NFL
By: Jeffrey Newholm
If the Spurs are this year’s overlooked team, then the Thunder may as well be orphaned. With the astonishingly good play of Golden State and San Antonio, Oklahoma City-40-14 and in third in the West at the break-has been swept under the rug. But given what’s on the line this year, that’s a shame. The timer on the team’s quest to bring a professional sports title to Oklahoma is heading towards the final horn, pending the most suspenseful off-season in the team’s short history. But how exactly did we get to the point where such a compelling drama became such an afterthought?
The Thunder’s first year in Oklahoma was one to forget, but its second galvanized a fan base brand new to the NBA. The 2010 Thunder, behind rising stars Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, rocketed to 50 wins, which was only good for the #8 seed in the then hyper-competitive West. But the disappointment from a predictable first round loss didn’t linger when the team extended Durant’s contract for five additional years. This meant the up and coming Thunder would have at least six more chances to bring the state its first pro title. In 2011 the team would advance to the conference finals, only to fall to the Mavs. But the next year marked the team’s big breakthrough-or so it seemed. The Thunder again advanced to the West finals but fell behind two games to none to the Spurs. Game two marked the Spurs’ 20th straight win, an NBA record for a streak that carried over to the playoffs. But then came one of the most unthinkable turnarounds in NBA playoff history-the Thunder pulled off four straight wins, advancing to their first NBA Finals. The team would come up short against Lebron’s Heat, but the future looked bright for the young franchise. But the 2012 team’s rise just made the following disappointment that much more gut-wrenching.
The 2013 Thunder picked up where the previous team left off, claiming the #1 seed in the West and demolishing the seemingly over-matched Rockets by 29 in game one of the first round. But in game two disaster struck. Westbrook pulled up after crossing midcourt to call timeout, a routine play. But inexplicably, Patrick Beverly of Houston lunged for the steal. Westbrook tripped and fell, tearing his meniscus. The city’s title hopes died on the spot. The team limped its way to a six game win but was easily dispatched by the Grizz in the second round. 2014 could have been a heartwarming story of redemption, but the team had bad timing. Durant claimed his first league MVP and then claimed the hearts of fans across the country with a moving acceptance speech crediting his mother. The team again advanced to the West finals where again their opponent was the Spurs. But as NBS has chronicled, the 2014 Spurs were not to be denied. Coming off a devastating loss to the Heat, that Spurs team was an irresistible force, one not even the MVP could hope to halt. That year marked the end of the Thunder’s status as championship contender. 2015 was doubly bad for the franchise. The team was riddled with crippling injuries, with Durant and Westbrook missing much of the season. The team finished out of the playoffs, and Scott Brooks-the team’s coach for six years-was scapegoated and fired. To make matters worse 2015 marked the meteoric rise of Golden State, who continues to dominate the league to this day. So now 2016 is upon us. And this could be the franchise’s last hurrah.
As previously noted, the Thunder knew they had six chances to get a title while the core of the franchise, Durant and Westbrook, were still under contract. This is the sixth and final year. Durant, for one, has refused to let his pending free agency be a distraction. He recently told reporters “Guys are going to write stories, write what they want to write about, but I just try to stay locked in where I am and try to be the best teammate and help my team win a championship.” But OKC fans can’t help but fret over just those stories and rumors. Wizards fans’ #KD2DC campaign has fizzled given the team’s 23-28, 10th place malaise. And there’s a good chance KD stays in Oklahoma. But the most recent rumors are scary-not just for OKC, but for the entire league, save one fanbase. Yahoo Sports reported this month that if Durant leaves OKC, it wouldn’t be for a lesser Lakers or Wizards team. No, it would most likely be for the Warriors. That’s right-the team that could end up with the most wins in NBA history could add another superstar. Thunder fans desperately want to avoid facing this specter for as long as possible. The 2016 Thunder is a good enough team, but eventually they will have to play San Antonio and/or Golden State-the runaway cream of the crop. With each passing loss, Thunder fans will sink more deeply into despair. If the team picks up a third series loss, the next game will be the most anxious in team history. Because in that game more than a season could be on the line. With another loss a city with no other pro sports fallback would be facing the prospect of another quixotic chase for an impossible title, a chase so many other fan bases have suffered through for decades. No, the Thunder doesn’t have the pizzazz of the teams ahead of them. But I can’t think of a more compelling drama this postseason.
You can follow me on Twitter @JeffreyNewholm and our blog @NutsandBoltsSP.
Photo credit: Howard Smith, USA TODAY Sports
