Thunder plan to keep Billy Donovan despite playoff struggles

AP

OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma City Thunder plan to keep coach Billy Donovan for a fifth year.

Thunder general manager Sam Presti said Monday that he doesn’t expect change despite Oklahoma City’s third consecutive first-round playoff exit.

The Thunder have reached the playoffs each of Donovan’s four years with the team, but they haven’t won a playoff series since Kevin Durant left for Golden State in free agency after the 2015-16 season. Donovan has a 199-129 regular-season record, but he is 15-19 in the playoffs. Portland rolled past the Thunder 4-1 in their playoff series this season.

Presti said he plans to sit down with Donovan and discuss why the team went through a 6-13 stretch from late February to the end of March after a promising first two-thirds of the season. He called the last part of the season “disappointing” after a start that created whispers that the Thunder might challenge Golden State at the top of the Western Conference.