It seems that the vast majority of NBA media coverage today has been focused on Kevin Durant or Mike Conley possibly signing with the Spurs this off-season, Tim Duncan’s retirement decision, and leftover coverage of that dumb handshake “situation” involving Adam Silver and Stephen Curry. These are the kinds of storylines one would expect the morning after an off day during the NBA playoffs, not the night after the Oklahoma City Thunder just achieved their most impressive feat since moving from Seattle.
We Need to Appreciate the Oklahoma City Thunder
Yes, making it to the Western Conference Finals by beating the San Antonio Spurs in six games is the most impressive triumph since 2007. The Thunder did make the 2012 Finals by defeating the same Spurs in the Conference Finals, who had an incredible offense that season. However, this year’s Spurs team was considerably better. While the 2012 Spurs earned the #1 seed and scored 103.7 points per game with a league-best 110.9 offensive rating, the team still only won 50 games. This year’s Spurs earned 67 wins, had an offensive rating that nearly matched that of the 2012 team, and had a much lower defensive rating (and therefore, a much better net rating). Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili aren’t nearly the players they were in 2012, but Kawhi Leonard’s ascension to superstardom and LaMarcus Aldridge’s stellar play more than makes up for Father Time finally putting a dent in the Spurs’ Big Three. The 2012 Spurs won 50 games in the lockout-shortened 66 game season, which was tops in the league. That’s a 62 win pace, which doesn’t sound as impressive at is truly is when you hear that the Spurs won 67 this year.
It may sound crazy to say that a Conference Finals appearance is more impressive than a Finals appearance, but not with the Thunder’s situation this Spring. In addition to the 2016 Spurs being considerably better than their 2012 version, the NBA itself is far more top heavy. The 2012 Spurs were the best team in the league with 50 wins and a 62 win pace, and this year, the 67 win Spurs had a realistic shot at the #1 seed for about two weeks to start the season and another week in early January. If it hadn’t been for the historic season of the Golden State Warriors, the Spurs would have been the talk of the league… and they lost in the second round. Think of how often that happens. If the Spurs had been the top seed, as they would have been in just about any other year, their loss in the second round would be seen as a huge letdown, even though it shouldn’t be.
It should be seen as a tremendous win for the Thunder. They haven’t made it as far as they did in 2012, but the win is still more impressive. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook have their best shot at a title since 2012, back when they shared a three-way hug with James Harden as they watched LeBron James dance around after winning his own first title and exorcising the talking head “LeBron James is a choker!!!” demons. They resembled three young boys waiting their turn to become the big kids on the playground. Then, Sam Presti overthought the entire situation and traded James Harden for a bunch of complimentary (or worse) pieces. The 2014 Thunder had a chance against the Spurs in the Conference Finals after Durant’s MVP season, but nobody was stopping the 2014 Spurs team that was on a mission. Now, the Thunder are back in the Conference Finals with another chance to get the ring that OKC has seemed destined to get since drafting Durant and Westbrook in back to back years.
Can you believe the luck that they’ve had, though? In the 2012 Finals, the Thunder ran into the 2012 Miami Heat, who had finally put it all together during Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Celtics. They drew the 2014 Spurs who would have rather died than lose during those playoffs, and now they will have to face a slate of the 67 win Spurs, 73 win Warriors, and probably the well-rested Cleveland Cavaliers in the Finals. The Thunder may be on the verge of an all-time playoff run, and they’ve already achieved their best moment as a franchise since moving from Seattle and drafting the trio pair of young studs.
Yet, all NBA fans care about this morning is the gossip of potential, completely unsubstantiated and speculative, off-season moves. Maybe it would make more sense to put a proper amount of focus on the impressiveness of the task that the Thunder just accomplished. If there’s a good chance that their core isn’t around after this year, shouldn’t we savor the awesome moments that they’re giving us right now?
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