2014 Thunder Preview by OPUBCO Communications Group

PRECOCIOUS TO FEROCIOUS WITH DURANT, WESTBROOK AND IBAKA HITTING THEIR PRIME, THE THUNDER IS NO LONGER THE NBA’S TEAM OF THE FUTURE Berry Tramel

btramel@ opubco.com

COMMENTARY

The Thunder generally considers a prime to stretch from ages 24 to 29. Conventional wisdom places an NBA prime at 27-28. But economists Dave Berri and Martin Schmidt found a player’s prime to be a little earlier. “Players have a u-shaped curve in the NBA,” wagesofwin.com wrote in citing the research. “They get better as they reach their 25th birthday. They peak around 25-26. After that they slowly decline as they approach 30 and after 32 they rapidly decline.” Berri and Schmidt wrote about age and the NBA in their book “Stumbling On Wins: Two Economists Expose the Pitfalls on the Road to Victory in Professional Sports.” Here is what they report:

Prime performance 0%

-50%

-100%

-150%

23 -24 24 -25 25 -26 26 -27 27 -28 28 -29 29 -30 30 -31 31 -32 32 -33 33 -34 34 -35

evin Durant turned 26 in September. Russell Westbrook joins him at that ripe old age in November. Still not old enough to be U.S. Senators. Still wouldn’t be practicing physicians if they’d gone to medical school. Still could be playing teenagers if they were actors, though their height would be an issue. But Durant and Westbrook are basketball players. Which means they’ve reached their prime. The apex of their marvelous physical gifts. Durant, perhaps the most coordinated 6foot-10 man God ever made. And Westbrook, faster than a speeding bullet, as strong as an NFL safety. No longer is the Thunder the NBA’s young guns. No longer is the Thunder the team of the future. Along with 25year-old Serge Ibaka, the Thunder no longer qualifies as the Whiz Kids. Time to go from precocious to ferocious. “They’ve been thrown into the fire at a young age,” said Scotty Brooks, who has coached the Thunder for all but its

WHAT DOES A PLAYER’S PRIME LOOK LIKE?

Age change

Former All-Star Vince Carter (above), now with Memphis, turns 38 in January. AP PHOTO

At 25 years old, Thunder forward Serge Ibaka is entering his prime years in the NBA. PHOTO BY CHRIS LANDSBERGER, THE OKLAHOMAN

first 13 games after arriving from Seattle in 2008. “From coaching them, I have a lot of respect for what they’ve done.” The entire league respects the stars of OKC. But their rapid ascent — the Thunder trio has

played more playoff games than has Andre Miller, who’s been an impact player in the league since the ’90s — puts Durant and Westbrook in a different light. They no longer are ahead of their time. Their

time is now. Not that winning a championship is easy even if you’re all grown up. Sure, Durant and Westbrook and Ibaka are better than ever, Durant’s SEE TRAMEL, PAGE 4S

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Russell Westbrook ..................Page 6 Roster.........................................Page 7 Kevin Durant .............................Page 8 Thunder predictions ..............Page 16

Statistics..................................Page 17 Western Conf. preview.........Page 22 Eastern Conf. preview...........Page 23 League predictions ................Page 23 Salaries ....................................Page 23 Schedule..................................Page 24

Age

32 31 30

Is the Thunder in its prime? Here is a look at Oklahoma City’s core group of players and where each player ﬁts in what the Thunder organization considers the prime age range. During the 2017-18 season, every core Thunder player will be in his prime, though the team would have to re-sign every player but Mitch McGary. Ages as of Jan. 1, 2015

29 28 27 26 25 24

Prime age range: 24-29

Color photo: Under contract

NOTE: Players can be re-signed before their current contract expires.

21 Season

Thunder general manager Sam Presti says Kevin Durant, back, and Russell Westbrook’s best basketball is still ahead of them. PHOTO BY BRYAN TERRY, THE OKLAHOMAN

2014-15

Kevin Durant

2015-16

Russell Westbrook

Serge Ibaka

2017-18

2016-17

Reggie Jackson

Perry Jones

Andre Roberson

Black and white photo: Free agent

2018-19

Jeremy Lamb

Mitch McGary

2019-20

Steven Adams

Tramel: Two superstars now in charge of leading team FROM PAGE 2S

unfortunate foot surgery notwithstanding. They are savvier and more experienced. They are, well, primed to win an NBA championship. But the NBA can be tougher at 26 than at 22. Injuries crop up a little more at 26. Life gets in the way, be it Durant’s myriad enterprises or Westbrook’s status as a fashion maven

or the dozens of ways that pull on international celebrities. “As leaders, they have to figure out how their game is going to evolve as NBA players,” Brooks said. “They’re not worried about their game. They’ve improved in that area. Now they’re focusing on being great leaders.” The Thunder long has been Durant and Westbrook’s team. But now

elder statesman Derek Fisher is gone. Old pros Nick Collison and Kendrick Perkins still walk the halls and take the court, but this team is led in every way by its two superstars. And while general manager Sam Presti concedes Durant and Westbrook have reached their prime, that doesn’t mean the clock is ticking fast. Presti said Durant’s and

Westbrook’s best basketball is ahead of them and that will remain true “for a while, because there are a few attributes that those guys possess that I think are the foundational DNA to the organization. “One, work ethic. Two, competitive will. Three, humility and an understanding that there’s always work to be done. I admire that in any person and I’m really proud that

the guys that are the pillars of our organization, they approach things day-by-day, every day.” It’s a good endorsement. The Thunder brass salivates at the prospect of veterans Durant and Westbrook and Ibaka, at ages 29 and 28, being joined in their primes by Steven Adams, who would be 24, and Reggie Jackson, who would be 27. Of course, there’s no

guarantee that all of that core remains in OKC in 2017. But that’s what the Thunder has planned for. This franchise entering its prime as its superstars enter their prime. Berry Tramel: Berry can be reached at (405) 760-8080 or at btramel@opubco.com. He can be heard Monday through Friday from 4:40-5:20 p.m. on The Sports Animal radio network, including FM-98.1. You can also view his personality page at newsok.com/berrytramel.

WHEN WAS THEIR PRIME? What is the prime of an NBA star? The Oklahoman looked at the careers of 50 NBA stars and identified their best seasons, using win shares as the criteria. Win shares is an advanced-metric stat that measures a variety of statistical categories.

CAN ‘THE BEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER IN THE LEAGUE’ BECOME AN ALL-STAR?

33 32 31

Karl Malone, 1996-97

Steve Nash, 2006-07

Gary Payton, 1999-00 Chet Walker, 1971-72 Scottie Pippen, 1996-97

Hakeem Olajuwon, 1992-93 Magic Johnson, 1989-90 John Havlicek, 1969-70 Dikembe Mutombo, 199697

Bill Russell, 1963-64 Larry Bird, 1985-86 Elvin Hayes, 1974-75 Jason Kidd, 2002-03 Chauncey Billups, 2005-06 David Robinson, 1993-94

Bob Pettit, 1960-61

SERGE IBAKA

Thunder stars Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are 26 this season. Charles Barkley, left, and Horace Grant both had their best season at age 26. AP PHOTO

Wilt Chamberlain, 1963-64 Jerry West, 1965-66 Kobe Bryant, 2005-06 Dominique Wilkins, 1986-87 Dirk Nowitzki, 2005-06 Robert Parish, 1980-81 Shaquille O’Neal, 19992000 Adrian Dantley, 1983-84 Kevin Garnett, 2003-04 Shawn Marion, 2005-06 Patrick Ewing, 1989-90

Charles Barkley, 1989-90 John Stockton, 1988-89 Moses Malone, 1981-82 Horace Grant, 1991-92

Tim Duncan, 2001-02 Bob Lanier, 1973-74 Ray Allen, 2000-01 Reggie Miller, 1990-91 Julius Erving*, 1975-76 George Gervin, 1977-78 Clyde Drexler, 1987-88 Oscar Robertson, 1963-64 Dolph Schayes, 1953-54

K. Abdul-Jabbar, 1971-72 Michael Jordan, 1987-88 Paul Pierce, 2001-02 Dan Issel, 1972-73* LeBron James, 2008-09 Vince Carter, 2000-01

Artis Gilmore*, 1971-72 Rick Barry, 1966-67 Walt Bellamy, 1961-62 Buck Williams, 1982-83 *-denotes ABA

I Height/weight: 6-foot-10, 245 pounds I Experience: Sixth I Hometown: Brazzaville, Congo I Last season: 81 games, 15.1 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.7 blocks I Compelling question: Can he elevate to an All-Star level? Kevin Love moved to the East, while Tim Duncan and Dirk Nowitzki are both a year older. So by default, it’s an easier path for Ibaka to finally make that midseason showcase stage. But it’ll still require him to maintain his high level of defensive play and ramp it up even more on the offensive end. Maybe he’ll stretch that range more consistently out to three. Or add a post-up game. Or just get more shots. I Niche: Pick-and-pop scorer, rim protector. Ibaka’s importance to this team remains underrated, though last season’s brief Western Conference Finals absence did a lot to erase that lack of knowledge. He’s an ideal offensive big to pair with Westbrook and Durant, spacing the floor with a deadly mid-range jumper, but also with the ability to smoothly catch and finish. Plus, he may be the best interior defender in the league. He erases mistakes and changes opposing gameplans. I Opportunity: With Durant out, he must carry a bigger offensive load. And that shouldn’t be a problem. It seems like Ibaka’s offensive skill set has been underutilized for a few seasons now. But his biggest responsibility still comes on the defensive end. Ibaka is the Thunder’s irreplaceable goaltender. He’ll be counted on to anchor one of the league’s top units. I Key number: 40 — Points per game, on average, teams scored in the paint on the Thunder last season. In the two WCF games Ibaka missed, the Spurs scored 120 paint points. I Quotable: “I think he’s the best defensive player in the league.” — Gregg Popovich on Ibaka BY ANTHONY SLATER

SHINE TIME DID LAST YEAR’S POSTSEASON MARK THE START OF RUSSELL WESTBROOK’S MVP RUN?

ussell Westbrook might not have gotten the recognition he deserved for how he performed in last year’s postseason. As a matter of fact, there’s no way he did. Only two other players in NBA history have done what Westbrook did last year. And before Westbrook, it hadn’t been done since 1964. Westbrook joined Bob Cousy and Oscar Robertson as the only players ever to average at least 26 points, seven rebounds and eight assists in the postseason. Cousy played only three playoff games when he did it in 1956. Robertson posted those numbers on three occasions but played in only four postseason games in 1962, 12 in 1963 and 10 in 1964. Westbrook sustained those levels of production over the course of 19 postseason games. His three postseason triple-doubles were three more than the combined total of all other playoff performers. His all-around production flat out carried the Thunder to the Western Conference Finals, the team’s third trip to that round in the past four seasons. “He’s taken us to some pretty good places as an organization,” said Thunder coach Scott Brooks.

Darnell Mayberry

DMayberry @opubco.com

THUNDER

Along last year’s journey, Westbrook destroyed one elite point guard after another. Mike Conley. Chris Paul. Tony Parker. While critics counted his shot attempts, Westbrook was crafting something special. Not only was he the best player at times in last year’s playoff, but Westbrook also set the stage for what could now be a sensational seventh season. And with Kevin Durant sidelined for at least the first month, this could be Westbrook’s time to shine. It could be his chance at the league’s Most Valuable Player award. Don’t forget, it was Durant who pegged Westbrook as MVP worthy during his moving MVP acceptance speech. “You’re an MVP-caliber player,” Durant told Westbrook. “It’s a blessing to play with you, man.” Westbrook, at least for the moment, said he isn’t thinking about his chances at capturing the league’s highest individual honor. “Nah, I just think about how we can get

better as a team,” Westbrook said. “My job as a point guard is to be able to come out on the floor and run my team. And that’s all I can do is come out and try to figure out (how) to better my guys, better all the guys we have on the floor and that’s about it.” But you can’t help but to picture the possibilities. Westbrook has blossomed into an unstoppable force, one part big, one part strong, one part lightning quick and fearless all over. The basketball world has assumed for years that Westbrook wants his own team, his own shine, a spotlight free from the colossal shadows cast by Durant. What’s more, many have wondered exactly what that would look like. The man himself, however, doesn’t seem interested in his sudden time to shine. At least not right now. “It’s about our team,” Westbrook said. “I can’t win games by myself. I can’t do anything by myself. I kind of want to take the attention off me and put it on more of the team. Everybody keeps asking what I’m going to do and how I’m going to change. I think it’s more about our team and what we can do to get better and what we can do to be a better team.”

Last year, Thunder guard Russell Westbrook joined Bob Cousy and Oscar Robertson as the only players ever to average at least 26 points, seven rebounds and eight assists in the postseason. PHOTO BY CHRIS LANDSBERGER, THE OKLAHOMAN

RUSSELL WESTBROOK

RUSSELL WESTBROOK BY THE NUMBERS

WILL OKC’S BEST PLAYER LAST POSTSEASON BE THE TEAM’S BEST THIS SEASON? I Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 200 pounds I Experience: Seventh year I College: UCLA I Last season: 46 games, 21.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, 6.9 assists I Compelling question: Can he transfer his postseason performance into an every night event? Last May, Westbrook was playing some of the best basketball in the league. He made huge plays against the Grizzlies, outplayed Chris Paul in the Clippers series and kept OKC afloat against the Spurs. Unguardable on offense and tenacious on defense. With Durant out, the Thunder needs that every night. I Niche: Nonstop playmaker. There will be bad shots. There will be ill-advised turnovers. There will be overaggressive offensive fouls. But by now, it’s become clear the

3 7.3 8.1 20.9 26.7 36 44.4 83

Surgeries on Westbrook’s right knee in 2013.

Thunder is at its best when Westbrook is fully unleashed, with no worry after the inevitable mistakes. Hand him the ball, let him create. I Opportunity: In the monthplus that Kevin Durant is expected to miss, Westbrook becomes the unquestioned leader and floor general. His production, already among the league leaders, will need to be spiked. His efficiency must improve. A tall task. But if he does that — and the Thunder win with some regularity — Westbrook will vault himself into ‘third best player in the world’ conversations. I Key number: 3 — Triple-doubles in last year’s postseason. No other player in the league had one. I Quotable: “He’s a freak of nature. He really is.” — Doc Rivers on Westbrook

Rebounds per game in last year’s playoffs. Assists per game in last year’s playoffs.

Points per game in last year’s playoffs.

Games missed last season while recovering from knee surgeries.

Player

BY ANTHONY SLATER

Age*

Years pro

Ht.

Pos.

34 30 29 29 26 26 25 24 23 23 22 22 21 21

11th 12th 10th 7th 8th 7th 6th 4th 3rd 2nd 3rd 1st 1st 2nd

6-9 6-10 6-0 6-5 6-9 6-3 6-10 6-3 6-11 6-7 6-5 6-10 6-10 7-0

F C G G F G F G F G G F F C

College

Kansas None None Georgia Tech Texas UCLA None Boston College Baylor Colorado Connecticut Michigan Arizona Pittsburgh

PHOTO BY CHRIS LANDSBERGER, THE OKLAHOMAN

Percent shooting from 10 to 16 feet, a career best.

Turnovers in last year’s playoffs, more than any other player.

THUNDER ROSTER Nick Collison Kendrick Perkins Sebastian Telfair Anthony Morrow Kevin Durant Russell Westbrook Serge Ibaka Reggie Jackson Perry Jones Andre Roberson Jeremy Lamb Mitch McGary Grant Jerrett Steven Adams

Shot attempts per game in last year’s playoffs, a career high.

Hometown

Iowa Falls, IA Beaumont, TX Brooklyn, NY Charlotte, NC Seat Pleasant, MD Hawthorne, CA Breazzaville, Congo Colorado Springs, CO Dallas San Antonio, TX Norcross, GA Chesterton, IN La Verne, CA Rotoura, New Zealand

*Age on Jan. 1, 2015.

SECTION CREDITS I Sports Editor: Mike Sherman I Assistant Sports Editors: Hayley Riggs McGhee, Scott Munn, Ryan Sharp, Darla Smith I Writers: Jenni Carlson, Darnell Mayberry, Anthony Slater and Berry Tramel I Cover: Clockwise from top left — Serge Ibaka, Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant. Photos by Chris Landsberger; design by Rob Backus I Designers: Rob Backus and Hayley Riggs McGhee I Copy Editors: Phillip Baeza, Chris Brannick, Jonathan Greco, Kendall Matthews and Trent Shadid

100 164

3-pointers attempted in last year’s playoffs. Westbrook attempted 134 in his first four postseasons.

Free throw attempts in last year’s playoffs, more than any other player. BY DARNELL MAYBERRY

PINE TIME LOOKING FOR SILVER LININGS TO THE DURANT INJURY? HERE ARE SOME BY DARNELL MAYBERRY Staff Writer dmayberry@opubco.com

he way Scott Brooks sees it there’s at least one undisputable benefit to Kevin Durant being forced to miss the start of the season. “I expect him to pick up his wardrobe game,” the Thunder coach joked, “although he’s improved that over the years. Those little skinny suits that he used to wear, I didn’t like that style. I’m glad that trend is no longer in.” Durant will now have ample opportunities to ponder his apparel among other things. While his team prepares for prime time, Durant is set for pine time at the start of the 2014-15 NBA season. A fractured bone in his right foot is expected to keep Durant sidelined for the first 15 to 20 games. It’s the most time off Durant will have ever had in his basketball career. But will that necessarily be a bad thing? The Thunder was planning to better manage Durant’s minutes this season prior to his injury. And by most accounts, that’s something that desperately needs to happen. After tearing it up in the regular season and capturing his first Most Valuable Player award last season, Durant’s postseason performance left more to be desired. The most spectacular scorer in the game surprisingly allowed defenders like Tony Allen, Chris Paul and Danny Green to hold him in check at various times. Durant struggled to take over games or make his teammates better. His

turnovers rose. His efficiency plummeted. There was only one logical explanation. Durant was tired. He had spent nearly half the season carrying the Thunder in the absence of sidekick Russell Westbrook, who bounced in and out of the lineup while recovering from three knee surgeries. Durant stepped up as the team’s unquestioned leader, in every way imaginable. He logged a league-leading 3,122 minutes and appeared in 81 games. Come playoff time, Durant had every reason to be pooped, although he never used his workload as an excuse. But after San Antonio eliminated the Thunder in six games in the Western Conference Finals, it had become clear that a change in philosophy was needed. No longer could the Thunder ride Durant in meaningless regular season games if it messed up his motor for the postseason. “I think that as we go forward there’s no question that’s something we want to look at and understand,” said Thunder general manager Sam Presti at the end of last season. “Not only for the long term, but to also make sure we are getting the most out of the minutes that are played during one particular game or another. It’ll be something we look at, but I can’t tell you what comes of it. “But I think that when you get a player coming into the prime years of his career, someone like Kevin or Russell’s caliber, you have to look at all times at how you’re going to maximize a player, but also how you’re going to continue to keep a player at peak performance

Thunder star Kevin Durant averaged a career-high 32 points per game last season. PHOTO BY CHRIS LANDSBERGER, THE OKLAHOMAN

for as long as possible, so when you get to the postseason you’re not looking at it in short doses.” Before the stunning news of Durant’s injury, Brooks would not reveal his plan to get his star more rest this season. Now, Thunder officials say it’s too early to determine what the course of action will be when

Durant returns, adding that much of it likely will be dictated by the doctors. But we know this: Durant has played an exorbitant amount of minutes in his career. His 20,717 career minutes are the most of any player over the past seven seasons. He’s led the league in total minutes three of the past

five seasons and hasn’t finished outside of the top seven over that span. In a way, Durant’s durability has been just as damaging as his mounting minutes. He’s missed only 16 games in his career and has never been out SEE DURANT, PAGE 10S

Durant: Extra rest key even for superstars FROM PAGE 8S

for longer than a seven-game stretch. But forced pine time will significantly reduce Durant’s workload and potentially usher in ancillary benefits. Based on Durant’s estimated average of 38.5 minutes, which he has hovered around in each of the past three seasons, 15 missed games would drop Durant’s season-ending total from 3,120 minutes to 2,542 minutes. That would have tied him with Atlanta guard Jeff Teague for 45th in the league last season. If Durant misses 20 games, his tally would fall to 2,350 minutes, which would have ranked 74th among all players last season, sandwiching Durant between Chicago’s Taj Gibson and Atlanta’s DeMarre Carroll. The additional rest matters, even to superstars like Durant as evidenced in last year’s playoffs. Now add to that this alarming trend: no player in the past 10 years has won a championship in the same season in which he amassed at least 3,000 minutes. Ben Wallace with Detroit in 2004 was the last player to do so. In addition to keeping Durant fresh for the postseason, this forced absence also should help prepare younger Thunder players to be more productive. Players such as Reggie Jackson, Jeremy Lamb, Perry Jones, Steven Adams and Sebastian Telfair are all expected to get more opportunities while Durant is down. If they seize the moment and capitalize on those opportunities the Thunder will be a more balanced bunch when Durant returns. Durant certainly will do what he can to help. The only difference now is it’ll have to come from the pine. “He’s always going to encourage our team,” Brooks said. “He’s a great leader, and I expect him to continue to build our team through his leadership when he’s not on the floor.”

KEVIN DURANT

HE’S MISSED 16 GAMES IN HIS CAREER. WILL HE MISS THAT MANY BY JAN. 1?

I Height/weight: 6-foot-9, 240 pounds I Experience: Eighth year I College: Texas I Last season: 81 games, 81 starts, 38.5 minutes, 32.0 points, 7.4 rebounds, 5.5 assists. I Compelling question: How long will his recovery from foot surgery keep him sidelined? No one will rush Durant back from injury. But everyone knows that the longer he sits the harder it will be for the Thunder to keep pace in West standings. How crippling might Durant's first extended absence of his career be? I Niche: Putting the ball in the basket. There might not be a better scorer alive. Durant has led the NBA in scoring four times in his seven seasons and has separated himself with the efficiency with which he gets buckets. He's been right at 50 percent shooting the last three seasons and has hovered around 40 percent from 3-point range over that same span. I Opportunity: Last season, Durant unleashed the best all-around production of his career. This year, he'll need to build on that. Taking another jump as a defender, rebounder, playmaker and low post scorer will go a long way in helping him bridge the gap with LeBron James, who Durant says is no longer the game’s undisputed best player. I Key number: 16 — Games that Durant has missed throughout his career. He’s expected to miss at least that many this season while recovering from foot surgery. I Quotable: “His mentality is not quick-fix oriented, it’s something that’s incremental. But for a person that is still so young to embrace and understand the value of putting in that day-to-day work and letting the results take care of themselves, that’s incredibly impressive and a huge differentiator for him among other successful people.” — Sam Presti on Durant PHOTO BY CHRIS LANDSBERGER, THE OKLAHOMAN

BY DARNELL MAYBERRY

KEVIN DURANT BY THE NUMBERS

5.5 12 16 32.0 38.2

Assists per game last season, a career high.

Straight games with at least 30 points last season.

Games Durant has missed in his seven NBA seasons. His longest previous absence was seven games. Scoring average last season, which led the league and was a career high.

Minutes per game in 542 career regular season games.

41 42.3 3,090 14,851 20,717

Straight games with at least 25 points last season.

Minutes per game in 73 career postseason games.

Career playoff minutes.

Career points, which ranks him seventh on the all-time list of players through their seventh seasons. Minutes played over the past seven seasons, more than any other player over that span. BY DARNELL MAYBERRY

AP PHOTOS

IT NEVER WAS THEIR TIME ...

IS PRIME THEIR TIME? BY A N T H O N Y S L AT E R | STA F F W R I T E R |

he top-seeded San Antonio Spurs strolled into Oklahoma City winners of 20 straight. Unbeatable is often an overused adjective in sports. But that’s what they’d been for the previous month-plus. One of the greatest dynasties in NBA history was in the midst of arguably its hottest steak. Then the young Thunder smacked them around for four straight games, earning an unexpected trip to the 2012 Finals. “In three playoff rounds they have defeated the Lakers, Mavericks and Spurs,” ESPN’s J.A. Adande wrote of OKC at the time. “Gotten past Kobe Bryant, Dirk Nowitzki and (Tim) Duncan, the three teams and star players who had accounted for every Western Conference championship since 1999 and won the NBA Finals a collective 10 times.” Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook were 23. Serge Ibaka was 22. But there was no more talk of “the process,” no mention of a team needing to pay its dues. They’d be favored against Miami

and they’d win Game 1 — giving Durant an NBA Finals victory before LeBron James. The first title was in sight, a string of others not a farfetched thought. “We’ve never lived by a calendar or a stopwatch,” Sam Presti told ESPN at the time. You know what’s happened since. LeBron elevated his game to another stratosphere, snatching away that title with a legendary performance. James Harden was traded. Westbrook suffered an untimely injury in the 2013 playoffs. Ibaka had a similar setback one year later. This season, the Thunder still enters as one of a select few legit contenders. A title run is realistic. But there’s far more unknown than back in 2012. Durant is recovering from a tricky foot injury. Westbrook underwent three knee surgeries in the last 18 months, though he looks fully healthy now. And, of course, the 2016 free agent frenzy looms, when a well-laid, decade-long plan could unravel if Durant simply opts for a change of scenery. Around OKC, championship

A LOOK AT THE THUNDER AND HOW THEY COMPARE TO SOME OF THE BEST RINGLESS TEAMS IN NBA HISTORY

A S L AT E R @ O P U B C O .C O M

discussions once came with a “when” attached. Now there’s an “if.” And for a city that has known almost nothing but winning in its basketball infancy, that’s a scary thought. But around the NBA, it’s certainly not an unprecedented tale. Hoops history is lined with cautionary cases — talented and memorable cores that made deep playoff runs, but could never get over the hump. The Chris Webber Kings of the late ’90s. The Steve Nash Suns of the mid-2000s. Even LeBron’s first stint with the Cavaliers. Fun teams, lots of wins, tons of promise. No rings, for various reasons. The current Thunder, though, are slightly different. Regardless of what lies ahead, OKC has already experienced the same or more success than some of the league’s most remembered nontitle teams. LeBron’s Cavs made two conference finals. Those Kings only made one. Same with Kevin Garnett’s Timberwolves. The Thunder has already made three, all before either of its stars turned 26. To put that in perspective, those legendary John

Stockton-Karl Malone Utah Jazz teams — probably the posterboy squad for ringless dynasties — didn’t make their first conference finals until Stockton was 30 and Malone was 28. So the Thunder’s pre-prime success has been extremely rare, with the best years, potentially, still to come. And that’s mainly because of roster construction. Presti has lined up this roster with extreme synergy — stars coming of age at the same time and a batch of young talent layering the back end. It’s of the Spurs methodology. A tactic to ensure extended success. A difference between the Thunder and some of these aforementioned teams. As LeBron was entering his prime in Cleveland, Zydrunas Ilgauskas was aging. When Peja Stojakovic was 24, Chris Webber was 28 and Vlade Divac was already 33. Steve Nash is nine years older than Amar’e Stoudemire. Those teams burned bright, but their windows were narrow. The Thunder’s isn’t. But a promising future has never guaranteed success. After getting

Shaquille O’Neal and Penny Hardaway in back-to-back drafts, Orlando’s front office constructed a talented young core around two superstars born seven months apart. But four years in, Shaq bolted for Los Angeles and everything fell apart. Malone and Stockton’s teams stayed intact. They made the postseason all 17 years together. Eventually got to five conference finals and won two. But no rings. And the Indiana Pacers — spanning multiple eras — may be the greatest and most depressing example. Since 1993, they’ve built three elite cores and made eight conference finals. But they went 1-7 in those appearances and got bounced by the ShaqKobe Lakers in their only trip to the big stage. No one can predict what lies ahead for the Thunder. The unknowns are what keep sports interesting. But OKC has positioned itself nicely. Now it’s about getting over the hump and elevating away from this impressive but title-less crowd into the land of champions.

Here are 10 of the most memorable non-title teams in history, along with a quick exploration of why they were never able to reach the NBA’s peak:

1. KINGS (1999-2004)

2. SUNS (2004-08)

3. JAZZ (1991-2000)

4. MAGIC (1993-96)

5. CAVALIERS (2005-10)

I Core: Chris Webber, Vlade Divac, Jason Williams, Mike Bibby, Peja Stojakovic, Doug Christie I Coach: Rick Adelman I Deepest run: Western Conference Finals (2002) I Rise: The 1998 offseason was a fruitful one in Sacramento. The Kings drafted Jason Williams, acquired Chris Webber via trade, signed Vlade Divac and convinced Peja Stojakovic to finally come over from Serbia. An elite-level core arrived all at once. By 1999, they were in the playoffs. By the 2001-02 season, they had a league-best and franchise-record 61 wins. I Reasons for failure: Controversy, injury, a legendary team and a historic shot I Explanation: Just as the Kings rose to dominance, so too did the ShaqKobe Lakers. It made for a compelling rivalry between a pair of interstate powers. But the Kings continually came up short, eliminated in three straight postseasons by the eventual champs from Los Angeles. Nothing, though, quite stung like 2002. With homecourt advantage in the West Finals, Sacramento was seconds away from a commanding 3-1 lead. But an ill-advised rebound back-tap led to a heartbreaking Robert Horry buzzerbeater. A Game 6 closeout was supposed to provide reprieve. But instead, the Kings lost in one of the most controversially called games in league history. During a foul-filled fourth quarter, the Lakers shot 27 free throws, boosting a comeback that some believe was fixed by the referees. The Kings lost that series. Then, the next postseason, lost Chris Webber to a devastating knee injury in the second round.

I Core: Steve Nash, Amar’e Stoudemire, Shawn Marion, Joe Johnson, Boris Diaw I Coach: Mike D’Antoni I Deepest run: Western Conference Finals (2005, 2006) I Rise: Before 2004, the Suns had accumulated a bunch of talent. But the arrival of Steve Nash — an incredible floor-leader coming into his prime — brought it all together. Phoenix went from 29 to 62 wins in one season, a wild turnaround made possible by the perfect personnel blend. Partnered with Amar’e Stoudemire and flanked by athletic sharpshooters, Nash executed Mike D’Antoni’s run-and-gun system to perfection. The point guard won two MVPs. Phoenix made three conference finals. I Reasons for failure: Injury and controversy I Explanation: After breaking his orbital bone on a scary fall in the second round, Joe Johnson missed the first two games of the 2005 West Finals against San Antonio. It was an unfortunate time to be without a 17-point per game scorer. Phoenix lost the series 4-1. But the departure of Johnson that offseason may have been more damaging. The core had to be reworked. Stoudemire then missed all but three games in 2006 after microfracture surgery on his knee. Phoenix’s next best shot may have been in 2007. But an odd altercation in Game 4 of their second-round series against the Spurs sealed their fate. After Steve Nash was leveled by Robert Horry on the sideline, Stoudemire and Boris Diaw took a quick step on the court and were suspended for a crucial Game 5. Phoenix lost the series.

I Core: John Stockton, Karl Malone, Jeff Hornacek, Bryon Russell I Coach: Jerry Sloan I Deepest run: NBA Finals (1997, 1998) I Rise: John Stockton arrived in 1984, a little-known guard out of Gonzaga whose selection was booed by Jazz fans on draft day. It wouldn’t take long for them to warm up, though. Karl Malone came a year later and one of the league’s most successful duos was born. Together, they led Utah to playoffs in 17 straight seasons, never missing out on postseason basketball once in their careers. It was tough playoff sledding early on, however, with Utah failing to reach even a conference finals until Stockton was 30 and Malone was 28. I Reason for failure: Michael Jordan I Explanation: Of any NBA Finals challenger, the Jazz pushed Jordan’s Bulls closest to the brink. In 1997, after rumbling through the West playoffs with an 11-3 record, Utah had Chicago on the ropes. Consecutive Jazz wins knotted the series at two and, before a crucial Game 5, it was revealed that Jordan might miss the game with the flu. But he battled through. And his performance was legendary. In a narrow 90-88 win, Jordan had 38 points, including a crucial 3-pointer. Two nights later, he had 39 in the clincher. Then the next season, he rewrote the same script. Utah again pushed Chicago to six games, but Jordan’s greatness was too much. He capped his sixth and final title with a series-clinching jumper from the top of the key, which remains one of the NBA’s most iconic moments. Bad timing for Utah’s best years.

I Core: Shaquille O’Neal, Penny Hardaway, Horace Grant, Dennis Scott, Nick Anderson I Coach: Brian Hill I Deepest run: NBA Finals (1995) I Rise: Not all first overall selections are created equal. For Orlando, getting Shaq at the top of the 1992 draft was like hitting the lottery. In his first season, the Big Diesel averaged 23 points and 14 rebounds, becoming the first rookie to make the All-Star team since Michael Jordan in 1985. A 21-win team became a 41-win team. And, in another stroke of luck, Orlando got the first overall pick again, despite having the worst odds entering the lottery. Penny Hardaway arrived and an explosive young duo was born. Two seasons into their pairing, Orlando had already reached the Finals, taking down Jordan’s Bulls and Reggie Miller’s Pacers. Even though they were ousted by Hakeem’s Rockets that year and Jordan’s NBA-record 72-win Bulls the next postseason, a dynasty seemed on the horizon … until it wasn’t. I Reason for failure: Free agency I Explanation: After a power struggle with Hardaway in Orlando and some internal grumblings about coach Brian Hill, O’Neal decided to bolt for big city living after the 1996 season. Of his lack of privacy in Orlando, Shaq once wrote “I really felt like a big fish in a small, dried-up pond.” He took a seven-year, $121 million contract with the Lakers and never looked back. Orlando failed to make the playoffs the next season. Hill was fired. Hardaway struggled with injuries. A sure-fire dynasty flamed out overnight.

I Core: LeBron James, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Anderson Varejao, Mo Williams I Coach: Mike Brown I Deepest run: NBA Finals (2007) I Rise: The story almost felt scripted — a downtrodden Cleveland franchise winning the NBA lottery the year a once-in-a-generation talent was set to enter the league. And that soon-to-belegend happened to be from right down the road in Akron. When they drafted LeBron James, it had been a decade since the Cavs had been out of the first round. Two years later, he had already led them to a series win. The next season, they were in the NBA Finals. San Antonio beat the Cavs that year, but as Tim Duncan told LeBron after it was all over: “This is gonna be your league in a little while.” Eventually, Duncan proved prophetic. It just wouldn’t be in Cleveland. I Reasons for failure: Lack of surrounding talent, free agency I Explanation: Each of the three seasons after that surprising run to the Finals, LeBron and the Cavs had great regular seasons. Even won 66 games one year. But each time, they fell flat earlier than expected in the playoffs. The front office made some desperate moves, trading for over-thehill veterans who struggled in the season’s crucial moments. In 2010, after a stunning second-round loss to Boston, LeBron ripped off his jersey on the way off the court. Weeks later, he bolted for Miami, infamously announcing his move on a national TV special labeled “The Decision.” The Cavs hopes for a title were dashed. They won 19 games the next year.

How the Thunder became must-see TV JUST 3 TEAMS HAVE BEEN SCHEDULED FOR MORE NATIONAL TV APPEARANCES SINCE THE START OF THE 2009-10 SEASON

tar power and consistency have made the Oklahoma City Thunder one of the top draws on national TV. Despite playing in the third-smallest market in the league, ranking No. 44 by Nielsen — larger than only No. 50 Memphis and No. 51 New Orleans — the Thunder rank fourth for national TV appearances since the start of the 2009 seasons on ESPN, TNT and ABC. Only the Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls have made more, according to the survey, which includes the upcoming 2014-2015 national broadcast schedule but omits NBA TV because of its flex scheduling. Young stars like NBA MVP Kevin Durant and All-Star guard Russell Westbrook have helped the Thunder develop a national following. “They are an elite team both on the court and from a ratings draw perspective,” said Doug White, senior NBA programmer for ESPN. “Obviously the star power is a driver and extremely helpful, but beyond the star power there also has to be substance there. The Thunder has been very consistent in terms of their elite status in the West and in the league overall.”

Mel Bracht mbracht@ opubco.com

MEDIA

In its league-maximum 10 appearances on ESPN and TNT last season, the Thunder finished above network rating averages. The Thunder’s 1.3 average on ESPN (an average of 2 million viewers) ranked 18 percent over the network average of 1.1 (1.7 million viewers). On TNT, the Thunder also scored a 1.3, 8 percent higher than the network’s 1.2 average. This season, the Thunder is scheduled to make a league-maximum 10 appearances on ESPN and ABC and nine times — one short of the maximum — on TNT. Although the Lakers have slumped in recent years, they still rank as the NBA’s top draw from 2010-15 with 120 appearances. In the past four seasons, the Lakers own a .545 winning percentage compared to the Thunder’s .688. “The Lakers have a very strong national following and obviously they have one of the best players in the league in Kobe Bryant, who over the last 15 years or so has been one of the top draws

in the league,” White said. “The L.A. market is the second-largest market in the country and they have a very strong national following.” The Miami Heat ranks second in the five-year period, averaging 25 national appearances a year for the past four seasons, but its appeal has fallen with LeBron James’ return to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Heat is scheduled 15 times this season (9 on ESPN, 4 on TNT and 2 on ABC). Meanwhile, the Cavs will be on 25 times (10 on ESPN, 10 on TNT and 5 on ABC). The San Antonio Spurs, another small-market team (No. 33), ranks No. 7 with 77 appearances. The Spurs, the defending champions, are scheduled to appear 19 times this season (10 on ESPN, 7 on TNT and 2 on ABC). “They are also a very compelling team and have a national following,” White said. “I think the NBA is unique in that sense where smaller market teams can be elite teams in the league.” On the opposite end of the scale, the Charlotte Hornets and Toronto Raptors are scheduled for only four appearances from 2010-15. And for the Raptors, which made the playoffs last season, those four are all coming this season.

Thunder vision Oklahoma City ranks fourth in national TV appearances since 2010. 20 Lakers Heat Bulls Thunder Knicks Clippers Spurs Celtics Mavericks Warriors Trail Blazers Nuggets Rockets Suns Magic Nets Cavaliers Jazz Grizzlies Hawks Pacers Wizards Timberwolves 76ers Pelicans Pistons Bucks Kings Raptors Hornets

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ESPN TNT ABC

THE OKLAHOMAN’S STAFF THUNDER PICKS The Oklahoman’s writers make their picks for the 2014-15 NBA season. Darnell Mayberry

Anthony Slater

Jenni Carlson

Andre Roberson

Steven Adams

Blue

Thunder

NBA writer

Who starts at shooting guard? Who starts at center? Mitch McGary: More Thunder or Blue?

Sports editor

NewsOK sports producer

Erik Horne

Consensus

Andre Roberson

Steven Adams

Kendrick Perkins

Steven Adams

Thunder

Columnist

Berry Tramel

Mike Sherman

Columnist

Marquee home game?

Cleveland, Dec. 11

Houston, April 5

Houston, Nov. 16

Cleveland, Dec. 11.

Cleveland, Dec. 11

Marquee road game?

San Antonio, Dec. 25

Cleveland, Jan. 25

San Antonio, Dec. 25

Steven Adams

Defensive Player of the Year

Potentially both, but All-Star’s more likely

Defensive Player of the Year

Breakout player? Serge Ibaka: Defensive Player of the Year, All-Star or both?

JEREMY LAMB COULD TEAM WITH REGGIE JACKSON AS OKC’S DYNAMIC DUO OFF THE BENCH

PHOTO BY CHRIS LANDSBERGER, THE OKLAHOMAN

REGGIE JACKSON I Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 208 pounds I Experience: Fourth year I College: Boston College I Last season: 80 games, 36 starts, 28.5 minutes, 13.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, 4.1 assists. I Compelling question: Can he defend consistently? Jackson’s defense was abysmal at times last season. In too many games, Jackson allowed his man to go off, which made him the weak link far too often. But Jackson is much too athletic to get exposed on the defensive end the way he did last season. He’s talked about focusing more on defense. Will it lead to improved play or prove to be nothing more than cheap talk? I Niche: Providing scoring off the bench. Jackson is one of the league’s best sixth men thanks to his blend of size, strength, athleticism and versatility. He’s talented enough to change the complexion of games both early and late. But will he be content remaining in that role?

HE’S A GREAT FINISHER. CAN HE BECOME A BETTER DEFENDER?

I Opportunity: No player will benefit more from the early absence of Kevin Durant. Jackson will go from being the fourth option on most nights to the second option nearly every night. Without Durant, Russell Westbrook is the only other player who can consistently create offense for himself and others. For Jackson, that means more minutes, more touches and more shots. I Key number: 36 — Games started last year while filling in for Westbrook. Jackson wants to be a starter going forward but was more productive coming off the bench. He shot better from the field, 3-point line and free throw line as a reserve. I Quotable: “We don’t look at him as anything other than a core member. We want to invest in Reggie. Figuring out how best we do that is my job.” – Sam Presti on Jackson BY DARNELL MAYBERRY

I Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 185 pounds I Experience: Third year I College: UConn I Last season: 78 games, 19.7 minutes, 8.5 points, 2.4 rebounds I Compelling question: Can he maintain consistency in a crucial Year 3? Overall, Lamb was solid in the first half last season, averaging double-digit points on nice shooting splits until the All-Star break. But he tailed off and hasn’t been the same since. Can he recapture that early groove and keep it for good, cementing his spot in the rotation? I Niche: Versatile scorer off the bench. Lamb is known for his silky-looking shot, which is a clear strength. But when on, he can score in a ton of ways — on the drive, coming off screens, with a soft floater and in transition. Teaming up with Reggie Jackson in that second-unit, OKC is expecting quick bursts of points from Lamb. I Opportunity: Thabo Sefolosha and Caron Butler are gone. Sam Presti cleared the way, again, for Lamb to get a ton of earlyseason minutes. If he impresses, he’ll keep the job. If he struggles, there’s a chance Presti will again go fishing for a late-season veter-

PHOTO BY CHRIS LANDSBERGER, THE OKLAHOMAN

an replacement. I Key number: 45 — Lamb’s shooting percentage through the first 57 games last season, a solid number. He shot only 36 percent the rest of the way. I Quotable: “I’m definitely, definitely going to work on my defense,” — Jeremy Lamb heading into the offseason. BY ANTHONY SLATER

READY FOR PRIME-TIME PLAYERS? NEITHER HAS PLAYOFF EXPERIENCE, BUT MORROW AND TELFAIR’S HUNGER AND RESILIENCY BROUGHT THEM TO OKC

nthony Morrow and Sebastian Telfair are an unlikely pair. They’re linked, of course, because they were the Thunder’s free agency signing class this summer. But it goes beyond that. Even though their backstories and their anticipated roles might indicate otherwise, the team actually signed Morrow and Telfair for similar reasons. Their resiliency. Their humility. Their hunger. In what seems to be a break from bringing in veterans with championship rings, the Thunder added two free agents who’ve played in a combined total of zero playoff games. But yet, franchise brass believe that the existing core of players has played in so many playoff games that they can look for something else in free agents. What they believe they got in Morrow and Telfair is the character very much in line with the Thunder way. Fighters. Workers. Team players. “They’ve been through a lot of different situations in this league,” Thunder superstar Kevin Durant said. “They’re just great teammates to hang around and to be around.” No doubt Sam Presti and Co. hope that Morrow and Telfair can infuse this team with even more hunger and drive. Both have it in abundance. Morrow was a heck of a shooter at Georgia Tech.

Jenni Carlson

jcarlson@ opubco.com

COMMENTARY

He hit better than 42 percent of his shots from behind the 3-point line during his career. His best: a whopping 44.8 percent as a senior. But that summer, he went undrafted. Granted, that was a heck of a draft. Derrick Rose. Russell Westbrook. Kevin Love. Still, there are plenty of names toward the bottom of that draft that are forgotten today. Trent Plaisted. Shan Foster. Deron Washington. Morrow eventually signed as a free agent with the Warriors. No promises. No guarantees. He not only made the roster but also played in 67 games as a rookie, even started 17 of them. Making a roster wasn’t his only challenge. Morrow has been bounced around the league, traded to the Nets after two years with the Warriors, then traded to the Hawks after two years, then traded to the Mavericks midseason, then signed in the offseason by the Pelicans. While some of those squads have been playoff teams in recent times, none was when Morrow was with them. Moving around that much and always being

Anthony Morrow joined the Thunder as a free agent after spending last season with New Orleans, where he averaged 8.4 points per game and shot .451 from 3-point range. Kevin Durant says he’s been impressed with his new teammate’s toughness. PHOTO BY CHRIS LANDSBERGER, THE OKLAHOMAN

on a non-playoff team can be taxing. But Morrow never complained. When he landed with the Nets, for example, he told ESPN.com’s Ric Bucher of the joy and the relief that came with his threeyear, $12 million deal. “Just two years ago, I was broke,” said Morrow, whose mom was working three jobs. “We struggled. The bills had piled up and she had lost her house and we lived in a lot of different places.” His new teammates already see the tenacity in Morrow.

“He’s one of the toughest teammates I’ve had,” Durant said. “He’s just a tough, tough player.” This isn’t a team short on tough guys. It’s only a matter of time before Nick Collison becomes the spokesman for the blood bank, and Steven Adams, well, apparently there’s something about him that makes opponents want to clock him. There’s also something about him that makes him completely oblivious to their fists. Still, Morrow has his own battle scars from life

in the NBA. “I like what he’s been through in order to even make it to the NBA,” Scott Brooks said. The Thunder coach was talking about Morrow but could’ve just as easily been talking about Telfair. In 2004, Sports Illustrated put Telfair on its cover when he was just a high school senior in Brooklyn. The photo showed him seemingly jumping over the New York City skyline. “Watch Me Now,” the headline screamed. Telfair was a basketball

legend in a city that sets the bar high for hoops status. He was a phenom. He was a sure thing. A few weeks after that SI cover story, Telfair played in the McDonald’s All-American Game in, of all places, Oklahoma City. The game featured the likes of Dwight Howard, Rajon Rondo and LaMarcus Aldridge. But no one was a bigger deal than Telfair. “My life was great as far as I could see it,” he said. SEE CARLSON, PAGE 19S

ANTHONY MORROW HE’S NEVER BEEN AS OPEN AS HE COULD BE WHEN DURANT RETURNS I Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 210 pounds I Experience: Seventh year I College: Georgia Tech I Last season: 76 games, 18.8 minutes, 8.4 points, 1.8 rebounds I Compelling question: Will the extra space lead to a career year? Morrow has never been teammates with a playmaker as dangerous as Kevin Durant or a point guard as dynamic as Russell Westbrook. Defenses will be forced to collapse and contain two of the league’s most versatile scorers. That should leave the sharpshooting Morrow with more room than ever before. Can he capitalize? I Niche: Microwave scorer off the bench. On nights when the Thunder is struggling to score, Scott Brooks has a new potent tool to use in his second unit. Toss Morrow in the game, free him for some open looks and see if he can get

hot. There may be games where he’s a non-factor. But there should also be some where he drops 20-plus. I Opportunity: Last season, this team was in desperate need of a sniper. Kevin Martin was gone and Thabo Sefolosha’s shot disappeared. It hurt OKC in the playoffs. That’s why Morrow was targeted in the offseason. His role and opportunity is clear — shoot and shoot often. I Key number: 45.1 — Morrow’s 3-point percentage last season, good for fourth in the NBA and more than five percentage points better than anyone on the Thunder. I Quotable: “Everybody’s been telling me that the team needs me. I’m like, ‘I need them more than they need me.’” — Morrow on the Thunder

Telfair jumped from high school to the NBA, and even though he was drafted 13th overall by the Trail Blazers and started 26 games as a rookie, he never caught fire in Portland. Two years later, he was traded. It was the first of many moves. He went from Portland to Boston to Minnesota to Los Angeles to Cleveland to Minnesota again to Phoenix to Toronto. After being cut by the Raptors, Telfair played last season in China. Sure thing? Hardly. Telfair could’ve easily been eaten up by the hype that surrounded him as a youngster, but he fought through that. Fought through the disappointment of a decade in the NBA, too. He’s still playing in the league. He’s still drawing an

SEBASTIAN TELFAIR OPPORTUNITY INCREASES WITH DURANT OUT. CAN HE SEIZE IT?

BY ANTHONY SLATER

Carlson: Telfair bounced around the basketball world FROM PAGE 18S

PHOTO BY CHRIS LANDSBERGER, THE OKLAHOMAN

NBA paycheck. He hasn’t given up. “A lot of time has passed, and I’m still doing the same thing for a living,” Telfair said. He grinned. “Life ain’t always rosy, but I roll with it.” That undersells his tenacity and his resiliency, not to mention his passion for basketball. You don’t stomach the repeated ups and downs and keep coming back if you don’t love what you’re doing. There’s plenty of evidence that both Telfair and Morrow have that kind of passion for playing the game. What they lack in postseason playoff experience they make up for in hunger and humility. Who knows how much of an effect that could have on the Thunder? This unlikely pair could have an unexpected impact.

I Height/weight: 6-foot, 170 pounds I Experience: 10th year I College: N/A I Last season: N/A. I Compelling question: Can he use this season to revitalize his NBA career? Telfair played in China last season but is now back in the NBA for his 10th season after a one-year hiatus. It could be a seasonlong audition for Telfair to show that he still can be a productive NBA player. I Niche: He’s a scoring point guard who is crafty with the ball in his hands and has a knack for keeping defenses off balance with his passing. Though not what they once were, his speed and quickness are two of his best attributes. Telfair effectively uses those traits to get where he wants offensively while also staying in front of players on defense.

I Opportunity: Telfair will be the thirdstring point guard behind Russell Westbrook and Reggie Jackson. But with Kevin Durant out early, he’s likely to get more opportunities to play in the first two months of the season. With the Thunder planning to play Westbrook and Jackson together often, Telfair also could steal some minutes as more of a primary backup. I Key number: 0 — Playoff games Telfair has appeared in throughout his nine NBA seasons. I Quotable: “He just gives us a tangible that we like. He gives us an on-court quarterback on the floor. And those are areas that take time to get better at. It just doesn’t happen overnight.” — Scott Brooks on Telfair BY DARNELL MAYBERRY

ANDRE ROBERSON I Height/weight: 6-foot-7, 210 pounds I Experience: Second year I College: Colorado I Last season: 40 games, 16 starts, 10.0 minutes, 1.9 points, 2.4 rebounds I Compelling question: Can he provide enough offense to allow his defensive talent to flourish? Even in limited time, we’ve seen what type of impact he can have guarding some of the league’s better scorers. He bothered Kyle Korver and Kobe Bryant, among others, last season. But his iffy 3-point shot is under reconstruction. If it can at least become average, it’ll be tough to keep him off the court. But if it can’t, it’ll could become tough to keep him on it. I Niche: Lockdown perimeter defender, consistent energy guy. Roberson is different from Thabo Sefolosha – more athletic, better rebounder, worse shooter, less experience – but he’ll essen-

IF HE’S AN ELITE DEFENDER, WILL HIS OFFENSIVE LIMITATIONS MATTER?

tially be playing the same role. Lock in right from the tip, guard the opposing team’s best perimeter player, always come with energy, provide extra possessions and accept a lesser role when a bench player is hot on any particular night. I Opportunity: In one year’s time, Roberson has gone from an unknown late first-rounder who spent most of his rookie season in the DLeague to the likely starting shooting guard on a championship contender. He has loads of defensive potential and the opportunity is certainly there. I Key number: 11.3 — Rebounds per 48 minutes last season. Among rookies, he was the only guard in the top-10 in that number. I Quotable: “I’m just having him focus on defense. We want him to be a high-level defender in this league.” — Scott Brooks on Roberson

MITCH MCGARY

NICK COLLISON THE TEAM’S BEST ROLE PLAYER’S ROLE COULD BE SHRINKING

OKC ROOKIES RARELY MAKE THE ROTATION, BUT HE COULD BE AN EXCEPTION. I Height/weight: 6-foot-10, 255 pounds I Experience: First year I College: Michigan I Last season: N/A I Compelling question: Can he crack the rotation? McGary is projected to play behind Serge Ibaka and Nick Collison. He’ll also be competing for minutes with Steven Adams, Kendrick Perkins and Perry Jones. But McGary can do things offensively that no other Thunder big man can. Will that be enough to steal him minutes, or will he be stuck waiting his turn? I Niche: Call him a post playmaker. McGary has a knack for orchestrating offense from the high post. He is an excellent passer for a big man and likes to set up teammates when he’s not busy setting screens, rebounding or scoring himself. I Opportunity: A preseason foot injury will keep McGary sidelined for the season’s first few weeks. When he returns, he could find minutes tough to come by thanks to the Thunder’s crowded frontcourt. Barring injuries, McGary might even spend some time with the Oklahoma City Blue, the Thunder-owned NBA D-League team. I Key number: 14.35 — Average number of minutes Thunder draft picks have played in their rookie seasons over the past five years. I Quotable: “He’s very confident in him-

PHOTO BY CHRIS LANDSBERGER, THE OKLAHOMAN

BY ANTHONY SLATER

PHOTO BY CHRIS LANDSBERGER, THE OKLAHOMAN

self. That’s something you need to be successful in this league. You need confidence. And that’s something I’ve seen since he’s been here.” — Perry Jones on McGary BY DARNELL MAYBERRY

I Height: 6-foot-10 I Weight: 255 pounds I Experience: Eleventh year I College: Kansas I Last season: 81 games, 16.7 minutes, 4.2 points, 3.6 rebounds I Compelling question: Will his role diminish? Hard to believe, but Collison is now the oldest player on this Thunder roster. His minutes have gone down three straight seasons. And with Mitch McGary and Perry Jones pushing for more time, that downward trend is likely to continue. I Niche: The glue guy, like it’s always been. When on the floor, he’ll get rebounds, set solid picks, drop in a few layups and gather a few loose balls. Scott Brooks knows what he has in the 11-year pro. He may not use him as much as he once did, but at crucial times, you know Brooks will have no problem calling Collison’s number. I Opportunity: As Collison’s career hits the latter stages, it’s all about getting that elusive title. His role in that chase will likely be a fluctuating one. There will be games where the vet plays a key role — like he did in the closeout of the Clippers last May — but others where Collison may not even see the floor. I Key number: 6 — Three-pointers made by Nick Collison last season. He’d only made two in his previous nine seasons. I Quotable: “Everyone, always, you think about the future. But one thing I’ve learned over the years, you can’t really ask yourself

PHOTO BY CHRIS LANDSBERGER, THE OKLAHOMAN

an unanswerable question.” — Collison on his NBA future BY ANTHONY SLATER

STEVEN ADAMS BIGGER OBSTACLE TO A STARTING BERTH — PERK OR FOUL TROUBLE? I Height/weight: 7-foot, 255 pounds I Experience: Second year. I College: Pittsburgh I Last season: 81 games, 20 starts, 14.8 minutes, 3.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, 0.7 blocks. I Compelling question: Can he average double figures as a scorer? If he does, Adams will become the first Thunder center ever to do so. Adams spent the preseason displaying an improved jump hook from both the left and right low blocks and a feathery soft touch around the basket. I Niche: As a rookie, Adams was nothing more than a hustle player. But he’s quickly proving that his mobility might make him more of a skilled player. Expect him to have an increased role in the offense on pick and rolls with Russell Westbrook but also continue to do the dirty work such as rebounding, blocking shots and diving for loose balls. I Opportunity: Adams has earned the starting center job. His impact has been undeniable, and there is no reason he shouldn’t start. Bringing him off the

PHOTO BY CHRIS LANDSBERGER, THE OKLAHOMAN

KENDRICK PERKINS LOOK OUT: HE’S BEEN WATCHING YOUTUBE VIDEO OF HIS BOSTON DAYS

PHOTO BY CHRIS LANDSBERGER, THE OKLAHOMAN

bench another year will only stunt his growth and the growth of the team. Adams’ presence in the first string makes the entire offense flow better. I Key number: 6.1 — Fouls per 36 minutes last year. It’s an issue that could keep Adams from logging starter’s minutes this season.

GRANT JERRETT I Height/weight: 6-foot-10, 232 pounds I Experience: Second year I College: Arizona I Last season: No stats I Compelling question: Will he even see the court? Jerrett is the definition of a project. Drafted two years ago, he played in the D-League all last year, then signed a long-term minimum deal this offseason. They like his potential. But he’s out until around December with an ankle injury and then the clear 14th man on a loaded roster. It’s all about the future with him. I Niche: Stretch four in the long-term. Despite being 6-foot-10, he’s not a bruiser, not a great rebounder and not a proven

I Quotable: “For whatever reason, he gets under your skin a little bit. He’s always in something, in the mix, causing technical fouls. So he’s got a high IQ. Guys like that usually have a high IQ.” — New Orleans Pelicans coach Monty Williams on Adams. BY DARNELL MAYBERRY

SOMEDAY OKC COULD FIND OUT HOW WELL HE CAN SHOOT interior defender. But he shoots the lights out. And when you’re that tall and contain that skill, scouts are intrigued. OKC believes he can eventually become a big man who can spread the floor around its stars. I Opportunity: Not much this season. Barring a ton of interior injuries, playing time doesn’t seem likely for the 21-year-old. Maybe some mop-up minutes, at best. I Key number: 0 — NBA minutes played by Jerrett I Quotable: “He's got a real sense of awareness on the floor, a great savvy offensively for a young player.” — Sam Presti on Jerrett BY ANTHONY SLATER

I Height/weight: 6-foot-10, 270 pounds I Experience: 12th year I College: N/A. I Last season: 62 games, 62 starts, 19.5 minutes, 3.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.1 assists. I Compelling question: How much does he have left? Injuries and Father Time have done a number on Perkins' body. He's not nearly as agile as he once was — go check out YouTube clips from his Boston days — and that has resulted in a steady decline in his on-court production. He’s said that his goal is to revert to how he played with the Celtics. But you have to wonder if that’s even physically possible at this point. I Niche: Defense and leadership. With his low-post defense, Perkins has the ability to still keep opposing centers from dominating the interior. On his best nights he can make life miserable for the opponent. And as the lone player on the roster with championship experience, his voice still carries weight in the locker room.

I Opportunity: Since averaging 26.8 minutes in 2011-12, Perkins’ minutes have steadily dipped. He averaged 25.1 minutes two seasons ago and 19.5 minutes last season. Expect that trend to continue for a third straight year. We’d be surprised if Perkins averages more than 18 minutes this season, with most of them coming in a specialist role or because of foul trouble and injuries. I Key number: 4 — Games with at least 10 rebounds in the regular season. Perkins had one more double-digit rebounding game in the postseason. I Quotable: “It’s my first time ever going to be approaching a time when I’m going to be an unrestricted free agent. So (I’ve) definitely got to come back in better shape and try to get back to the basketball that I played in Boston. So that’s my goal.” — Kendrick Perkins BY DARNELL MAYBERRY

PROJECTED WESTERN CONFERENCE PLAYOFF TEAMS 1. LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS

4. MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES

I Last year: 57-25. I Key losses: Darren Collison, Jared Dudley, Danny Granger. I Key additions: Spencer Hawes, Ekpe Udoh, Jordan Farmar. I Notable: The Donald Sterling era is over. New owner Steve Ballmer is now running the show.

I Last year: 50-32. I Key losses: Mike Miller, Ed Davis, James Johnson. I Key additions: Vince Carter, Jordan Adams, Jarnell Stokes. I Notable: It could be now or never for Memphis to make a championship run. Center Marc Gasol is in the last year of his contract.

2. SAN ANTONIO SPURS I Last year: 62-20. I Key losses: None. I Key additions: Kyle Anderson. I Notable: Spurs coach Gregg Popovich isn’t done yet. He agreed to a multiyear extension over the summer.

3. OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER

PHOTO BY CHRIS LANDSBERGER, THE OKLAHOMAN

I Last year: 59-23. I Key losses: Derek Fisher, Thabo Sefolosha, Caron Butler. I Key additions: Mitch McGary, Anthony Morrow, Sebastian Telfair. I Notable: Kevin Durant is expected to miss at least 15 games to start the season while recovering from foot surgery.

5. PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS I Last year: 54-28. I Key losses: Mo Williams. I Key additions: Steve Blake, Chris Kaman. I Notable: Last year, the Blazers saw a 21-game improvement in coach Terry Stotts’ second season with the team.

6. DALLAS MAVERICKS I Last year: 49-33. I Key losses: Vince Carter, Shawn Marion, DeJuan Blair, Samuel Dalembert. I Key additions: Chandler Parsons, Jameer Nelson, Richard Jefferson,

Al-Farouq Aminu. I Notable: Dirk Nowitzki signed a three-year contract extension this summer that could keep him with Dallas until he’s 38.

7. GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS I Last year: 51-31. I Key losses: Steve Blake, Hilton Armstrong. I Key additions: Shaun Livingston, Brandon Rush, Leandro Barbosa. I Notable: Steve Kerr assumed the coaching responsibilities this summer after a three-year run by Mark Jackson.

8. HOUSTON ROCKETS I Last year: 54-28. I Key losses: Chandler Parsons, Jeremy Lin, Omer Asik. I Key additions: Trevor Ariza, Jason Terry, Joey Dorsey, Jeff Adrien. I Notable: James Harden has averaged 9.7 free throw attempts over the past two seasons, more than any other play over that span. Dwight Howard is third at 9.2. BY DARNELL MAYBERRY

PERRY JONES IS IT NOW OR NEVER? I Height/weight: 6-foot-11, 235 pounds I Experience: Third year I College: Baylor I Last season: 62 games, 7 starts, 12.3 minutes, 3.5 points, 1.8 rebounds, 0.4 assists. I Compelling question: Is he ready for a bigger role? Like many of his teammates, Jones will receive a boost in playing time thanks to Durant’s unfortunate injury. But with the exception of a few encouraging performances last season, Jones has done little to prove he’s worthy of a larger role. Will anything change this season? I Niche: Consider him a glue guy, a role player who has the ability to help the group flourish. Jones isn’t great at anything but uses his elite athleticism to do a little of everything. He can rebound, pass, defend and shoot. But he’s not the player you ask to carry your team doing those things. I Opportunity: Jones might get the nod as Durant’s temporary replacement in the starting lineup. Even if he’s a more situational starter rather than the full-time starter, Jones should get more consistent playing time. The best part for Jones is the coaching staff isn’t looking for much out of him. He’s expected to use his length and athleticism to defend, take open shots when available and run the floor hard to be a threat in transition. I Key number: 22 — Made 3-pointers last season. Jones was 22-for-61 from that distance a year ago. He was 0for-2 on 3-point attempts in his rookie season. BY DARNELL MAYBERRY

2013-14 THUNDER STATISTICS REGULAR SEASON Player Kevin Durant ........................ Serge Ibaka .......................... Reggie Jackson ................... Thabo Sefolosha................. Jeremy Lamb....................... Derek Fisher......................... Russell Westbrook ............. Nick Collison......................... Kendrick Perkins.................. Steven Adams..................... Perry Jones .......................... Caron Butler......................... Andre Roberson.................. Hasheem Thabeet.............. Ryan Gomes ........................ Reggie Williams .................. Mustafa Shakur .................. Royal Ivey ............................. Totals .................................... Opponents...........................

Min 3,122 2,666 2,277 1,584 1,538 1,428 1,412 1,353 1,207 1,197 764 598 399 192 34 17 11 5 19,805 19,805

FGM-A 849-1,688 524-978 403-916 141-340 263-609 141-361 346-791 134-241 87-194 93-185 83-181 76-186 33-68 13-23 3-8 5-9 0-3 0-2 3,194-6,782 2,984-6,842

FG% 50.3 53.6 44.0 41.5 43.2 39.1 43.7 55.6 44.8 50.3 45.9 40.9 48.5 56.5 37.5 55.6 00.0 00.0 47.1 43.6

3PM-A 192-491 23-60 83-245 48-152 88-247 88-229 68-214 4-17 0-2 0-0 22-61 45-102 2-13 0-0 0-2 1-3 0-1 0-1 664-1,839 705-1,968

3P% 39.1 38.3 33.9 31.6 35.6 38.4 31.8 23.5 00.0 00.0 36.1 44.1 15.4 00.0 00.0 33.3 00.0 00.0 36.1 35.8

FTM-A 703-805 156-199 158-177 53-69 51-64 55-71 242-293 66-93 37-67 79-136 28-42 16-19 7-10 1-5 0-0 0-0 1-2 0-0 1,653-2052 1,512-2080

FGM-A 194-422 87-147 75-161 23-55 17-42 23-73 167-398 12-29 24-45 31-45 7-18 35-108 0-3 0-0 695-1546 735-1664

FG% 46.0 59.2 46.6 41.8 40.5 31.5 42.0 41.4 53.3 68.9 38.9 32.4 00.0 00.0 45.0 44.2

3PM-A 43-125 5-13 21-53 6-23 2-14 12-41 28-100 2-5 0-0 0-0 3-10 21-59 0-0 0-0 143-443 144-412

3P% 34.4 38.5 39.6 26.1 14.3 29.3 28.0 40.0 00.0 00.0 30.0 35.6 00.0 00.0 32.3 35.0

FTM-A 132-163 26-34 39-44 4-5 4-4 15-15 145-164 7-10 12-15 8-23 0-0 22-28 0-0 0-0 414-505 353-470

FT% Reb 87.3 598 78.4 709 89.3 313 76.8 220 79.7 189 77.5 122 82.6 263 71.0 293 55.2 305 58.1 332 66.7 114 84.2 71 70.0 94 20.0 40 00.0 4 00.0 0 50.0 0 00.0 1 80.6 3668 72.7 3356

Ast Stl Blk TO Pts PPG 445 103 59 285 2,593 32.0 85 39 219 123 1,227 15.1 331 85 9 168 1,047 13.1 94 79 17 55 383 6.3 115 56 26 61 665 8.5 117 70 3 49 425 5.2 319 88 7 177 1,002 21.8 104 30 28 71 338 4.2 67 26 32 90 211 3.4 43 40 57 71 265 3.3 26 14 19 21 216 3.5 26 24 6 8 213 9.7 15 19 10 19 75 1.9 1 4 9 14 27 1.2 1 0 0 1 6 1.2 1 1 0 2 11 3.7 4 0 0 2 1 0.3 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 1794 678 501 1256 8705 106.2 1785 669 296 1248 8185 99.8

PLAYOFFS Player Kevin Durant ................................ Serge Ibaka................................... Reggie Jackson............................ Thabo Sefolosha ......................... Jeremy Lamb ............................... Derek Fisher ................................. Russell Westbrook...................... Nick Collison ................................. Kendrick Perkins .......................... Steven Adams ............................. Perry Jones................................... Caron Butler ................................. Andre Roberson .......................... Hasheem Thabeet ...................... Totals............................................. Opponents ...................................

Min 814 581 530 235 100 299 735 183 383 331 55 418 8 7 937 937

FT% .81.0 76.5 88.6 80.0 100.0 100.0 88.4 70.0 80.0 34.8 00.0 78.6 00.0 00.0 82.0 75.1

Reb 170 116 72 31 16 33 138 38 102 74 9 58 2 0 859 796

Ast 75 12 46 10 7 16 153 13 14 4 1 15 0 0 366 433

Stl 19 11 5 10 7 13 41 4 4 1 0 5 0 0 120 161

Blk 19 11 5 10 7 13 41 4 4 1 0 5 0 0 120 59

TO 72 20 38 7 3 6 83 6 25 10 1 11 0 0 287 219

Pts 563 205 210 56 40 73 507 33 60 70 17 113 0 0 1947 1967

PPG 29.6 12.1 11.1 3.7 3.6 3.8 26.7 1.9 3.2 3.9 1.5 6.3 0.0 0.0 102.5 103.5

THE OKLAHOMAN’S STAFF NBA PICKS The Oklahoman’s writers make their picks for the 2014-15 NBA season. Darnell Mayberry

Anthony Slater

Jenni Carlson

Berry Tramel

Mike Sherman Sports editor

NewsOK sports producer

Erik Horne

Consensus

Chris Paul., Clippers

LeBron James, Cavs

LeBron James

NBA writer

MVP Leading scorer

Columnist

James Harden, Rockets

Kevin Durant, Thunder

James Harden, Rockets

Carmelo Anthony, Knicks

Rookie of the year

Jabari Parker, Bucks

Nerlens Noel, Philadelphia

Jabari Parker

Coach of the year

Doc Rivers, Clippers

Stan Van Gundy, Pistons

Monty Williams, Pelicans

Stan Van Gundy, Pistons

Tom Thibodeau, Bulls

No consensus

Serge Ibaka, Thunder

Joakim Noah, Bulls

Serge Ibaka

Defensive player of the year Sixth man of the year

Carmelo Anthony, Knicks Carmelo Anthony

Reggie Jackson, Thunder

Jamal Crawford, Clippers

Isaiah Thomas, Suns

Taj Gibson, Bulls

Reggie Jackson, Thunder

No consensus

Team on the rise

Wizards

Pelicans

Mavericks

Timberwolves

Pelicans

Pistons

No consensus

Team on the decline

Rockets

Nets

Rockets

Pacers

Rockets

David Blatt, Cavaliers

Randy Wittman, Wizards

Scott Brooks, Thunder

Terry Stotts, Trail Blazers

Kevin McHale, Rockets

Erik Spoelstra, Heat

No consensus

Coach on the hot seat West champ

Thunder

Spurs

Thunder

East champ

Bulls

Cavaliers

Bulls

Cavaliers

Bulls

Cavaliers

No consensus

NBA champ

Thunder

Cavaliers

Thunder

Cavaliers

Thunder

Spurs

Thunder

PROJECTED EASTERN CONFERENCE PLAYOFF TEAMS 1. CLEVELAND CAVALIERS I Last year: 33-49. I Key losses: Luol Deng, Spencer Hawes, C.J. Miles, Jarrett Jack, Anthony Bennett. I Key additions: LeBron James, Kevin Love, Mike Miller, Shawn Marion. I Notable: First-year Cavs coach David Blatt has spent his entire career coaching overseas.

2. CHICAGO BULLS I Last year: 48-34. I Key losses: Carlos Boozer, Anthony Randolph, D.J. Augustin. I Key additions: Pau Gasol, Aaron Brooks, Doug McDermott, Nikola Mirotic. I Notable: Derrick Rose has played in just 10 games the past two seasons and only 49 games the past three seasons.

3. TORONTO RAPTORS I Last year: 48-34. I Key losses: John Salmons, Steve Novak, Nando de Colo. I Key additions: Greg Stiemsma, Jordan Hamilton, Bruno Caboclo. I Notable: Dwane Casey is 52 wins from surpassing Sam Mitchell as the Raptors’ alltime winningest coach.

4. WASHINGTON WIZARDS I Last year: 44-38. I Key losses: Trevor Ariza, Trevor Booker, Al Harrington. I Key additions: Paul Pierce, DeJuan Blair, Kris Humphries. I Notable: Shooting guard Bradley Beal is expected to miss the first four to six weeks of the regular season with a broken wrist.

5. MIAMI HEAT I Last year: 54-28. I Key losses: LeBron James, Shane Battier, Rashard Lewis. I Key additions: Luol Deng, Josh McRoberts, Danny Granger, Shabazz Napier. I Notable: Forward Chris Bosh turned down an offer from Houston and opted to remain in Miami, signing a five-year, $118 million contract extension.

6. CHARLOTTE HORNETS I Last year: 43-39. I Key losses: Josh McRoberts, Anthony Tolliver, Brendan Haywood, Luke Ridnour. I Key additions: Lance Stephenson, Marvin Wil-

liams, Jason Maxiell, Noah Vonleh. I Notable: Charlotte has returned to its original Hornets nickname after 10 years of being the Bobcats.

7. ATLANTA HAWKS I Last year: 38-44. I Key losses: Louis Williams, Gustavo Ayon, Cartier Martin. I Key additions: Thabo Sefolosha, Kent Bazemore, Adreian Payne. I Notable: The Hawks were one of three Eastern Conference playoffs teams with a negative scoring differential last season. Charlotte and Brooklyn were the other two.

8. NEW YORK KNICKS I Last year: 37-45. I Key losses: Tyson Chandler, Raymond Felton, Toure’ Murry. I Key additions: Jose Calderon, Samuel Dalembert, Travis Outlaw, Cleanthony Early. I Notable: First-year coach Derek Fisher takes over a Knicks franchise that has had a winning record only three times in the past 13 seasons. BY DARNELL MAYBERRY

THUNDER TEAM SALARIES Player 2014-15 Kevin Durant .................... $19,997,513 Russell Westbrook.......... 15,719,062 Serge Ibaka....................... 12,250,000 Kendrick Perkins .............. 9,154,342 Anthony Morrow ............ 3,200,000 Reggie Jackson................ 2,325,680 Nick Collison ..................... 2,242,003 Jeremy Lamb ................... 2,202,000 Steven Adams ................. 2,184,960 Mitch McGary .................. 1,400,040 Sebastian Telfair.............. 1,316,809 Andre Roberson .............. 1,210,800 Perry Jones....................... 1,129,200 Lance Thomas ................. y-948,163 816,482 Grant Jerrett .................... Josh Huestis..................... y-507,336 Michael Jenkins ............... Richard Solomon............. Talib Zanna ....................... Totals................................. $75,148,891 y-Team option. z-Qualifying offer

2015-16 $21,221,850 16,744,218 12,250,000 0 3,344,000 z-3,400,144 0 y-3,034,356 y-2,279,040 1,463,040 0 y-2,183,072 y-2,038,206 0 y-947,276 0 0 0 0 $55,023,108

2016-17 $0 17,769,374 12,250,000 0 y-3,488,000 0 0 z-4,175,273 y-3,140,517 y-1,526,040 0 y-3,222,215 z-3,036,926 0 0 0 0 0 0 $30,019,374

2017-18 $0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 z-4,321,352 y-2,430,981 0 z-2,148,142 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 $0

2018-19 $0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 z-3,503,044 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 $0