What Has Changed With OKC?

After a thrilling Game 6 win, the Oklahoma City Thunder have taken control of the series against the San Antonio Spurs. This series has completely changed after we watched the massive Spurs win in Game 1. I think everyone thought it was going to end pretty fast after that one.

So what changed in OKC? Well first off, the supporting cast has really stepped up. Steven Adams is showing that he is a core member of this Thunder team with his phenomenal defense and strong play offensively in the paint.

Next, Dion Waiters is finally playing consistently. During the regular season, Waiters could go for 30 points one night and then be held scoreless the next. Also, Waiters is playing some pretty good defense when he is in the games.

Lastly, Enes Kanter is playing his typical good offense and has become a somewhat decent defender when it matters. We saw him excelling in Game 4 when he was paired up with Adams in the front court. That duo has put San Antonio in a bad situation.

Another observation is that OKC has channeled their 2012 selves.  They are becoming more defensive oriented which creates running opportunities in transition.  It seems as if a light has been turned on in OKC.  They have realized how much more athletic they are then the rest of the league.

My favorite change I have seen has been the efficiency of the “Big 3” in OKC has gone up in this series. While I would like to see Serge Ibaka use his size a little more to block more shots and grab more rebounds, he has been averaging double digit points while shooting 57% from 3 and 53% on field goals.

Durant has shown he still has that killer mentality and can destroy your hopes with his smooth offensive game. Westbrook played a pretty efficient Game 5 while getting 11 rebounds and 9 assists alongside of 35 points. In my opinion, Westbrook is the best all-around guard in the NBA. Go ahead and slander me for that.

With all of these changes, I don’t know just how far OKC can go. I do think they will win Game 6 in Loud City. Whether or not they can defeat the Golden State in the Western Conference Finals, we will have to find out. What I do know is that they will take GSW to a long series and if they win; I predict them to win the NBA Finals.

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