Awesome mix of feature reporting and game reporting in @jxlorenzi.bsky.social's piece on Jared McCain (free to read)

“It felt like (Ajay) had 100.” Oklahoma City’s depth allowed Ajay Mitchell to be a sponge in a title season. Now the team’s depth, and the call for it, might be unveiling a potential star. Free to read: www.nytimes.com/athletic/726...

(free to read) If the evidence did not feel overwhelming, take last night’s third quarter. These Thunder seem inevitable: www.nytimes.com/athletic/726...

🆕 @theathletic.com GAME TWO TAEKS feat @jxlorenzi.bsky.social @danwoikesports.bsky.social @bydcp.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/athletic/726...

On Ajay Mitchell’s story, which is also Barry Mitchell’s story:

“It was a dream of his to be an NBA player for as long as I could remember. Just trying to honor him in that way. I’m living this dream for me, obviously, but also for him.” @jxlorenzi.bsky.social on how Ajay Mitchell is carrying the dreams of his late father: www.nytimes.com/athletic/725...

To sense where Ajay Mitchell is headed, to understand the composure he plays with, you need to know who he plays for. A look at the love and loss behind Oklahoma City’s breakout guard (free for all to read):  www.nytimes.com/athletic/725...

🆕 @theathletic.com Game 1 TAEKS from Oklahoma City with @danwoikesports.bsky.social @jxlorenzi.bsky.social @darnellmayberry.bsky.social I wrote about JJ Redick's aggressive timeout usage www.nytimes.com/athletic/725...

Tip times for Thunder-Lakers thru Game 4. Game 1 is a 7:30 CT tip on NBC/Peacock.

This is also free to read! No paywall! Virtually any story I share from our site (particularly my stories) will not feature a paywall.

No better authority on the Thunder than my guy @jxlorenzi.bsky.social. Give him a follow, if you aren't already, #NBASky.

(Apologies for neglecting my followers here, but my latest here as I cover this Thunder playoff run for @theathletic.com) Forgive the Thunder if they seemed Monday night like a team that might savor this sweep. They’ve learned to: www.nytimes.com/athletic/723...

SGA and the Oklahoma City Thunder won three out of five regular-season games against the Phoenix Suns this season. @jxlorenzi.bsky.social and @doughaller.bsky.social preview their series ⤵️ www.nytimes.com/athletic/720...

Bulls fire GM Marc Eversley, executive Artūras Karnišovas in front-office shakeup www.nytimes.com/athletic/717...

The Bulls officially announce the release of Jaden Ivey. He’s delivered some controversial comments across several Instagram livestreams over the past week, capped this morning by his anti-LGBTQ remarks.

Chicago's play-in streak is severed. The timer to the end of a turbulent season began Friday night. These Bulls will need to find something new to play for: www.nytimes.com/athletic/art...

Can just start with a screener, too. Thunder never had a real screening threat with him either.

Jalen Williams is back. And he’s brought lessons with him from a peculiar season. This season gave him patience, perspective, and a surrounding group he’s relieved to rejoin. Their ceiling could be decided by him: www.nytimes.com/athletic/714...

“We have been in touch with the White House and we are appreciative and grateful for the communication we have had, but the timing just didn’t work out,” the Thunder said in a statement shared with @theathletic.com

The Oklahoma City Thunder, the NBA’s reigning champion, will not make the customary visit to the White House while in Washington due to a “timing issue,” a team spokesperson told @theathletic.com More here: www.nytimes.com/athletic/713...

Joel writing Thunder words again 🥺

Isaiah Hartenstein, the nerdiest of screeners, has been enabled: www.nytimes.com/athletic/712...

Words from last night on the moment SGA’s consistency became history, and the pride you could feel in the building from a crowd seeing its franchise face’s all-time rise legitimized with another milestone. Wilt’s record is now Shai’s: www.nytimes.com/athletic/711...

Here’s SGA crossing the 20-point threshold. 127 straight. Crowd let him know he was on the verge, if he somehow didn’t know already. Wilt’s record is now Shai’s.

A terrifically written piece by the young gun @jxlorenzi.bsky.social on SGA’s imminent breaking of Wilt Chamberlain’s record of 126 straight 20-point games. With insight both from Shai’s teammates and those who played with/against the Dipper. In @theathletic.com: www.nytimes.com/athletic/710...

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander can break a 63-year-old Wilt Chamberlain record tonight. What’s one more night of consistency? Unpacking the absurdity of this run with help from those who’ve witnessed both SGA and Wilt: www.nytimes.com/athletic/710...

Do we recognize any of these officials tonight? @juliapoe.bsky.social

I miss y’all reading my Thunder writing

SGA has too many performances in the past few years to sift through. After tying a Wilt record and answering every call last night, he had to consider where Monday ranked. Denver demands greatness. Last night might’ve been SGA’s regular season magnum opus: www.nytimes.com/athletic/710...

Lu Dort to @theathletic.com on the play that got him ejected in Friday’s game vs Denver: “That’s a physical game and there’s limits to it. And I went over the limit.” More here: www.nytimes.com/athletic/708...

Matas: “I don’t really like that word. And people might think that (we’re tanking), but I’m going out and trying to win every night. All these guys are, too.” This skid from the rebuilding Bulls is wearing thin on their 21-year-old bundle of hope (🎁🔗): www.nytimes.com/athletic/707...

Salute to the Point God for putting on for small guards everywhere. I was a shorty when that teal No. 3 was hot. A polarizing career, but I think his defining trait shines thru in his farewell: he just gave a shit about basketball. I now hate his unceremonious ending in LA even more.

Seeing Vooch in Celtics green was worth a double-take. But Wednesday felt indicative that this role, this situation, should've happened a long time ago: www.nytimes.com/athletic/704...

This Bulls roster is built to lose. But don’t tell their new guards that www.nytimes.com/athletic/703... via @nytimes.com

I’m not sure there’s as wide ranging a big-man rotation in the league (as far as archetypes) than Nick Richards-Yabu-Stix

The audio of Billy’s answer here:

Asked pregame about it. Basically a non-answer that I’m not sure is even worth transcribing.

Turns out Bulls are receiving one fewer second round pick than expected in the Hornets deal. Coby White failed his physical.

This confusing group hasn’t lost its intrigue yet my friend! (and SGA and JDub are both hurt rn)

Artūras Karnisovas still doesn’t like the word rebuild. Yet this is as close as he’s come to one, and he should outline it as definitively as possible if it’s ever gonna be something worth rooting for. There is no room to scramble the message: www.nytimes.com/athletic/702...

What I’m hearing about the Bulls’ approach this week ahead of Thursday’s deadline: www.nytimes.com/athletic/701...

Needs his ring revoked. Dude on bullshit.

Thunder halftime show tonight is Rumble the Bison dancing to Gangnam Style and YMCA and every other cringey song that comes to mind. And twerking! It took me three days to miss dog dude.

On how prominent No. 1 became in Chicago (from a kid who grew up Out West) and how palpable that connection was with No. 1 plastered all over the building last night: www.nytimes.com/athletic/699...

Derrick Rose is officially in the United Center rafters.

This was cool: jumped on Slam n Jam with @andrewschlecht.bsky.social and @albabycakes.bsky.social to talk Bulls and get my ass kicked in trivia (damn you Carlos Boozer). Come listen 🥞: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...

The Chicago Bulls will hang Derrick Rose’s No. 1 jersey in the rafters Saturday — a reminder of a chapter he’d like to close. Rose, the MVP, is a distant memory to the man himself. The way he prefers.

Not ideal for Billy Donovan’s weapon wheel. For as many things as these Bulls need to click to be in games, Tre Jones (playmaking, paint touches and disruption) is high on that list. Chicago is 2-4 in games without him this year, winning the combined couple games by a total of four points.

Bulls say Tre Jones has a left hamstring strain and will be reevaluated in two weeks.