You can’t ever allow yourself to get too high with a win involving this Thunder team, but OKC’s romp over LeBron’s Cavs on Saturday in Cleveland in the ABC matinee game was impressive.
I guess we’re at the point when we have to say this…when this team plays a national game with the nation watching, this team’s stars show up. They showed up against the Warriors, the Rockets, and today they didn’t just show up versus the Cavs…this Thunder team made LeBron give the Roberto Duran look of ‘no mas’ in the fourth period. It was sad.
It was a Thunder avalanche. It started 8-0 and went downhill from there for LeBron. He looked lost. His team was in disarray. And there was LeBron for the first time in a long while looking like anything but the best basketball player in the world. When Russell Westbrook plays like this–that best basketball player in the world could he him. Bad Little Dude showed what be can do. But so did Paul George, Carmelo Anthony, and Stevo Adams.
The 148 points scored in regulation are the most points scored in a regulation game in the Thunder era.
At this point, I’m moving Steven Adams into the what we will call OKC’s Big Four.
When Sam Presti sees something like this—I guess I understand the ‘all the chips in the middle of the table’ mindset with the Paul George recruitment.
Even if Jerry West called Paul George from a yacht swaying in the Pacific with the promise of LeBron being a Clipper next season…I’m not sure that would be the basketball move best enchancing Paul George’s championship aspirations after seeing Paul George’s performances when he plays like he cares.
These numbers are staggering. OKC’s Big Four scored 120 points. They shot a collective 44-68 from the field. The Thunder had 37 assists versus 13 turnovers. OKC pounded the Cavs on the boards. No one wearing a Cavs jersey looked even remotely equal to what Steven Adams was dishing out on the inside game. This wasn’t the Adams from the 2016 Western Conference, this was better. This was the next level of Steven Adams. When Steven Adams brings his Big Boy Britches game like this he’s possibly the best center in the Western Conference, or at least in the top two or three.
Billy Donovan was better. Alex Abrines didn’t see his two minutes of action until the game was over. Donovan coached this like a playoff game. He tightened the rotational minutes. It made sense.
I never screamed profanities at my 60″ flat screen once. But then again, I never had to hear a word ushered from the lips of Brian Davis or Michael Cage as only ABC carried the game. It was so refreshing for a sagacious NBA Baby Boomer like me to be able to listen to Hubie Brown. I drank wine. Smoked victory cigars. It was nirvana. The diva black lab gave me the look which said, ” I told you it would be alright, Mike. Dude, chill. It’s all a process.”
I could care less about the government close down. I can’t sweat that shit anymore. This is an NBA Oklahoma Thunder blog and there might be the chance I have something to write about other than which Ivanka look alike porn star named Summer Love will show up next as one of Caligula’s erotic play friends.
This was the fourth Thunder win a row as the Thunder improve to 26-20. Thirty six games left. The Thunder are 6-3 in the month. But I won’t project any further. I’ve learned from that. No corner was turned today. For today–you’d have to say OKC and Golden State need to hook up in the playoffs. If for no other reason than to give Russell Westbrook the chance to show the Warriors what he showed the country this afternoon in Cleveland.
The Thunder host Brooklyn on Tuesday. One would think this game won’t resemble anything like the fiasco in Mexico City.
Life is worth living again. The dark clouds have parted.
LET’S GO THUNDER!
Yes! We celebrate with you! Celebrate good times…