The Oklahoma City Thunder have recalled forward Perry Jones, guard DeAndre Liggins and center Daniel Orton from the Tulsa 66ers of the NBA Development League.
Jones has appeared in six games (all starts) with the 66ers this season, averaging 14.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.2 blocks in 31.5 minutes.
In six games (all starts) with the 66ers, Liggins is averaging 10.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.7 blocks in 37.0 minutes per game.
Orton has seen action in 11 games (all starts) with Tulsa this season, averaging 10.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.4 steals, 1.9 blocks and 30.2 minutes.
March 2012 Oklahoma City Thunder Wiretap
The Oklahoma City Thunder have reassigned rookie forward Perry Jones, guard DeAndre Liggins and center Daniel Orton to the Tulsa 66ers, the Thunders’ NBA Development League affiliate.
Jones has appeared in 10 games for Oklahoma City this season while recording averages of 1.2 points and 1.4 rebounds in 7.6 minutes per game. In his previous four-game stint with Tulsa, Jones averaged 11.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 30.3 minutes.
Liggins has made an appearance in seven games this season for the Thunder recording 3.0 minutes per game. During a five-game assignment with the 66ers, Liggins recorded averages of 11.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 4.8 assists in 36.4 minutes per game.
Orton has made one appearance for the Thunder this season scoring two points in two minutes. Earlier this season he played in nine games on assignment for the 66ers and averaged 11.4 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.2 assists while playing 30.2 minutes per game.
Kendrick Perkins believes the Oklahoma City Thunder have to get over themselves one by one and recommit to the team.
“I just feel like — never overreacting to a loss — we just got to start getting back to who we are as individuals,” Perkins said after the Thunder's Christmas Day loss to the Miami Heat. “Turning off the TV and stop looking at articles on ourselves and start just losing ourselves in the team a little bit more than the sky's the limit.”
Perkins didn't call out a specific teammate but made it clear the Thunder's mindset is not in the right place right now.
“We just got to start knowing what got us here and what each guy did to get us to this point,” Perkins said. “We just got to make sure we start knowing who we are and what we are and what we mean to this team as individuals and the rest will take care of itself.”
Reggie Jackson of the Tulsa 66ers has been named NBA Development League Performer of the Week for games played Dec. 17-23.
A 6-3, 208-pound guard out of Boston College, Jackson led the 66ers to two wins while on assignment from the Oklahoma City Thunder, averaging a team-high 32.0 points to go with 8.0 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 37.5 minutes. He led the team in scoring and assists in both games, was the leading rebounder once.
Jackson, who was recalled by the Thunder on Dec. 23, has appeared in 14 games for Oklahoma City this season, averaging 1.9 points, 1.0 rebounds and 6.9 minutes.
After losing to the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals a season ago, the Oklahoma City Thunder players learned a very succinct lesson: Everyone must be involved throughout the course of games, from role players to stars.
The Thunder know that gameplan must be put into place in the regular season so that it pays dividends in the playoffs.
“We know how important it is for everybody to be involved, not just at the start of the Finals or the playoffs but right around this time," Kevin Durant said. "We know that everybody is important."
Russell Westbrook has interest in participating in the NBA dunk contest at some point in his career, but whether that will come this season is "up in the air."
"I would (like to) before it's too late," Westbrook said on Thursday. "But I don't know whether I'm going to feel like doing it or not."
The Oklahoma City Thunder have re-assigned Perry Jones and DeAndre Liggins to the Tulsa 66ers, the Thunder’s NBA Development League affiliate.
Jones has appeared in 10 games for the Thunder this season, averaging 1.2 points, 1.4 rebounds and 7.6 minutes. In his first NBA D-League stint, he played in two games for the 66ers. On Dec. 5 vs. Sioux Falls, he tallied 21 points and seven rebounds.
Liggins joins Tulsa having appeared in seven games for the Thunder this season.
The Oklahoma City Thunder has recalled guard Jeremy Lamb and forward Daniel Orton from the Tulsa 66ers of the NBA Development League.
Lamb has appeared in seven games (all starts) with the 66ers this season, averaging 23.0 points (2nd in the D-League), 4.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.0 steal and 1.1 blocks in 35.9 minutes.
Orton has seen action in nine games (nine starts) with Tulsa this season, averaging 11.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.1 steals, 1.9 blocks and 30.1 minutes.
Despite the clashes between the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder dating back to last season's Western Conference finals, Tony Parker doesn't believe the two teams are rivals -- at least not right now.
"No not yet," Parker said on Saturday. "Not like the Lakers or the Mavericks. When I first arrived, the Lakers were a rivalry but I'm sure it's starting.
"It's starting to become a rivalry but I can't compare it to Dallas or the Lakers."
For years in the 2000s, the Spurs battled the Lakers and Mavericks to break out of the West.
Besides last spring's Conference finals, the Spurs-Thunder battles have recently included the comments Stephen Jackson directed toward Serge Ibaka.
Jason Smith sustained a right shoulder sprain in Wednesday night’s game against Oklahoma City.
Smith is expected to miss two weeks.