How Good Are the Thunder? We Analyze Their Record-Tying Start + Our TNF Insights

We also have insights and stats from today’s NBA and NHL slate

In today’s newsletter…

1. Leading Off: The Thunder are so good they are sometimes forgotten

2. The Rundown: Michigan football has a mess on its hands

3. Game of the Day: Bucs are 1-5 ATS at home, face Falcons on TNF

4. By the Numbers: Brown scored 30+ in 4 of 5 for Celtics

5. Overtime: Why the Colts signed very retired quarterback Philip Rivers

1. Leading Off

The Thunder are so good that people might not even be paying attention to them anymore. After their 49-point demolition of the Suns in the NBA Cup semifinals last night, Oklahoma City tied the 2015-2016 Warriors for the best start in NBA history at 25-1. They already have five more wins than any other team in the young season and post a point differential nearly seven points better than the next-best squad (+17.4 compared to Houston’s +10.6).

Oklahoma City has been dominant without even being fully healthy, as the defending champions started the season without Jalen Williams, and Isaiah Hartenstein has been out since Williams returned. Only reining MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Cason Wallace have started every game. Still, the Thunder have seven players averaging double figures, including Gilgeous-Alexander matching his nightly points (32.8) and assists (6.4) from last year, while cutting down his turnovers by an average of 0.7 per game.

This team has been so good so far this season that it is sometimes ignored to focus on the competitiveness of the rest of the NBA. Since the Thunder’s one and only loss, 121-119 at Portland on November 5th, they’ve won 16 games in a row - 13 of those by double figures and half by 20 or more points. Oklahoma City scores the second-most points in the NBA at 123.0 and gives up the fewest by more than three points per game at 106.9.

Oklahoma City is now -250 to win the NBA Cup, -150 to earn the Western Conference banner and +115 to become the first repeat NBA champions since the 2017-2018 Warriors.

— Abe Rakov

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2. The Rundown

Did You Know NFL Postseason Referees Are Assigned By Seniority Not Performance?

• After Sherrone Moore was fired as the Michigan football coach and reportedly detained by police, the Wolverines turned to associate head coach Biff Poggi to serve as interim head coach once again. Poggi, a former hedge fund manager, took over for Moore for two games this year when Moore was suspended as part of Michigan’s sign-stealing scandal. Michigan plays Texas in the Citrus Bowl. Alabama’s Kalen DeBoer and Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman were two of the first very aspirational names written about as possibilities for the full-time job.

• As the NFL continues its contract negotiations with the NFL Referees Association, the league is asking for “postseason assignments to be based on performance rather than seniority,” according to the Associated Press. The NFL is also considering adding more plays to be eligible for replay and want more mandatory training and development for “low-performing and probationary officials.”

• ESPN’s Field Yates’ latest mock NFL Draft is out, and he starts with the Jets trading two first-round picks to the Giants to secure Indiana quarterback and Heisman favorite Fernando Mendoza. Pick 32? Louisville wide receiver Chris Bell to the Broncos.

• Pete Alonso, who has played for the Mets his entire seven-year career, is headed to the Orioles after agreeing to a five-year, $155-million contract. The 31-year-old first baseman is New York’s record holder with 264 home runs, including 38 of them last season (along with 126 RBI). Baltimore is coming off a last-place finish in the AL East.

• Smaller guards are making a larger impact in the NBA, CBS Sports’ James Herbert writes. “Three teams that made the quarterfinals of the NBA Cup feature small guards in the midst of breakout seasons. They may even be showing that the undersized have been undervalued.”

3. Game of the Day

Bucs Coming Off 1st Bad Loss of Season, Get Falcons on TNF Before Facing Panthers Twice

Tampa Bay is coming off its only bad loss of the season, but it couldn’t have come at a worse time. The Buccaneers 24-20 defeat to the 3-10 Saints brought the Panthers even in the NFC South, and Carolina plays at New Orleans on Sunday. Atlanta is already out of the playoffs, but gains more yards and gives up fewer yards than Tampa Bay. It will be hard for the Buccaneers not to look ahead, as they face the Panthers in two of their final three games, matchups that will likely decide the division.

Falcons (4-9, 2-5 Away) vs. Buccaneers (7-6, 3-3 Home)
8:15pm on Prime Video

The Odds

• Spread: Falcons (+4.5, -105), Buccaneers (-4.5, -115)

  • 65% of the money and 71% of the bets are with Tampa Bay

  • ATS | ATL (road): 3-3, TB (home): 1-5

• Moneyline: Falcons +200, Buccaneers -245

• Total (44.5): Over -102, Under -120

  • ATL: 6-7, TB: 7-6

Head-to-Head

Players to Watch

• ATL QB Kirk Cousins | Pass Yards: 206.5 (162, 234, 199), Pass TD: 1.5 (0, 1, 2), Pass Attempts: 31.5 (30, 33, 23)

• TB QB Baker Mayfield | Pass Yards: 219.5 (122, 194, 173), Pass TD: 1.5 (1, 1, 1), Pass Attempts: 31.5 (30, 28, 28), Rush Yards: 18.5 (42, 27, 39)

• ATL RB Bijan Robinson | Rush Yards: 74.5 (86, 142, 70), Carries: 16.5 (20, 23, 14), Anytime TD: -140 (0, 1, 0)

• TB RB Bucky Irving | Rush Yards: 61.5 (55, 61), Carries: 15.5 (15, 17), Anytime TD: +125 (1, 1)

*Stats listed are past 3 games, most recent to least recent (Note: Mayfield was injured in the third game so the fourth game is listed last)

4. By the Numbers

Jokic Scored 24+ in 5 Straight, Faces NBA’s 26th-Ranked Defense Tonight

NBA

• Clippers (6-18, 3-11 Away) vs. Rockets (15-6, 7-2 Home)

  • LAC (+9.5, -114), HOU (+9.5, -106): 69% of the money and 60% of the bets are with Houston

    • ATS | LAC (road): 6-8, HOU (home): 5-4

  • Total (222.5) | LAC: 12-12, HOU: 12-9

• Celtics (15-9, 7-5 Away) vs. Bucks (10-15, 7-7 Home)

  • BOS (-9, -110), MIL (+9, -110): 72% of the money and 59% of the bets are with Boston

    • ATS | BOS (road): 7-5, MIL (home): 7-7

  • Total (223.5) | BOS: 12-12, MIL: 12-13

• Trail Blazers (9-15, 6-9 Away) vs. Pelicans (3-22, 2-12 Home)

  • POR (-4.5, -108), NOP (+4.5, -112): 63% of the money and 58% of the bets are with Portland

    • ATS | POR (road): 7-8, NOP (home): 8-5-1

  • Total (239.5) | POR: 15-9, NOP: 15-10

• Nuggets (17-6, 11-2 Away) vs. Kings (6-18, 3-7 Home)

  • DEN (-10, -108), SAC (+10, -112): 73% of the money and 68% of the bets are with Denver

    • ATS | DEN (road): 8-6, SAC (home): 2-8

  • Total (238.5) | DEN: 15-8, SAC: 10-14

NHL

• Panthers (+1.5, -130) vs. Avalanche (-1.5, +106): 62% of the money and 60% of the bets are with Colorado

• Lightning (-135) vs. Devils (+114): 77% of the money and 66% of the bets are with Tampa Bay

• Stars (-135) vs. Wild (+114): 75% of the money and 73% of the bets are with Dallas

Players to Watch

• Rockets F Kevin Durant (vs. Clippers)

  • Points: 26.5 (27, 28, 24, 32, 25), Reb: 4.5 (1, 4, 3, 9, 7), Ast: 3.5 (3, 8, 8, 5, 4)

  • Opponent (LAC - L2) | Points: 116.8 (19th), Reb: 42.6 (10th), Ast: 26.7 (16th)

• Celtics G Jaylen Brown (@ Bucks)

  • Points: 30.5 (30, 30, 42, 19, 41), Reb: 7.5 (8, 8, 4, 12, 6), Ast: 5.5 (5, 8, 4, 11, 7)

  • Opponent (MIL - L2) | Points: 118.0 (21st), Reb: 45.0 (22nd), Ast: 26.8 (19th)

• Nuggets C Nikola Jokic (@ Kings)

  • Points: 28.5 (28, 40, 24, 29, 26), Reb: 12.5 (9, 9, 8, 20, 9), Ast: 10.5 (11, 8, 13, 13, 10)

  • Opponent (SAC - L1) | Points: 122.0 (26th), Reb: 46.8 (26th), Ast: 28.4 (25th)

5. Overtime

Quotable

“Options out there are slim. He knows the system, so why not? What the heck?” — a Colts team source to ESPN on signing very retired quarterback Philip Rivers. With starter Daniel Jones and backup Anthony Richardson both out for the season and Richardson’s replacement at backup, rookie Riley Leonard, week-to-week with a sore right knee, the 8-5 Colts needed help under center.

What to Watch (times ET)

• 3pm: Celtic vs. AS Roma [UEFA Europa League] on CBSSN

• 7pm: Golden Knights vs. Flyers on ESPN

• 7:15pm: Falcons vs. Buccaneers on Prime Video

• 8pm: Iowa vs. No. 4 Iowa State on FS1

• 9:30pm: Panthers vs. Avalanche on ESPN