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Views from OKC: Two GOATs hit game winners last night

By Tony Heim

Jan 23, 2017; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat guard Dion Waiters (11) reacts after making the game winning basket against the Golden State Warriors during the second half at American Airlines Arena. The Heat defeated the Golden State Warriors 105-102. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 23, 2017; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat guard Dion Waiters (11) reacts after making the game winning basket against the Golden State Warriors during the second half at American Airlines Arena. The Heat defeated the Golden State Warriors 105-102. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 23, 2017; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat guard Dion Waiters (11) reacts after making the game winning basket against the Golden State Warriors during the second half at American Airlines Arena. The Heat defeated the Golden State Warriors 105-102. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 23, 2017; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat guard Dion Waiters (11) reacts after making the game winning basket against the Golden State Warriors during the second half at American Airlines Arena. The Heat defeated the Golden State Warriors 105-102. Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /

Welcome to Views from OKC, Thunderous Intentions’ daily roundup of the best OKC Thunder stories across the web.

New to Views from OKC? Glad to have you here, and I hope you’ll make this a daily destination. Well, let’s get started!

Thunder win much-needed game in Utah

“The Thunder’s fireball point guard hurdled up the floor into a waiting, perfectly-set Steven Adams screen. That much-desired space opened at the three-point line, but Westbrook took a hesitation dribble, froze the help defender and then rose up for a 20-foot jumper that splashed through the net with 1.4 seconds remaining. A last second Utah heave fell short and the Thunder emerged victorious against its Northwest Division rivals, 97-95.”

Where has this been all season? Part of the reason why Russell Westbrook was 0-7 the last two seasons in shots with 5 seconds left was that he always took contested three-pointers. Last night he didn’t. And it shockingly worked! Maybe this is a sign of Russ maturing. Maybe he realizes a Steven Adams screen is actually helpful.

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A cursory salary cap breakdown

“The Thunder have been focused on building through the draft and making shrewd trades to acquire young assets that can be future building blocks. Now with $106 million in salaries because of the Russell Westbrook renegotiation and rookie extensions for Steven Adams and Victor Oladipo, management’s philosophy will be tested in retaining the franchise’s own free agents.”

Ahhhh this is depressing. Basketball analysts around the world keep reiterating that the Thunder need one more piece to be contenders. The problem is OKC doesn’t have the space to keep everyone AND add a complimentary piece. Option #2 is trading Enes Kanter because of his large salary, but Kanter has proven to be an important piece to the second unit. Decisions decisions decions…

Views from Twitter

This is so beautiful/depressing/exciting/euphoric/lovely/nostalgic/sad. I miss Dion Waiters so much. But I’m so happy he is on a team that he can take the last shot. In case you live under a rock, Dion did this last night.

He is such a fantastic human being. And apparently Russ thinks so as well.

https://twitter.com/Jhickness9/status/823795606288093184

If there’s one thing I want from 2017 it’s for the pettiness to never stop.

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