The NBA season might have thrown a bevy of tasty matchups during the near fortnight since the 2016-2017 season began as the likes of top rated teams got matched early on. Despite seeing a repeat of last year’s Eastern Conference Finals between Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors play out to a 94-91 win for the former, one cannot shake off the feeling the games are yet to hit fever pitch levels.
San Antonio Spurs tried by beating the newly calibrated Golden State Warriors on opening night at the latter’s arena but ultimately that win didn’t last very long in the minds of people aside the Kevin Durant memes on the internet.
In a matter of hours, all that is set to change as perhaps the most sought after game of the calendar year, between Golden State Warriors and Oklahoma City Thunder, goes down. First off, this is a rematch of last year’s Western Conference Finals which is kind of a big deal particularly knowing the back story of the Warriors win in the series.
Leading 3-1, Oklahoma then with 2014 MVP Durant, pissed it all away to let Golden State win the matchup in memorable style; cue Klay Thompson’s heroics in Game 6. Then the unthinkable happened when Durant switched camps in the offseason to sleep with the “Golden” enemy unleashing a bizarre chain of events that make this game a must watch.
Durant hasn’t done himself a lot of favors by making comments like this, “I feel really grateful to play for a team like that and play with a bunch of players who are selfless and enjoy the game in its purest form” or this , “These guys around here are super loose. But disciplined at the same time. It’s just a fun brand. They make basketball just even more fun than it was.”
The Thunder’s new leader Russell Westbrook isn’t one to shy away from making himself heard no matter how bad or how good it makes him look; he simply does not care. One only needs to look at his catalogue of dress ups for his notable personal runway- the walk from the bus to the locker room-to know this.
So Russell’s response came and he didn’t disappoint. “That’s cute. We’re gonna worry about all the selfish guys we’ve got over here, apparently” before stating he is done talking about the issue. So you know definitely know there will be fireworks exploding at the Warriors Oracle Arena tonight. With Westbrook averaging a triple double of 37 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists- through four games and playing with more intensity than ever, (check out his dunk against Los Angeles Clippers that got owner Steve Ballmer nodding in approval and astonishment), there definitely will be fireworks and then some.
The narrative will always be on Westbrook and Durant despite the fact that game’s result is likely to be affected by variables beyond the two. Neither guy is likely to guard the other on the court just the way Magic Johnson and Larry Bird played out their roles at the peak of the Los Angeles Lakers-Boston Celtics rivalry in the 1980’s. On the part of the Warriors, Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green will be counted on a lot to get past the Thunder’s $ 100 million Center Steven Adams , $ 84 million Guard Victor Oladipo and supreme perimeter defender Andre Roberson. Aside all the shenanigans fuelling the game’s hype, the matchup checks the list as the most competitive fixture ahead of Cleveland Cavaliers game against Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference.
The Thunder are yet to beaten in four games played and the Warriors fall just a win short of that record due to the opening night blitz it suffered at the hands of San Antonio. Sure, Oklahoma got its competitive juices flowing again in comfortable circumstances by playing sub tier competition to begin the season. Beating rebuilding sides in Philadelphia Sixers, Phoenix Suns and Lakers counts for little but doing same against Los Angeles Clippers puts the side in the right condition to play Gold State.
The Warriors got a mixed bag to start the season as playing against top rated sides in the Spurs and Portland Trailblazers got garnished with easy trips to Phoenix and New Orleans Pelicans. After experiencing a lot of difficulty getting the offense running, Warriors head to tonight’s game playing the kind of game a constellation of stars is expected to deliver. Durant is piling on the points and getting more comfortable and that makes up for one hell of a game.
By Yaw Adjei-Mintah
