Fan voting for the 2017 NBA All-Star Game punctuates just how special the Big 3 era of OKC Thunder was and more interestingly what they could have been.
Funny how certain days conger specific thoughts; Friday the 13th, for example,
has long been associated with scary movies, weird events occurring, and other such oddities. So, perhaps it’s not that far of a stretch this Friday the 13th had me reflecting on what could have been for the OKC Thunder.
Putting all the pieces in place here’s the order of how these thoughts came about and the inner workings of the brain of an NBA fanatic….
- The last two articles I wrote were on the 2017 NBA All-Star Game second returns and the Game Day Preview for the Thunder vs Wolves.
- Made daily selection of NBA All-Star tweet votes.
- Mused over the fact James Harden wears number 13 and will be playing on Friday the 13th
- Remembered a friend who is an ER nurse telling me about the crazy things that ‘really do’ happen to people on Friday the 13th.
- Reflected on the above ER nurse and I attending a birthday function and sneaking out to watch Thunder versus Miami Heat finals game in 2011-12.
Thunder Big 3 reunion as All-Star starters?
At this point, it dawns on me the starting five for the Western Conference could well be comprised of three-fifths of the old Thunder starting lineup. Currently, Stephen Curry and James Harden lead the backcourt fan votes. Yet, there remain a high probability media and player votes will push Russell Westbrook ahead of Curry to start.
At least logically Westbrook advances because most pundits are saying Westbrook and Harden top their MVP list. With many teams not happy about the ‘super teams’ it also stands to reason players will recognize and reward Cyborg Russ for his current triple-double average.
I mean would you vote against him as a peer and take the chance he knows you didn’t? That would only serve as fodder to motivate him next time he plays your team.
Related Content: Why Westbrook deserves to start All-Star Game, a statistical comparison of backcourt players
If the former Thunder Big 3 does end up starting the All-Star game how will the three mesh? Who takes the primary ball-handling role and will Harden have to be the mediator between Russell and Kevin?
Logically fans will find out right away how much truth there is regarding Durant and Westbrook’s friendship status. Will Westbrook choose to pass others the ball instead of K.D? Will Durant try to keep the ball out of Westbrook’s hands so he can’t three-peat as All-Star MVP? A myriad of questions arise, but one prominently peculates in my grey matter …
But, what if:
Yet, the bigger question begging to be asked is where this former Thunder trio would rank in today’s NBA. Would they be the prohibitive favorites to win the title?
As each of these 3 All-Stars has risen to become the superstars they are, could they have done the same thing if they had all remained in OKC? As teams jockey to create their own version of ‘Super Teams’, OKC Thunder GM Sam Presti had created what arguably was the NBA’s first organic super team.
Examining the number points to a ridiculous stat total for the 3 stars. What isn’t known is how much these 3 would need to adjust or individually give up if they were still on the same team. Golden State is learning through their adjustment to K.D., but in truth, their numbers aren’t that much different.
So, this brings me to my next tangent:
If the OKC former Big had remained together how would they measure up against the two ‘Super Teams’ most have written in ink to return to the finals in 2017?
How the ‘Super Teams’ compare to OKC former Big 3:
Comparing the top stat line to that of the Big 3 in Cleveland and Golden State it sends one into fits of tears just imagining what could have been. OKC’s former 3 dominate every major stat category except 3 point shots and makes.
Related Story: The new Big Three in OKC – Shall We Dance?
More from Thunderous Intentions
- Stealing one player from every Southwest Division team for the OKC Thunder
- Should the OKC Thunder chase after a disgruntled hometown hero?
- 3 OKC Thunder players who can step up in Aleksej Pokusevski’s absence
- Aleksej Pokusevski sidelined approximately 6 weeks with ankle injury
- Damian Lillard does not fit with the OKC Thunder
Remembering this is speculation, there are intangibles to consider. Could Russ, James, and K.D. have worked as cohesively together as the Cavs and Warriors do? Would one or two of them have been willing to give up some of their stats for the betterment of the Thunder?
And most importantly who has taken the role of lead dog? For Cleveland, it was never a question James would take that position and for the Warriors, it’s actually Draymond Green who assumes that position.
Whether these three could have ever resolved their differences will be a question that never gets answered. In the end, we are left to opine simply on what could have been.
Ultimately, I’ve decided to focus on the task at hand and the team as constructed. I know Russell Westbrook, (at least in my humble opinion) is the player I would consistently have kept of the three given a choice. To that end, I’ll move on to my next pressing thought which is whether Westbrook will mirror Oscar Robertson and average a triple-double this season.
Must Read: Five Shooters the Thunder Should Target
Next: Does Russell Westbrook need a shot limit from three?
And with that, I return to reality and remember Friday the 13th is meant for screams and scary movies 😉