2022 OKC Thunder player urges fans to retire infamous graphic as finals appearance awaits 

After OKC eliminated Minnesota in the Western Conference finals on Wednesday, former Thunder guard Isaiah Roby asked fans to retire the graphic of the team’s starting five from 2021-22 season. At the time, the team won just 24 games, finishing the season 14th in the West.

Against the Portland Trail Blazers on April 5, 2022, OKC rolled out a starting lineup of Roby, Georgios Kalaitzakis, Jaylen Hoard, Vit Krejci and Zavier Simpson. Among them, Krejci is the only one still in the NBA.

Following the Thunder’s big win, Roby posted on X.

"Man I'm Happy for OKC making the Finals fr…great team and organization, they deserve it! The growth has been amazing to watch...Can we retire the 2022 end of year starting lineup pic now? Stop tagging me," Roby tweeted.

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A fan poked fun at Roby and replied with the graphic.

"One more series to go," - Shai Gilgeous-Alexander makes it clear that Thunder aren't done following win over Timberwolves

During Wednesday's win against the Minnesota Timberwolves, everything clicked for Mark Daigneault's team.

The OKC Thunder jumped out to a 26-9 lead in the first quarter, locking up the Timberwolves on the defensive end while firing on all cylinders on offense.

OKC's defense made things difficult for Minnesota as it racked up 22 stocks (steals + blocks) compared to its opponent's 13. The Thunder also outrebounded the Timberwolves 46-39, and shot the ball better.

After the game, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said that although the team is enjoying the moment, the job isn't complete.

"Obviously happy for the moment, but this isn't our goal, this isn't the end of the road," Gilgeous-Alexander said, via ESPN. "There was no special conversation. It was just, let's keep getting better. One more series to go."

The Thunder will face with the winner of the Indiana Pacers-New York Knicks series, with Game 1 of the finals set for June 5.

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Evan Bell

Evan Bell is a journalist specializing in the NBA and NHL at Sportskeeda, whose love for the game stems from a childhood spent watching the Chicago Bulls. He has been there through their highs and lows, from the Jordan era to the exciting Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah years.

Evan finds the 82-game season and the intensity of playoff basketball exhilarating, and he also revels in the offseason drama. Phil Jackson stands out as his favorite coach, whom he admires for his composed leadership and success in managing dynamic personalities like Dennis Rodman.

To deliver top-quality content, Evan fact-checks information while diligently keeping up with the action year-round.

When he's not writing, Evan follows tennis and Greek football, and also plays basketball and tennis.

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