Only a few short years ago, this OKC Thunder team was widely regarded as the up-and-coming young darlings of the league. Last season, they shocked the masses by becoming the second-youngest club ever to win an NBA Finals.
Now, as is generally the case when it comes to a defending champion, Oklahoma City is unanimously viewed around the association as the primary target for opposing teams to try and topple or, in other words, the ultimate villains.
Veteran wing Lu Dort has officially decided to lean into such a reputation with his latest social media post.
On Thursday, the pesky defenseman shared a string of clips and photos on his personal Instagram account that were taken during OKC's dominant first-round playoff series against the Phoenix Suns.
From a personal highlight reel to epic shots of on-court celebrations, the post radiates with well-earned pride in a job well done during the Thunder's 4-0 quarterfinal win.
Perhaps the cherry on top is the fact that he cheekily embraced the club's new bad guy persona by captioning it, "Villains in the Valley."
Such an act coming from Dort makes this all the more noteworthy, as he has built a persona among some as a "dirty" player, though others, such as three-time NBA Champion and eight-time All-Defensive selection Bruce Bowen, simply view him as "aggressive."
Regardless of whether these labels are warranted or not, it seems more than clear that the Thunder stud isn't shying away from the heat any longer.
Villainous Thunder waiting on their next foe for second round
The Thunder wrapped up their series against the Suns nearly a full week ago, back on April 27. They still find themselves awaiting confirmation for who their next challenger will ultimately be in round two.
The two teams currently vying for a dance against the reigning champs are the Lakers and Rockets.
Just a few days ago, it seemed more than likely that Los Angeles would be OKC's semifinal foe after taking a commanding 3-0 series lead, though since then, Houston has rattled off two straight wins and is heading into Friday night's Game 6 home tilt with momentum now on their side.
Regardless of which squad prevails, the Thunder should remain heavy favorites to reach their second-straight Western Conference Finals.
In seven games against the Lakers and Rockets this regular season, Oklahoma City compiled a 6-1 record, with their lone loss coming against Houston, when they were heavily undermanned with guys like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Ajay Mitchell, and Jalen Williams all sidelined.
Especially considering the fact that both teams would be coming into round two with fatigue after enduring a rather long series, it seems the Thunder should be in for yet another breezy playoff matchup.
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