Don’t look now, but the Oklahoma City Thunder without Kevin Durant, James Harden, Russell Westbrook, or Paul George are 22-16 and just on the cusp of being considered as a second tier NBA championship contender this basketball season.
On Russell Westbrook’s first return to Chesapeake Energy Arena it was a perfect night.
The crowd adored Westbrook for his loyalty to the city. Oklahomans will never forget Westbrook stayed in the aftermath of Durant’s exit and the gut wrenching death of Aubrey McClendon.
Westbrook in the three years without Durant never got his team beyond the first round or even close for that matter. Truth be known, the Thunder went a collective 4-12. Those three opponents of OKC…. Houston, Utah, and Portland did not go on to win the West. So it wasn’t like the Thunder ran into a juggernaut in any of those three first round matchups.
But none of that matters in the present because Chris Paul is the point guard present tense for the Thunder in this improbable 22-16 start for Sam Presti’s sustainable Thunder.
This game really wasn’t even close as all five of OKC’s best five players scored in double figures. Those five in my view would be in this order… 1 Chris Paul, 2 Shai, 3 Steven Adams, 4 Big Gallo, and 5 Dennis Schroder. These are the five who night in and night out have been finding a way to make the Thunder the darlings of the NBA just short a few games of the midway point of the regular season.
Thunder fandom now knows what they’re witnessing…they’ve bought in. The arena is full again and there’s a bit of magic in the air as you walk throughout the city.
There is an inherit beauty to basketball when it’s played the right way. When defense is played with smarts and toughness. When transition occurs with a crisp purpose. When the ball moves. When your highest percentage finishers are getting their touches on the right spots in the offensive zone.
I hate to write this paragraph, but I have to. With Chris Paul as the point guard in Oklahoma City the Thunder have gone from one of the dumbest teams in the NBA to perhaps the smartest squad in the league.
The Thunder don’t beat themselves in the final eight minutes of games any longer. They play with grit, smarts, and poise.
This is on Chris Paul.
None of this is being written to diminish Russell Westbrook. He’s a great son, brother, husband, and philanthropist.
But the truth be known as soon as the pregame video and introductions were over the gauntlet in Oklahoma City was officially passed from Westbrook to Chris Paul. People know what they’re seeing with their own eyes.
Sam Presti will have to decide what to do with Danilo Gallinari on February 6th at the deadline. He’s a key part of this current Thunder success.
Should Presti do with Gallinari what Mike Rizzo did with Anthony Rendon and go all in this season and see where the chips fall?
That probably wouldn’t be the percentage hedge play. But sometimes, just sometimes…a GM has to look deep into his own inner soul and ask himself if he believes he has a viable contender at the trade deadline and play his hand.
Next up…the Lakers in town on Saturday.
Beat LA!