ESPN rank OKC Thunder 15th best League Pass team is questionably low

ESPN’s Zach Lowe ranks OKC Thunder 15th most entertaining team to watch on League Pass, behind several questionable picks.

If you’re a League Pass veteran, you’ve undoubtedly experienced the first-world struggle of deciding which game to watch during a busy night in the NBA. Split screens help, but even still, it’s  difficult to divide your attention. The only solution to this issue is prioritizing teams and games depending solely on your loyalties and opinions. ESPN’s Zach Lowe offers his suggestions with his OKC Thunder rank drawing raised eyebrows.

For avid Thunder fans, missing OKC games is out of the question. But even with bias aside, Lowe ranking the Thunder as the 15th most entertaining team is questionable at best. In all fairness, this ranking is completely opinion based with arguments ranging from quality of talent to the aesthetics of the court and uniform. With that in mind, we can give Lowe some leeway.

When thinking about the quality of talent, one thing is undeniable. Russell Westbrook will likely go down as one of the greatest players of all time, so watching him in his prime is a must for any NBA fan. Team him up with Paul George, Steven Adams and one of the deepest benches in the league, and you have an entertaining group to watch.

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Although Lowe credits the Thunder for their talent, he argues against their predictability despite the promises for new adjustments. While that’s true to an extent, OKC has done a much better job in recent years of turning over the roster and putting players in new roles.

What Lowe doesn’t like is the amount of isolation, pick-and-rolls or broken plays resulting in a last-second heave from deep. When you have Westbrook at the point, though, isolation is sometimes the best play call.

Another issue Lowe has with Oklahoma City is the team branding. In his opinion, the logo, uniforms and court design lack inspiration and creativity compared to some of the other teams around the league.

There have been changes in the past five or six years with the team’s uniforms, but generally speaking, he has a point. It would be nice to see a design that rivals some of the most iconic logos, uniforms and courts of all time. At the same time, it’s not as bad as teams like the Brooklyn Nets, whose designs feature a black-and-white color scheme with basic fonts and a simple logo.

Lowe ends his argument by praising the Thunder for their entertaining highs and sometimes humorous lows. When OKC is clicking, the offense can be near impossible to stop. But the side effect of playing fast is bad turnovers and ill-advised shots early in the shot clock. And when you have Andre Roberson throwing up air balls from the free throw line and intentionally avoiding the basketball on offense, there will always be some moments worthy of spots of Shaqtin’ a Fool.

With all of his points made, Lowe goes on to rank teams like the Miami Heat, Washington Wizards and even the Chicago Bulls ahead of the Thunder.

I have nothing against those teams, but if Lowe wants to miss out on watching the only player to ever average a triple-double in two seasons for a chance to see the Bulls fight to stay on the playoff bubble, it’s his prerogative.