Kevin Durant and James Harden are matched up for Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals, and the time has come for OKC Thunder fans to pick a side.
These are dark days for OKC Thunder fans. With all due respect to the fans of teams like the Sacramento Kings and Orlando Magic, there is a unique pain, a special snowflake of sadness, the grubby fingerprints of regret all over these Western Conference Finals for the residents of Loud City.
At least those fans, whose teams have been relaxing on some beach since the playoffs started, have no dog in this fight. They’re free to enjoy what is, in all objectivity, an excellent series between what are, in all frustrating honesty, two historically great teams. Not only that, we’re getting a Game 7! Who could ask for more? What could ever be better?
Thunder fans, unfortunately, do have horses in this race, and those horses are thoroughbred, Triple Crown caliber, beautiful and iconic studs. Those horses are Kevin Durant and James Harden, they were stolen from the OKC corral, and now Thunder fans are being forced to watch them run the derby.
It’s heart-rendingly, mind-numbingly, butt-hurtingly sad, to a degree that makes it nearly impossible to enjoy the glorious basketball being played. Can’t they both just lose? Let’s just call Game 7 off and crown the Cleveland Cavaliers, can we do that?
Unfortunately, we can not. One of the Golden State Warriors and the Houston Rockets will, inevitably and unfortunately, advance to the NBA Finals, where either will likely be a heavy betting favorite to take home the Larry O’Brien Trophy. It’s unavoidable.
So, a question remains for those of us who are too addicted to the theatrical, elite, incredible athleticism and drama of the NBA Playoffs to ignore it. We cannot root against both teams. So, which team should we root for?