The Oklahoma City Thunder haven’t exploded out of the gate as many predicted. Standing at 18-15, the Thunder are 7-3 over their last 10 games but haven’t displayed the same team cohesion found among many teams poised to make a deep playoff run. However, Russell Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony and Paul George form one of the most coveted trios in the Association. Can they gel in time for a Western Finals run? Perry Green and Stephen D. Riley of the AFRO Sports Desk debate this question.
Oklahoma City Thunder’s Russell Westbrook (0) receives a high-five from teammate Carmelo Anthony (7) after scoring three-point basket against the Utah Jazz in the second half during an NBA basketball game Saturday, Dec. 23, 2017, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
Riley: I’m sold on the Thunder making a deep playoff run. How deep depends on the matchups they’ll see from round to round. Their offensive play-calling is still very vanilla as they try to incorporate all three of their top weapons. But like the 2010 Miami Heat, who also started off slow out of the gate, OKC will be primed and ready come playoff time.
Green: There are too many isolation players amongst their three stars, and none of them share the ball well enough to deliver the type of team play needed for long postseason appearances. Anthony needs to come off the bench, but neither his team nor his ego probably will let him. George has never been a clutch performer. That leaves Westbrook, the clear star. Westbrook is the All-Everything star, but I don’t have much confidence in his partners to deliver when he’ll need them.
Riley: When LeBron James and Chris Bosh signed with Miami, neither of them had any jewelry to show on their resumes but Dywane Wade did. None of Oklahoma’s trio have any championship metal but Westbrook does have Finals experience. The Heat had to learn how to play with each other and the Thunder will too. The talent is definitely there and while the pieces might not be a perfect fit, Miami’s pieces weren’t either and talent eventually won out. The Thunder have the only collection that can hope to challenge Golden State’s top four. If the Thunder can get the right matchups come playoff time, they’ll meet Golden State in the Western Finals.
Green: It shouldn’t depend on matchups if the talent is so great, Riley. The San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets are both playing better basketball and have a nice assembly of talent in their own right. The Western Conference will be tough as usual and a team like the Thunder can’t just walk into the playoffs expecting to scare teams with their headliners. You have to be able to play as a unit and the Thunder don’t have that—or a bench—right now. Their playoff run could be short-lived come next April.
