It will be a tough time for Oklahoma City in the coming days as oil continues its slide in the Trump economy to levels below the $30 per barrel dollar level. But to help assuage the pain—at least Oklahoma City has an NBA team with a veritable truckload of grit and character.
In easily this season’s biggest win, the Thunder answered every challenge on the road against a Celtics’ team very capable of winning the Eastern Conference. It could be hyperbole on my part, but I would rank this road win in Boston as one of the three greatest regular season wins in the history of the franchise being in Oklahoma City.
Again—the coming days for companies like Devon and Continental will be looming with profound challenge, but at least Oklahoma City has a basketball team to be proud of in every way.
I know this for certain—this Thunder blogger is proud of the team. This game encapsulates everything good about this team and why it was smart not to tank in a year in which the Dow coupled with depressed oil prices would have put an even darker cloud over the city. But, hey…the Trumpsters here in Oklahoma have their guy and none of this was of Obama’s doing.
So this game. Wow. Does Chris Paul have the biggest set of balls in the NBA? I would say maybe.
This was a game in which Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was a pregame hip contusion scratch. Then there was the 18 point deficit to the Celtics in the second period. Then after scratching, clawing, and bleeding the Thunder pulled even and had three free throws taken away from them on an overturned call. Then there was Steven Adams predictably clanking two huge late game free throws which should have caused the Thunder to lose this game.
There was all of this…and yet Chris Paul with that big sets of balls of his steered his team to victory.
With around 11 seconds left the Celts had the ball with a one point lead and one assumed Billy Donovan with two timeouts would play the foul game.
Not so much. Billy D ordered a backcourt trap of Kemba Walker by Chris Paul and Dennis Schroder. Chris Paul turned Walker into Schroder and lo and behold Dennis Schroder took the ball and scored the game winning layup with eight seconds left on the clock.
Just to solidify his mythic god status set of balls…Chris Paul then stoned Jason Tatum’s last shot as the Thunder won their 12th road game out of thirteen since this team found itself after Thanksgiving.
NY Knicks…are you listening? RJ Barrett, Julius Randle, and two first round draft picks–Sam Presti will think about it.
Chris Paul finished the night with a line of 28 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists. His point guard soulmate partner Dennis Schroder went for 26, 6, 2 and the game winner. This was their signature game of a season in Oklahoma City which most likely won’t end like the Washington Nationals’ improbable world championship.
But what this team most likely will end up with is being the team most loved and respected at the end of the day in Oklahoma City.
Thank you, Chris Paul.