OKC Thunder at Utah Jazz: Game 4 preview

Russell Westbrook, Steven Adams, OKC Thunder (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
Russell Westbrook, Steven Adams, OKC Thunder (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) /
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After a season of underwhelming, the OKC Thunder have one last chance to deliver.

Game one seems so long ago. Remember when ‘Playoff P’ shot the lights out and Steven Adams played Rudy Gobert to a stalemate? Remember when the switch had been flipped, the path to the top of the mountain seemed suddenly less steep, and the OKC Thunder rolled? Those were the days.

Since then, a close loss in game two was followed by a not-so-close loss in game three, Donovan Mitchell outscored Russell Westbrook 23-2 in two fourth quarters, Ricky Rubio was the best player on the court, and Adams has spent every waking moment of his life in foul trouble. Regular-old Paul George showed back up. Russell Westbrook took zero shots during a fourth quarter. Joe Ingles is on fire.

These are surely the end times.

So, it comes down to this. The OKC Thunder have talked ad nauseam about their goals, and about their belief, and about their priorities. It’s now or never, OK3. You think you have a switch to flip? You think you beat the good teams? Well, this Jazz team is kicking your collective butts, and that switch is gathering dust.

The Thunder have talked the talk all season. Most recently it was Russ guaranteeing that he would put an end to the Rubionnaissance (TM). Time to put up or shut up.