Rylan Stiles

Lawton

Host at Locked On Thunder - Daily Podcast On The Oklahoma City Thunder

Lead Beat Writer at Inside The Thunder

NBA Media Member Covering Oklahoma City Thunder, Host of Locked on Thunder podcast. Lead Thunder Beat Writer @OKCThunderSI, NBA Draft Writer @DraftDigest

Articles

Rookies Face Off in NBA Play-In Tournament, Buzelis Season Ends

1 week ago | si.com | Rylan Stiles

The Chicago Bulls are done with its season after falling to the Miami Heat in the NBA Play-In Tournament. In this story:The NBA Play-In Tournament continues to march along as the Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat squared off on Wednesday in a win-or-go-home game. These two sides were fighting for the right to be in Friday's No. 8 seed bout against the Atlanta Hawks. Miami took control of this game from the word go and were able to earn a 109-90 win over the Chicago Bulls.
Former Thunder Guard Josh Giddey Playing Though Injury

1 week ago | si.com | Rylan Stiles

It's time for postseason basketball. The first hurdle to clear? The NBA Play-In Tournament. This tournament is big for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Not only do the Thunder find out its first round matchup at the end of the Play-In festivities with its pool dwindled down to three possible matchups between the Memphis Grizzlies, Sacramento Kings and Dallas Mavericks –– but the tournament matters for Oklahoma City's future as well.
Stiles Points: Filling Out NBA Awards Ballot

1 week ago | si.com | Rylan Stiles

With the NBA Regular Season on ice, the attention turns to NBA Award season as hardware will be handed out throughout the playoffs. These NBA Awards will be voted on by the NBA Media and discussed at length. Despite not having a ballot, let's fill one out for the fun of it. NBA Awards Ballot NBA MVPShai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC ThunderNikola Jokic, Denver NuggetsGiannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee BucksJayson Tatum, Boston CelticsLeBron James, Los Angeles LakersThe top three were all easy picks.
OKC Thunder First Round Playoff Schedule Released

1 week ago | si.com | Rylan Stiles

The NBA Playoff Schedule is set for the Oklahoma City Thunder, who still lack an official matchup. Oklahoma City will play one of the Sacramento Kings, Dallas Mavericks, or Memphis Grizzlies in the First Round of the NBA Playoffs. The NBA Play-In Tournament continues on Wednesday with the Dallas Mavericks traveling to Sacramento to take on the Kings, the winner of that game will head to Memphis to face the Grizzlies on Friday. That winner?
OKC Thunder Avoids Golden State Warriors

1 week ago | si.com | Rylan Stiles

Then there were three. The Oklahoma City Thunder playoff picture got a bit clearer on Tuesday as the Golden State Warriors knocked off the Memphis Grizzlies, 121-116. It was a drama filled game that saw bumps, bruises and bad calls left, right and center. Ultimately, the No. 7 seeded Warriors take their rightful spot and will matchup with the No. 2 seeded Houston Rockets starting on Sunday in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.
2025 NBA Mock Draft: Dallas Mavericks Get Table Setter

1 week ago | si.com | Rylan Stiles

The Dallas Mavericks need to capitalize on this lottery pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and Derek Parker has a great pick to help now and later in Dallas. In this story:The 2025 NBA Draft discourse is heating up as the College Basketball season wraps up and NBA regular season is on ice. After this week's NBA Play-In tournament wraps up, the NBA Draft Lottery standings will be set for May's drawing to determine the 2025 NBA Draft order.
OKC Thunder Return To Practice, Discuss Upcoming NBA Playoff Journey

1 week ago | yardbarker.com | Rylan Stiles

Waiting is the hardest part, with the Oklahoma City Thunder on ice for seven days until the start of its NBA Playoff journey on Easter Sunday inside the Paycom Center. The OKC Thunder will not know its opponent for the first round until Friday night as the NBA Play-In Tournament wraps up. Some clarity will come tonight as the No. 7 seed is decided between the Golden State Warriors and Memphis Grizzlies.
OKC Thunder Return To Practice, Discuss Upcoming NBA Playoff Journey

1 week ago | si.com | Rylan Stiles

Waiting is the hardest part, with the Oklahoma City Thunder on ice for seven days until the start of its NBA Playoff journey on Easter Sunday inside the Paycom Center. The OKC Thunder will not know its opponent for the first round until Friday night as the NBA Play-In Tournament wraps up. Some clarity will come tonight as the No. 7 seed is decided between the Golden State Warriors and Memphis Grizzlies.
Predicting 2025 Western Conference NBA Play-In Tournament

1 week ago | si.com | Rylan Stiles

Hurry up and wait is the motto for the Oklahoma City Thunder this week. While other playoff teams are already hard at work digging into its First-Round matchup and looking to find any advantages possible, the Thunder have to wait until Friday night ot know for sure who they will face off with beginning on Sunday. The list is narrowed down to four teams: The Golden State Warriors, Memphis Grizzlies, Sacramento Kings and Dallas Mavericks.
Stiles Points: OKC Thunder Is Prepared For NBA Playoffs

1 week ago | si.com | Rylan Stiles

The Oklahoma City Thunder are heading to the NBA Playoffs as the top seed in the NBA after a historic season. All eyes turn to the postseason starting with this week's NBA Play-In Tournament. That run of games will determine the Thunder's first-round matchup as they begin their championship chase on Sunday. In the modern NBA, people are quick to cast aside the regular season as meaningless. However, that couldn't be further from the truth.