Again, I go back to the biblical ending in Philadelphia when this season appears to have changed for the Thunder. In those waning seconds when Paul George curled along the top of the key and swished the ball thru the net to erase the bitter disappointment of what would have been a devastating loss to the Sixers….then and there this season changed.
Maybe in this age of millennial fascination with numbers and no regard for the human element in the games we play, they could be right. Maybe there’s a chart or a graph or some other bullshit from those who didn’t play or coach sports beyond the eighth grade…but I still believe the human part of the game does indeed still matter.
Last night in Miami—the Thunder won their 7th straight since the Paul George Miracle in Philly. All is smiles in Thunder Nation right now as the Thunder are in third place in the West and only two games behind the Warriors in the current fight for second place in the West. That’s right–the Denver Nuggets with a win last night over Houston sit atop the West.
Putting the Nuggets aside…think back to last season and remember how far back the Thunder were in the standings at this point in the season to the Warriors and Rockets. It was staggering as in they didn’t deserve to be mentioned in the same breath with those two teams. This team since Philly is different. They’ve shown when they focus and play with a mission they have a right to be in the discussion…. in fact, multiple discussions.
As in…Paul George is playing better overall basketball in Oklahoma City right now than either Kevin Durant or Russell Westbrook did in their MVP seasons wearing Thunder blue.
I don’t write that with my Nick Gallo Sippy Thunder Cup near my keyboard. I write that as a brutally candid observer of NBA basketball for the past fifty-five years. For the record…I became an NBA self proclaimed savant at the age of six. Take that however you might.
If I had to vote right now at this moment…Paul George would have my MVP vote for this reason…. He’s doing all this having to mesh his game with Russell Westbrook’s game and at times that isn’t easy. But what Paul George has done on both sides of the floor is beyond even what I saw with Durant in OKC’s love affair with KD. Simply put, I wouldn’t trade Paul George for the reigning two time NBA Finals MVP. Paul George is a better defensive player than Durant and has shown this season he’s an excellent passer as well. This isn’t meant as a diss of Kevin Durant, but as a compliment of Paul George.
Paul George on Friday night torched the Miami Heat for 43 points on 23 shots. He went 10-16 shooting the trey. The ten makes are a Thunder record even in the wake of Durant’s 40-50-90 MVP season when all the angry white people in Oklahoma who voted for Trump still loved KD. Back then Kevin was a slave who knew his place. Harsh? Maybe take a look in the mirror, Oklahoma. Maybe Neil Young confused Alabama with Oklahoma. We’ll have to ask Jalen Hurts at some point.
But I don’t want to write about that bullshit right now because I’m on a basketball high as are the Thunder.
If Russell Westbrook were sitting next to me right now…I’d kiss him. Through all my bitching and moaning on here about the way he plays at times…HE WAS MAURICE CHEEKS LAST NIGHT!
14 points on 6-10. 12 rebounds. 14 assists. Smart, crisp decision making. That was Maurice Cheeks in 1983. Now…I know Russell wasn’t born until 1988, but trust me, Wild Thing…you were Maurice Cheeks last night in Miami. Why would that be a bad thing to keep doing?
And for the record, Dennis Schroder was superb as well in Miami scoring 28 points and making another argument for Sixth Man of the Year consideration.
But here’s the thing in closing while I’m on this high. Paul George could win the MVP and Denis Schroder could win Sixth Man of the Year… but Russell Westbrook is the engine which drives this car. Period. This is still Russell Westbrook’s car.
And when Russell Westbrook plays like he did in Miami on Friday night, the possibilities for this Thunder team are the sky.
The Thunder at Boston on the ABC Sunday Super Bowl preview. What a time to show the world what the Thunder could be, no?
Oklahoma, this is what Sam Anderson was trying to tell you…grow up.
When Paul and Dwayne trade jerseys, I felt the rush of your urging of peace between KD and Russ…