help Williams become a top-tier quarterback after the 23-year-old won only five of 17 starts during his rookie season. However, Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic is among those who have mentioned that Williams has been responsible for a noteworthy number of inaccurate passes this summer. "I think the trust that we've been talking about from the get-go, that's really where that comes into play," Johnson added about risking the health of his starters by playing them against Buffalo. "We haven't been here with this group as a coaching staff. That trust has been earning, and we've been developing that amongst each other. It's not a one-way street. It goes both ways. And so I think that's just another step in the progression, you know?" The Bears will wrap up the preseason with a game at the Kansas City Chiefs on Aug. 22. It's unclear if Williams or other Chicago starters will see any action that Friday night.
Patriots have big Drake Maye concern surface at Vikings' joint practice
Defense ruled the day during the joint practice between the New England Patriots and Minnesota Vikings. Per Chad Graff of The Athletic, the Patriots defense did a masterful job of disrupting Vikings second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy at Wednesday's practice. However, New England's offensive line was unable to allow Drake Maye to have enough time to finish plays. "Even with four new expected starters up front following last year’s debacle, Wednesday suggested that there will likely be some bumps ahead for this offensive line," Graff wrote. "Sure, going up against the Vikings was always going to be a difficult task. Greenard has been wrecking his own team’s practices in training camp, and everyone in New England knows how good Flores’ scheme can be. But the domination was so thorough by the Vikings’ front seven that three straight plays at one point would’ve resulted in a sack." Maye showed flashes of promise when he had time to throw downfield or was able to use his legs to buy time or scramble when pressure came. The concern is that the offensive line won't allow Maye enough time to even scramble, so he can make throws. Graff has noticed the same issues that happened on Wednesday have been a constant at training camp against the Patriots defense. With a new-look offensive line that includes first-round pick Will Campbell at left tackle, the Patriots are expected to have some bumps at training camp and in September. New England's offense probably won't look great out of the gate while the offensive line develops in offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels' scheme. If and when the offensive line improves, Maye will have a chance to show off the arm that made him the No. 3 pick in 2024. For now, the offensive line is a concern much like it was last season.
4-Time Pro Bowl Offensive Lineman Signs Contract With Minnesota Vikings
Nine-year veteran center Ryan Kelly signed a new contract with the Minnesota Vikings. Kelly, a former first-round pick and four-time Pro Bowl selection, spent the entirety of his career with the Indianapolis Colts. Ryan Kelly, Minnesota Vikings, Agree to Contract The 2024 season was a disappointing one for Ryan Kelly and the Indianapolis Colts. While the center played well when on the field, the veteran suffered a knee injury in early November that sidelined him for a decent portion of the season. While he eventually returned to the field, it was too little, too late for the Colts playoff chances. The team fell behind in the standings and had their fate sealed with a Week 17 loss to Drew Lock and the New York Giants. Ryan Kelly originally entered the NFL as a first-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. Selected by the Indianapolis Colts, the Alabama product immediately earned a starting job snapping the ball to then-quarterback Andrew Luck. While he started all 16 games as a rookie, injuries limited him to just 19 games over the next two seasons. While he struggled to stay on the field, the Colts decided to activate the fifth-year option on his contract. This proved to be a wise move, as Kelly responded with the best seasons of his career. From 2019 to 2021, the Alabama product made three consecutive Pro Bowls while providing a steadying presence in the middle of the offensive line for Jacoby Brissett, Philip Rivers, and Carson Wentz. After the team as a whole disappointed in 2022, Kelly returned to the Pro Bowl in 2023 while helping lead the team to an unexpected playoff birth. Since signing his rookie contract, Ryan Kelly has started and appeared in 120 games. While on the field, he has made four Pro Bowl teams and earned Second-Team All-Pro honors for him impressive work in the 2020 season.
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