It was here, then it was gone. Now, it’s back again! On Saturday, Aug. 1, 2020, the Oklahoma City Thunder basketball season resumes in Orlando. FL. The Thunder are paired against the team we were supposed to play twenty weeks ago, when the season was abruptly, unceremoniously shut down due to the COVID-19 virus.
With the tip-off against the Utah Jazz at 2:30 p.m., so resumes Phillips Murrah’s Blocks for Bucks partnership with the Thunder Cares Foundation. The rest of the season will be played in what is being characterized as “The Bubble,” which is an isolation zone set up for the NBA in Orlando’s Disney property with strict protocols designed to keep players and the teams’ supporting staff safe from exposure to coronavirus.
What is Blocks for Bucks?
Starting in 2017, Phillips Murrah first partnered with the Thunder to recognize our home team’s on-court accomplishments in blocking shots and turn our Firm’s support into dollars that will help make our community a better place. Through Blocks for Bucks, Phillips Murrah has been donating $100 to The Thunder Cares Foundation for each blocked shot that the Thunder forces at home games during the regular season.
Phillips Murrah Directors G. Calvin Sharpe, Marc Edwards and Nikki Edwards present the 2018-2019 season Blocks for Bucks donation check for $20,600 to Christine Berney, OKC Thunder Vice President, Community Relations
As the 2019-2020 season resumes, the Phillips Murrah Blocks for Bucks count is at 160, which equates to $16,000 raised so far for Thunder Cares. The current blocks count and video highlights can be found at the Oklahoma City Thunder website.
Typically, Phillips Murrah presents a check at half-court in the Chesapeake Arena during the final home game of the season. Last year’s final amount totaled $20,600.
Thunder Cares helps support the team’s community outreach projects, including Thunder-themed basketball courts in parks, schools and community centers across Oklahoma, as well as learning labs and activity rooms at organizations like the Boys and Girls Club of Oklahoma County, City Rescue Mission and Positive Tomorrows.
Phillips Murrah is proud of our partnership with the Thunder Organization, and we – like all Thunder fans – are more than ready for the season to continue. Good luck, stay safe and Thunder Up!