I can’t lie and pretend to be even remotely excited about this game. I’m spent. The Super Bowl was awesome. Storybook ending. Add to the fact, I was fairly stoked about the Thunder-Golden State game on Saturday evening as well. Like these elite athletes, it’s tough for me to be emotionally up three nights in a row. I could care less about these Phoenix Suns, they’re wretched heaped on top with scoops of horrific and feeble, but that only means either Devin Booker or PJ Tucker will probably both have career nights against the Thunder.
The game on Saturday was pretty much what Vegas and I thought it would be, namely OKC losing by anywhere from 7 to 11 points. Some of the younger more inexperienced bloggers at homer sites like Daily Thunder claim there was a significant moral victory in losing by eight to the Warriors on a night when Curry and Thompson both had bad shooting nights. These are the nights you have to choke the Warriors and steal a win, not claim a moral victory. OKC just wasn’t good enough, and did I mention Festus Ezeli didn’t even play.
I’m going to cut to the chase because I’m tired and want to finish this book I’m reading before tip, which is btw Killing Reagan by Bill O’Reilly. I want to get it finished before the New Hampshire primary. Excellent read, extremely well written and researched. If only the swarmy Marco Rubio knew the truth he’d quit evoking the name of Ronald Reagan every time he goes into full Bubble Boy mode. That was my inner Maureen Dowd in case you’re wondering.
Back to the Thunder. Here’s what I took out of the game Saturday night. Durant and Westbrook may even be better than I originally thought. They were awesome despite the three consectutive murky possessions when the game was tied 104 all. Serge Ibaka was basically invisible and may need to have his role reduced when these two teams meet next.
Adams and Kanter were both excellent. Both can finish on the pick and roll with Westbrook and that’s what OKC has to do to punish the Warriors when they go small.
Dion Waiters was a non-factor. Cam Payne got eaten alive by Shaun Livingston and may need to have a very minor role against Golden State once Roberson gets back. Payne was exposed in this matchup. Neither Kyle Singler nor Anthony Morrow made a shot between them. So what I’m saying is OKC’s bench is the reason OKC lost the game, not those three possessions. Unless Sam Presti has some trade in mind I can’t think of–OKC has a problem, and the problem is Golden State is better than OKC 3 thru 10 on the respective rosters. Truth hurts, but there it is.
So basically, OKC has thirty games left to get better in a significant way if they want to seriously contemplate beating these Warriors if the two meet in the Western Conference Finals.
End of preview.