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I rarely watch basketball, and the NBA even less since it coincides with the NHL season and that takes priority but once the playoffs start I’ll watch the Celtics and of course root for anyone playing LeDouche and the Miami Heat. James makes it easy to hate him, this entire Thunder team makes it really easy to love them. Here are some observations I’ve made in this post season.
Watching Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook in press conferences it’s obvious to the eye they’re younger than Wade and James, but I think they’re more mature, because this isn’t’ about them individually, it’s about the team and that alone is refreshing to watch. There’s no “Showtime” or “LOOK AT ME” vibes given off by Thunder players, it’s all you ever see around the Heat. Arrogance? C’mon, if James is King of anything it’s arrogance. Remember last year’s season ending press conference when he said those that spend their time hating on him and wanting him to fail would have to wake up the next day and would have to go on with the lives they had, as if to say, it’s way better to be me than you miserable bastards, ring or no ring? Who didn’t want to hit him in the head with a brick and say, “This is the reason why you will never be loved, and the hater’s will now have a reason to wish you even more failure you dope”!
I saw a post game video today of Thunder coach Scott Brooks , Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook walking off the court and shaking the hands of little kids and fans on the way to the dressing room, when do you see the Heat give their fans the time of day unless it’s to turn to them and pound their chest in some cancer curing dunk they’re supposed to make anyway? It’s clear the Thunder truly love their fans and they embrace them, they play terrific at home and it shows, they haven’t lost there in the playoffs. You can’t say that about the Heat.
How about the ESPiN poll yesterday, EVERY state picked the Thunder to win with the exception of Florida. Hater’s or is it because this Thunder team is simply a better team? Maybe it’s a combination of both. The Heat have a few guys that can deliver, but they rarely do so consistently, the Thunder seem to be a well oiled machine with a great starting five and a bench that gives stars minutes to rest without coughing up leads or letting the game get away from them. Even when the Thunder are down by double digits it doesn’t faze them they just kick it into another gear, how many times have we seen this Heat team or James just give up? There's a lot of character on the Thunder, there are a lot of characters on the Heat…advantage Thunder.
Another side story in this NBA finals is Kendrick Perkins, a former Celtic big man who Danny Ainge sent packing in a contract year after he had reconstructive knee surgery. When Perkins came back and Ainge didn’t feel he’d ever be the same off Perk went, and he didn’t’ like it, he loved Boston and Boston loved him, they still do and would take him back in a minute. But watching him succeed again now in his 3rd NBA Finals it’s not hard to root for this comeback story either, just one more reason to want the OKC Thunder to win it all. Can they? You betcha! Will they? Oh, I think so. Look, I know the Thunder are only up 1-0 but I don’t think they lose game 2 either and if the aged, broken down Celtics as they’re called can take their talents to South Beach and kick the snot out of LeDouche and Co. what evidence is there this Thunder team can’t do the same? They’re peaking at the right time, the Thunder have sent the defending champion Mavs packing, disposed of Kobe and the Lakers and polished off the Spurs who hadn’t lost a game in 50 days!!! If I’m the Heat, I’m concerned, if I’m James, I’m trying to figure out how to shut that little voice in my head up that’s saying, “here we go again, no ring”.
Cheering for the Thunder to win, rooting for the Heat to lose…it’s not often you get the best of both worlds, so I’ll be enjoying every second of this series!
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