2011–12 Oklahoma City Thunder season explained

Team:	Oklahoma City Thunder
End Year:	2012
Divisionwin:	yes
Conferencewin:	yes
Wins:	47
Losses:	19
Division:	Northwest
Division Place:	1
Conf Place:	2
Coach:	Scott Brooks
Gm:	Sam Presti
Owners:	Professional Basketball Club LLC
Arena:	Chesapeake Energy Arena
Playoffs:	NBA Finals (lost to Heat 1–4)
Bbr Team:	OKC
Television:	Fox Sports Oklahoma
Radio:	KWPN WWLS-FM

The 2011–12 Oklahoma City Thunder season was the 4th season of the franchise's existence in Oklahoma City as a member of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

The Thunder continued to build on recent success in previous years by making the NBA Playoffs, first defeating and sweeping the defending NBA champions, the Dallas Mavericks, in four games in the First Round, then defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in five games in the Semi-finals, and finally, defeated the San Antonio Spurs in six games in the Western Conference finals to advance to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1996, when the club was based in Seattle.

In the NBA Finals, the Thunder faced off against the Big Three-led Miami Heat, who made an appearance in the previous NBA Finals, but lost to the Dallas Mavericks in six games. Despite winning Game 1 in the NBA Finals, the Thunder would then go on to lose the next four games and the NBA Finals against the Heat.

Other season highlights included forward Kevin Durant's third consecutive NBA scoring title, and Durant being named the MVP of the All-Star Game. Following the season, James Harden was traded to the Houston Rockets.

Offseason

Draft picks

See main article: article and 2011 NBA draft.

The Thunder had only their own first-round pick entering the draft.^[1] The Thunder traded their 2011 second-round pick in the Latavious Williams trade with the Miami Heat back in 2010.^[2] The Thunder ended 2011 NBA draft night with Boston College guard Reggie Jackson.^[3]

Trades

On December 13, the Thunder traded Robert Vaden, a 2012 second-round pick and a 2013 second-round pick to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Lazar Hayward. Presti said on Hayward that his "toughness, length, and shooting are attributes that will add depth to our roster."^[4]

On December 19, the Thunder traded Byron Mullens to the Charlotte Bobcats in exchange for a 2013 second-round pick. Mullens only played in 26 games over two seasons being stuck behind Kendrick Perkins, Nazr Mohammed and Cole Aldrich.^[5]

Free agency

See main article: List of 2011–12 NBA season transactions. For this offseason, free agency began on December 9, 2011, due to the 2011 NBA lockout. Daequan Cook was set to hit restricted free agency. On December 9, Cook agreed to a two-year, $6.5 million deal to re-sign with the Thunder.^[6] ^[7] On December 13, Ryan Reid signed a deal with the Thunder. Reid was originally selected 57th overall in the 2010 NBA draft but did not a sign a contract in the 2010–11 season, instead playing the season with the Tulsa 66ers.^[8]

On December 24, the Thunder waived Nate Robinson. Robinson opted to stay in his hometown Seattle after spending most of his Thunder tenure on the bench.^[9] ^[10]

Standings

Division

Game log

Preseason

Regular season

Playoffs

Player statistics

Regular season

|-| Cole Aldrich| 26| 0| 6.7| 52.4%| -| 92.9%| 1.8| 0.1| 0.3| 0.6| 2.2|-| Nick Collison| 63| 0| 20.7| 59.7%| 0.0%| 71.0%| 4.3| 1.3| 0.5| 0.4| 4.5|-| Daequan Cook| 57| 22| 17.4| 36.8%| 34.6%| 63.6%| 2.1| 0.3| 0.4| 0.2| 5.5|-| Kevin Durant| style=";" | 66| style=";" | 66| style=";" | 38.6| 49.6%| 38.7%| 86.0%| style=";" | 8.0| 3.5| 1.3| 1.2| style=";" | 28.0|-| Derek Fisher ^≠| 20| 0| 20.4| 34.3%| 31.4%| 92.9%| 1.5| 0.4| 0.6| 0.1| 4.9|-| James Harden| 62| 2| 31.4| 49.1%| 39.0%| 84.6%| 4.1| 3.7| 1.0| 0.2| 16.8|-| Lazar Hayward| 26| 0| 5.4| 34.2%| 28.6%| 58.3%| 0.6| 0.2| 0.1| 0.0| 1.4|-| Serge Ibaka| style=";" | 66| style=";" | 66| 27.2| 53.5%| 33.3%| 66.1%| 7.5| 0.4| 0.5| style=";" | 3.7| 9.1|-| Royal Ivey| 34| 0| 10.4| 35.6%| 34.0%| 12.5%| 0.7| 0.3| 0.4| 0.0| 2.1|-| Reggie Jackson| 45| 0| 11.1| 32.1%| 21.0%| 86.2%| 1.2| 1.6| 0.6| 0.0| 3.1|-| Eric Maynor| 9| 0| 15.2| 35.9%| 35.3%| style=";" | 100%| 1.4| 2.4| 0.6| 0.0| 4.2|-| Nazr Mohammed| 63| 1| 11.0| 46.7%| 0.0%| 56.5%| 2.7| 0.2| 0.3| 0.6| 2.7|-| Kendrick Perkins| 65| 65| 26.8| 48.9%| -| 65.2%| 6.6| 1.2| 0.4| 1.1| 5.1|-| Ryan Reid ^‡| 5| 0| 3.4| style=";" | 80.0%| -| -| 0.4| 0.0| 0.0| 0.0| 1.6|-| Thabo Sefolosha| 42| 42| 21.8| 43.2%| style=";" | 43.7%| 88.4%| 3.0| 1.1| 0.9| 0.4| 4.8|-| Russell Westbrook| style=";" | 66| style=";" | 66| 35.3| 45.7%| 31.6%| 82.3%| 4.6| style=";" | 5.5| style=";" | 1.7| 0.3| 23.6|-|}

Led team in statisticAfter all games.^[11]
^‡ Waived during the season
^† Traded during the season
^≠ Acquired during the season

Playoffs

|-| Cole Aldrich| 5| 0| 5.0| 44.4%| -| 50.0%| 2.6| 0.0| 0.0| 0.0| 2.0|-| Nick Collison| style=";" | 20| 0| 16.6| 64.7%| -| 42.9%| 3.4| 1.0| 0.6| 0.3| 3.5|-| Daequan Cook| 16| 0| 6.8| 37.8%| 33.3%| 0.0%| 0.6| 0.3| 0.2| 0.0| 2.3|-| Kevin Durant| style=";" | 20| style=";" | 20| style=";" | 41.9| 51.7%| 37.3%| 86.4%| style=";" | 7.4| 3.7| 1.5| 1.2| style=";" | 28.5|-| Derek Fisher | style=";" | 20| 0| 22.3| 41.5%| 37.5%| style=";" | 100%| 1.6| 1.3| 0.9| 0.1| 6.3|-| James Harden| style=";" | 20| 0| 31.5| 43.5%| style=";" | 41.0%| 85.7%| 5.1| 3.4| style=";" | 1.6| 0.1| 16.3|-| Lazar Hayward| 5| 0| 3.6| style=";" | 66.7%| -| -| 0.8| 0.0| 0.0| 0.0| 0.8|-| Serge Ibaka| style=";" | 20| style=";" | 20| 28.5| 52.8%| 25.0%| 72.2%| 5.8| 0.6| 0.6| style=";" | 3.0| 9.8|-| Royal Ivey| 5| 0| 4.2| 36.4%| 40.0%| 50.0%| 0.6| 0.2| 0.4| 0.0| 2.2|-| Nazr Mohammed| 8| 0| 10.4| 50.0%| -| 50.0%| 2.0| 0.1| 0.0| 0.4| 2.3|-| Kendrick Perkins| style=";" | 20| style=";" | 20| 25.9| 41.6%| -| 80.0%| 6.2| 0.7| 0.4| 1.3| 4.7|-| Thabo Sefolosha| style=";" | 20| style=";" | 20| 22.3| 40.2%| 32.7%| 88.9%| 2.7| 1.3| 1.5| 0.5| 5.3|-| Russell Westbrook| style=";" | 20| style=";" | 20| 38.4| 43.5%| 27.7%| 80.2%| 5.5| style=";" | 5.9| style=";" | 1.6| 0.4| 23.1|-|}

Led team in statisticAfter all games.^[12]

Individual game highs

Category	Player	Statistic
Points	Kevin Durant	51 vs Nuggets on February 19, 2012
Rebounds	Serge Ibaka	20 vs Suns on March 7, 2012
Assists	Russell Westbrook	11 vs Warriors on January 27, 2012
Steals	Russell Westbrook Thabo Sefolosha	7 vs Warriors on January 27, 2012 7 vs Bucks on April 9, 2012
Blocks	Serge Ibaka	11 vs Nuggets on February 19, 2012
Minutes	Kevin Durant	52:24 vs Timberwolves on March 23, 2012

Category	Player	Statistic
Field Goals Made	Kevin Durant	19 vs Nuggets on February 19, 2012
Threes Made	James Harden Daequan Cook Kevin Durant Kevin Durant James Harden Kevin Durant	5 vs Pistons on January 23, 2012 5 vs Warriors on February 7, 2012 5 vs Nuggets on February 19, 2012 5 vs Magic on March 1, 2012 5 vs Suns on April 18, 2012 5 vs Nuggets on April 25, 2012
Free Throws Made	Kevin Durant	5 vs Kings on April 24, 2012
Double-Doubles	Kevin Durant	18
Triple-Doubles	Serge Ibaka	1

Awards and records

Awards

Date	Player	Award
January 3, 2012	Kevin Durant (1/3)^[13]	December 25–January 1 Player of the Week
January 30, 2012	Russell Westbrook (1/2)^[14]	January 23–29 Player of the Week
February 2, 2012	Kevin Durant^[15]	All-Star
February 9, 2012	Russell Westbrook^[16]	All-Star
February 11, 2012	Scott Brooks^[17]	Western Conference All-Star Head Coach
February 13, 2012	Russell Westbrook (2/2)^[18]	February 6–12 Player of the Week
February 20, 2012	Kevin Durant (2/3)^[19]	February 13–19 Player of the Week
March 2, 2012	Kevin Durant (1/2)^[20]	February Player of the Month
March 26, 2012	Kevin Durant (3/3)^[21]	March 19–25 Player of the Week
April 4, 2012	Kevin Durant (2/2)^[22]	March Player of the Month
May 10, 2012	James Harden^[23]	Sixth Man of the Year
May 23, 2012	Serge Ibaka^[24]	All-Defensive First Team
May 24, 2012	Kevin Durant^[25]	All-NBA First Team
May 24, 2012	Russell Westbrook^[26]	All-NBA Second Team

Injuries

Player	Duration		Injury	Games missed
Player	Start	End	Injury	Games missed
Thabo Sefolosha	January 3, 2012	January 6, 2012	Flu-like symptoms	1
Eric Maynor	January 8, 2012	November 1, 2012	Torn right ACL	57
Thabo Sefolosha	January 30, 2012	March 13, 2012	Right foot surgery	22
Kendrick Perkins	February 17, 2012	February 19, 2012	Knee contusion	1
James Harden	February 20, 2012	February 22, 2012	Sore ankle	1
Nick Collison	February 20, 2012	February 29, 2012	Quad contusion	3
Daequan Cook	March 21, 2012	April 1, 2012	Right MCL sprain	6
James Harden	April 13, 2012	April 14, 2012	Sore right knee	1
James Harden	April 24, 2012	April 28, 2012	Concussion	2

Transactions

See main article: article and List of 2011–12 NBA season transactions.

Overview

Players Added Via draft Reggie Jackson Via trade Lazar Hayward Via free agency Ryan Reid	Players Lost Via trade Byron Mullens Robert Vaden <	--Via free agency-->Waived Nate Robinson

Players Added

Via draft

Reggie Jackson

Via trade

Lazar Hayward

Via free agency

Ryan Reid

Players Lost

Via trade

--Via free agency-->Waived

Nate Robinson

Trades

December 13, 2011^[27]	To Oklahoma City Thunder Lazar Hayward	To Minnesota Timberwolves Robert Vaden 2012 second-round pick 2013 second-round pick
December 19, 2011^[28]	To Oklahoma City Thunder 2013 second-round pick	To Charlotte Bobcats Byron Mullens

Free agency

Re-signed

Date	Player	Contract
December 9, 2011	Daequan Cook^[29]	Multi-Year Contract
January 19, 2012	Russell Westbrook^[30]	Multi-Year Extension

Additions

Date	Player	Contract	Former team
December 13, 2011	Ryan Reid^[31]	Standard	Tulsa 66ers (D-League)
March 21, 2012	Derek Fisher^[32]	Standard	Los Angeles Lakers

Subtractions

Date	Player	Reason left	New team
December 24, 2011	Nate Robinson^[33]	Waived	Golden State Warriors
March 21, 2012	Ryan Reid^[34]	Waived	Tulsa 66ers (D-League)

Notes and References

Web site: 2011 NBA Draft. nba.com.
Web site: Thunder Acquires Pleiss, Williams, Reid andFuture First Round Pick in 2010 NBA Draft. nba.com. November 8, 2022. June 24, 2010.
Web site: Selection of Jackson Adds Depth to Thunder Roster. nba.com. November 23, 2022. June 24, 2011.
Web site: Thunder Acquires Lazar Hayward. nba.com. November 8, 2022. December 13, 2011.
Web site: Thunder deal Byron Mullens to Bobcats. espn.com. November 8, 2022. December 19, 2011.
Web site: Thunder Re-signs Daequan Cook. NBA.com. November 8, 2022. December 9, 2011.
Web site: Thunder re-sign Daequan Cook. espn.com. November 24, 2022. December 9, 2011.
Web site: Thunder Adds Reid to Training Camp Roster. NBA.com. November 8, 2022. December 13, 2011.
Web site: Thunder waive guard Nate Robinson. espn.com. November 8, 2022. December 24, 2011.
Web site: Thunder close to completing buyout with Robinson. si.com. November 24, 2022. December 24, 2011.
Web site: 2011-12 Oklahoma City Thunder Roster and Stats. basketball-reference.com. April 25, 2012.
Web site: 2011-12 Oklahoma City Thunder Roster and Stats. basketball-reference.com. April 25, 2012.
Web site: LeBron James Named Eastern Conference Player Of The Week. hothothoops.com. November 24, 2022. January 3, 2012.
Web site: Heat’s LeBron James, Thunder’s Russell Westbrook named NBA Players of the Week. pr.nba.com. November 24, 2022. January 30, 2012.
Web site: Durant Named 2012 Western Conference All-Star Starter. nba.com. November 24, 2022. February 2, 2012.
Web site: Westbrook Named to 2012 Western Conference All-Star Team. nba.com. November 24, 2022. February 9, 2012.
Web site: Scott Brooks Earns Spot as Western Conference Head Coach for the 2012 NBA All-Star Game. nba.com. November 24, 2022. February 11, 2012.
Web site: Knicks’ Jeremy Lin, Thunder’s Russell Westbrook named NBA Players of the Week. pr.nba.com. November 24, 2022. February 13, 2012.
Web site: Heat’s LeBron James, Thunder’s Kevin Durant named NBA Players of the Week. pr.nba.com. November 24, 2022. February 20, 2012.
Web site: Heat’s LeBron James, Thunder’s Kevin Durant named Kia NBA Players of the Month. pr.nba.com. November 24, 2022. March 2, 2012.
Web site: Hawks’ Joe Johnson, Thunder’s Kevin Durant named NBA Players of the Week. pr.nba.com. November 24, 2022. March 26, 2012.
Web site: Celtics’ Paul Pierce, Thunder’s Kevin Durant named Kia NBA Players of the Month. pr.nba.com. November 24, 2022. April 4, 2012.
Web site: James Harden Wins Kia NBA Sixth Man Award. nba.com. November 24, 2022. May 10, 2012.
Web site: Serge Ibaka Named to NBA All-Defensive First Team. nba.com. November 24, 2022. May 23, 2012.
Web site: Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook Named to All-NBA Teams. nba.com. November 24, 2022. May 24, 2012.
Web site: Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook Named to All-NBA Teams. nba.com. November 24, 2022. May 24, 2012.
Web site: Thunder Acquires Lazar Hayward. nba.com. November 8, 2022. December 13, 2011.
Web site: Thunder deal Byron Mullens to Bobcats. espn.com. November 8, 2022. December 19, 2011.
Web site: Thunder Re-signs Daequan Cook. NBA.com. November 8, 2022. December 9, 2011.
Web site: Thunder Signs Westbrook to Multi-Year Extension. NBA.com. November 8, 2022. January 19, 2012.
Web site: Thunder Adds Reid to Training Camp Roster. NBA.com. November 8, 2022. December 13, 2011.
Web site: Thunder Signs Derek Fisher. NBA.com. November 8, 2022. March 21, 2012.
Web site: Thunder waive guard Nate Robinson. espn.com. November 8, 2022. December 24, 2011.
Web site: Thunder Signs Derek Fisher. NBA.com. November 8, 2022. March 21, 2012.