Thunderous Intentions
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Thunderous Thoughts: OKC Thunder Finals feelings

By Jeremy Lambert

Apr 25, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) before playing against the Houston Rockets in game five of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 25, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) before playing against the Houston Rockets in game five of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports /
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Welcome to Thunderous Thoughts. A weekly look at the OKC Thunder where the main story ranges from randomness to slightly less random. This week, how OKC is in the Finals.

The NBA Finals begin tonight. I suspect most of you haven’t watched an NBA game since Russell Westbrook and the OKC Thunder walked off the floor in Houston. I can’t say I blame you. These playoffs have been a drag mixed with inevitability.

But. these are the Finals, where the two best teams meet in a battle for NBA supremacy. These are the two best teams in the league. One team has four All-Stars and two of five best players in the world. The other team is the defending champions anchored by the second best player to ever pick up a basketball. These games are going to be drama-filled entertainment. At least, that’s what Adam Silver is praying for.

As Thunder fans, we’re probably praying for something a little different. I don’t want to speak for every Oklahoma City fan, but I think it’s safe to assume that the majority of us are hoping the Warriors fall flat on their faces for a second straight year. We’re all a little giddy to see Kevin Durant and Draymond Green argue if things get tough. We can’t wait to take to Twitter and criticize Durant for shying away from the moment, allowing Steph Curry to take the final shot.

We all hope this happens. But we’ve also been resigned to the fact we’ll probably be witnessing Durant hold up the Larry O’Brien trophy, standing beside Curry and Green with a big smile on his face. Tears rolling down his eyes because he took the toughest path.

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Or maybe you’re a Thunder fan who still holds a special place in your heart for Durant. You respect  he made a basketball decision and appreciate what he did for the Oklahoma City organization. You’re excited to see him win an NBA title because you know how hard he worked for it throughout his career. You truly believe that he took the toughest path.

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If this is you, I’d probably steer clear of other Thunder fans for at least a month.

Maybe you won’t even watch the Finals. I’d imagine a lot of Thunder fans have avoided any and every Warriors game throughout the regular season and playoffs. Sure, it’s the Finals, but seeing Durant in that jersey and with those guys is still a painful sight for many OKC faithful. If you don’t watch, I wouldn’t fault you. You can get all the information you need from Twitter. Just make sure you have the proper words and phrases muted.

Sadly, even though Oklahoma City isn’t part of these Finals, they’re still part of these Finals. Fans angry at Durant will mention his time in Oklahoma City, saying how this would be a much better moment had he accomplished it alongside Westbrook. Fans of Durant will mention his time in Oklahoma City, saying this is why he left the team because he couldn’t play alongside Westbrook.

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That’s why I wouldn’t begrudge any Thunder fan for getting away from sports for the next couple of weeks. Our season is over, but we’re going to get a lot of painful reminders of what could have been. We’re going to see our former favorite son celebrate with the kids who beat him up when we thought he would be the one leading the charge against him.

Kevin Durant will likely get what he wanted in two weeks. And for Thunder fans. That kind of sucks.

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