It’s late at night for old an timer like me…so indulge me with the Billy Mack video.
The rumor that the OKC Thunder might show up for their NBA Cup final was a false one and that’s on me for trying to be so nice to these guys on Tuesday morning.
First off to the champion Milwaukee Bucks. You owned the Thunder for pretty much the final forty minutes of play. You never once trailed in the second half. You came together as a team in this tournament. In these last four weeks or so you’ve been the best team in the NBA…East or West. For the first time since you made the Damian Lillard acquisition…you made it look like it should have looked like last season.
Giannis made Hartenstein and JDub look like little girly bitch ragdogs out there on a night he trip-dubbed for 29/19/10 and five blocks… and easily claimed the tournament MVP hardware. I have no idea whatsoever what Giannis actually said during his MVP acceptance speech…hence the Bill Mack video. It’s late.
These aren’t last season’s Milwaukee Bucks. Khris Middleton didn’t even play and no one noticed because Gary Trent Jr, JD Green, and that spunky Jackson kid from UConn were all more than able to absorb the minutes.
Doc Rivers even tried helping the Thunder by playing Connaughton some minutes in both the first and second halves—and yet the no show under the bright lights Thunder couldn’t take advantage of this Buck defensive lineup liability.
Bobby Portis sucked as well, but again it didn’t matter because basically Giannis, Brook Lopez, Gary Trent Jr., and Dame could have beaten this Thunder team 4 on 5 on this night given they could not throw a basketball into the Pacific Ocean standing five feet from the tide-line.
I will not suggest a Thunder player of the game because they all collectively sucked. And yet this question nags at me…on a night like this why is it Aaron Wiggins still struggles to find a consistent role on this team?
Why…what am I missing?
Sam Presti, Coach Mark… put away your Mike Gundy Sippy Cups and do this for me, my Denver Nuggets need some more players. Not star players, but three two-way role players. Nicola is having a historic NBA season as he and Giannis now clearly stand atop the MVP race moving forward. It would be a shame for Denver to waste this historic season Nicola is having.
Since Denver GM Calvin Booth seems to be sitting on his ass..let’s do this trade. Denver gives you Michael Porter Jr. to alleviate your 19th in the NBA three point shooting woes…and in return the Nuggets get Aaron Wiggins, Kenrich Williams, and Isaiah Joe.. Think about it. Please.
This was not a good night fo the Thunder. They’re a great group of guys. I’d love to live next door to any of these dudes. But they basically wilted under the bright lights with the entire NBA world watching.
Beyond the Bucks claiming this championship–this thought accompanies me as we move back to NBA regular season play… the Eastern Conference 1-5…Boston, Milwaukee, Cleveland, Atlanta, and a healthy Orlando team is currently better than the top five teams in the West.
To me…Atlanta and Orlando are very interesting teams moving towards the trade deadline.
Anyway…Shai, Lu, and Kenrich–I still love you guys. Kenrich–hope to see you on my next stroll wearing my crimson OU hoops shirt in Washington Park. Thank god you hit that last three to get the team off that 78 spot at the end.
You’ll love it there. Trust me.
MJ