Oklahoma City Thunder

NBA early-season surprises: Victor Wembanyama’s start, Klay Thompson’s fit and more

NBA early-season surprises: Victor Wembanyama’s start, Klay Thompson’s fit and more

The 2024-25 NBA season is less than two weeks old, but some noteworthy trends are starting to emerge across the league, including some we perhaps weren’t expecting. What has been each team’s biggest surprise so far, good, bad or ugly? The Athletic posed that question to its NBA staff. Here’s what they said. Atlantic Division […]

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NBA Power Rankings: Celtics and Thunder at the top, plus a big question for all 30 teams

NBA Power Rankings: Celtics and Thunder at the top, plus a big question for all 30 teams

For the first time in the 2024-25 season, we bring you NBA Power Rankings here at The Athletic. You may remember me from such films as the 213 LA Clippers era, the Epitome Game Series, Justin Bieber’s teammate, The Reliability Tiers and Positionless is a Scam. This year, I’ll be your Power Rankings caretaker. Week 1

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Wemby, young Spurs step into professor Chris Paul’s classroom

Wemby, young Spurs step into professor Chris Paul’s classroom

Cam Johnson will never forget the time he saw Chris Paul read someone’s mind. Telepathy transpired a couple of months into Johnson’s third NBA season, years after Paul had recovered from a supposed downswing to regain first-class status in the point-guard hierarchy. His Phoenix Suns were mired in a close game, down six to the

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Anthony Davis, Zion Williamson and 9 other NBA players ready for big years

Anthony Davis, Zion Williamson and 9 other NBA players ready for big years

Let me apologize in advance for cheating a bit. We use the term “breakout” like it’s just spontaneous combustion, but that’s rarely how it happens. Like most reactions, usually they require a catalyst. Thus, the inherent issue about calling a “breakout” in advance is that often the term isn’t quite what we’re describing. Instead, the

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MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Cavs’ rare heights and more fearless NBA season predictions

MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Cavs’ rare heights and more fearless NBA season predictions

As we prepare for a new NBA season, let’s fast forward for a second to Christmas, because there’s a fascinating story here involving the league’s schedule. You see, Christmas games are perhaps the league’s marquee in-season event (although the NFL is trying to cut in on the NBA’s  business). Essentially, the NBA takes its 10

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NBA parity debate: Are dynasties and super teams good or bad for the league?

NBA parity debate: Are dynasties and super teams good or bad for the league?

Part V of a five-part series ahead of the 2024-25 NBA season, chronicling how the league reached this era of parity and the key questions that remain.• Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV Going back to the days of George Mikan’s Minneapolis Lakers and continuing through to Stephen Curry’s Golden

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How much parity is there in the NBA? Will it stick? The how and why of the current era

How much parity is there in the NBA? Will it stick? The how and why of the current era

• Part II of a five-part series ahead of the 2024-25 NBA season, chronicling how the league reached this era of parity and the key questions that remain. Part I | Welcome to our new era of NBA parity, where one team in each conference is favored by Vegas to lap the field by several games.

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2025 NBA mock draft: Cooper Flagg leads strong group of prospects. But is it a ‘superclass’?

2025 NBA mock draft: Cooper Flagg leads strong group of prospects. But is it a ‘superclass’?

The 2025 NBA Draft cycle is officially here. International teams have tipped off their regular seasons, and college teams have started preseason practices. NBA scouts and executives are out and about, seeing teams practice and traveling worldwide to find players. Much has been written about excitement regarding the 2025 draft. It does look drastically better

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Bold predictions for each NBA team in 2024-25: Jalen Brunson MVP? All-NBA Zion Williamson?

Bold predictions for each NBA team in 2024-25: Jalen Brunson MVP? All-NBA Zion Williamson?

The New York Knicks have a new star in the Big Apple after trading for four-time All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns. But don’t be surprised if their steady hand in the backcourt — point guard Jalen Brunson — leads the race for the NBA’s top individual honor. That’s just one of The Athletic NBA staff’s bold predictions

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Why the Suns, Thunder, Pistons(!) and others will exceed expectations this NBA season

Why the Suns, Thunder, Pistons(!) and others will exceed expectations this NBA season

Let’s start with some good news: I can only improve from here … right? Last year I did this exercise of picking five teams that would exceed expectations and, well, let’s just say my picks did not exceed expectations. The Memphis Grizzlies, Charlotte Hornets, Toronto Raptors and Brooklyn Nets had four of the NBA’s seven

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