Head coach Scott Brooks Record 45–37 (.549) | General manager Sam Presti Playoff finish Did Not Qualify | |
Arena Chesapeake Energy Arena Place Division: 2nd (Northwest)
Conference: 9th (Western) | ||
The 2014–15 Oklahoma City Thunder season is the 7th season of the franchise in Oklahoma City and the 48th in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Thunder would suffer from injuries, mainly to Kevin Durant, who underwent surgery and was shut down for the rest of the season. Despite this, the Thunder remained in playoff contention, but a four-game losing streak at the beginning of April cost them as they finished 45–37 with the New Orleans Pelicans and were eliminated on a tie breaker. The Thunder missed the playoffs for the first time since 2009, resulting in Scott Brooks's firing 1 week after the conclusion of the regular season.
Regular Season
On October 12, 2014, Kevin Durant was diagnosed with a fractured right foot after feeling discomfort the day before and was ruled out for 6 to 8 weeks. He went on to miss the first 17 games of the season, and with Russell Westbrook also out for 14 of those 17 games with a fractured hand, the Thunder dropped to a 4-12 record prior to Westbrook's return on November 28 against the New York Knicks. Following Westbrook's return, Durant returned to action the following game on December 2 as he scored 27 points on 9-of-18 shooting in the 104-112 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans. With the duo back to full health, they went on to lead the Thunder on a seven-game winning streak to bring the Thunder back into playoff contention. On December 18, Durant injured his ankle during the second quarter of the streak-breaking 109-114 loss to the Golden State Warriors. Durant scored 30 points on 10-of-13 shooting in the 18 minutes he was on the court before exiting the game with the injury. He subsequently missed the following game the next night against the Los Angeles Lakers.