OKC Thunder show how close they are following win over Philadelphia

Despite a rough run of form, the OKC Thunder show how close the team is following its win on the road over the Philadelphia 76ers.

OKC Thunder fans have struggled to accept the team’s recent losses, scolding the team at every opportunity with some calling for the trading of core pieces Russell Westbrook and Steven Adams. Despite losing five of its last six, the players entered Philadelphia with confidence and remained undeterred by their poor recent form.

And they got the job done.

Sure, the way OKC closed out the game wasn’t ideal after they allowed Philadelphia to turn a two-point deficit into a two-point lead with 6.9 seconds remaining. But credit must be given to the excellent play drawn up by coach Billy Donovan and Paul George for executing a tough four-point play under pressure.

The Thunder went on to defend the final possession of the ball game extremely well, forcing Jimmy Butler into a deep 3-pointer over two defenders that missed. The win was badly needed  as the teams fan base began to grow frustrated with the teams latest play even though OKC sit third in the Western Conference.

But the biggest takeaway? Is how close the team really is. Check out the celebration following the final whistle.

The team celebrates together and stands together as a family. With PG13 and Westbrook’s close relationship at the forefront, OKC’s brotherhood is strong staying united despite the toughest stretch in franchise history.

While fans only care about wins and losses, Thunder basketball extends beyond the court with many under-estimating how crucial a galvanized locker room really is.

Do teams really forget about previous losses?

Many players repeat the phrase forget about this game and move on to the next in the face of a loss, one really wonders whether teams really do this.

Apparently, they do.

In Steven Adams post-game interview, the big man appears to forget how many games the team lost consecutively before beating the 76ers.

The other note is how casually the Brodie and Adams interact. While the big Kiwi is always candid in his interviews, neither one appears to be bothered by the team’s recent results or win over Philly.

Two hours later, Adams, Westbrook, PG13, Jerami Grant and Raymond Felton are seen hanging out at the UFC main event.

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• 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

Moral of the story

Whether fans want to hear it or not, the NBA extends beyond the X’s and O’s of a basketball court. While wins and losses are the currency of the league, relationships off-the-court matter just as much as they do on it.

It creates a family dynamic in the locker room where everyone has each other’s back. In the face of adversity, some teams crumble.

This isn’t the case in Oklahoma City.