OKC Thunder has adopted identity and swag of leader Chris Paul

Whether orchestrating OKC Thunder comebacks on court or gifting fashionable drip off it, Chris Paul is the catalyst for this roster’s expedited bond and identity.

Three games into the longest homestand the OKC Thunder will play this season the team is 3-0 and about to play the team and player who is primarily responsible for the drastic alteration of the roster.

Having examined the Paul George situation in terms of how the trade came to be and how Thunder Nation should receive him today it also is worth noting the other player who has claimed the leadership reigns of this newly formed roster.

Depending on how you look at the situation Chris Paul was a victim of the Paul George trade dominoes. He recently told Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated he was initially shocked by the trade but is happy to be playing the game he loves.

Not only has Paul been a professional about the trade he’s gone above and beyond to be the role model and leader of this new iteration of the Thunder.

CP3 teaching swag on and off the court:

This week alone fans witnessed the team make history by coming back from 26 and 24 point deficits to win. In the first game versus the Bulls, it was Paul who single-handedly put the team on his back and went beast mode in the fourth quarter hitting five 3-pointers and scoring 19 points.

In the second comeback versus the Grizzlies, true to his nature he got others involved and managed the game with the veteran savvy he’s renown for. The third win versus the Suns (arguably the most difficult of the three opponents) ended up being a blow out with his fingerprints on the game management very much in the mix.

Prior to the Memphis game, the entire team arrived at Chesapeake attired in fitted custom made suits that were gifted by CP3 to his teammates. Social media lit up over the drip on display and Steven Adams stole the show — for wearing shoes! For the full background on how Chris Paul decided and then made this happen, read the wonderful GQ article by Yang-Yi Gao.

https://twitter.com/Rachel__Nichols/status/1207801385065967622

Chris Paul – in a leadership tier all of his own:

And therein lies the benefit that no amount of money can buy. There are stars who can take over games and win them for their team and players/stars who are capable of making those around them better. But there are less than a handful of stars who can do both — and be equally as adept at doing so on and off the court.

That the Thunder has been in all but four games this season is a testament to Paul’s leadership. It’s clear he hates to lose and will fight his opponent until the bitter end. Sure it takes the entire group but his effect is clear.

Many teams take on the identity of their coach but in the case of this OKC Thunder roster, it is Chris Paul whose presence and character resonate. Rather than the typical in your face, bicep pumps or jumping over each other or shading the opponent style of many of the top teams the Thunder is more of the feisty fighter who refuses to quit.

This team has swag but it’s not in your face so much. Rather it’s that self-assured strut that says ‘yeah – we know we’re good’.  Paul’s Raging Bull strut is glorious and it’s seriously rubbing off on his team.

Kind of like a well-dressed man doesn’t have to say a word – his presence alone makes the statement! While his contract may be deemed untradeable or beyond reason, and for as much as I adore the previous OKC Thunder captain (and no I don’t mean PG13 – this was never his team), this is a new type of leadership and under the circumstances, it’s created a highly entertaining brand of basketball in Loud City.

OKC Thunder teammates are taking on CP3 identity:

As Paul George makes his return today there will be mixed emotions. Some happy, some angry, some sad. From my perspective, it’s better to say goodbye to someone who so clearly didn’t want to be here and was willing to sacrifice the team for his own desires. I’m not saying that’s wrong, I simply prefer the very clear differences in style between PG and CP3.

In terms of the effect of those differing styles, it’s interesting to note at this stage last season the Thunder had four additional wins holding an 18-10 record versus the 14-14 record the current team has. The difference is last season 20 of the 28 games were against lower-tier teams and Paul George was the main guy with Westbrook starting the season late due to his surgery and working off the rust through the quarter pole.

Whereas, this season the schedule played to date is considered the second most difficult of all the West teams and CP3 has his team in the mix regardless of who the opponent is.

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• Aleksej Pokusevski sidelined approximately 6 weeks with ankle injury
• Damian Lillard does not fit with the OKC Thunder

That’s not to say the Thunder will be able to compete right to the buzzer today as the sheer quantity of talent on the Clippers is mind-numbing. Although they did only lose by two points in the previous meeting at Staples.

There is a very good chance Kawhi Leonard won’t play due to load management. Following the game last night Doc Rivers said it’s unlikely as per Mark Medina of USA Today:

"“I haven’t even thought about it. But we’ll see,” Rivers said. “I doubt it. It’s just too early for me, to be honest. He may bring it up. But I still don’t think we’ll do it.”"

In the six back to back games LAC has played this season Leonard has yet to play in both and he played in San Antonio last night. He’s not listed on the injury report so perhaps this will be the exception. Again, Doc isn’t letting anything out of the bag early because it will make a difference in how Billy Donovan game plans.

It’s also worth noting Chris Paul didn’t leave the Clippers under the best of circumstances and there was that whole Rockets – Clippers’ tunnel situation of a few seasons ago.

What we’ll hope is the Thunder keep it close with a shot at winning and hey – if there’s a way for Chris Paul to somehow orchestrate the victory it’s a given he will.

If it comes at the cost of Paul George being involved — I’m sure Thunder Nation will appreciate the irony.

From what we’ve witnessed so far of Chris Paul — he’ll likely just strut off the court and tell his court mates how proud he is of them.