Okay.
I’ve read and listened to our local media ( the Prestettes) give their takes on the Thunder collapse. I get it, they work in a small market where the Thunder are their only major league sport and it’s probably a very uncomfortable career move alienating Sam Presti and the Thunder organization.
But I just have my own little blog here and I don’t have to worry about any of that. Hence, okcthunderground.com where I don’t give a shit if I ever have an off the record relationship with Sam Presti. By the way, I think Presti has done a great job for the most part.
So… if I were talking to a national guy and he asked of me, “Mike, do you think the Thunder choked at the end of Game 6?”
My answer would be yes, but with a caveat attached. Clearly, when you turn over the ball six times out of eight possessions in a situation like this there’s no defending it. None. Beyond brutal. Almost as unwatchable as watching Jeb Bush debate Donald Trump.
But Kenny Smith at TNT said something which was spot on in regards to the Warriors comeback in the series. He said in essence what Golden State did was hang around long enough in Game 5 to simply stay in the series until OKC reverted back to what they truly are.
That being…. an undisciplined basketball team which led the entire league in blown 4th quarter leads during the regular season.
Golden State doesn’t necessarily have more talent than OKC, but they’re ahead of the Thunder as far as smarts, poise, mental toughness reacting to adversity, and so on.
Yet having written this, OKC was still only five minutes away from winning this series in six games against the defending champions.
Five minutes.
The best way for Durant and Westbrook to erase their Bill Buckner moment is simple. Come back next season and become a smarter, more mentally tough team, and win a championship. If they then want to leave and become the Kobe Bryant Twins in LA… whatever. Maybe Harden will join them. Maybe Kobe will come out of retirement and as four they’ll yacht party the hell out of Del Mar as one. This coming from a dude who was born in San Diego. I get it…the Pacific Ocean versus Lake Hefner. But the people in Oklahoma are much nicer. So do you want a bigger body of water or genuine people?
The way Kevin Durant elevates his legacy is to come back at least for next season and address the shortcomings in his game which to this point have kept him from winning a ring. Same with Russell Westbrook.
Dirk came back from the 2006 series loss to the Heat to win a ring in 2011 by carrying a team to a title. His legacy will forever be cemented by that acheivement.
Dwayne Wade’s most impressive career accomplishment isn’t winning two rings with LeBron, but rather carrying that Heat team on his back in 2006 which beat the Mavs.
The best way for Durant and Westbrook to exit OKC, if that’s what they want to do ultimately, is to come back next season and become smarter, better players.
Now, like Donald Trump, I’m pivoting away from the Thunder, Lyin’ Ted Cruz, Jeb Bush, and Lindsey Graham and getting ready to cover the NBA Finals on my modest underground blog.
So there.