Friday Bolts: 02.28.20 - Daily Thunder

The Thunder downed the Kings. Brandon Rahbar has your Daily Thunder recap, in both written and ugly mug form.

Chris Paul on Hamidou Diallo: “Hami was amazing. His energy doesn’t show up on the stat sheet.” pic.twitter.com/OZcCEoVWTe
— Brandon Rahbar (@BrandonRahbar) February 28, 2020

Can someone please tell me who's taken sole possession of 5th in the Western Conference? pic.twitter.com/WkM1CiEqa3
— Daily Thunder (@dailythunder) February 28, 2020

OKC’s 59th game last season: a home game vs the Kings.

The Thunder lost, bringing their record to 38-21.

Subtract arguably their 3 best players & fast forward 1 year.

OKC’s 59th game this season: a home game vs the Kings.

The Thunder win, bringing their record to 37-22.
— Brandon Rahbar (@BrandonRahbar) February 28, 2020

Maddie Lee (The Oklahoman) with her five takeaways from the Thunder’s win over Sacramento

YoutubeTV announced some changes that will affect several NBA markets including Oklahoma City. Here’s some more information from Nick Bromberg (Yahoo! Sports)

DT’s Ryan Novozinsky highlights Dennis Schroder’s clutch defensive play from Chicago. “Schröder met LaVine at the Bulls logo and started face guarding him for the duration of the Bulls possession. Schröder used a combination of poise, quick feet and athleticism to pressure LaVine the entire drive and eventually draw a charge on him to swing momentum back to Oklahoma City. Schröder said this defensive effort on LaVine was a personal challenge to him as the Bulls star had scored on him a few times Tuesday night.”

Billy Donovan said Darius Bazley is making “significant progress,” in his rehab from a right knee bone bruise, but Thunder is staying on plan of 4-6 weeks. Bazley suffered the injury Feb. 9 against Boston: “Everything they’ve put him through, he’s responded really well to.”
— Erik Horne (@ErikHorneOK) February 27, 2020

Mike Prada (SB Nation) on the genius of Chris Paul in the pick-and-roll. “Chris Paul is a basketball genius. He leverages every edge, and uses every angle to do it. He sees the entire floor in his sleep and knows each possible defensive reaction. He doesn’t just see and exploit potential openings before anyone else. He sees and exploits the potential openings before the potential openings. As Oklahoma City Thunder fans have learned this season, crunch time is just another simple film session put into action.”