If you point yard then go yard, that’s the just way it fucking is. Granted, in gambling parlance this was a push and you pay your bookie or the house the juice, but for me this was a monumental moral victory for the Thunder to win by eight over the hapless Suns on the road.
When Carmelo hit those two free throws with 1.2 seconds left to get the spread to ‘eight’ it was like when Perk rammed home that dunk against the Spurs in Game 6 to propel the Thunder into the NBA Finals.
It was just so emotional for me to have this one shining moment of godliness from the heavens shine down and allow me this moment of redemption amid all the dysfunction of this basketball season.
Russell Westbrook was the star, but that OKC bench was fabulous late in the third period when in reality they set the stage for Westbrook and the starters to close the deal. Westbrook had 43 points and hit a huge three point dagger when it mattered most, but it was that Thunder bench which gave the Thunder some hope.
Ray Felton, Jerami Grant, Josh Huestis, Pat Patterson, Terrance Ferguson, and even little furry frilly Alex Abrines were all instrumental in the win…especially Abrines, who came up with a flurry of defensive plays which brought me off my couch screaming…”Is that really Alex Abrines?” And, the basketball heavens screamed back, “Yes, Mike…it is!”
It is not an exaggeration for me to say this was a religious experience for me tonight.
I can’t go really much further with this recap. I’m emotionally spent.
The Thunder are now 37-27 and play a red hot Portland team tomorrow night in Portland. But for now, I’m just savoring this, the thought anything is possible on any given night with this vexing Thunder team.
I need a drink and a song.
LET’S GO THUNDER!