Trisha Shetty (Editor)

2008–09 Oklahoma City Thunder season

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General manager
  
Sam Presti

Record
  
23–59 (.280)

Arena
  
Ford Center

2008–09 Oklahoma City Thunder season

Head coach
  
P. J. Carlesimo (games 1–13, fired) Scott Brooks (interim, games 14–82)

Owner(s)
  
Professional Basketball Club LLC (Clay Bennett, Chairman)

Place
  
Division: 5th (Northwest) Conference: 13th (Western)

The Oklahoma City Thunder played its inaugural season in the 2008–09 NBA season. It was the team's 1st season in Oklahoma City since the Seattle SuperSonics relocation was approved by league owners prior to settling a lawsuit. The team played at the Ford Center.

Contents

Oklahoma City hosted the New Orleans Hornets for two seasons, due to Hurricane Katrina's devastation along the Gulf Coast in August 2005.

Key dates

  • June 26: The 2008 NBA draft took place in New York City.
  • July 1: The free agency period started.
  • July 2: The Seattle SuperSonics announced their immediate relocation to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
  • September 3 The team announces name and colors.
  • October 8 The Oklahoma City Thunder took the court for the first time in an 88-82 preseason loss against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Billings, Montana.
  • October 29 The Oklahoma City Thunder played their first regular season game ever, hosting the Milwaukee Bucks.
  • November 2 The Oklahoma City Thunder get their first win as an NBA franchise.
  • November 22 P. J. Carlesimo is fired and replaced on an interim basis by Scott Brooks.
  • November 28 The Thunder tie the franchise record for consecutive games lost at 14 with a 103-105 loss to the Timberwolves.
  • November 29 Oklahoma City snaps 14-game losing streak.
  • January 21 Jeff Green shoots Thunder's first buzzer beater to beat the Golden State Warriors 122-121.
  • February 14 Kevin Durant wins All-Star Break H.O.R.S.E competition.
  • April 15 The Thunder won over Los Angeles Clippers 126-85 to end 23-59 in their first season.
  • April 15 Scott Brooks is named full-time coach of Thunder.

    • Offseason

  • Oklahoma City rookies and other young professionals played in the first game of the Orlando summer league. Oklahoma City lost its summer league opener to the Indiana Pacers rookies by a score of 95-78. Earl Calloway scored 16 points and Andre Emmett had 15 for the Pacers, who scored the game's first eight points and never trailed. Jeff Green took the first shot in Oklahoma City's history and it bounced off the rim 43 seconds after tipoff. The first basket came 2:15 into the first quarter by D.J. White, who was drafted by Detroit, traded to Seattle and played in Oklahoma City.
  • The Oklahoma City franchise released its season-ticket prices on Thursday, August 14. The franchise announced that there will be 3,400 seats available at $10 per game.
  • On average, ticket prices were about 36 per cent higher than they were for the 2007–08 Seattle SuperSonics season. The announcement also stated that the average ticket price would be US$47.51 while Seattle's average ticket price last season was $35. While last year's NBA average ticket price at $48.83, Oklahoma City's rates below the league average.
  • Season tickets went on sale on Monday, September 8. Chairman Clay Bennett announced that the last of the 13,000 season tickets available were sold on Friday, September 12, and the team started a waiting list for season tickets.

    • Pre-season

  • The Oklahoma City Thunder made their debut in an 88-82 preseason loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on October 8, 2008.

    • First pre-season game

  • Kevin Durant took and made the first shot in Oklahoma City history.
  • The Thunder had their home debut on October 14, 2008 against the Los Angeles Clippers.

    • Depth Chart

    As of end of season:

    Season

    * Statistics with Oklahoma City.

    Week/Month

  • Russell Westbrook was named Western Conference rookie of the month in December and February.

    • All-Star

  • Russell Westbrook, Jeff Green and Kevin Durant played in the Rookie Challenge, where Durant was named MVP.
  • Kevin Durant won the H–O–R–S–E Competition.

    • Season

  • Russell Westbrook was selected to the All-Rookie 1st team.

    • Subtractions

    References

    2008–09 Oklahoma City Thunder season Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA