Neil Olshey cites defeat of OKC Thunder as validation and vindication

While the OKC Thunder began their offseason weeks ago moving forward with the goal to improve next season, the team who ousted them still have OKC on their mind.

To say the OKC Thunder fell short of expectations this season would be an understatement. Like all top squads, the goal entering the 2018-19 campaign was to make a deep run in the postseason and ultimately gun for the gold ball.

Up until the All-Star break, the Thunder were right on track to accomplish their goals. Then suddenly like an unsteady structure of Jenga blocks the house toppled. Paul George injured his shoulder, the reserve unit couldn’t provide a measure of offense and losses mounted.

The addition of Markieff Morris either didn’t translate or wasn’t given an opportunity to succeed with Billy Donovan‘s penchant for sticking to his specific rotations.

In spite of all these factors by the time the OKC Thunder arrived at the postseason many of us had convinced ourselves (raises hand) the first round opponent offered the squad their best path to the Western Conference Finals.

After all the team the Thunder would play was down one of their top three players and would be replacing him with someone OKC had deemed unplayable in their postseason defense.

We can debate how naive that thought process was but I’m still not convinced lining up versus the Denver Nuggets, San Antonio Spurs or Houston Rockets would’ve produced different results. Even in hindsight and reflection the Portland Trail Blazers still are the team I’d pick to play in round one. The Thunder owned the Blazers in season sweeping them and with Enes Kaner replacing the injured Jusuf Nurkic it should have translated into better results.

Give me a healthy Paul George and Russell Westbrook versus CJ McCollum and Damian Lillard and Steven Adams versus Enes Kanter and I pick the Thunder to take that match 10 times out of 10.

Health is a major factor and the Blazers just evidenced in their own sweep by the Warriors precisely how much health matters. And, it appears the Blazers deemed beating the Thunder a major coup as well.

As the Blazers proceeded to clear out their lockers and hold exit interviews there was an interesting revelation. Portland GM Neil Olshey pointed to the Thunder series as vindication for keeping his team intact following their sweep last season in the first round by the Pelicans.

More from Thunder News

• Stealing one player from every Southwest Division team for the OKC Thunder
• Should the OKC Thunder chase after a disgruntled hometown hero?
• 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

Interestingly it wasn’t the loaded and deep Denver Nuggets who the Blazers defeated in seven games the GM was talking about in his closing presser. Instead, Olshey referred to themselves as the underdog versus the Thunder despite being the higher seed.

Although it does little to ease the scars of losing yet again in the first round it does point to how the Thunder are viewed by their peers. Frankly, the main takeaway from the experience and Olshey’s parting thoughts should be how important depth is. Or rather, having the right depth and utilizing it.

Fundamental shifts need to occur in OKC with either a specific mindset by the squad to employ and rely on their reserves by putting them in a position to succeed. Or, the existing team needs to be altered to allow the team to have more versatility.

Whatever choices Sam Presti makes this summer the fact remains a fourth underperforming season won’t be viewed favorably in OKC.