Certainly an interesting first week so far in the Western Conference as the Thunder have been very impressive going 2-0 while the Spurs with a struggling Wemby have opened at 0-2 after Friday night’s loss to the Houston Rockets.
It’s stunning in that Chet has found himself ‘enough’ to at least rebound, play defense, do the little things, but most of all competively engage. While on the other hand Wemby and his mates seem a bit dazed with the deer in the headlight look coming out of the gate.
I plan on quoting ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins as much as possible this season because he’s fun and doesn’t take himself as seriously as all the geekster white guys on the internet…so with that in mind–I fully endorse what Perk said abut the Thunder this opening week. That being said, “Sam Presti should be investigated by the NBA because he traded off Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins, and Isaiah Joe and the team got even better 1-12.”
One through twelve the Thunder are better than their championship team of two years ago and last year’s team as well. A healthy Thunder with Dub back is clearly atop everyone’s power polls early in this NBA season.
Perk is right…Sam Presti should be investigated. Mara looks like he’ll be more than able to fill a rotational position and Jared McCain has no basketball fear. And here’s the thing…I believe at some points during the arduous 82-game marathon season…both Brook Barnhizer and Bennett Stirtz will earn Coach Mark’s trust as situational role players.
I mean, OKC shot the ball horribly in this 96-84 home opner win over Denver and yet won by 12 points because they shut down both Jokic and Jamal on the same night with the best defense in the league. So that means in this opening week with this new and improved and bigger rotation the Thunder shut down the top two bigs in the Western Conference in Wemby and Jokic.
There will be emotional let downs here and there for the season, but when the Thunder want to turn on Forty Minutes of Hell here and there they still have that capability. This Denver game being a prime example. The Thunder turned over the Nuggets 22 times for 21 points on a night when as a team Shai struggled as the team shot a collective 37% from the field.
That’s what this Thunder team can be when they want to come to the arena with a chip on their shoulder and a doberman growl in their throats. They can be the league’s Toughest, Nastiest team with a championship Snarl if they don’t become bored and complacent. Plus, of course, both Shai and Dub need to stay healthy.
Those three Williams Brothers in my mind can become the Hansen Brothers if we see any more punk nonsense from guys like DeAaron Fox and Wembyama. I love that physicality and toughness. I love having a basketball team with a fighting line.
Next game against the Spurs…MJ would send out the Fighting Line on the opening faceoff with Wemby and Fox out there. Just saying. Send a message so to speak. With the Williams Boys…. except Dub is not in anyway to throw a punch and break his hand. Barnhizer looks like he could be a brawler/enforcer…that might need to be considered with the fighting/energy line.
In closing…Shai had a rough night in scoring only 17 points versus Denver and the 20 points or more streak comes to an end at 141. I love the way he did it. Total class. But that’s why you need a fighting line to protect Shai. Nobody is to touch Shai. I hope that is clear to the rest of the league.
Wisdom accrues into trust and eventual omnipresent divine love. The universe becomes our meditative garden, but never under any circumstances speak during our national anthem.
Eternal peace always, MJ.