The 2013–14Oklahoma City Thunder season is the 6th season of the franchise in Oklahoma City and the 48th in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Despite Russell Westbrook missing 36 games during the season, The Thunder managed to finish the season with 59 wins and 23 losses, earning them the second seed in the Western Conference.
In the playoffs, the Thunder faced the Memphis Grizzlies, the team that defeated them in five games in last season's Semi-finals, in the First Round and won in seven games, then defeated the Los Angeles Clippers in six games in the Semi-finals, before losing to the eventual NBA champion San Antonio Spurs in six games in the conference finals.
Previous season
The Thunder finished the 2012–13 season 60–22 to finish in first place in the Northwest Division, first in the Western Conference and qualified for the playoffs. Last season featured Russell Westbrook tearing his lateral meniscus following a collision with Patrick Beverley in game two against the Houston Rockets in the first round. The Thunder ended up defeating the Rockets in six before falling to the Memphis Grizzlies in the second round in five games.[1]
The Thunder had two first-round picks and one second-round pick entering the draft.[2] The Thunder owned one first-round pick entering the 2013 NBA draft lottery. The pick originated from the Toronto Raptors before being traded to the Houston Rockets in the Kyle Lowry trade. The Rockets then traded the pick to the Thunder in the James Harden trade back in 2012.[3][4] The Thunder ended the night with the twelfth overall pick with only a 2.5% chance into moving into the top three. The Thunder also acquired a second-round pick from the Harden trade that ended up as the thirty-second pick, via the Bobcats.[5] The Thunder traded their 2013 second-round pick in the Robert Vaden trade back in 2011.[6]
On draft night, the Thunder traded the draft rights to Archie Goodwin, the twenty-ninth pick, and cash considerations to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for the draft rights to Andre Roberson, the twenty-sixth pick. The Thunder also traded for the draft rights to Grant Jerrett, the fortieth pick, from the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for cash considerations.[7]
On July 11, the Thunder signed-and-traded Kevin Martin and cash considerations to the Minnesota Timberwolves in a three-team trade, for the draft rights to Szymon Szewczyk from Milwaukee.[10] The Thunder also generated a trade exception worth $7 million.[11]
For this offseason, free agency began on July 1, 2013, while the July moratorium ended on July 10. Ronnie Brewer, Derek Fisher and Kevin Martin were set to hit unrestricted free agency. On July 2, it was reported that Kevin Martin agreed to a four-year, $28 million deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves, which he later signed on July 11.[12] The Thunder negotiated a sign-and-trade to generate a trade exception.[13] On July 24, Derek Fisher agreed to a new contract to stay with the Thunder. Sam Presti called Fisher "a valuable member of our team and we are excited to have him back. He has such a positive impact on his teammates and the organization.”[14] On August 28, Ronnie Brewer signed a deal with the Houston Rockets.[15]
On August 7, Ryan Gomes signed a deal with the Thunder. Gomes spent seven season in the NBA before playing internationally with the Artland Dragons in the ProA league.[16]
Front office and coaching changes
On May 15, Thunder assistant Maurice Cheeks was hired as the head coach of the Detroit Pistons. Cheeks served as an assistant coach for the Thunder for four seasons. Cheeks helped guide the Thunder to four playoff appearances, a finals appearance and an overall 212-100 (.707) record.[17]
On July 31, the Thunder announced Robert Pack and Mike Terpstra as assistant coaches. Pack joins the Thunder after serving three seasons as the assistant coach of the Los Angeles Clippers. Terpstra joins the Thunder after twenty years of experience in different capacities at the college, junior college and high school levels, with additional experience in the NBA Development League and the CBA.[18]
6 vs Clippers on November 13, 2013 6 vs Rockets on January 16, 2014 6 vs Heat on January 29, 2014 6 vs Nuggets on March 24, 2014 6 vs Pistons on April 16, 2014
^Durant guided the Thunder to three victories in as many games. He ranked second in the conference in scoring (27.0 ppg), fifth in rebounding (12.0 rpg) and 11th in assists (7.0 apg).
^Durant guided the Thunder to an 11-3 record to start the season, including an 8-0 mark at Chesapeake Energy Arena, the best home start in the team’s Oklahoma City era. Durant paced the NBA in scoring (28.3 ppg) on the back of six 30-plus-point performances, including a season-high 42 points in a 101-98 win over the Utah Jazz on Oct. 30. Additionally, he recorded six double-doubles during October and November.
^Durant led the Thunder to a 3-0 week behind a league-best 32.0 points on .574 shooting from the field, 10.7 rebounds (10th in the conference) and 5.7 assists.
^Durant guided the Thunder to a 14-3 (.824) record including an 8-1 road mark, both NBA bests. Durant ranked second in the league in scoring at 29.4 ppg to go along with 9.0 rpg and 4.5 apg. He shot .535 from the field including .481 from beyond the arc, and .880 from the free throw line. Durant netted 20-plus points 15 times, including 10 games with at least 30 points. Durant began the month with a triple-double, recording 32 points, a career-high 12 assists and 10 rebounds in a 113-103 win over Minnesota Dec. 1.
^Durant led the Thunder to a 3-1 week, which included wins over Houston Rockets, Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings. He averaged a league-best 39.3 points, and added 6.5 assists and 4.8 rebounds. He tallied a career-high 54 points on 19-of-28 shooting from the field on Jan. 17, during the Thunder’s 127-121 win over the Warriors. Durant, who leads the NBA in scoring at 30.6 ppg, has tallied 30-plus points in seven consecutive contests.
^Durant has helped guide the Thunder to a Western Conference leading 33-10 record this season while averaging a career-best 31.0 points (1st in the NBA) to go along with 7.7 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.51 steals in 37.8 minutes per game. In the last 11 games, Durant is averaging 38.1 points per game while shooting 52.0% from the field.
^Durant led Oklahoma City to three wins during a 4-0 week, having missed the 101-83 win over the Celtics on Jan. 24 (shoulder). He averaged a league-leading 38.0 ppg and added 8.7 rebounds and 6.3 assists. Durant collected a triple-double with 32 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists during a 103-91 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Jan. 25.
^Durant, who captured his third consecutive Kia NBA Western Conference Player of the Month award, led the NBA in scoring (35.9 ppg), ranked fifth in the conference in minutes (38.3 mpg), tied for eighth in the conference in steals (1.63 spg) and 10th in the conference in field goal percentage (.549) as he helped the Thunder to a 13-4 (.765) record in January. Durant appeared in 16 of Oklahoma City’s 17 games, and scored 20 or more points each time, 30 or more points 13 times, 40 or more points five times, and 50-plus one time – on Jan. 17, when he set a career high with 54 during a 127-121 win over the Golden State Warriors.
^Durant led the Thunder to a 3-1 week, which included wins over Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves and New York Knicks. He averaged 31.8 points (second in the conference), 9.0 assists (second in the conference) and 8.0 rebounds. Durant posted two-double-doubles, including a 41-point, 10-rebound effort in which he added nine assists on Feb. 9, as the Thunder beat the Knicks 112-100, at Chesapeake Energy Arena.
^Durant led the Thunder to a 3-0 week, tallying 35 points or more in all three contests. He averaged a league-best 40.3 ppg and added 11.7 rebounds (fourth in the conference) and 6.0 assists (tied-10th in the conference). Durant closed the week with a 51-point, 12-rebound, seven-assist effort on March 21, as the Thunder topped the Toronto Raptors 119-118 in double overtime.
^Durant led the NBA in scoring (34.5 ppg) and added 6.7 rebounds and 5.9 assists as the Thunder went 10-4. He became the first player to average at least 33.0 points in three consecutive months since Michael Jordan during the 1989-90 season. Durant has scored at least 25 points in 38 straight games, two shy of the modern record 40 set by Jordan in 1989-90. He scored 30 or more points nine times in March, topped the 40-point mark on four occasions and hit for 51 points to go with 12 rebounds and seven assists in a 119-118 double overtime win over the Toronto Raptors on March 21. Durant has earned Player of the Month honors four times in five months this season.
^Durant earned the honor after leading the Thunder to a fourth consecutive Northwest Division title and the second best record in the NBA (59-23). Durant totaled 1,232 points, including 119 first-place votes, from a panel of 124 voters.
^Adams appeared in 81 games (20 starts) for Oklahoma City and averaged 3.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and .70 blocks in 14.8 minutes.
^Ibaka appeared in 81 games for Oklahoma City this past season as the Thunder held the opposition to the third lowest field goal percentage in the NBA (.436).
^Durant, who earlier this year was named the 2013-14 Kia NBA Most Valuable Player, was named to the All-NBA First Team for a fifth consecutive season. The seventh-year forward was the lone unanimous selection, garnering all 125 First Team votes.
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