What should we think about this OKC Super Team which wasn’t organically put together like the Durant-Westbrook-Harden Super team of 2012?
Being 4-6 and being the current 12th seed in the West doesn’t so much bother me because the Thunder save the Utah game have been in position to win every game they’ve played in so far. It’s not like Clay Bennett and his ownership group didn’t payroll a roster with upside–so I’m not hitting the panic button just yet.
But if the Thunder drop two more in a row then the ‘seriously concerned’ button comes on my Thunder dashboard Friday night after the Clippers game.
To date, as I wrote the Thunder are currently the 12th seed in the West and every Daily Thunder Regular Season Contest bracket sheet is probably hurting somewhat because of this fact unless somebody had them at No. 9 or No. 10. Delve even deeper, and you’ll observe OKC is the only team in the West without at least one win against another Western Conference team to date.
One thing about the Durant Era is very clear, those teams never lost many games in a row and usually bounced back from a loss with a vengeance, albeit the three straight they lost to the Warriors in the Western Conference Finals, and we saw what happened there as Durant said I’d rather play with Steph.
But to date, these conference losses aren’t coming against the Warriors, Spurs, Rockets, Clippers or even the Grizzlies. This 0-5 slate against the West so far has come against Utah, Minnesota (twice), Portland, and the feeble Kings.
Yeah, I know, Billy Donovan under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement isn’t allowed to ever raise his voice with any of the Three Superstars, but he might in a gentle tone remind them before tip tonight if they don’t win any games against Western Conference teams this season they’re not making the playoffs. And, I’m almost certain Adam Silver wouldn’t grant them a special exemption to play as an Eastern Conference team in post season.
So what Billy Donovan might need to do in accordance with the terms of the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement is pull Westbrook, George, Carmelo, and Steven Adams aside away from the rest of the team and say something pretty much like this,” You guys are each making over $20 million and playing like the four biggest pussies in the league. You hold my future as coach of this team in your hands. Players make the coach, always have, always will. So if you’re not going to do one fucking thing I’m asking you to do then tell me straight up right now so Presti can figure out an exit amount and I can go coach college ball again somewhere like say…. North Carolina.”
It’s a star driven league and players make the coach.
Always have, always will.
Pretty simple. No overthink needed.
Finally! Jus’ sayin…