Oklahoma City Thunder Rumors
Wednesday’s Nuggets-Suns NBA second round Game 2 averaged 3.53 million viewers on TNT, per John Ourand of Sports Business Journal — up 1% from Blazers-Nuggets on the comparable night two years ago (3.51M). Viewership actually declined 18% from the comparable game in the “bubble,” with the caveat that last year’s game was a first round Game 7 (Thunder-Rockets: 4.29M).
Shifting to the highest-profile series of the first round, last Thursday’s Suns-Lakers Game 6 averaged 4.5 million viewers on TNT — the network’s largest opening round audience since 2018 (Cavaliers-Pacers Game 4: 6.07M). The Suns’ Game 5 rout last Tuesday averaged 3.5 million, up 44% from last year in the “bubble” (Mavericks-Clippers: 2.43M) and up 12% from Thunder-Blazers in 2019, a game that ended on a series-clinching three-pointer by Damian Lillard (3.11M).
Bulls interested in trading for rights to Vasilije Micic?
The Chicago Bulls are reported to be interested in trading for newly-crowned EuroLeague and Final Four MVP Vasilije Micic. According to Mozzart Sport, the Bulls have been considering to acquire Micic and are ready to hit the market to get the player’s rights from the Oklahoma City Thunder even before the NBA Draft night (29/7).
Recently, Micic’s agent mentioned to Novosti that he won’t allow his client to head to the NBA just to be a bench guy. He also said that if he doesn’t get guarantees that there is a “good and right” situation in store for Micic, then the Serbian guard’s NBA debut will be postponed for another year.
Anadolu Efes ended a three-season dream run with the EuroLeague title last week and GM Alper Yilmaz looks ahead to the “next day”, with so much interest drawn on EuroLeague and Final Four MVP Vasilije Micic and the sensational Shane Larkin. Yilmaz admits that if both desire to pursue their next goal overseas there’s nothing he can do from his side, while he wants both to succeed after offering Efes its first-ever EuroLeague trophy.
Alper Yilmaz: “They have a desire to play in the NBA, and they deserve it until the end. I don’t know if they will go if they get a good offer, but I know they are happy at our club. There’s nothing I can do if they really want to go to the NBA, but I think players who have helped us so much, we should help them achieve their dreams. Of course, the issue of how to fill their place is a bit of a challenge, but we do not prefer them to leave. If they go, we will do our best”.
Later Sunday, Nets-Celtics Game 4 averaged 3.47 million on TNT — up 139% from Raptors-Nets in the “bubble” (1.45M) and up 29% from Raptors-Magic in 2019 (2.69M). The Clippers-Mavericks nightcap drew 3.13 million, up 67% from the “bubble” (Nuggets-Jazz: 1.87M) and down 16% from 2019 (Blazers-Thunder: 3.74M). On Saturday, Jazz-Grizzlies Game 3 drew 2.89 million on ESPN — down 10% from 2019 (Rockets-Jazz: 3.19M). Sixers-Wizards led in with 2.24 million, down 42% from Lakers-Blazers in the “bubble,” which aired on ABC (3.86M), and down 10% from 2019 (Bucks-Pistons: 2.48M).
