2009–10 Oklahoma City Thunder season

The 2009–10 Oklahoma City Thunder season was the 2nd season of the franchise's existence in Oklahoma City as a member of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

With NBA scoring champion Kevin Durant, second-year point guard Russell Westbrook, and forward Jeff Green leading the way, the Thunder made the playoffs as the youngest team in the NBA with the 28th highest total salary in the league. The team became the youngest NBA playoff team (23.19, using data going back to 1952) based on average age weighted by minutes played. The Thunder were then eliminated by the defending and eventual NBA champions, the Los Angeles Lakers in six games in the First Round. The 2009–10 Oklahoma City Thunder and the 2007–08 Denver Nuggets are tied at 50–32 for having the best 8th seed record in NBA history. This was also the first season for James Harden. The Thunder clinched their first playoff spot since 2005, and their first in Oklahoma City.

From a business perspective, the team began to show positive financial performance after years of losses in Seattle and a transition-cost laden 2008–09 season. In December 2009, Forbes magazine estimated the team's operating profit at $12.7 million, and estimated the overall franchise value at $310 million, good for 20th in the NBA.

Key dates

• June 25, 2009: The 2009 NBA draft took place in New York City.
• July 8, 2009: The free agency period started.
• October 28, 2009: The Thunder play their first regular-season game, and achieve their first regular-season victory, in a 102–89 home win over the Sacramento Kings.
• January 2, 2010 Kevin Durant scored more than 30 points in his seventh consecutive game, breaking the franchise record set by Spencer Haywood in January 1972.
• January 20, 2010: The Thunder surpass their win total from 2008 to 2009 with their 24th season victory, a 94–92 win at the Minnesota Timberwolves.
• February 24, 2010: Kevin Durant's 21 points in a loss to the San Antonio Spurs ends his streak of 29 consecutive games with 25 or more points.
• March 2, 2010: The Thunder surpass the 500,000 season home attendance figure in a 113–107 victory over the Sacramento Kings at the Ford Center.
• March 12, 2010: Durant had his 36th game with 30 or more points this season, breaking the franchise record set by Spencer Haywood in the 1972–73 season. Durant ended the regular season with 41 games of 30 points or more.
• April 3, 2010: The Thunder clinch a playoff spot for the first time in city franchise history with a 121–116 victory over the Dallas Mavericks.
• April 14, 2010: Durant becomes the youngest scoring leader at the age of 21, taking the distinction from Max Zaslofsky (1947–48 BAA scoring leader at the age of 22). The Thunder also end the season on a positive note, beating the Memphis Grizzlies 114-105 – their 27th season home sellout, bringing total home attendance to 738,149 (an average of 18,003 per game, 12th in the NBA).
• April 22, 2010: The Thunder win their first-ever Oklahoma City franchise playoff game with a 101–96 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers at the Ford Center.

Draft picks

The franchise entered the draft for the first time as the Thunder with two first-round picks: their own (3rd) and an additional selection from the San Antonio Spurs (25th) acquired in 2008 as the Seattle SuperSonics. The team had previously traded its original second-round pick to the Denver Nuggets in January 2009.

Roster

Salaries

Source: HoopsHype

Game log

Preseason

Regular season

Standings

Division

Conference

Game log

|- | 1 | October 28 | Sacramento Kings | | Kevin Durant (25) | Kevin Durant (11) | Russell Westbrook (13) | Ford Center<br />18,203 | 1–0 |- | 2 | October 30 | @ Detroit Pistons | | Kevin Durant (25) | Kevin Durant (12) | Russell Westbrook (10) | The Palace of Auburn Hills<br />22,076 | 2–0 |-

|- | 3 | November 1 | Portland Trail Blazers | | Russell Westbrook (23) | Jeff Green (11) | Russell Westbrook, James Harden (2) | Ford Center<br />16,920 | 2–1 |- | 4 | November 3 | Los Angeles Lakers | | Kevin Durant (28) | Etan Thomas (11) | Russell Westbrook (7) | Ford Center<br />18,203 | 2–2 |- | 5 | November 6 | @ Houston Rockets | | Russell Westbrook (33) | Kevin Durant (9) | Russell Westbrook (7) | Toyota Center<br />14,911 | 2–3 |- | 6 | November 8 | Orlando Magic | | Kevin Durant (28) | Thabo Sefolosha (10) | Russell Westbrook (10) | Ford Center<br />18,203 | 3–3 |- | 7 | November 10 | @ Sacramento Kings | | Kevin Durant (37) | Nenad Krstić (8) | Russell Westbrook, Thabo Sefolosha (6) | ARCO Arena<br />10,523 | 3–4 |- | 8 | November 11 | @ Los Angeles Clippers | | Kevin Durant (30) | Kevin Durant (10) | James Harden (8) | Staples Center<br />14,248 | 4–4 |- | 9 | November 14 | @ San Antonio Spurs | | Kevin Durant (25) | Jeff Green (10) | Russell Westbrook (11) | AT&T Center<br />17,947 | 5–4 |- | 10 | November 15 | Los Angeles Clippers | | Kevin Durant (40) | Russell Westbrook (9) | Russell Westbrook (7) | Ford Center<br />17,715 | 5–5 |- | 11 | November 17 | @ Miami Heat | | Kevin Durant (32) | Kevin Durant, Thabo Sefolosha (9) | Russell Westbrook (7) | American Airlines Arena<br />14,443 | 6–5 |- | 12 | November 18 | @ Orlando Magic | | James Harden (24) | Serge Ibaka (9) | Kyle Weaver, Kevin Ollie (4) | Amway Arena<br />17,461 | 6–6 |- | 13 | November 20 | Washington Wizards | | Kevin Durant (35) | Jeff Green (14) | Russell Westbrook (7) | Ford Center<br />18,203 | 7–6 |- | 14 | November 22 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | | Kevin Durant (19) | Serge Ibaka (13) | Russell Westbrook (7) | Staples Center<br />18,997 | 7–7 |- | 15 | November 24 | @ Utah Jazz | | Kevin Durant (28) | Jeff Green, Nenad Krstić (6) | Kevin Durant (8) | EnergySolutions Arena<br />17,937 | 8–7 |- | 16 | November 27 | Milwaukee Bucks | | Kevin Durant (33) | Kevin Durant (12) | Russell Westbrook (7) | Ford Center<br />18,203 | 9–7 |- | 17 | November 29 | Houston Rockets | | Kevin Durant (25) | Kevin Durant (9) | Kevin Durant (6) | Ford Center<br />18,203 | 9–8 |-

|- | 18 | December 2 | Philadelphia 76ers | | Kevin Durant (33) | Nick Collison (7) | Russell Westbrook (15) | Ford Center<br />17,332 | 10–8 |- | 19 | December 4 | Boston Celtics | | Kevin Durant (36) | Kevin Durant (5) | Russell Westbrook (4) | Ford Center<br />18,203 | 10–9 |- | 20 | December 7 | Golden State Warriors | | Kevin Durant (28) | Jeff Green (13) | James Harden (5) | Ford Center<br />17,334 | 11–9 |- | 21 | December 11 | @ Memphis Grizzlies | | Kevin Durant (32) | Kevin Durant (10) | Russell Westbrook (7) | FedExForum<br />13,048 | 12–9 |- | 22 | December 13 | Cleveland Cavaliers | | Kevin Durant (29) | Nenad Krstić (8) | Russell Westbrook (5) | Ford Center<br />18,203 | 12–10 |- | 23 | December 14 | @ Denver Nuggets | | Kevin Durant (32) | Kevin Durant (10) | Russell Westbrook (6) | Pepsi Center<br />16,022 | 12–11 |- | 24 | December 16 | Dallas Mavericks | | Russell Westbrook (16) | Jeff Green (11) | Russell Westbrook (5) | Ford Center<br />18,203 | 12–12 |- | 25 | December 18 | Detroit Pistons | | Kevin Durant (27) | Nenad Krstić (8) | James Harden (8) | Ford Center<br />17,774 | 13–12 |- | 26 | December 19 | @ Houston Rockets | | Jeff Green (21) | Jeff Green, Thabo Sefolosha, Serge Ibaka (8) | Russell Westbrook (7) | Toyota Center<br />15,095 | 13–13 |- | 27 | December 22 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | | Kevin Durant (30) | Jeff Green, Russell Westbrook (7) | Russell Westbrook (13) | Staples Center<br />18,997 | 13–14 |- | 28 | December 23 | @ Phoenix Suns | | Kevin Durant (38) | Jeff Green (9) | Russell Westbrook (7) | US Airways Center<br />15,953 | 14–14 |- | 29 | December 26 | Charlotte Bobcats | | Kevin Durant (30) | Nenad Krstić (10) | Russell Westbrook (6) | Ford Center<br />17,961 | 15–14 |- | 30 | December 28 | @ New Jersey Nets | | Kevin Durant (40) | Nick Collison (10) | Russell Westbrook (10) | Izod Center<br />15,335 | 16–14 |- | 31 | December 29 | @ Washington Wizards | | Kevin Durant (35) | Kevin Durant (11) | Russell Westbrook (10) | Verizon Center<br />17,152 | 17–14 |- | 32 | December 31 | Utah Jazz | | Kevin Durant (31) | Kevin Durant (8) | Russell Westbrook (10) | Ford Center<br />18,203 | 18–14 |-

|- | 33 | January 2 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | | Kevin Durant (31) | Thabo Sefolosha, Russell Westbrook (9) | Russell Westbrook (13) | Bradley Center<br />15,264 | 18–15 |- | 34 | January 4 | @ Chicago Bulls | | Russell Westbrook (29) | Thabo Sefolosha (9) | Russell Westbrook (6) | United Center<br />18,838 | 19–15 |- | 35 | January 6 | New Orleans Hornets | | Kevin Durant (27) | Thabo Sefolosha, Nick Collison (7) | Russell Westbrook (9) | Ford Center<br />17,836 | 19–16 |- | 36 | January 9 | Indiana Pacers | | Kevin Durant (40) | Kevin Durant (12) | Russell Westbrook (6) | Ford Center<br />18,203 | 20–16 |- | 37 | January 11 | New York Knicks | | Kevin Durant (30) | Nenad Krstić, Thabo Sefolosha (8) | Russell Westbrook (5) | Ford Center<br />17,152 | 21–16 |- | 38 | January 13 | San Antonio Spurs | | Kevin Durant (35) | Jeff Green (10) | Russell Westbrook (13) | Ford Center<br />17,886 | 21–17 |- | 39 | January 15 | @ Dallas Mavericks | | Kevin Durant (30) | Kevin Durant (13) | Russell Westbrook (6) | American Airlines Center<br />20,064 | 21–18 |- | 40 | January 16 | Miami Heat | | Kevin Durant (36) | Kevin Durant, Serge Ibaka (10) | Russell Westbrook (11) | Ford Center<br />18,203 | 22–18 |- | 41 | January 18 | @ Atlanta Hawks | | Kevin Durant (29) | Jeff Green (11) | Russell Westbrook (9) | Philips Arena<br />14,666 | 23–18 |- | 42 | January 20 | @ Minnesota Timberwolves | | Kevin Durant (31) | Kevin Durant (10) | Russell Westbrook (9) | Target Center<br />12,995 | 24–18 |- | 43 | January 22 | @ Memphis Grizzlies | | Kevin Durant (30) | Kevin Durant, Jeff Green (8) | Eric Maynor (6) | FedEx Forum<br />12,948 | 24–19 |- | 44 | January 23 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | | Kevin Durant (34) | Kevin Durant (10) | Russell Westbrook (5) | Quicken Loans Arena<br />20,562 | 24–20 |- | 45 | January 27 | Chicago Bulls | | Kevin Durant (28) | Kevin Durant (11) | Russell Westbrook (7) | Ford Center<br />17,562 | 24–21 |- | 46 | January 29 | Denver Nuggets | | Kevin Durant (30) | Serge Ibaka (8) | Russell Westbrook (8) | Ford Center<br />18,203 | 25–21 |- | 47 | January 31 | Golden State Warriors | | Kevin Durant (45) | Kevin Durant (11) | Russell Westbrook (8) | Ford Center<br />17,565 | 26–21 |-

|- | 48 | February 2 | Atlanta Hawks | | Kevin Durant (33) | Kevin Durant (11) | Russell Westbrook (9) | Ford Center<br />17,360 | 27–21 |- | 49 | February 3 | @ New Orleans Hornets | | Kevin Durant (30) | Nick Collison (10) | Russell Westbrook (10) | New Orleans Arena<br />12,884 | 28–21 |- | 50 | February 6 | @ Golden State Warriors | | Kevin Durant (29) | Nick Collison (10) | Russell Westbrook (10) | Oracle Arena<br />17,825 | 29–21 |- | 51 | February 9 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | | Kevin Durant (33) | Kevin Durant (11) | Russell Westbrook (7) | Rose Garden Arena<br />20,460 | 30–21 |- | 52 | February 16 | Dallas Mavericks | | Kevin Durant (25) | Kevin Durant (14) | Russell Westbrook (8) | Ford Center<br />18,203 | 31–21 |- | 53 | February 20 | @ New York Knicks | | Kevin Durant (36) | Jeff Green (11) | Russell Westbrook (10) | Madison Square Garden<br />19,763 | 32–21 |- | 54 | February 21 | @ Minnesota Timberwolves | | Kevin Durant (32) | Jeff Green (14) | Russell Westbrook (14) | Target Center<br />14,202 | 33–21 |- | 55 | February 23 | Phoenix Suns | | Kevin Durant (36) | Kevin Durant (8) | Russell Westbrook (10) | Ford Center<br />18,203 | 33–22 |- | 56 | February 24 | @ San Antonio Spurs | | Kevin Durant (21) | Thabo Sefolosha (13) | Russell Westbrook (7) | AT&T Center<br />18,400 | 33–23 |- | 57 | February 26 | Minnesota Timberwolves | | Kevin Durant (25) | Kevin Durant (9) | Russell Westbrook (15) | Ford Center<br />18,203 | 34–23 |- | 58 | February 28 | Toronto Raptors | | Kevin Durant (29) | Serge Ibaka (10) | Russell Westbrook (10) | Ford Center<br />18,203 | 35–23 |-

|- | 59 | March 2 | Sacramento Kings | | Kevin Durant (39) | Kevin Durant (10) | Russell Westbrook (13) | Ford Center<br />17,677 | 36–23 |- | 60 | March 3 | @ Denver Nuggets | | Kevin Durant, James Harden (19) | Serge Ibaka (13) | Russell Westbrook (6) | Pepsi Center<br />18,822 | 36–24 |- | 61 | March 5 | @ Los Angeles Clippers | | Kevin Durant (32) | Nenad Kristic (11) | Russell Westbrook (9) | Staples Center<br />18,497 | 37–24 |- | 62 | March 7 | @ Sacramento Kings | | Kevin Durant (27) | Nenad Krstić (10) | Kevin Durant (5) | ARCO Arena<br />12,081 | 38–24 |- | 63 | March 10 | New Orleans Hornets | | Kevin Durant (29) | Jeff Green, Serge Ibaka (9) | Russell Westbrook (9) | Ford Center<br />18,203 | 39–24 |- | 64 | March 12 | New Jersey Nets | | Kevin Durant (32) | Kevin Durant (12) | Russell Westbrook (10) | Ford Center<br />18,203 | 40–24 |- | 65 | March 14 | Utah Jazz | | Kevin Durant (35) | Serge Ibaka, Thabo Sefolosha (6) | Russell Westbrook (11) | Ford Center<br />18,203 | 41–24 |- | 66 | March 17 | @ Charlotte Bobcats | | Kevin Durant (26) | Kevin Durant (10) | Russell Westbrook (10) | Time Warner Cable Arena<br />16,179 | 41–25 |- | 67 | March 19 | @ Toronto Raptors | | Kevin Durant (31) | Nenad Krstić, Nick Collison (8) | Russell Westbrook (10) | Air Canada Centre<br />19,351 | 42–25 |- | 68 | March 21 | @ Indiana Pacers | | Jeff Green (20) | Serge Ibaka (12) | Eric Maynor (11) | Conseco Fieldhouse<br />14,701 | 42–26 |- | 69 | March 22 | San Antonio Spurs | | Kevin Durant (45) | Kevin Durant, Serge Ibaka (8) | Eric Maynor (5) | Ford Center<br />18,203 | 42–27 |- | 70 | March 24 | Houston Rockets | | Kevin Durant (25) | Nick Collison (9) | Eric Maynor (9) | Ford Center<br />18,203 | 43–27 |- | 71 | March 26 | Los Angeles Lakers | | Kevin Durant (26) | Nenad Krstić (10) | Russell Westbrook (6) | Ford Center<br />18,203 | 44–27 |- | 72 | March 28 | Portland Trail Blazers | | Kevin Durant (29) | Kevin Durant (13) | Russell Westbrook (6) | Ford Center<br />18,203 | 44–28 |- | 73 | March 30 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | | Kevin Durant (26) | Kevin Durant (10) | Russell Westbrook (14) | Wachovia Center<br />14,809 | 45–28 |- | 74 | March 31 | @ Boston Celtics | | Kevin Durant (37) | Kevin Durant, Nenad Krstić (8) | Russell Westbrook (10) | TD Garden<br />18,624 | 46–28 |-

|- | 75 | April 3 | @ Dallas Mavericks | | Kevin Durant (23) | Nenad Krstić (6) | Russell Westbrook (6) | American Airlines Center<br />20,329 | 47–28 |- | 76 | April 4 | Minnesota Timberwolves | | Kevin Durant (40) | Jeff Green (10) | Russell Westbrook (16) | Ford Center<br />18,203 | 48–28 |- | 77 | April 6 | @ Utah Jazz | | Kevin Durant (45) | Kevin Durant, Jeff Green (7) | Russell Westbrook (9) | EnergySolutions Arena<br />19,911 | 48–29 |- | 78 | April 7 | Denver Nuggets | | Kevin Durant (33) | Kevin Durant (11) | Jeff Green (5) | Ford Center<br />18,332 | 48–30 |- | 79 | April 9 | Phoenix Suns | | Kevin Durant (35) | Kevin Durant, Serge Ibaka (9) | Russell Westbrook (10) | Ford Center<br />18,334 | 49–30 |- | 80 | April 11 | @ Golden State Warriors | | Kevin Durant (40) | Nick Collison, Serge Ibaka (12) | Russell Westbrook (9) | Oracle Arena<br />18,940 | 49–31 |- | 81 | April 12 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | | Kevin Durant (30) | Thabo Sefolosha (8) | Eric Maynor (5) | Rose Garden Arena<br />20,691 | 49–32 |- | 82 | April 14 | Memphis Grizzlies | | Kevin Durant (31) | Serge Ibaka (9) | Eric Maynor (10) | Ford Center<br />18,334 | 50–32

Playoffs

Game log

|- | 1 | April 18 | @ L.A. Lakers | | Kevin Durant (24) | Nick Collison (8) | Russell Westbrook (8) | Staples Center<br />18,997 | 0–1 |- | 2 | April 20 | @ L.A. Lakers | | Kevin Durant (33) | Kevin Durant (8) | Thabo Sefolosha, Russell Westbrook (3) | Staples Center<br />18,997 | 0–2 |- | 3 | April 22 | L.A. Lakers | | Kevin Durant (29) | Kevin Durant (19) | Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook (4) | Ford Center<br />18,342 | 1–2 |- | 4 | April 24 | L.A. Lakers | | Kevin Durant (22) | Jeff Green (9) | Russell Westbrook (6) | Ford Center<br />18,342 | 2–2 |- | 5 | April 27 | @ L.A. Lakers | | Kevin Durant (17) | Serge Ibaka (9) | Russell Westbrook (6) | Staples Center<br />18,997 | 2–3 |- | 6 | April 30 | L.A. Lakers | | Kevin Durant (26) | Nenad Krstić (11) | Russell Westbrook (9) | Ford Center<br />18,342 | 2–4

Player statistics

Season

¹<small>Stats with the Thunder</small>.

Playoffs

2010 NBA Western Conference First Round vs. L.A. Lakers

Awards and honors

Weekly

• Kevin Durant was named Western Conference Player of the Week for December 28–January 3.
• Kevin Durant was named Western Conference Player of the Week for January 25–31.
• Russell Westbrook was named Western Conference Player of the Week for February 1–7.
• Kevin Durant was named Western Conference Player of the Week for March 29–April 4.

Monthly

• Scott Brooks was named Western Conference Coach of the Month for February 2010.
• Kevin Durant was named Western Conference Player of the Month for April 2010.

All-Star

• Kevin Durant was selected as an All-Star for the first time in his career, representing the Western Conference.
• Rookie James Harden was named to the Rookie Team roster in the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge.
• Second-year player Russell Westbrook was named to the Sopohomore Team roster in the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge.
• Kevin Durant defended his title as H-O-R-S-E competition champion.
• Russell Westbrook was selected to replace the injured Derrick Rose in the 2010 Taco Bell Skills Challenge.

Season

• Scott Brooks was named NBA Coach of the Year.
• Kevin Durant won the NBA scoring title.
• James Harden was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.
• Thabo Sefolosha was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team.
• Kevin Durant was named to the All-NBA First Team.

Transactions

Overview

Trades

Free agency

Re-signed

Additions

Subtractions

References

External links

• ESPN OKC Schedule