27 POINTS.
The OKC Thunder shutdown the defending champion Boston Celtics by a score of 105-92 in what could be a preview of this season’s NBA Championship Finals on Sunday afternoon inside of Paycom Arena.
But back to the 27 points the Thunder allowed in the final 24 minutes of play. It was vintage Thunder for this group. As Lu Dort ‘somewhat’ stated in his postgame affirmation…”This is the vision Sam Presti had for this group through all the tanking.”
These Thunder are more like a college team with Shai added as their core ringer. They remind me of some of those great Jerry Tarkanian UNLV Runnin’ Rebel teams or Nolan Richardson’s championship team at Arkansas.
Forty minutes of hell and then some.
Perhaps it took the embarrasing loss to the Milwaukee Bucks to elicit this type of passion in a game to game manner. The Thunder haven’t lost a game since that pitiful loss to the Bucks when they shot 4-31 from behind the arc. Those nights happen in the NBA.
Aaron Wiggins not getting his minutes can’t happen though. Coach Mark has made sure Aaron has gotten his run since that game.
F this group they’ve now won 15 games in row heading into Wednesday’s night game versus the Cleveland Cavaliers in Cleveland. These Cavs are currently on a 10 game win streak of their own after claiming 15 straight wins earlier this season. Something will have to give. Maybe it’s this game which will prove to be the preview of this spring’s NBA Finals.
The Thunder feed off their forty minutes of hell approach. They feed off pace. They feed off of live ball turnovers transitioned into open court baskets. They wear other teams down as each minute in the fourth period evaporates.
Shai scored his customary 33 points in this game…yawn. But it was Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins, Cason Wallace, and Jaylin Williams who were my Thunder 4 Stars of the Game. The Thunder role players were SUPERB.
Porzingus played. Chet didn’t. And yet this group won by 13 points after trailing by 13 points. Same scenario. Forty-eight minutes of hell.
On my blog I was on Sam Presti about the third year of tanking. To me…if you’re going to claim sustainability as the brand NBA trademark in Oklahoma City….you shouldn’t have to tank three years to become relevant again.
But you know what? I like the fact his vision has turned out to be prescient.
He has a great group on board. The championship window in Oklahoma City is for the first time since 2016 once again open.
It will be fun to actually have a blog which covers this.
The Donald Trump second term…not so much.
Mike J