When you look at the NBA right now there’s the Warriors and then maybe seven other teams which behind them have the rosters to make this upcoming post season interesting to a certain degree. As in—who can compete with this all-star team in Oakland to a certain degree.
If Houston ever gets completely healthy with Chris Paul and Clint Capela coming back and with the addition of Kenneth Faried… I would have the Rockets in the West as the team to give the Warriors the best test. Them maybe….at this point the surprising Denver Nuggets, the Lakers if LeBron is at full speed, then our seldom urgent Thunder, and then perhaps the Utah Jazz. New Orleans is far and away the West’s biggest disappointment. Give some props to Sacramento for a nice uptick this season as the Kings appear to be a young team on the rise along with the Nuggets.
In the East the stories have been in Milwaukee and Toronto as first year coaches and two MVP candidates in Giannis Antetukounmpo and Kawhi Leonard have made the East the more compelling watch so far this season excluding of course… the Warriors. Boston and Philly should make the semis in the East as well.
I don’t get hyped up for the Thunder as I used to. Don’t get me wrong, I very much appreciate the talent ownership has put in place twenty minutes from my front door, but I’m enjoying the NBA this season more from an overall league viewpoint than just watching the Thunder. I’m watching more NFL and NHL games and keeping up more with Lon Krueger’s OU team…. and of course OU football, the Cleveland Browns, and the Colorado Rockies.
I don’t even hate the Warriors anymore. I’m over that. In fact–I admire what they’ve done. They created a dynasty in the collective bargaining agreement era in the NBA. They play smart. They play hard as the goal achieving portion comes into view. How can you not admire that?
So–in reality, it’s Golden State and let’s say around eight dwarfs this NBA season. And in Oklahoma City this evening we get to see two of the dwarfs meet in a game which might tell who is the best team in the East, but not the West. Because we know who those dudes are.
I have to admit–I like the way the Warriors have handled the whole Trump thing…as in disdaining him. I know that could never happen in Oklahoma City because ownership would endorse Joseph Stalin if he were the GOP candidate, but in all candor, this has lessened my angst towards the Warriors…as in I like them and respect them as a team even with all the Cupcake-Draymond drama.
Here’s the Warriors meeting with Barack Obama after their first championship at the White House meeting. Since then thru Ambassador Steph Curry the Warriors have met with Obama outside of the White House after their other two championships. Just earlier this month the Warriors met with Obama after they played the Wizards in D.C. Like the Warriors–I’d never waste my time having lunch with Donald Trump and would consider it an honor to have lunch with Barack Obama even though I’m not a liberal per se. I respect and admire the man. I’d love to ask him for his insights on Westbrook. But more than that I’d like to thank him for his service to our country. Obviously, I’m not alone feeling that as Barack Obama is by a wide margin in public opinion polls the most admired man in America two years after he left the White House.
Here’s the Warriors last visit to the White House before Barack Obama’s departure.