Thunderous Intentions
Fansided

Lesser of Two Evils: an OKC Thunder fan guide to Western Conference Final Game 7

By Stephen Dolan

MIAMI, FL - JUNE 17: Oklahoma City Thunder players, from left, Russell Westbrook #0, James Harden #13 and Kevin Durant #35 listen during the National Anthem before facing the Miami Heat in Game Three of the 2012 NBA Finals at American Airlines Arena on June 17, 2012 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2012 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
MIAMI, FL - JUNE 17: Oklahoma City Thunder players, from left, Russell Westbrook #0, James Harden #13 and Kevin Durant #35 listen during the National Anthem before facing the Miami Heat in Game Three of the 2012 NBA Finals at American Airlines Arena on June 17, 2012 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2012 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The Final Verdict

In order to illustrate how difficult it is for me to say the thing I’m about to say, I need to tell you a personal anecdote. When I was living in Stillwater, Oklahoma, I met a girl.

This girl was aware of basketball and of the basic rules, but not of the nuances and history of the Thunder. She was only just beginning to become aware of my passion for the team. If I’m being honest, she’s still only seen the surface of that horrifyingly deep pool.

More from Thunderous Intentions

This story takes place during Game 5 of the 2013 Playoff series against the Rockets, and it takes place in Loud City. Russ had torn his meniscus in Game 2, and the Thunder were at risk of losing the series. Any fan would have been nervous. The Thunder’s were especially on edge. Our historically great one-seed had been dealt a terrible blow and was at risk of losing to an eight-seed.

I had filled my girlfriend in, by this point, about the Thunder’s history with James Harden. I had shown levels of sadness over Russell Westbrook’s knee injury that I won’t go into here, at the risk of making the reader uncomfortable, and I had said things about Patrick Beverley that I also won’t go into. Basically, she had been filled in on my feelings regarding the Houston Rockets franchise.

At one point during the third quarter of that game, James Harden hit a three-pointer. When this happened, my beautiful, poised girlfriend stood up in her free OKC Thunder Playoffs t-shirt, pointed aggressively at the bearded man, and hurled a passionate, vicious, and, most importantly, loud expletive toward him.

And that’s when I knew I would marry her.

And that’s how you know how hard this is for me to say.

Root, root, root for the home team

The balance of the arguments made in favor of each team probably leans toward the Warriors. Rationally, it makes more sense to root for the Warriors. Russ just can’t be the last of them without a ring. The internet would just be unbearable. The Rockets could even lose to LeBron, and all would be right with the world!

It doesn’t even make sense to cheer for Houston. Still, all logic aside, when I see the Rockets score, I feel happy. When I see the Warriors score, I feel sad. When I see the below gif, I giggle uncontrollably. All the logic in the world can’t make up for that simple, undeniable fact, and all the logic in the world can’t make me, a Thunder fan, root for the Warriors.

My mind’s tellin’ me Warriors, but my body, my body’s tellin’ me Rockets.

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