223-712: The Oklahoma City Thunder are an American professional basketball team based in Oklahoma City . The Thunder compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference . The team plays its home games at Paycom Center . The Thunder's NBA G League affiliate is the Oklahoma City Blue , which it owns. The Thunder are the only team in
446-636: A 1,745–1,585 (.524) win–loss record in the regular season and went 107–110 (.493) in the playoffs. The franchise's titles include three Western Conference championships (1978, 1979 and 1996) and one NBA title in 1979 . In their last season, they drafted franchise player Kevin Durant , setting up the Thunder for success. In 2006, former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz sold the SuperSonics and its Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) sister franchise,
669-401: A backboard at each end of the court), while preventing the opposing team from shooting through their own hoop. A field goal is worth two points, unless made from behind the three-point line , when it is worth three. After a foul, timed play stops and the player fouled or designated to shoot a technical foul is given one, two or three one-point free throws . The team with the most points at
892-507: A battle of attrition . The first major German counterattack came in early February and was against the British 1st Division. Two regiments of the 45th (the 179th and 157th Infantry ) were sent to the Aprilia sector to reinforce the British. The 179th Infantry and a tank battalion of CCA tried to recapture Aprilia but were repulsed. Lucas then moved the rest of the 45th Division to the left-center of
1115-531: A 10-game losing streak before deciding on November 22 to fire head coach P. J. Carlesimo and assistant Paul Westhead . Assistant coach Scott Brooks then took over on an interim basis. Oklahoma City lost its next four games to tie the franchise losing streak of 14 set in Seattle the previous season. But the team managed to prevent history by winning their next game on the road against the Memphis Grizzlies . As
1338-542: A 14-week training program to prepare these new soldiers for combat. Because of heavy casualties and slow reinforcement rates, the Army looked to the National Guard to provide additional units to relieve the beleaguered Eighth Army. At the time, the 45th Infantry Division was comprised overwhelmingly of high school students or recent graduates and only about 60 percent of its divisional troops had conducted training and drills with
1561-428: A 15-point lead with five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. They ended up losing in overtime, 112–105. During the extended lockout, Thunder players played in exhibition games and even local pickup games to stay in shape. When the abbreviated training camp began, Oklahoma City started with an intact roster and all players, except for Russell Westbrook . In addition, Kendrick Perkins lost more than 30 pounds during
1784-698: A 59–23 record. They met the Memphis Grizzlies for the third time in the playoffs, which set a record for most consecutive overtimes in a playoff series, with four. Oklahoma City prevailed in seven games to play the Los Angeles Clippers in the semi-finals, whom they defeated in six games. Their final playoff opponent, in the Western Conference Finals, was the San Antonio Spurs in a rematch of the 2012 Western Conference Finals, this time with
2007-576: A Pro-am game. In the 2022–23 season, the Thunder finished regular season with the 10th-best record in the Western conference, qualifying for the play-in-tournament . After defeating the New Orleans Pelicans in their first play-in game, the Thunder lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves and did not qualify for the playoffs despite SGA’s leap to superstardom, averaging 31.1 Points Per Game. In
2230-404: A backboard that measures 6 by 3.5 feet (1.8 by 1.1 meters) and one basket is at each end of the court. The white outlined box on the backboard is 18 inches (46 cm) high and 2 feet (61 cm) wide. At almost all levels of competition, the top of the rim is exactly 10 feet (3.05 meters) above the court and 4 feet (1.22 meters) inside the baseline. While variation is possible in the dimensions of
2453-495: A basket mounted on a wall. Naismith wrote the basic rules and nailed a peach basket onto an elevated track. Naismith initially set up the peach basket with its bottom intact, which meant that the ball had to be retrieved manually after each "basket" or point scored. This quickly proved tedious, so Naismith removed the bottom of the basket to allow the balls to be poked out with a long dowel after each scored basket. Shortly after, Senda Berenson , instructor of physical culture at
SECTION 10
#17328444160142676-696: A basketball. The Thunder's temporary practice facility was the Sawyer Center at Southern Nazarene University , which had been used by the New Orleans Hornets when they relocated to Oklahoma City after Hurricane Katrina . The Thunder played several preseason games before the 2008–09 regular season, but only one of those games was in Oklahoma City. The Thunder made their first appearance in Billings, Montana on October 8, 2008, in an 88–82 preseason loss against
2899-559: A better position during the ongoing truce negotiations. Chinese forces continued to mount concentrated attacks on the lines of the UN forces, including the 45th Infantry Division, but the division managed to hold most of its ground, remaining stationary until the end of the war in the summer of 1953. During the Korean War, the 45th Infantry Division suffered 4,004 casualties, consisting of 834 killed in action and 3,170 wounded in action. The division
3122-496: A children's game called duck on a rock , as many had failed before it. Frank Mahan, one of the players from the original first game, approached Naismith after the Christmas break, in early 1892, asking him what he intended to call his new game. Naismith replied that he had not thought of it because he had been focused on just getting the game started. Mahan suggested that it be called "Naismith ball", at which he laughed, saying that
3345-405: A dribble, the player cannot carry the ball by placing their hand on the bottom of the ball; doing so is known as carrying the ball . A team, once having established ball control in the front half of their court, may not return the ball to the backcourt and be the first to touch it. A violation of these rules results in loss of possession. The ball may not be kicked, nor be struck with the fist. For
3568-407: A few miles further on. Lucas then ordered the rest of the division ashore. The 45th Division was deployed on the southeastern side of the beachhead, along the lower Mussolini Canal . On 30 January 1944, when VI Corps advanced from the beaches, it encountered heavy resistance and took heavy casualties. VI Corps was stopped at the "Pimlott Line" (the perimeter of the beachhead), and the fight became
3791-478: A frontal assault on the Gustav Line stronghold at Monte Cassino , and VI Corps, under Major General John P. Lucas from 20 September, was assigned to Operation Shingle , detached from the 15th Army Group to land behind enemy lines at Anzio on 22 January 1944. For this mission, CCA ( Combat Command A ) of the 1st Armored Division was attached to the 45th Infantry Division. Landing on schedule, VI Corps surprised
4014-511: A game 5 road win, to take a commanding 3–2 game lead in the series. In game 6, the Thunder defeated the Spurs 107–99 and advanced to the 2012 NBA Finals . Durant led the way with 34 points, playing all of regulation time in the game. In the 2012 NBA Finals against the Miami Heat , the Thunder won the first game at home but then lost four in a row losing the series in five games. In the 2012 NBA draft ,
4237-459: A half-time break under FIBA, NBA, and NCAA rules and 10 minutes in United States high schools. Overtime periods are five minutes in length except for high school, which is four minutes in length. Teams exchange baskets for the second half. The time allowed is actual playing time; the clock is stopped while the play is not active. Therefore, games generally take much longer to complete than
4460-690: A home-and-home series with the Houston Rockets , then routing the San Antonio Spurs . Thunder players Durant, Westbrook, Harden, Perkins and Ibaka made it onto the 2012 All-Star ballots. After the Thunder's win over the Utah Jazz on February 11, 2012, Scott Brooks was named as the head coach for the Western Conference All-Star squad for the 2012 NBA All-Star Game in Orlando, Florida . In
4683-453: A law authorizing the organization of "National Guard of the United States" (NGUS) units in states whose National Guard units were in federal service, which would bear the same designations as those on active duty. Before the establishment of the 45th Infantry Division (NGUS) on 15 September 1952, the returning Oklahoma guardsmen were either separated from the service if their Guard enlistments had expired, or remained in inactive reserve status. As
SECTION 20
#17328444160144906-524: A more secure beachhead . On 3 November it crossed the Volturno River and took Venafro . The division had great difficulty moving across the rivers and through the mountainous terrain, and the advance was slow. After linking up with the British Eighth Army , which had advanced from the south, the combined force, under the 15th Army Group , commanded by British General Sir Harold Alexander ,
5129-504: A name like that would kill any game. Mahan then said, "Why not call it basketball?" Naismith replied, "We have a basket and a ball, and it seems to me that would be a good name for it." The first official game was played in the YMCA gymnasium in Albany , New York, on January 20, 1892, with nine players. The game ended at 1–0; the shot was made from 25 feet (7.6 m), on a court just half the size of
5352-413: A pelvic fracture and was announced to miss at least 8 weeks of basketball leaving the Thunder short handed with Hartenstein also being out. List of the last five seasons completed by the Thunder. For the full season-by-season history, see List of Oklahoma City Thunder seasons . Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, W–L% = Winning percentage Note: All arenas used before 2008 were used by
5575-462: A possible future NBA franchise; however, the items would remain the property of the Oklahoma City team along with other "assets", including championship banners and trophies. On September 3, 2008, the team name, logo and colors for the Oklahoma City franchise were revealed to the public. The name "Thunder" was chosen in reference to Oklahoma's location in Tornado Alley and Oklahoma City as the home of
5798-441: A present-day Streetball or National Basketball Association (NBA) court. At the time, soccer was being played with 10 to a team (which was increased to 11). When winter weather got too icy to play soccer, teams were taken indoors, and it was convenient to have them split in half and play basketball with five on each side. By 1897–98, teams of five became standard. Basketball's early adherents were dispatched to YMCAs throughout
6021-528: A result of this effort, two 45th Infantry Division units existed between 1952 and 1954; the National Guard 45th Infantry Division in Korea, and the 45th Infantry Division (NGUS) in Oklahoma. By the time the division was in place, the battle lines on both sides had largely solidified , leaving the 45th Infantry Division in a stationary position as it conducted attacks and counterattacks for the same ground. The division
6244-501: A series of venues, including Catholic University , Georgetown and George Mason . The National Interscholastic Basketball Tournament for Black High Schools was held from 1929 to 1942 at Hampton Institute . The National Invitational Interscholastic Basketball Tournament was held from 1941 to 1967 starting out at Tuskegee Institute . Following a pause during World War II it resumed at Tennessee State College in Nashville. The basis for
6467-475: A settlement was reached between the ownership group led by Clay Bennett and lawmakers in Seattle following a lawsuit. In Seattle, the SuperSonics qualified for the NBA playoffs 22 times, won their division six times, advanced to three NBA Finals , and won the 1979 NBA Championship . In Oklahoma City, the Thunder qualified for their first playoff berth during the 2009–10 season. They won their first division title as
6690-550: A shortage of anti-armor weapons capable of penetrating the hulls of the North Korean T-34 tanks. Initially, the division was used to provide a pool of reinforcements for the divisions which had been sent to the Korean War theater, and in January 1951 it provided 650 enlisted fillers for overseas service. Later that month, it was given 4,006 new recruits for its three infantry regiments and artillery assets, and each unit created
6913-423: A standard uniform consists of a pair of shorts and a jersey with a clearly visible number, unique within the team, printed on both the front and back. Players wear high-top sneakers that provide extra ankle support. Typically, team names, players' names and, outside of North America, sponsors are printed on the uniforms. A limited number of time-outs, clock stoppages requested by a coach (or sometimes mandated in
Oklahoma City Thunder - Misplaced Pages Continue
7136-490: A teammate's field goal attempt. Goaltending is a defender's touching of a ball that is on a downward flight toward the basket, while the related violation of basket interference is the touching of a ball that is on the rim or above the basket, or by a player reaching through the basket from below. Goaltending and basket interference committed by a defender result in awarding the basket to the offense, while basket interference committed by an offensive player results in cancelling
7359-588: A three-year, $ 12 million contract with the Atlanta Hawks . Several weeks before the season started, the Thunder suffered a setback as Durant was diagnosed with a Jones fracture in his right foot and missed the first 17 games of the season. During the opening game against the Portland Trail Blazers , Westbrook scored 38 points, but found himself sidelined due to a small fracture in his right hand. He missed 16 games, during which Oklahoma City went 4–12. During
7582-591: A total of three referees on the court. The table officials are responsible for keeping track of each team's scoring, timekeeping, individual and team fouls , player substitutions, team possession arrow , and the shot clock . The only essential equipment in a basketball game is the ball and the court: a flat, rectangular surface with baskets at opposite ends. Competitive levels require the use of more equipment such as clocks, score sheets, scoreboards, alternating possession arrows, and whistle-operated stop-clock systems. A regulation basketball court in international games
7805-557: A touring Canadian women's team based in Edmonton , Alberta, operated between 1915 and 1940. The Grads toured all over North America, and were exceptionally successful. They posted a record of 522 wins and only 20 losses over that span, as they met any team that wanted to challenge them, funding their tours from gate receipts. The Grads also shone on several exhibition trips to Europe, and won four consecutive exhibition Olympics tournaments, in 1924, 1928, 1932, and 1936; however, women's basketball
8028-621: A winter season (April–September) and did so until the completion of the 20th season in 1998 . The 1998–99 season, which commenced only months later, was the first season after the shift to the current summer season format (October–April). This shift was an attempt to avoid competing directly against Australia's various football codes . It features 8 teams from around Australia and one in New Zealand. A few players including Luc Longley , Andrew Gaze , Shane Heal , Chris Anstey and Andrew Bogut made it big internationally, becoming poster figures for
8251-444: Is 28 meters (92 feet) long and 15 meters (49 feet) wide. In the NBA and NCAA the court is 94 by 50 feet (29 by 15 meters). Most courts have wood flooring , usually constructed from maple planks running in the same direction as the longer court dimension. The name and logo of the home team is usually painted on or around the center circle. The basket is a steel rim 18 inches (46 cm) diameter with an attached net affixed to
8474-450: Is called a shot. A successful shot is worth two points, or three points if it is taken from beyond the three-point arc 6.75 meters (22 ft 2 in) from the basket in international games and 23 feet 9 inches (7.24 m) in NBA games. A one-point shot can be earned when shooting from the foul line after a foul is made. After a team has scored from a field goal or free throw, play
8697-561: Is currently no tournament to determine a national high school champion. The most serious effort was the National Interscholastic Basketball Tournament at the University of Chicago from 1917 to 1930. The event was organized by Amos Alonzo Stagg and sent invitations to state champion teams. The tournament started out as a mostly Midwest affair but grew. In 1929 it had 29 state champions. Faced with opposition from
8920-430: Is out of bounds if it touches a boundary line, or touches any player or object that is out of bounds. There are limits placed on the steps a player may take without dribbling, which commonly results in an infraction known as traveling . Nor may a player stop their dribble and then resume dribbling. A dribble that touches both hands is considered stopping the dribble, giving this infraction the name double dribble . Within
9143-453: Is resumed with a throw-in awarded to the non-scoring team taken from a point beyond the endline of the court where the points were scored. Games are played in four quarters of 10 ( FIBA ) or 12 minutes (NBA). College men's games use two 20-minute halves, college women's games use 10-minute quarters, and most United States high school varsity games use 8-minute quarters; however, this varies from state to state. 15 minutes are allowed for
Oklahoma City Thunder - Misplaced Pages Continue
9366-576: Is the WNBA ( NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship is also popular), whereas the strongest European clubs participate in the EuroLeague Women . A game similar to basketball is mentioned in a 1591 book published in Frankfurt am Main that reports on the lifestyles and customs of coastal North American residents, Wahrhafftige Abconterfaytung der Wilden (German; translates as Truthful Depictions of
9589-653: Is their first playoff berth since the 2019–20 season. The Thunder finished with a record of 57 wins and 25 losses, clinching the top seed in the Western Conference for the first time since 2013 . Mark Daigneault won the Coach Of The Year Award as the Thunder swept the New Orleans Pelicans in the first round becoming the youngest team to ever win a playoff series at an average age of 25 years old, but would lose to Luka Doncic’s Dallas Mavericks in six games, even though they were up 17 points at one point in
9812-593: Is usually the center , the second-tallest and strongest is the power forward , a slightly shorter but more agile player is the small forward , and the shortest players or the best ball handlers are the shooting guard and the point guard , who implement the coach's game plan by managing the execution of offensive and defensive plays (player positioning). Informally, players may play three-on-three, two-on-two, and one-on-one. Invented in 1891 by Canadian-American gym teacher James Naismith in Springfield, Massachusetts , in
10035-451: The next season , on December 2, 2021, the Thunder lost on the road to the Memphis Grizzlies by 73 points, 79–152, the largest loss in NBA history. At the 2022 NBA draft , the Thunder used their second overall pick to select Chet Holmgren and the twelfth pick to select Jalen Williams . On August 25, 2022, it was announced that Holmgren would miss the entire 2022–23 NBA season due to a Lisfranc injury in his foot that occurred during
10258-469: The 2004 Athens Olympics , the United States suffered its first Olympic loss while using professional players, falling to Puerto Rico (in a 19-point loss) and Lithuania in group games, and being eliminated in the semifinals by Argentina . It eventually won the bronze medal defeating Lithuania, finishing behind Argentina and Italy . The Redeem Team , won gold at the 2008 Olympics , and the B-Team, won gold at
10481-509: The 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey despite featuring no players from the 2008 squad. The United States continued its dominance as they won gold at the 2012 Olympics , 2014 FIBA World Cup and the 2016 Olympics . Worldwide, basketball tournaments are held for boys and girls of all age levels. The global popularity of the sport is reflected in the nationalities represented in the NBA. Players from all six inhabited continents currently play in
10704-510: The 2012 NBA playoffs , the Thunder swept the defending champion Dallas Mavericks in the first round to advance and face off against their first-round foes from 2010, the Los Angeles Lakers . They defeated the Lakers in five games and advanced to play the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Finals. The Thunder lost the first two games against the Spurs but won the next three including
10927-512: The 2013 NBA draft , the Thunder selected 12th pick Steven Adams , traded for the 26th pick André Roberson , and selected 47th pick Grant Jerrett . Kevin Martin was not re-signed, and he opted to join the Timberwolves, while the team were only able to add free agent Ryan Gomes and re-sign Derek Fisher to conclude their off-season movements. The team finished second in the Western conference with
11150-530: The 30th , the 41st and 44th Infantry Divisions , originally for a one-year period. Its men immediately began basic combat training at Fort Sill. In August 1941, the 45th Infantry Division took part in the Louisiana Maneuvers , the largest peacetime exercises in U.S. military history. The division was assigned to VIII Corps with the 2nd and 36th Infantry Divisions, camped near Pitkin, Louisiana. Still operating with outmoded equipment from World War I,
11373-519: The 36th Infantry Division , on the southernmost beaches of the attack. Opposing them were elements of the German 29th Panzergrenadier Division and XVI Panzer Corps . Against stiff resistance, the 45th pushed to the Calore River after a week of heavy fighting . The Fifth Army was battered and pushed back by German forces until 20 September, when Allied forces were finally able to break out and establish
SECTION 50
#173284441601411596-551: The 700th Ordnance Company , the 45th Quartermaster Company, the 45th Reconnaissance Troop, the 120th Engineer Combat Battalion, and the 120th Medical Battalion. The 45th Division sailed from the Hampton Roads Port of Embarkation for the Mediterranean region on 8 June 1943, combat loaded aboard thirteen attack transports and five cargo attack vessels as convoy UGF-9 headed by the communications ship USS Ancon . By
11819-561: The 70th Infantry Division . On 17 February the division was pulled off the line for rest and training. Once this rest period was complete, the division was assigned to XV Corps for the final push into German territory. The 45th moved north to the Sarreguemines area and smashed through the Siegfried Line , on 17 March taking Homburg on the 21st and crossing the Rhine between Worms and Hamm on
12042-411: The 89th and 90th Infantry Brigades , were inactivated in 1942, as the Army favored smaller and more versatile regimental and battalion-level commands for the new conflict. The 45th Infantry Division was then based around the 157th , 179th , and 180th Infantry Regiments . Also assigned to the division were the 158th , 160th , 171st , and 189th Field Artillery Battalions , the 45th Signal Company,
12265-506: The All American Red Heads Team , which competed against men's teams, using men's rules. By 1938, the women's national championship changed from a three-court game to two-court game with six players per team . The NBA-backed Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) began in 1997. Though it had shaky attendance figures, several marquee players ( Lisa Leslie , Diana Taurasi , and Candace Parker among others) have helped
12488-594: The Denver Nuggets for a 2020 protected first-round pick. After the George trade, general manager Presti sensed that the future of the franchise was in jeopardy as the team could not seriously contend with Westbrook as the lone star. On July 16, the Thunder traded Westbrook to the Houston Rockets. In exchange, the Thunder received Chris Paul , two future first-round draft picks, and the rights to two future pick swaps with
12711-504: The Eastern Conference champion Orlando Magic and a 16-point win over the reigning NBA champion, the Los Angeles Lakers . Road victories over the San Antonio Spurs , Utah Jazz , Miami Heat , Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks further enhanced their reputation. Though they hovered around .500 for the first half of the season, they went on a 9-game winning streak that sent them into serious playoff contention. Kevin Durant became
12934-705: The EuroLeague and the Basketball Champions League Americas . The FIBA Basketball World Cup and Men's Olympic Basketball Tournament are the major international events of the sport and attract top national teams from around the world. Each continent hosts regional competitions for national teams, like EuroBasket and FIBA AmeriCup . The FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup and Women's Olympic Basketball Tournament feature top national teams from continental championships. The main North American league
13157-519: The Kisatchie National Forest in Louisiana as part of the provisional VIII Corps. This was the first opportunity for all division elements to assemble and operate together since its organization. On 16 September 1940, the 45th Infantry Division, under Major General Key, was federalized from state control. It was one of four National Guard divisions to be federalized on that day, alongside
13380-484: The Los Angeles Clippers on July 10, 2019. In return, they received Danilo Gallinari , Shai Gilgeous-Alexander , and a record collection of future first-round draft picks. It was reported after the trade was announced that George had privately requested the trade to the Clippers as a result of superstar free agent Kawhi Leonard convincing George to team up with him on the Clippers. They also traded forward Jerami Grant to
13603-495: The Minnesota Timberwolves . The Thunder played their first Ford Center game on October 14 against the Los Angeles Clippers . In their regular-season home opener, the Thunder faced (and lost to) the Milwaukee Bucks . Earl Watson scored the first points of the season with a layup. Three nights later on November 2, the Thunder won their first game by defeating the Timberwolves, improving their record to 1–3. The team then went on
SECTION 60
#173284441601413826-673: The National Federation of State High School Associations and North Central Association of Colleges and Schools that bore a threat of the schools losing their accreditation the last tournament was in 1930. The organizations said they were concerned that the tournament was being used to recruit professional players from the prep ranks. The tournament did not invite minority schools or private/parochial schools. The National Catholic Interscholastic Basketball Tournament ran from 1924 to 1941 at Loyola University . The National Catholic Invitational Basketball Tournament from 1954 to 1978 played at
14049-794: The National Invitation Tournament (NIT) in New York, was organized in 1938; the NCAA national tournament began one year later. College basketball was rocked by gambling scandals from 1948 to 1951 , when dozens of players from top teams were implicated in game-fixing and point shaving . Partially spurred by an association with cheating, the NIT lost support to the NCAA tournament. Before widespread school district consolidation, most American high schools were far smaller than their present-day counterparts. During
14272-741: The Original Celtics and two all-African American teams, the New York Renaissance Five ("Rens") and the (still existing) Harlem Globetrotters played up to two hundred games a year on their national tours. In 1946, the Basketball Association of America (BAA) was formed. The first game was played in Toronto , Ontario, Canada between the Toronto Huskies and New York Knickerbockers on November 1, 1946. Three seasons later, in 1949,
14495-517: The Republic of Korea Army . These were the 7th Infantry Division , the 1st Cavalry Division , the 24th Infantry Division , and the 25th Infantry Division , which were all under the control of the Eighth United States Army . Due to drastic reductions in U.S. military spending following the end of World War II, these divisions were equipped with worn-out or obsolete weaponry and suffered from
14718-448: The Seattle Storm , for $ 350 million to the Professional Basketball Club LLC , a group of Oklahoma City investors led by Clay Bennett . The sale of the SuperSonics and Storm was approved by NBA owners the following October. In 2007, Bennett announced that the franchise would move to Oklahoma City as soon as the lease with KeyArena expired. In June 2008, a lawsuit brought by the city of Seattle against Bennett due to his attempts to break
14941-673: The Sixth United States Army Group under Lieutenant General Jacob L. Devers . The 45th, 36th, and 3rd Infantry Divisions were pulled from the line in Italy in preparation for Operation Dragoon (formerly Anvil ), the invasion of southern France. Dragoon was originally planned to coincide with the Normandy landings in the north, but was delayed until August because of a shortage of landing craft. The 45th Infantry Division participated in its fourth amphibious assault landing during Operation Dragoon on 15 August 1944, at St. Maxime , in Southern France . The 45th Infantry Division landed its 157th and 180th regimental combat teams and captured
15164-401: The Soviet Union , Brazil and Australia rivaling the American squads. In 1989, FIBA allowed professional NBA players to participate in the Olympics for the first time. Prior to the 1992 Summer Olympics , only European and South American teams were allowed to field professionals in the Olympics. The United States' dominance continued with the introduction of the original Dream Team . In
15387-424: The U.S. Fifth Army , under Lieutenant General Mark W. Clark , in preparation for the invasion of mainland Italy . On 3 September 1943, Italy surrendered to the Allied powers . Hoping to occupy as much of the country as possible before the German Army could react, the U.S. Fifth Army prepared to attack Salerno . On 10 September, elements of the division conducted its second landing at Agropoli and Paestum with
15610-400: The University of Chicago , Columbia University , Cornell University , Dartmouth College , the University of Minnesota , the U.S. Naval Academy , the University of Colorado and Yale University began sponsoring men's games. In 1905, frequent injuries on the football field prompted President Theodore Roosevelt to suggest that colleges form a governing body, resulting in the creation of
15833-425: The University of Chicago , while Adolph Rupp , a student of Naismith's at Kansas, enjoyed great success as coach at the University of Kentucky . On February 9, 1895, the first intercollegiate 5-on-5 game was played at Hamline University between Hamline and the School of Agriculture, which was affiliated with the University of Minnesota . The School of Agriculture won in a 9–3 game. In 1901, colleges, including
16056-629: The major professional North American sports leagues based in the state of Oklahoma . Oklahoma City previously hosted the New Orleans Hornets for two seasons following devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans . The team was originally established as the Seattle SuperSonics , an expansion team that joined the NBA for the 1967–68 season . The SuperSonics relocated from Seattle to Oklahoma City on July 3, 2008, after
16279-533: The 157th Infantry, and the Germans were repulsed. The next three months were spent on the defensive, with the 45th engaged in trench warfare , alike to that in World War I . On 23 May, VI Corps, now commanded by Major General Lucian Truscott , went on the offensive, breaking out of the beachhead to the northeast, with the 45th Division forming the left half of the attack. By 31 May, the German defenses were shattered, and
16502-577: The 1st Cavalry Division, which was then delegated to the Far East reserve, having suffered over 16,000 casualties in less than 18 months of fighting. Additionally, in an effort to reduce the burden on the National Guard, the term of service for National Guardsmen in Korea was initially set at 21, and later 24 months; over 4,500 guardsmen left between May and July 1952, continually replaced by more active-duty troops and draftees, including an increasing number of African Americans. In August 1952, Congress approved
16725-541: The 2016–17 season, 980,673 boys and girls represented their schools in interscholastic basketball competition, according to the National Federation of State High School Associations . The states of Illinois , Indiana and Kentucky are particularly well known for their residents' devotion to high school basketball, commonly called Hoosier Hysteria in Indiana; the critically acclaimed film Hoosiers shows high school basketball's depth of meaning to these communities. There
16948-701: The 2017 NBA draft, the Thunder selected guard Terrance Ferguson with the 21st pick, and signed him to a four-year rookie-scale contract. To further bolster the roster and improve Westbrook's supporting cast, the Thunder's front office made a series of aggressive moves to reshape the team. On July 6, 2017, the Thunder acquired four-time All-Star forward Paul George in a trade with the Indiana Pacers in exchange for guard Victor Oladipo and forward Domantas Sabonis . The team then signed veteran point guard Raymond Felton and sharp-shooting power forward Patrick Patterson in free agency on July 10. Finally, on September 25,
17171-643: The 2017–18 season with a 48–34 record and lost to the Utah Jazz 4–2 in the first round of the playoffs. In the 2018 NBA draft, the Thunder selected guard Devon Hall with the 53rd pick and forward Kevin Hervey with the 57th pick. Hall did not sign with the Thunder, instead signing with the Cairns Taipans of the Australian National Basketball League. Hervey signed with the Thunder's NBA G League affiliate, Oklahoma City Blue . Additionally,
17394-420: The 2019–20 season, such as Steven Adams , Dennis Schröder and Danilo Gallinari , were traded away in the next several days as well, with Thunder receiving draft picks as part of compensation in most of those transactions. Overall, Thunder executed 14 separate trades after the end of the 2019–20 season and before the 2021 trade deadline. Five-time NBA All-Star Al Horford was one of the players acquired before
17617-509: The 2023–24 season, the Thunder acquired former All-Star Gordon Hayward . Chet Holmgren returned from injury and made an immediate impact as a rookie, Jalen Williams improved and Gilgeous-Alexander made his second All Star team and would later place second in MVP Voting. On March 31, against the New York Knicks , the Thunder officially clinched a playoff berth with a 113–112 victory. This
17840-509: The 25th pick in the 2009 draft before immediately trading him to the Dallas Mavericks for the 24th pick, center Byron Mullens from Ohio State University . The team then added veteran center Etan Thomas and guard Kevin Ollie . The last major change to their roster occurred on December 22, 2009, when the team traded for Eric Maynor from the Utah Jazz . Maynor immediately supplanted Ollie as
18063-613: The 26th. The advance continued, with Aschaffenburg falling on 3 April, and Nuremberg on the 20th. The division crossed the Danube River on 27 April, and liberated 32,000 captives of the Dachau concentration camp on 29 April 1945. The division captured Munich during the next two days, occupying the city until V-E Day and the surrender of Germany. During the next month, the division remained in Munich and set up collection points and camps for
18286-728: The 45th Division fought in 511 days of combat. Nine soldiers were awarded the Medal of Honor during their service with the 45th Infantry Division: Van T. Barfoot , Ernest Childers , Almond E. Fisher , William J. Johnston , Salvador J. Lara , Jack C. Montgomery , James D. Slaton , Jack Treadwell , and Edward G. Wilkin . Soldiers of the division also received 61 Distinguished Service Crosses , three Distinguished Service Medals , 1,848 Silver Star Medals , 38 Legion of Merit medals, 59 Soldier's Medals , 5,744 Bronze Star Medals , and 52 Air Medals . The division received seven distinguished unit citations and eight campaign streamers during
18509-532: The 45th Division stopped using the insignia. After a long process of reviewing design submissions, a design by Woody Big Bow , a Kiowa artist from Carnegie, Oklahoma , was chosen for the new shoulder sleeve insignia. The new insignia featured the Thunderbird , another Native American symbol, and was approved in 1939. In August 1940, the 45th Division again participated in the Third Army maneuvers, this time near
18732-688: The 45th Division turned northwest, toward the Alban Hills and Rome. On 4 June the 45th Division crossed the Tiber River below Rome , and entered the city along with other VI Corps troops. Men of the 45th Division were the first Allied troops to reach the Vatican . On 16 June, the 45th Division withdrew for rest in preparation for other operations. At this time, VI Corps was attached to the Seventh Army , under Lieutenant General Alexander Patch , itself part of
18955-497: The 45th Division was held up there. After this, the division was allocated to drive towards Messina , being ordered by the Seventh Army commander to cover the distance as quickly as possible. The 45th Division spent a few days in that city, but on 1 August, the division was withdrawn from the front line for rest and rear-guard patrol duty, after which the division was assigned to Major General Ernest J. Dawley 's VI Corps , part of
19178-454: The 45th Division's lineage and heraldry, including its shoulder sleeve insignia. Also activated from division assets were the 45th Field Artillery Group , later redesignated the 45th Fires Brigade, and the 90th Troop Command . The 45th Infantry Division was awarded eight campaign streamers and one foreign unit award in World War II and four campaign streamers and one foreign unit award in
19401-523: The 45th Infantry Division, also manned with troops from Arizona , Colorado , and New Mexico . The division headquarters was federally recognized on 3 August 1923 in Oklahoma City , Oklahoma. It was assigned the 89th Infantry Brigade of the Colorado and Arizona National Guards, and the 90th Infantry Brigade of the Oklahoma National Guard. As a consequence of these militia roots, when the division
19624-463: The 45th as the time when he first developed a callousness to the taking of human life. Sheeran claimed to have participated in numerous massacres and summary executions of German POWs, acts which violated the Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907 and the 1929 Geneva Convention on POWs . In later interviews with Charles Brandt , he divided such massacres into four categories: During World War II,
19847-648: The 45th's flank against German counterattack, but without weapons to counter heavy armor, the paratroopers had to rely on support from the 2nd Armored Division to repulse the German Tiger I tanks . As the division advanced towards its main objective to capture the airfields at Biscari , and Comiso , German forces were pushed back. For most of the first two weeks while the division moved slowly north, it encountered only light resistance from Italian forces fighting delaying actions. Italian and German forces resisted fiercely at Motta Hill on 26 July, however, and for four days
20070-623: The 56th Cavalry Brigade of the Blue Corps. The 45th Infantry Division engaged in regular drills but no major events in its first few years, though the division's Colorado elements were called in to help quell a large coal mining strike. The onset of the Great Depression in the 1930s severely curtailed its funding for training and equipment. Major General Roy Hoffman took command in 1931, followed by Alexander M. Tuthill in 1933, Alexander E. McPherren in 1935, and William S. Key in 1936. In 1937,
20293-482: The Allies planned to land 180,000 troops, including the 45th Infantry Division, which was assigned to Lieutenant General Omar Bradley 's II Corps , part of the U.S. Seventh Army under Lieutenant General George S. Patton , for the operation. The division was subsequently assigned a lead role in the amphibious assault on Sicily , coming ashore on 10 July. Landing near Scoglitti , the southernmost U.S. objective on
20516-461: The Army considered court-martialling several officers of the 157th Infantry Regiment under Lieutenant Colonel Felix L. Sparks after servicemen were accused of massacring German soldiers who were surrendering at the Dachau concentration camp in 1945. Some of the German troops were camp guards; the others were sick and wounded troops from a nearby hospital. The soldiers of the 45th Division who liberated
20739-578: The BAA merged with the National Basketball League (NBL) to form the National Basketball Association (NBA). By the 1950s, basketball had become a major college sport, thus paving the way for a growth of interest in professional basketball. In 1959, a basketball hall of fame was founded in Springfield , Massachusetts, site of the first game. Its rosters include the names of great players, coaches, referees and people who have contributed significantly to
20962-456: The Chinese launched a concentrated attack on the hill, overrunning the U.S. forces. Heavy rainstorms prevented the divisions from retaking the hill for around a month, and when it was finally retaken it was heavily fortified to prevent further attacks. The 245th Tank Battalion was sent to assault Chinese positions throughout late 1952, but most of the division held a stationary defensive line against
21185-409: The Chinese. In early 1953, North Korean forces launched a large-scale attack against Hill 812, which was then under the control of K Company, 3rd Battalion, 179th Infantry. The ensuing Battle of Hill Eerie was one of a series of larger attacks by Chinese and North Korean forces which produced heavier fighting than the previous year had seen. These offensives were conducted largely in order to secure
21408-521: The Conference of Physical Training in Springfield to draw up general rules for women's basketball. Thus, the sport quickly spread throughout America's schools, colleges and universities with uniform rules for both sexes. Basketball was originally played with a soccer ball . These round balls from " association football " were made, at the time, with a set of laces to close off the hole needed for inserting
21631-579: The Eighth Corps Area concentration of the Third Army Maneuvers in August 1938, the division was split between Camp Bullis (Oklahoma elements), Fort Bliss, Texas (New Mexico and Colorado elements), and Fort Huachuca , Arizona (Arizona elements). During the maneuver at Fort Bliss, the 45th Division (-) operated as part of the provisional Brown Corps with the 2nd Division against the 36th Division and
21854-479: The G League has 31 teams. FIBA (International Basketball Federation) was formed in 1932 by eight founding nations: Argentina , Czechoslovakia , Greece , Italy , Latvia , Portugal , Romania and Switzerland . At this time, the organization only oversaw amateur players. Its acronym, derived from the French Fédération Internationale de Basket-ball Amateur , was thus "FIBA". Men's basketball
22077-632: The Germans, but Major General Lucas's decision to consolidate the beachhead instead of attacking gave the Germans time to bring the LXXVI Panzer Corps forward to oppose the landings. One regiment of the 45th (the 179th Infantry ) went ashore with the landings. In company with the British 1st Infantry Division , they advanced north along the Anzio-Albano road and captured the Aprilia "factory", but encountered ingrained resistance from German armored units
22300-630: The Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States (IAAUS). In 1910, that body changed its name to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The first Canadian interuniversity basketball game was played at YMCA in Kingston , Ontario on February 6, 1904, when McGill University – Naismith's alma mater – visited Queen's University . McGill won 9–7 in overtime;
22523-462: The Korean War, for a total of twelve campaign streamers and two foreign unit decorations in its operational history. The 45th Infantry Division Museum located in Oklahoma City, is the nation’s largest state-operated military history museum depicting the military history of Oklahoma and the 45th Infantry Division. With displays from 1941 through Desert Storm, the museum includes the country’s third-largest collection of historic U.S. military firearms and
22746-505: The Miss Head's School. In 1899, a committee was established at the Conference of Physical Training in Springfield to draw up general rules for women's basketball. These rules, designed by Berenson, were published in 1899. In 1902 Berenson became the editor of A. G. Spalding 's first Women's Basketball Guide. The same year women of Mount Holyoke and Sophie Newcomb College (coached by Clara Gregory Baer ), began playing basketball. By 1895,
22969-520: The Month honors from February to April. He also won the 2014–2015 NBA scoring title. However, despite the effort, the Thunder missed the playoffs due to a tiebreaker with the New Orleans Pelicans , and Westbrook fell short of the MVP award, finishing fourth in voting. They finished with a 45–37 record. On April 22, 2015, Scott Brooks was fired as the Thunder head coach. Billy Donovan was hired on April 30, 2015. This
23192-481: The NBA) for a short meeting with the players, are allowed. They generally last no longer than one minute (100 seconds in the NBA) unless, for televised games, a commercial break is needed. The game is controlled by the officials consisting of the referee (referred to as crew chief in the NBA), one or two umpires (referred to as referees in the NBA) and the table officials. For college, the NBA, and many high schools, there are
23415-404: The NBA, and U Sports (Canadian universities) play for both sexes, and 30 seconds in NCAA play for both sexes), holding the ball while closely guarded (5 seconds), and remaining in the restricted area known as the free-throw lane, (or the " key ") (3 seconds). These rules are designed to promote more offense. There are also limits on how players may block an opponent's field goal attempt or help
23638-673: The NBA. Top international players began coming into the NBA in the mid-1990s, including Croatians Dražen Petrović and Toni Kukoč , Serbian Vlade Divac , Lithuanians Arvydas Sabonis and Šarūnas Marčiulionis , Dutchman Rik Smits and German Detlef Schrempf . In the Philippines, the Philippine Basketball Association 's first game was played on April 9, 1975, at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao , Quezon City , Philippines. It
23861-525: The Northwest Division and eighth in the Western Conference playoff standings, and earned a spot in the 2010 NBA playoffs . On April 22, the team secured their first playoff win in Oklahoma City when they defeated the defending-champion Los Angeles Lakers 101–96. This was also the Thunder's first playoff win at the Ford Center. The Thunder would go on to tie the series at two games each, but the Lakers won
24084-585: The Paycom Center their home arena. It was finished at a cost of $ 89.2 million. A plan for such build-out improvements began in 2007. It came in the wake of the acquisition of the Seattle SuperSonics by an Oklahoma City-based ownership group the previous October. A city ballot initiative approved by a 62 percent margin on March 4, 2008, extended a prior one-cent city sales tax for a period of 15 months in order to fund $ 101 million in budgeted improvements to
24307-505: The Rockets. Paul made the 2020 NBA All-Star Game as a reserve, making it his tenth selection, and his first since 2016 . Following the suspension of the 2019–20 NBA season , the Thunder were one of the 22 teams invited to the NBA Bubble to participate in the final 8 games of the regular season. The Thunder were eliminated in 7 games vs Paul’s former team, the Houston Rockets. Following
24530-578: The Savages : "Among other things, a game of skill is described in which balls must be thrown against a target woven from twigs, mounted high on a pole. There's a small reward for the player if the target is being hit." In December 1891, James Naismith , a Canadian-American professor of physical education and instructor at the International Young Men's Christian Association Training School (now Springfield College ) in Springfield, Massachusetts ,
24753-511: The Seventh Army linked up with Lieutenant General George S. Patton 's U.S. Third Army , advancing from Normandy , joining the two forces at Dijon . Against slight opposition, it spearheaded the drive for the Belfort Gap . The 45th Infantry Division took the strongly defended city of Epinal on 24 September. The division was then reassigned to V Corps , under the command of Major General Leonard T. Gerow , for its next advance. On 30 September
24976-578: The Spurs winning, 4–2. With the 21st and 29th picks in the 2014 NBA draft, the Thunder selected Mitch McGary from Michigan and Josh Huestis from Stanford. "He brings energy, passion, and great basketball IQ and toughness what we value" said Presti on drafting McGary. Oklahoma City also signed Semaj Christon after acquiring his draft rights from the Charlotte Hornets . On July 3, the Thunder signed Sebastian Telfair . But they lost shooting guard Thabo Sefolosha as his contract expired and he agreed to
25199-586: The Thunder acquired guard Dennis Schröder from the Hawks and forward Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot from the Philadelphia 76ers . The Thunder also acquired guard Deonte Burton , signing him to a two-way contract with the Oklahoma City Blue . Additionally, the Thunder acquired center Nerlens Noel in free agency, and traded for Abdel Nader from the Boston Celtics . General manager Sam Presti traded Paul George to
25422-514: The Thunder acquired ten-time All-Star forward Carmelo Anthony from the New York Knicks in exchange for center Enes Kanter , forward Doug McDermott , and a 2018 second-round draft pick they had previously acquired from the Chicago Bulls in the Cameron Payne trade. On September 29, 2017, the Thunder signed its star point guard Russell Westbrook to a five-year extension. The Thunder finished
25645-467: The Thunder contributed to the signing of Scott Brooks as the team's official head coach. After moving to Oklahoma City from Seattle, the team's operating situation improved markedly. In December 2008, Forbes magazine estimated the team's franchise value at $ 300 million—a 12 percent increase from the previous year's $ 268 million, when the club was located in Seattle. Forbes also noted an increase in percentage of available tickets sold, from 78 percent in
25868-502: The Thunder in the 2010–11 season and their first Western Conference championship as the Thunder in the 2011–12 season, appearing in the NBA Finals for the fourth time in franchise history and first time since 1996 , when the team was based in Seattle. The Thunder's previous incarnation, the Seattle SuperSonics were formed in 1967. In their 41 seasons in Seattle , the SuperSonics compiled
26091-411: The Thunder selected Baylor University forward Perry Jones III with the 28th overall pick. The Thunder also signed free agents Hasheem Thabeet and Daniel Orton , and signed guards Andy Rautins and DeAndre Liggins . They re-signed forward Serge Ibaka to a four-year, $ 48 million extension. After failing to sign James Harden to an extension that was reportedly worth four years and $ 52 million,
26314-463: The Thunder traded a 2019 second-round pick to acquire Hamidou Diallo , who had been selected by the Brooklyn Nets with the 45th pick. Diallo signed a three-year contract with the Thunder. On July 6, 2018, Paul George re-signed with the Thunder. In July 2018, the Thunder traded forward Carmelo Anthony and a 2022 protected first-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks in a three-way trade. In the trade,
26537-598: The U.S. Army's 45th Infantry Division , the Thunderbirds. The SuperSonics' final NBA draft was in 2008 , and they used the fourth overall pick to select Russell Westbrook , a young point guard from UCLA, who would become the team's franchise player. The Thunder participated in the Orlando Pro Summer League featuring their second-year players, potential free agents and rookies. The players wore generic black and white jerseys reading "OKC-NBA" against an outline of
26760-428: The United States, and it quickly spread through the United States and Canada. By 1895, it was well established at several women's high schools. While YMCA was responsible for initially developing and spreading the game, within a decade it discouraged the new sport, as rough play and rowdy crowds began to detract from YMCA's primary mission. However, other amateur sports clubs, colleges, and professional clubs quickly filled
26983-459: The United States, basketball has evolved to become one of the world's most popular and widely viewed sports. The National Basketball Association (NBA) is the most significant professional basketball league in the world in terms of popularity, salaries, talent, and level of competition (drawing most of its talent from U.S. college basketball ). Outside North America, the top clubs from national leagues qualify to continental championships such as
27206-450: The WNBA to break even this year." Measurements and time limits discussed in this section often vary among tournaments and organizations; international and NBA rules are used in this section. The object of the game is to outscore one's opponents by throwing the ball through the opponents' basket from above while preventing the opponents from doing so on their own. An attempt to score in this way
27429-554: The Western Conference Finals for the fourth time in a span of six seasons, but was eliminated by the Golden State Warriors in seven games, after blowing a 3–1 series lead. After much speculation on the future of free agent superstar Kevin Durant, he announced on July 4, 2016, that he was joining the Warriors. The move to join the 73-win team from last season was heavily criticized by the public and sports media, with many comparing
27652-478: The Western Conference Finals with a seven-game series triumph over the Grizzlies. Durant was again the star, scoring 39 points in the clinching game 7, while Russell Westbrook also had a triple-double . Despite hard-fought battles with the eventual NBA champs, the Thunder fell to the Dallas Mavericks 4–1 in the Western Conference Finals. The Thunder had a chance to tie the series in game 4, but they were unable to hold
27875-607: The act of shooting, depending on whether the shot was successful. One point is awarded for making a free throw, which is attempted from a line 15 feet (4.6 m) from the basket. 45th Infantry Division (United States) Korean War The 45th Infantry Division was an infantry division of the United States Army , most associated with the Oklahoma Army National Guard , from 1920 to 1968. Headquartered for most of its history in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma ,
28098-407: The allotted game time, typically about two hours. Five players from each team may be on the court at one time. Substitutions are unlimited but can only be done when play is stopped. Teams also have a coach, who oversees the development and strategies of the team, and other team personnel such as assistant coaches, managers, statisticians, doctors and trainers. For both men's and women's teams,
28321-402: The arena and a separate $ 20 million practice facility for a relocated franchise. Renovation work on the arena was delayed by a sales tax-receipts shortfall during the 2008–10 economic crisis. Revised plans limited the size of a new glass entryway and eliminated a practice court to accommodate the shortfall. Major construction work on the arena expansion was also delayed from the summer of 2010 to
28544-410: The backup point guard. From the outset the young team looked determined and cohesive. The increasing leadership of Kevin Durant , along with the growing experience of the Thunder's younger players, including future MVPs Russell Westbrook and James Harden , were signs of the Thunder's improvement. The 2009–10 season included several victories over the NBA's elite teams, including a 28-point win over
28767-415: The ball from a dribbler, intercept passes, or block shots; either offense or defense may collect a rebound , that is, a missed shot that bounces from rim or backboard. It is a violation to lift or drag one's pivot foot without dribbling the ball , to carry it, or to hold the ball with both hands then resume dribbling . The five players on each side fall into five playing positions . The tallest player
28990-490: The basket if one is scored. The defense gains possession in all cases of goaltending or basket interference. An attempt to unfairly disadvantage an opponent through certain types of physical contact is illegal and is called a personal foul. These are most commonly committed by defensive players; however, they can be committed by offensive players as well. Players who are fouled either receive the ball to pass inbounds again, or receive one or more free throws if they are fouled in
29213-414: The basketball is also regulated. For men, the official ball is 29.5 inches (75 cm) in circumference (size 7, or a "295 ball") and weighs 22 oz (620 g). If women are playing, the official basketball size is 28.5 inches (72 cm) in circumference (size 6, or a "285 ball") with a weight of 20 oz (570 g). In 3x3 , a formalized version of the halfcourt 3-on-3 game, a dedicated ball with
29436-513: The camp were outraged at the malnourishment and maltreatment of the 32,000 prisoners they liberated, some barely alive, and all victims of the Holocaust . After entering the camp, the soldiers found boxcars filled with dead bodies of prisoners who had succumbed to starvation or last-minute executions, and in rooms adjacent to gas chambers they found naked bodies piled from the floor to the ceiling. The cremation ovens, which were still in operation when
29659-601: The capture of Rome. After landing in France during Operation Dragoon , they joined the 1945 drive into Germany that ended the War in Europe . After a brief inactivation and subsequent reorganization as a unit restricted to Oklahomans, the division returned to duty in 1951 for the Korean War. It joined the United Nations troops on the front lines during the stalemate of the second half of
29882-447: The cases dismissed to prevent bad press, but Bradley refused. A non-commissioned officer, Sergeant Horace T. West, 33 years old, later confessed to the crimes in the first incident and was found guilty. On the second incident, Captain John T. Compton ordered Italian soldiers to be lined up and shot; the officer claimed he had only been following orders and was acquitted. In a third incident,
30105-516: The champion dwindled after 1954 when Brown v. Board of Education began an integration of schools. The last tournaments were held at Alabama State College from 1964 to 1967. Teams abounded throughout the 1920s. There were hundreds of men's professional basketball teams in towns and cities all over the United States, and little organization of the professional game. Players jumped from team to team and teams played in armories and smoky dance halls. Leagues came and went. Barnstorming squads such as
30328-419: The circumference of a size 6 ball but the weight of a size 7 ball is used in all competitions (men's, women's, and mixed teams). The ball may be advanced toward the basket by being shot, passed between players, thrown, tapped, rolled or dribbled (bouncing the ball while running). The ball must stay within the court; the last team to touch the ball before it travels out of bounds forfeits possession. The ball
30551-460: The conflict. Most of the division returned to New York in September 1945, and from there went to Camp Bowie , Texas. On 7 December 1945, the division was inactivated from the active duty force and its members reassigned to other Army units. The following year, on 10 September 1946, the 45th Infantry Division was reconstituted as a National Guard unit. Instead of comprising units from several states,
30774-439: The court and backboard, it is considered important for the basket to be of the correct height – a rim that is off by just a few inches can have an adverse effect on shooting. The net must "check the ball momentarily as it passes through the basket" to aid the visual confirmation that the ball went through. The act of checking the ball has the further advantage of slowing down the ball so the rebound does not go as far. The size of
30997-489: The deciding game six. Their first move in the offseason was trading starting guard Josh Giddey for the Chicago Bulls ' elite defending guard Alex Caruso . Isaiah Hartenstein was also signed as a backup to Chet Holmgren who was now entering his Sophomore Year. The Thunder signed Nikola Topic and Dillon Jones to rookie contracts as the Thunder went into the 2024-25 season with sky-high expectations. After 10 game of exceptional play by Chet Holmgren, Chet went down with
31220-550: The defunct Seattle SuperSonics franchise. Seattle arenas had hosted two NBA All-Star Games ; the 1974 game in Seattle Center Coliseum and the 1987 game in the Kingdome , where SuperSonics forward Tom Chambers grabbed MVP honors. Opened on June 8, 2002, as the Ford Center, Paycom Center was built without luxury accommodations but designed to accommodate luxury "buildouts" should a professional sports franchise make
31443-608: The development of the game. The hall of fame has people who have accomplished many goals in their career in basketball. An upstart organization, the American Basketball Association , emerged in 1967 and briefly threatened the NBA's dominance until the ABA-NBA merger in 1976. Today the NBA is the top professional basketball league in the world in terms of popularity, salaries, talent, and level of competition. The NBA has featured many famous players, including George Mikan ,
31666-545: The division and carry on its lineage. Over the course of its history, the 45th Infantry Division sustained over 25,000 battle casualties, and its men were awarded ten Medals of Honor , twelve campaign streamers , the Croix de Guerre and the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation . With the American entry into World War I , in April 1917, troops of the National Guard were formed into
31889-569: The division crossed the Moselle River and entered the western foothills of the Vosges , taking Rambervillers . It would remain in the area for a month waiting for other units to catch up before crossing the Mortagne River on 23 October. The division remained on the line with the U.S. 6th Army Group the southernmost of three army groups advancing through France. After the crossing was complete,
32112-632: The division did not perform well during these exercises, and was criticized by officers who considered it "feeble." In spite of these deficiencies, less than one month later, the men's tour of duty was extended for another eighteen months, much to their chagrin, because of concerns of an impending American entry into World War II . Throughout 1942, it continued this training at Camp Barkeley , Texas , before moving to Fort Devens , Massachusetts , to undergo amphibious assault training in preparation for an invasion of Italy . It then moved to Pine Camp , New York briefly for winter warfare training, but
32335-399: The division for a year or more. Additionally, only about 20 percent of its personnel had prior experience of military service from World War II. Nevertheless, the division was one of four National Guard divisions identified as being among the most prepared for combat based on the effectiveness of its equipment, training, and leadership. As a result, in February 1951, the 45th Infantry Division
32558-450: The division was relieved from V Corps and assigned to Major General Wade H. Haislip 's XV Corps . The division was allowed a one-month rest, resuming its advance on 25 November, attacking the forts north of Mutzig . These forts had been designed by Kaiser Wilhelm II in 1893 to block access to the plain of Alsace . The 45th Division next crossed the Zintzel River before pushing through the Maginot Line defenses. During this time much of
32781-454: The division's artillery assets were attached to the 44th Infantry Division to provide additional support. The 45th Infantry Division, now commanded by Major General Robert T. Frederick , who had previously commanded the 1st Special Service Force, was reassigned to VI Corps on New Year's Day . From 2 January 1945, the division fought defensively along the German border, withdrawing to the Moder River . It sent half of its artillery to support
33004-431: The division's officers and five percent of its enlisted men had combat experience with the division from World War II. At the outbreak of the Korean War in June 1950, the U.S. Army looked to expand its force again to prepare for major conflict. After the North Korean People's Army invaded the Republic of Korea , four understrength U.S. divisions on occupation duty in Japan were rushed to South Korea to stand alongside
33227-537: The division's presence in Korea. The division remained as a unit of the Oklahoma National Guard and participated in no major actions throughout the rest of the 1950s save regular weekend and summer training exercises. In 1963, the formation was reorganized in accordance with the Reorganization Objective Army Divisions plan, which saw the establishment of a 1st, 2nd and 3rd Brigade within the division. These brigades would see no major deployments or events and were inactivated five years later in 1968. That same year, due to
33450-446: The division's troops were once again called up, this time to help manage a locust plague affecting Colorado. The division's original shoulder sleeve insignia , approved in August 1924, featured a swastika , a common Native American symbol, as a tribute to the Southwestern United States region which had a large population of Native Americans. However, with the rise of the Nazi Party in Germany , with its infamous swastika symbol,
33673-417: The division’s subordinate units trained over 250 company-grade officers of the 95th and 103rd Divisions at the various state encampment locations. In 1936, the division and brigade staffs participated in the Third Army command post exercise at Fort Sam Houston and Camp Bullis , Texas, which was designed to prepare them for the large-scale army maneuvers to be held the summer of 1938. For participation in
33896-420: The end of the game wins, but if regulation play expires with the score tied, an additional period of play ( overtime ) is mandated. Players advance the ball by bouncing it while walking or running (dribbling) or by passing it to a teammate, both of which require considerable skill. On offense, players may use a variety of shots – the layup , the jump shot , or a dunk ; on defense, they may steal
34119-433: The end of the war, which occurred on Armistice with Germany . The Oklahoma National Guard units that would later become the 179th Infantry Regiment and 180th Infantry Regiment were assigned to the 36th Division and would earn a combat participation credit during the Meuse–Argonne offensive in France as part of the 142nd Infantry . On 19 October 1920, units of the Oklahoma National Guard were organized as part of
34342-472: The ending of the game was replayed three times until the Soviet Union finally came out on top. In 1950 the first FIBA World Championship for men, now known as the FIBA Basketball World Cup , was held in Argentina. Three years later, the first FIBA World Championship for women, now known as the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup , was held in Chile. Women's basketball was added to the Olympics in 1976, which were held in Montreal , Quebec, Canada with teams such as
34565-419: The fighting in Korea was further expanded when the 40th Infantry Division of the California Army National Guard received warning orders for deployment as well. On 1 September 1950, the 45th Infantry Division was activated as the first National Guard division to be deployed to the Far East theater since World War II. Nevertheless, it was not deployed to Korea until December 1951, when its advanced training
34788-417: The final game of the series, he again scored 41 and forward Serge Ibaka nearly tied the record for most blocks in a playoff game (10, set by Mark Eaton , Hakeem Olajuwon and Andrew Bynum ) with nine blocks. The Thunder won the series four games to one and were set to face off against the Memphis Grizzlies who achieved an eight-seed upset over the San Antonio Spurs just days before. The Thunder advanced to
35011-451: The final two years of the Sonics' lease at KeyArena went to federal court. Nearly a month later, the two sides reached a settlement agreement. The terms awarded the city $ 45 million to get out of the remaining lease at KeyArena, and would have provided an additional $ 30 million payment to Seattle in 2013 if certain conditions had been met. The owners agreed to leave the SuperSonics name, logo, colors, banners, trophies, and records in Seattle for
35234-418: The first decades of the 20th century, basketball quickly became the ideal interscholastic sport due to its modest equipment and personnel requirements. In the days before widespread television coverage of professional and college sports, the popularity of high school basketball was unrivaled in many parts of America. Perhaps the most legendary of high school teams was Indiana's Franklin Wonder Five , which took
35457-747: The first dominating "big man"; ball-handling wizard Bob Cousy and defensive genius Bill Russell of the Boston Celtics ; charismatic center Wilt Chamberlain , who originally played for the barnstorming Harlem Globetrotters ; all-around stars Oscar Robertson and Jerry West ; more recent big men Kareem Abdul-Jabbar , Shaquille O'Neal , Hakeem Olajuwon and Karl Malone ; playmakers John Stockton , Isiah Thomas and Steve Nash ; crowd-pleasing forwards Julius Erving and Charles Barkley ; European stars Dirk Nowitzki , Pau Gasol and Tony Parker ; Latin American stars Manu Ginobili , more recent superstars, Allen Iverson , Kobe Bryant , Tim Duncan , LeBron James , Stephen Curry , Giannis Antetokounmpo , etc.; and
35680-411: The first player since Oscar Robertson to average a triple-double for an entire NBA regular season, and only the second in NBA history (the other being Robertson). On April 2, 2017, Westbrook tied Oscar Robertson's record for most triple-doubles in an NBA season (41); he broke the record on April 9 against the Denver Nuggets , marking his 42nd triple-double of the season. Westbrook, in that game, also hit
35903-406: The first-ever rights fees to be paid to a women's professional sports league. Over the eight years of the contract, "millions and millions of dollars" were "dispersed to the league's teams." In a March 12, 2009, article, NBA commissioner David Stern said that in the bad economy, "the NBA is far less profitable than the WNBA. We're losing a lot of money among a large number of teams. We're budgeting
36126-489: The force, along with a few reserve divisions such as the 45th Infantry Division which were combat-ineffective. The division retained many of its best officers as senior commanders as the force downsized, and it enjoyed a good relationship with its community. The 45th in this time was regarded as one of the better-trained National Guard divisions. Regardless, by mid-1950 the division had only 8,413 troops, less than 45 percent of its full-strength authorization. Only 10 percent of
36349-458: The franchise). Financially, the Thunder organization continued to build on the positive returns experienced from relocating from Seattle to Oklahoma City. In January 2011, Forbes magazine estimated the franchise's worth at $ 329 million, up six percent from 2009–10 and ranking No. 18 in the NBA. The magazine also estimated the franchise's revenue at $ 118 million and operating profit at $ 22.6 million—up 6.3 percent and 78 percent, respectively, from
36572-425: The game had spread to colleges across the country, including Wellesley , Vassar , and Bryn Mawr . The first intercollegiate women's game was on April 4, 1896. Stanford women played Berkeley , 9-on-9, ending in a 2–1 Stanford victory. Women's basketball development was more structured than that for men in the early years. In 1905, the executive committee on Basket Ball Rules (National Women's Basketball Committee)
36795-405: The game-winning buzzer beater from 36 feet, ending the Nuggets' playoffs hopes and securing the Thunder's third-seed matchup with the Houston Rockets in the NBA playoffs. Oklahoma City lost the playoff series in the first round to the Rockets 4–1. Despite the team's loss, Westbrook averaged a +14 while on the court and a triple-double during the series and was named league MVP after the season. In
37018-407: The guardsmen fought in both World War II and the Korean War . The 45th Infantry Division guardsmen saw no major action until they became one of the first National Guard units activated in World War II in 1941. They took part in intense fighting during the invasion of Sicily and the attack on Salerno in the 1943 Italian Campaign . Slowly advancing through Italy , they fought at Anzio until
37241-531: The heights of the Chaines de Mar before meeting with the 1st Special Service Force . The German Army , reeling from the Battle of Normandy , in which it had suffered a major defeat, pulled back after a short fight, part of an overall German withdrawal to the east following the landings. Soldiers of the 45th Infantry Division engaged the dispersed forces of German Army Group G , suffering very few casualties. The U.S. Seventh Army, along with Free French forces, were able to advance north quickly. By 12 September,
37464-440: The hill against a series of Chinese assaults from the Chinese 38th Army . The 45th Infantry Division, along with the 7th Infantry Division, fought off repeated Chinese attacks all along the front line throughout 1952, and Chinese forces frequently attacked Old Baldy Hill into the fall of that year. Around that time, the 45th Infantry Division relinquished command of Old Baldy Hill to the 2nd Infantry Division . Almost immediately
37687-489: The inflatable bladder after the other sewn-together segments of the ball's cover had been flipped outside-in. These laces could cause bounce passes and dribbling to be unpredictable. Eventually a lace-free ball construction method was invented, and this change to the game was endorsed by Naismith (whereas in American football , the lace construction proved to be advantageous for gripping and remains to this day). The first balls made specifically for basketball were brown, and it
37910-459: The island, the division advanced north on the U.S. force's eastern flank. After initially encountering resistance from armor of the Hermann Goering Division , the division advanced, supported by paratroopers of the 505th Parachute Regimental Combat Team , part of the 82nd Airborne Division , who landed inland on 11 July. The paratroopers, conducting their first combat jump of the war after six weeks of training in Tunisia , then set up to protect
38133-506: The last two games in the series to win it 4–2. Oklahoma City ranked twelfth in overall attendance in the NBA, and seventh in percentage of available seats occupied (98.9 percent, including 28 sellouts in 41 home games). The team's operating situation also continued to improve in 2009–10. Forbes magazine estimated the team's franchise value at $ 310 million (an increase of $ 10 million over the prior year) with an estimated operating profit of $ 12.7 million (the first operating profit in years for
38356-477: The league's popularity and level of competition. Other professional women's basketball leagues in the United States, such as the American Basketball League (1996–98) , have folded in part because of the popularity of the WNBA. The WNBA has been looked at by many as a niche league. However, the league has recently taken steps forward. In June 2007, the WNBA signed a contract extension with ESPN . The new television deal ran from 2009 to 2016. Along with this deal, came
38579-445: The lockout. The Thunder made their two pre-season appearances, after the lockout, against the Dallas Mavericks , winning both games. They won their first regular-season game against Orlando at home and went on a five-game winning streak. Kevin Durant became the sixth player to score 30 or more points in four consecutive games at the start of a season. In addition, the Thunder was the first to sweep their back-to-back-to-back games, winning
38802-484: The massive numbers of surrendering troops of the German armies. The number of POWs taken by the 45th Division during its almost two years of fighting totalled 124,840 men. The division was then slated to move to the Pacific theater of operations to participate in the invasion of mainland Japan on the island of Honshu , but these plans were scrubbed before the division could depart after the surrender of Japan , on V-J Day . World War II Casualties During and after
39025-423: The mezzanine balcony of the playing court, but this proved impractical when spectators in the balcony began to interfere with shots. The backboard was introduced to prevent this interference; it had the additional effect of allowing rebound shots. Naismith's handwritten diaries, discovered by his granddaughter in early 2006, indicate that he was nervous about the new game he had invented, which incorporated rules from
39248-419: The middle of the season Westbrook and Durant both came back, and similarly suffered more injuries. Durant was ruled out of the rest of the season in March, deciding to have foot surgery. Westbrook also had to undergo surgery in early March, to repair a fracture in the zygomatic arch bone of his right cheek. Several days later he returned and recorded several triple-doubles on his way to Western Conference Player of
39471-425: The move to LeBron James ' 2010 off-season departure from Cleveland to the Miami Heat . On July 7, Durant was officially introduced by the Warriors organization and signed a two-year, $ 54.3 million contract, with a player option after the first year. On August 4, 2016, Westbrook agreed to a three-year extension to remain with the Thunder. With an average of 31.6 points, 10.4 assists and 10.7 rebounds, Westbrook became
39694-489: The nation by storm during the 1920s, dominating Indiana basketball and earning national recognition. Today virtually every high school in the United States fields a basketball team in varsity competition. Basketball's popularity remains high, both in rural areas where they carry the identification of the entire community, as well as at some larger schools known for their basketball teams where many players go on to participate at higher levels of competition after graduation. In
39917-402: The nearby Smith College , went to Naismith to learn more about the game. Fascinated by the new sport and the values it could teach, she started to organize games with her pupils, following adjusted rules. The first official women's interinstitutional game was played barely 11 months later, between the University of California and the Miss Head's School. In 1899, a committee was established at
40140-400: The new sport and the values it could teach, she instantly introduced the game as a class exercise and soon after teams were organized. The first women's collegiate basketball game was played on March 21, 1893, when her Smith freshmen and sophomores played against one another. The first official women's interinstitutional game was played later that year between the University of California and
40363-407: The offense, a violation of these rules results in loss of possession; for the defense, most leagues reset the shot clock and the offensive team is given possession of the ball out of bounds. There are limits imposed on the time taken before progressing the ball past halfway (8 seconds in FIBA and the NBA; 10 seconds in NCAA and high school for both sexes), before attempting a shot (24 seconds in FIBA,
40586-418: The perceived lack of need for so many large formations in the Army National Guard, the 45th Infantry Division was inactivated, as part of a larger move to reduce the number of Army National Guard divisions from 15 to eight, while increasing the number of separate brigades from seven to 18. In its place, the independent 45th Infantry Brigade (Separate) was established. The 45th Infantry Brigade received all of
40809-485: The perimeter, at Aprilia and along the west branch of the Mussolini Canal. For the next few months the 45th Infantry Division was mostly stuck in place, holding its ground during repeated German counterattacks, and subjected to bombardment from aircraft and artillery. On 16 February, a major German attack struck the 45th and nearly broke through the 179th Infantry on 18 February. Lucas sent famed U.S. Army Ranger leader Colonel William Orlando Darby to assume command of
41032-430: The post-war 45th was an all-Oklahoma organization. During this time the division was also reorganized and as a part of this process the 157th Infantry was removed from the division's order of battle and replaced with the 279th Infantry Regiment . During this time, the U.S. Army underwent a drastic reduction in size. At the end of World War II, it contained 89 divisions, but by 1950, there were just 10 active divisions in
41255-427: The previous year. The Thunder finished the 2010–2011 season with a 55–27 record, a five-win increase from their breakout season the previous year. The team also captured their first division title since moving to Oklahoma City, and seventh in franchise history. In the wake of a fourth-seed versus fifth-seed match-up against the Denver Nuggets , Kevin Durant scored 41 points in game 1 to set a new career playoff high. In
41478-420: The rest of the playoffs after having knee surgery. Without the team's second-leading scorer, the Thunder, who had a 3–0 lead, lost the next two games to bring the series to 3–2. In game 6, the Thunder defeated the Rockets to advance to the second round, facing a rematch of the 2011 second round, with the Memphis Grizzlies. The Thunder lost the series 4–1, losing four straight games after winning game 1 at home. In
41701-439: The score was 7–7 at the end of regulation play, and a ten-minute overtime period settled the outcome. A good turnout of spectators watched the game. The first men's national championship tournament, the National Association of Intercollegiate Basketball tournament, which still exists as the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) tournament , was organized in 1937. The first national championship for NCAA teams,
41924-411: The season continued, the Thunder began to improve. After starting 3–29, the Thunder finished the regular season 20–30 for the remaining fifty games. Not only were they winning more often, they played much more competitively than in the first part of the season. The team brought their record to 23–59 and improved upon their record of 20–62 from the team's final season in Seattle. The late-season successes of
42147-452: The season, Billy Donovan 's contract was not renewed, and both sides agreed to mutually part ways. On November 11, 2020, Mark Daigneault was promoted from the assistant coach position to become the new head coach. Before the start of the 2020–21 NBA season , Chris Paul was traded to the Phoenix Suns for Kelly Oubre Jr. , Ricky Rubio , two additional players and a 2022 first-round draft pick. Oubre, Rubio and several Thunder veterans from
42370-426: The season. After one season, he was also traded for four-time All-Star Kemba Walker , with Thunder acquiring first-round draft picks as well in both transactions. By the summer of 2021, Thunder accumulated 36 total draft picks over the next seven years, 18 in the first round and 18 in the second. In the 2021 NBA draft , Thunder drafted Josh Giddey , Alperen Şengün and Tre Mann with their first-round picks, Şengün
42593-405: The season. The Thunder finished with a 60–22 regular season, taking both the Northwest division title and top seed of the Western Conference. In the first round of the playoffs, they faced the 8th-seeded Houston Rockets, featuring former team member James Harden. In game two of the series, Russell Westbrook was struck by Rockets point guard Patrick Beverley , and fell down with an injury and missed
42816-498: The soldiers arrived, contained bodies and skeletons as well. Some of the victims apparently had died only hours before the 45th Division entered the camp, while many others lay where they had died in states of decomposition that overwhelmed the soldiers' senses. Accounts conflict over what happened and over how many German troops were killed. After investigating the incident, the Army considered court-martialling several officers involved, but Patton successfully intervened. The Seventh Army
43039-411: The sport in Australia. The Women's National Basketball League began in 1981. Women began to play basketball in the fall of 1892 at Smith College through Senda Berenson , substitute director of the newly opened gymnasium and physical education teacher, after having modified the rules for women. Shortly after Berenson was hired at Smith, she visited Naismith to learn more about the game. Fascinated by
43262-487: The summer of 2011. Seating capacity of the stadium is 18,203 for professional NBA basketball games. Basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court , compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately 9.4 inches (24 cm) in diameter) through the defender's hoop (a basket 18 inches (46 cm) in diameter mounted 10 feet (3.048 m) high to
43485-403: The team decided to trade Harden rather than having to pay the luxury tax penalty. On October 27, 2012, the Thunder traded Harden along with center Cole Aldrich and forwards Daequan Cook and Lazar Hayward to the Houston Rockets for Kevin Martin , Jeremy Lamb , first-round draft picks from Toronto and Dallas , and one second-round draft pick. Martin took over Harden's sixth-man role for
43708-415: The team's last season in Seattle to 100 percent in 2008–09. After an inaugural season filled with many adjustments, the Thunder hoped to improve during their second season in Oklahoma City. Oklahoma City did not make any major moves in the off-season, other than drafting James Harden from Arizona State University with the third overall pick in the NBA draft . The Thunder selected Rodrigue Beaubois with
43931-416: The three players who many credit with ushering the professional game to its highest level of popularity during the 1980s and 1990s: Larry Bird , Earvin "Magic" Johnson , and Michael Jordan . In 2001, the NBA formed a developmental league, the National Basketball Development League (later known as the NBA D-League and then the NBA G League after a branding deal with Gatorade ). As of the 2023–24 season,
44154-553: The time the 45th Division landed in North Africa on 22 June 1943, the Allies had largely secured the African theater . As a result, the division was not sent into combat upon arrival and instead commenced training at Arzew , French Morocco , in preparation for the invasion of Sicily . Allied intelligence estimated that the island was defended by approximately 230,000 troops, the majority of which were drawn mostly from weak Italian formations and two German divisions which had been reconstituted after being destroyed earlier. Against this,
44377-458: The units which exist today, with elements of the Colorado National Guard forming the 157th Infantry Regiment , the Arizona National Guard forming the 158th Infantry Regiment , and the New Mexico National Guard forming the 120th Engineer Regiment . These units were assigned to the 40th Division , and deployed to France where the division was used as a "depot" unit to process and provide replacements for front-line units. They returned home at
44600-411: The void. In the years before World War I , the Amateur Athletic Union and the Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States (forerunner of the NCAA ) vied for control over the rules for the game. The first pro league, the National Basketball League, was formed in 1898 to protect players from exploitation and to promote a less rough game. This league only lasted five years. James Naismith
44823-481: The war, courts-martial were convened to investigate possible war crimes by members of the division. In the first two cases, dubbed the Biscari massacre , occurred on 14 July 1943, American troops from C Company, 180th Infantry Regiment, were alleged to have shot 74 Italian and two German prisoners in Acate following the capture of an airfield in the area. George Patton , the Seventh Army commanding general, asked Omar Bradley , II Corps commanding general, to get
45046-431: The war, with constant, low-level fighting and trench warfare against the People's Volunteer Army of China that produced little gain for either side. The division remained on the front lines in such engagements as Old Baldy Hill and Hill Eerie until the end of the war, returning to the U.S. in 1954. The division remained a National Guard formation until its downsizing in 1968. Several units were activated to replace
45269-436: The youngest player in league history to win the scoring title, averaging 30.1 points per game while playing in all 82 games. The Thunder finished 50–32, more than doubling their win total from the previous season. The 50–32 record tied the 2008 Denver Nuggets for the most wins by an 8th seed in the modern playoffs era. The Oklahoma City Thunder also had the same record as the Boston Celtics in this season. They finished fourth in
45492-422: Was Donovan's first major NBA coaching job, after he initially accepted and then left the Orlando Magic job in 2007. With the 14th and the 48th picks in the 2015 NBA draft , the Thunder selected Cameron Payne from Murray State and Dakari Johnson from Kentucky. With Billy Donovan as the team's head coach the Thunder won the Northwest Division and clinched the third seed in the Western Conference. The team reached
45715-409: Was alerted that it would sail for Japan. In preparation for the deployment, the division was sent to Fort Polk , Louisiana , to begin training and to fill its ranks. After its basic training was complete, the division was sent to Japan in April 1951 for advanced training and to act as a reserve force for the Eighth United States Army, then fighting in Korea. The involvement of the National Guard in
45938-457: Was attacked. In the division's first few months on the line, Chinese forces conducted three raids in its sector. In retaliation, the 245th Tank Battalion sent nine tanks to raid Agok. Two companies of Chinese forces ambushed and devastated a patrol from the 179th Infantry a short time later. In the spring, the division launched Operation Counter, which was an effort to establish 11 patrol bases around Old Baldy Hill . The division then defended
46161-471: Was awarded four campaign streamers and one Presidential Unit Citation. One soldier from the division, Charles George , was awarded the Medal of Honor while serving in Korea. The division briefly patrolled the Korean Demilitarized Zone following the signing of the armistice ending the war, but most of its men returned home and reverted to National Guard status on 30 April 1954. Its colors were returned to Oklahoma on 25 September of that year, formally ending
46384-421: Was being disbanded and Patton had been appointed Military Governor of Bavaria, placing the matter in his hands. Some veterans of the 45th Infantry Division have said that only 30 to 50 German soldiers were killed and that very few were killed trying to surrender, while others have admitted to killing or refusing to treat wounded German guards. Confessed murderer Frank Sheeran later recalled his war service with
46607-403: Was common by 1896, with a rule against the double dribble by 1898. The peach baskets were used until 1906 when they were finally replaced by metal hoops with backboards. A further change was soon made, so the ball merely passed through. Whenever a person got the ball in the basket, his team would gain a point. Whichever team got the most points won the game. The baskets were originally nailed to
46830-424: Was complete. When it arrived in Korea, only half the division's manpower were National Guard troops. Though the 45th remained de facto segregated as an all-white unit in 1950, individual unit commanders went to great lengths to integrate reinforcements from different areas and ethnicities into their units. By 1952, it was fully integrated. Following its arrival, the division moved to the front line to replace
47053-461: Was created by the American Physical Education Association . These rules called for six to nine players per team and 11 officials. The International Women's Sports Federation (1924) included a women's basketball competition. 37 women's high school varsity basketball or state tournaments were held by 1925. And in 1926, the Amateur Athletic Union backed the first national women's basketball championship , complete with men's rules. The Edmonton Grads ,
47276-401: Was first included at the Berlin 1936 Summer Olympics , although a demonstration tournament was held in 1904. The United States defeated Canada in the first final, played outdoors. This competition has usually been dominated by the United States, whose team has won all but three titles. The first of these came in a controversial final game in Munich in 1972 against the Soviet Union, in which
47499-474: Was founded as a "rebellion" of several teams from the now-defunct Manila Industrial and Commercial Athletic Association, which was tightly controlled by the Basketball Association of the Philippines (now defunct), the then-FIBA recognized national association. Nine teams from the MICAA participated in the league's first season that opened on April 9, 1975. The NBL is Australia's pre-eminent men's professional basketball league. The league commenced in 1979 , playing
47722-414: Was hampered by continuously poor weather. In January 1943 it moved to Fort Pickett , Virginia , for its final training. The division, now commanded by Major General Troy H. Middleton , a Regular Army soldier and highly distinguished World War I veteran, moved to the Hampton Roads Port of Embarkation 's Camp Patrick Henry to await combat loading on the transports. The division's two combat commands,
47945-418: Was instrumental in establishing college basketball . His colleague C. O. Beamis fielded the first college basketball team just a year after the Springfield YMCA game at the suburban Pittsburgh Geneva College . Naismith himself later coached at the University of Kansas for six years, before handing the reins to renowned coach Forrest "Phog" Allen . Naismith's disciple Amos Alonzo Stagg brought basketball to
48168-412: Was not an official Olympic sport until 1976. The Grads' players were unpaid, and had to remain single. The Grads' style focused on team play, without overly emphasizing skills of individual players. The first women's AAU All-America team was chosen in 1929. Women's industrial leagues sprang up throughout the United States, producing famous athletes, including Babe Didrikson of the Golden Cyclones , and
48391-424: Was only in the late 1950s that Tony Hinkle , searching for a ball that would be more visible to players and spectators alike, introduced the orange ball that is now in common use. Dribbling was not part of the original game except for the "bounce pass" to teammates. Passing the ball was the primary means of ball movement. Dribbling was eventually introduced but limited by the asymmetric shape of early balls. Dribbling
48614-705: Was properly organized, many of its members were marksmen and outdoorsmen from the remote frontier regions of the Southwestern United States. The division's first commander was Major General Baird H. Markham. The designated mobilization training center for the 45th Division was Fort Sill , Oklahoma. From 1922 to 1936, the division’s subordinate units generally held separate summer camps at locations within their respective states: Fort Sill for Oklahoma units; Fort Tuthill , near Flagstaff , for Arizona units; Camp Maximilliano Luna in San Miguel County for New Mexico units; and Camp George West near Golden, Colorado , for Colorado units. For at least 3 years, in 1927, 1932, and 1933,
48837-519: Was put under the command of the Eighth Army's I Corps for most of the conflict. It was deployed around Chorwon and assigned to protect the key routes from that area into Seoul . The terrain was difficult and the weather was poor in the region. The division suffered its first casualty on 11 December 1951. Initially, the division did not fare well, though it improved quickly. Its anti-aircraft and armor assets were used as mobile artillery, which continuously pounded Chinese positions. The 45th, in turn,
49060-407: Was stalled when it reached the Gustav Line . Until 9 January 1944, the division, now under Major General William W. Eagles (replacing Major General Middleton who struck down with arthritis , was sent to England to command VIII Corps in the Normandy invasion ), inched forward into the mountains reaching St. Elia, north of Monte Cassino , before moving to a rest area. Allied forces conducted
49283-462: Was then traded for two future draft picks. On August 6, 2021, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander signed a 5-year maximum contract extension worth $ 172 million. On the same day, Thunder waived Kemba Walker after he agreed to a buy-out. On May 1, 2021, the Thunder lost at home to the Indiana Pacers by 57 points, 152–95, the largest regular-season home loss in NBA history and one point less than the record-holding New Orleans Hornets home playoff loss in 2009. During
49506-402: Was trying to keep his gym class active on a rainy day. He sought a vigorous indoor game to keep his students occupied and at proper levels of fitness during the long New England winters. After rejecting other ideas as either too rough or poorly suited to walled-in gymnasiums , he invented a new game in which players would pass a ball to teammates and try to score points by tossing the ball into
49729-401: Was under constant artillery and mortar attack. It also conducted constant small-unit patrols along the border seeking to engage Chinese outposts or patrols. These small-unit actions made up the majority of the division's combat in Korea. Chinese troops were well dug-in and better trained than the troops of the inexperienced 45th, and it suffered casualties and frequently had to disengage when it
#13986