標籤: Thunders

The New York Knicks did not have enough effort to overcome the Oklahoma City Thunder, as they lost 103–100. In close games like this, sometimes one or two things happen that change the trajectory of the game, and for the Knicks, they believe it was the referees that had a lot to do with the outcome.

After the game, head coach Mike Brown talked about Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and his ability to manipulate the referees into thinking he was being fouled.

“SGA, that’s a tough cover,” Brown said. “He does a very good job of convincing the refs, probably better than anyone in the league, that he’s getting hit.”

The one thing people have always criticized about Gilgeous-Alexander is his game and how he gets to the free-throw line. Against the Knicks, he only attempted seven free throws, as that number has been higher at times.

Jalen Brunson took it further when talking about the refs, but they had physical evidence of a foul that probably should have been called. Brunson had a black eye and after the game a reporter asked him about it.

“Probably no call,” Brunson said.

Jalen Brunson has a scratch under his eye after playing with the Thunder

“Maybe no-call”

(via @sny_knicks)pic.twitter.com/we3pIYRiKF

– FullCourtPass (@FullCourtPass) 5 March 2026

There may be a possibility that Brown may receive a letter in his mailbox, but Brunson may be safe. Either way, it’s clear that both of them were not fans of how the game was being run against them.

It seems like the way the Thunder play, especially on defense, has made a lot of people fall for them and made them difficult to stop. When teams try to copy what he does, it usually results in foul play, which has been frustrating for some throughout the season.

The Knicks didn’t let them bother them much during the game and they still managed to give themselves a chance in the end.

Most of the rookies and young stars in the NBA grew up watching Kevin Durant of the Rockets as one of the greatest scorers the game has ever seen. Durant essentially changed the meaning of scoring as a seven-foot player, something Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren certainly modeled his game after growing up. As a tribute to arguably his biggest influence, Holmgren will be releasing upcoming PE colorways of Durant’s signature Nike KD 18.

Check out our sneakers news for more upcoming releases and breaking content!

Upon entering the league in 2022, Holmgren signed a multi-year endorsement deal with Nike that includes sneaker sponsorship. While Holmgren is still waiting to make the leap into his own signature sneaker model, he has favored the Nike KD series during most of his time in the NBA. It’s fitting since both players share a similar tall frame and Holmgren has been modeling his game after Durant since playing AAU.

The Nike KD 18 serves as Kevin Durant’s latest sneaker in his illustrious signature catalog, which Nike has attempted to revive with retro releases of KD’s past sneakers this year. These upcoming Chet Holmgren PEs (Player Exclusive) will be arriving as retail releases within the coming months.

Nike KD 18 PE (Chet Holmgren)

“They’re coming in mid-March” 📆

–@ChetHomgren On the release date of his Nike KD 18 PE pic.twitter.com/0wpqzUBpS4

– B/R Kicks (@brkicks) 27 February 2026

An official look at the Nike KD 18 “Camo” PE that Chet Holmgren launched late last year 🏀

A decline is expected in March. pic.twitter.com/h89Mo3sp2h

– Complex Sneakers (@ComplexSneakers) 1 March 2026

Giving fans additional information about release dates during the 2026 NBA All-Star Weekend, Holmgren confirmed the upcoming release of “Camo” and “Thunder & Rain” colorways of the Nike KD 18. The first to feature is a “Camo” colorway arriving on March 13th, 2026. Coyote/Security Orange-Medium Brown Outdoor-inspired attire. Based on Brown and Olive Green, we see a Real-Tree pattern across the upper and accents in the iconic Safety Orange known to all outdoorsmen.

Official Look: Chet Holmgren’s Nike KD 18 “Thunder & Rain” PE ✓️@ChetHomgren

🗓️ 13 March
📝 IO7519-500
💵$165 pic.twitter.com/09LcNMfqps

– Sole Retriever (@SoleRetriever) 28 February 2026

The following “Thunder and Rain” pairing comes as a surprise Space Purple/Multicolor-Pure Purple Color scheme. Holmgren rocked these during the Thunder’s season opener against the Rockets and Kevin Durant, making these a special pair in his PE collection. The majority of the shoe is constructed in purple, with cheetah print panels on the underlying layers, giving it an undeniable Prince vibe given Holmgren’s roots in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Both pairs will be releasing alongside each other in exclusive Nike SNKRS drops on March 13th, 2026. The pairs come in limited quantities in full sizes and as Holmgren said, “Once they run out, there won’t be any more.”

Two years away from having the 12th pick in the 2024 draft, Oklahoma City Thunder executive vice president and GM Sam Presti has both prospects — Nikola Topic and Jared McCann — he backed up Mark Daigneault. The timing of both guards could not have come at a better time. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is out with an abdominal injury, Ajay Mitchell hasn’t played since January, and Jalen Williams will be reevaluated in March.

Losing three of its leading scorers shows that Oklahoma City is unable to get close to its 119.4 point average without its reigning MVP and two of the Thunder’s top four scorers. It’s a good thing Presti parted ways with a 2026 first-round pick and two future seconds at the trade deadline to acquire a young guard he’s had his eye on since McCann’s 2024 pre-draft workout with the Thunder.

Presti also trusted the 19-year-old Serbian prospect with an old-school approach to the point guard position despite suffering a season-ending ACL injury. Presti was fine with the debut of Topch, who was selected by the Thunder at No. 12 in 2025-26. Back then, no one could have predicted what would happen after the Thunder preseason games. Now, McCain and Topic are both playing in Oklahoma City at unexpected times in their respective careers.

Jared’s trade to the Philadelphia 76ers made him cry. The subject is four months away from a cancer diagnosis. This was all unexpected, but they both fit like a glove into the Thunder’s offense. McCann’s ability to make open threes and create space gives Daigneault another scorer to utilize. Topic gives the Thunder a secondary playmaker who can score quickly off the bench, which he has already proven in the first two games of his NBA career.

It’s another win for coach Mark Daigneault and Thunder GM Sam Presti amid the defending champions’ quest to win back-to-back titles.

Jared McCann scores season-high in Thunder vs. Nets win

Second-year guard Jared McCain has made at least one 3-pointer in each of his five appearances with the Thunder. He’s also efficient at connecting on 9 of 20 (45%), including half of his six 3-point attempts in a 105-86 win against the Nets. McCain led the Thunder with a season-high 21 points on 7-for-12 shooting, four rebounds and one steal. And his presence has also had a positive impact on the defending champion’s supporting cast.

Isaiah Joe, who has missed at least two threes in five consecutive games, extended his streak to six to 11 points as his hot streak continued in Friday’s win against the Nets. Joe shot a career-best 41.7% clip from deep this season. However, that percentage has increased to 55.8% with McCann making 19 of 34 attempts in the five games since his arrival.

Still, Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault reminded reporters it’s not all about shooting with McCain and Joe, as their increased roles amid Oklahoma City’s injuries have elevated them to do other things that help win.

“It’s not the only thing they do,” Daigneault said. “Jared is a guy that – he’s dynamic offensively – there’s a lot more to his game than spot-up shooting. You could see it tonight. Again, Isaiah Joe rebounded the ball great tonight. We play short games with him on the court, even though he’s a light guy because he’s good physically, he executes, and he gets his nose in the ball to make plays.

“It’s not just taking advantage of the shooting. It’s being able to put them out there because of the other skills they bring. But, yes, we have optionality, and that’s what you want. You never know what you need. You never know who’s going to do well. We obviously try to lean into that with changing rotations and lineups, and they definitely give us more options,” Daigneault concluded.

Since McCann joined the Thunder, Joe has averaged 15.8 points on 49.4% shooting, including 55.8% from deep, 3.6 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game.

“We all have a role to play, and we all know it, and he’s done a great job of helping me with that. I think once we get the ball moving, we can all create shots for each other. Once we get the ball moving, good things are going to happen,” McCain said. “[We’re] This becomes known as we move forward. It’s hard to do it without those people. “However, we are figuring it out.”

Nikola Topic’s playmaking wraps up Thunder’s win

While Jared McCann and Isaiah Joe’s scoring gave the Thunder double-digit relief, Nikola Topic, in his second NBA game, closed the door in the final frame with playmaking, shooting and smooth finishing at the rim. For coach Mark Daigneault, the Thunder’s theme is a traditional pure point guard with a pass-first mentality, and the confidence to score when he sees fit.

Daigneault says Topic is proof of what’s missing in the NBA modern day point guard During the Thunder head coach’s postgame media availability on Friday.

“There aren’t a lot of real pure point guards in basketball anymore. There’s incredible skill, but there’s not a ton of traditional team runners, those guys, and that’s it: He can run your team,” Daigneault said. “He’ll settle you down to ground level. He understands what we’re trying to achieve, even at this very early stage of his career, and he’s got the ability to go along with it.

“He’s still got a long way to go. Offensively he’s got a lot to learn in terms of getting the edge, reading different coverages that he’s going to see as the league gets to know him a little bit; it’ll be a new challenge for him. But he’s off to a great start.”

Topic finished with nine points, three rebounds and two assists in 11 minutes, as the rookie guard is finding his feet in the early stages of his career. Still, Daigneault feels his team will benefit from the influence of both McCann and Topic amid the Thunder’s title defense.