Quick question. How did the Thunder lose the reigning MVP and the Point Godzilla and STILL find a way to be
the most interesting team in the NBA? This is a team that is seriously counting on the play of Sebastian Telfair. I thought I’d be out until December at least. Yet there I was, last night — watching the Thunder play the Boston Celtics, not because I had to but because I cared to. What was it that could possibly make this team so intriguing?
Then I saw a play that appeared to be run for Kendrick Perkins and it hit me.
Bad basketball with everything on the line is the best basketball. Period.
That’s what’s taking place in OKC, and it’s astounding to watch. Bad basketball with a purpose. Most of the time, I only pay attention to bad basketball, like the Lakers, for entertainment purposes. This bad basketball is different. There’s a championship at stake. The play of Lance Thomas and Andre Roberson will determine the fate of a serious contender.
This group needs to win as many games as physically possible to make a realistic climb back into the playoff race. Scott Brooks is rewriting his playbook, calling for things like LOTS of Kendrick Perkins, and allowing Reggie Jackson to go iso for 22 seconds per possession. They’re also running plays for 3-point specialists like Anthony Morrow (28 points last night!) and Nick Collison, who has already hit more 3s this season than in all other seasons of his 10-year career … combined. MY GOD, I LOVE THIS TEAM.
After last night’s game, the Thunder sit 2.5 games out of the playoff hunt. That number has to stay as low as possible if OKC wants to contend. Let’s do it. Let’s go bad Thunder.
http://grantland.com/the-triangle/nba-shootaround-cant-all-be-winners/