2025 WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: #1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs #6 Minnesota Timberwolves (OKC leads 2-1)

[MrPainfulTruth]

OKC won't retire his jersey. Presti and our entire organisation knows how the fans feel about Durant.

His number was used after he left btw

The Lakers retired Cooper's number and the Spurs retired Bowen's number because those guys played critical roles in a glory era. It wasn't because they were ever among the best players in the NBA or that their fans felt those guys were among the best in the NBA. Their numbers were retired because the fans and the team as a company loved em for the effort with which they played and the way they maximized their talent.

And that is exact opposite of KD in OKC. If his run was something like Kareem in Milwaukee, who had a much more graceful exit, than yeah his number gets retired. But his run wasn't nearly as good and his exit was fairly brutal.

and after he left he kept trashtalking about our team and our coach (well he was right about Billy Donovan). This isn't the kind of stuff our franchise values.

I never understood the hate towards him back then. The team was unique in terms of talent with Russ, KD, Adams, Harden and even some good wings. The reason they failed to convert in to titles imo was simply the coach being incapable to put a leash on Russ, who was in full ego mode back then and put his status and numbers above the teams' success. He looked off KD the best scorer in the league by a mile on last plays over and over. What is KD supposed to to? We dont know what happened behind closed doors an what discussions where lead but i felt he even stayed too long, giving them his prime when they leaned towards Russ instead.

Fans can be very stubborn and dumb at times, expecting these guys to never ever move from a situation that is really bad for them. There is absolutely ZERO reason to be mad with KD because he left. Where he went to, thats a different story but that should not influence the way they see him in terms of giving his best for OKC.

[MrPainfulTruth]

I get he's an opponent and targeted with the MVP win but is there anything specific as to why SGA is getting booed?

I mean you can talk about the standard opponent psyche or the fact that Shai's play style is both unappealing and boring but mostly it's, and I hope I don't sound crass; F SGA, F the Thunder, F Oklahoma city, and F Oklahoma as a state and Territory where men live.

Nothing personal

Free throw merchant. They even chanted it when he went to the line. This will be the label to his MVP forever. Kind of like Russ with his statpadding MVP or Harden with the flop or Embiid who cried his way to an MVP.

[TorontoBarneys]

Shai is the weakest MVP in years.

[MrPainfulTruth]

Shai is the weakest MVP in years.

To think the trashing Jokic took when they lost a game, even though his entire team minus Gordon let him down mostly...i wonder how SGA gets away with this no show

[MrPainfulTruth]

I wonder if people really understand what happened there and how this landslide was possible all of a sudden. In my opinion this was one of the few games where refs were allowing teh same contact on both ends. Minny was smart to test the limits early. They played the exact same defense that OKC showed throughout the entire season and suddenly it was allowed, even against SGA. I suggest to re-watch the game, especially the first quarter, with that in mind. I expect we'll see a very different scenario in game 4, let alone the home games in Oklahoma. This is what everyone said all season. With fair officiating they look very mortal and beatable. Too bad Jokic didnt get this outside of one game.

[KayDee35]

I never understood the hate towards him back then. The team was unique in terms of talent with Russ, KD, Adams, Harden and even some good wings. The reason they failed to convert in to titles imo was simply the coach being incapable to put a leash on Russ, who was in full ego mode back then and put his status and numbers above the teams' success. He looked off KD the best scorer in the league by a mile on last plays over and over. What is KD supposed to to? We dont know what happened behind closed doors an what discussions where lead but i felt he even stayed too long, giving them his prime when they leaned towards Russ instead.

Fans can be very stubborn and dumb at times, expecting these guys to never ever move from a situation that is really bad for them. There is absolutely ZERO reason to be mad with KD because he left. Where he went to, thats a different story but that should not influence the way they see him in terms of giving his best for OKC.

With the benefit of hindsight it's abundantly clear that Westbrook was the least impactful of OKC's original big-3 when it came to winning. He's extremely entertaining but his game is not suited to winning at a high level, especially in the playoffs. OKC allowing Russ to be "alpha" (aka bold but stupid) with the ball cost them multiple rings and led to KD's departure.

OKC's mismanagement deserves all the blame here. Bad management leads to drama and losing good players. The drama draws our attention away from the true cause of the poopshow but OKC needed to get a veteran coach with a spine who could corral Russ and they failed to do that.

[Basti]

I wonder if people really understand what happened there and how this landslide was possible all of a sudden. In my opinion this was one of the few games where refs were allowing teh same contact on both ends. Minny was smart to test the limits early. They played the exact same defense that OKC showed throughout the entire season and suddenly it was allowed, even against SGA. I suggest to re-watch the game, especially the first quarter, with that in mind. I expect we'll see a very different scenario in game 4, let alone the home games in Oklahoma. This is what everyone said all season. With fair officiating they look very mortal and beatable. Too bad Jokic didnt get this outside of one game.

Even if OKC were to win the remaining games and it's a 4-1 series win for OKC, seeing Caruso look completely dumbfounded after getting called for an obvious foul, is somewhat of a moral win for me.

[Dadouv47]

I wonder if people really understand what happened there and how this landslide was possible all of a sudden. In my opinion this was one of the few games where refs were allowing teh same contact on both ends. Minny was smart to test the limits early. They played the exact same defense that OKC showed throughout the entire season and suddenly it was allowed, even against SGA. I suggest to re-watch the game, especially the first quarter, with that in mind. I expect we'll see a very different scenario in game 4, let alone the home games in Oklahoma. This is what everyone said all season. With fair officiating they look very mortal and beatable. Too bad Jokic didnt get this outside of one game.

or maybe Minny just finally played insane great defense in this series (they were the second best defense in the POs before the WCFs) and some people finally think playing great physical defense is cool when it's not OKC doing it.

[cgf]

Curious to see how OKC bounces back from that. Feels like Minny can put their foot on the Thunder's collective neck in game 4 and send this thing back to OKC with a ton of pressure on the young Thunder to right the ship.

[Sealab2024]

I wonder if people really understand what happened there and how this landslide was possible all of a sudden. In my opinion this was one of the few games where refs were allowing teh same contact on both ends. Minny was smart to test the limits early. They played the exact same defense that OKC showed throughout the entire season and suddenly it was allowed, even against SGA. I suggest to re-watch the game, especially the first quarter, with that in mind. I expect we'll see a very different scenario in game 4, let alone the home games in Oklahoma. This is what everyone said all season. With fair officiating they look very mortal and beatable. Too bad Jokic didnt get this outside of one game.

or maybe Minny just finally played insane great defense in this series (they were the second best defense in the POs before the WCFs) and some people finally think playing great physical defense is cool when it's not OKC doing it.

Game 1 they whistled up Minny for enough fouls that Rudy sat down 90 seconds into the game and OKC shot 11 free throws in the 1st quarter. Don't even pretend this a "well finally Minnesota came to play" situation. Ain't nobody that dumb.

[cgf]

Home teams get a favorable whistle, as do smaller players defending bigger ones. This isn't new. OKC just presses those officiating advantages more than most.

[Dadouv47]

I wonder if people really understand what happened there and how this landslide was possible all of a sudden. In my opinion this was one of the few games where refs were allowing teh same contact on both ends. Minny was smart to test the limits early. They played the exact same defense that OKC showed throughout the entire season and suddenly it was allowed, even against SGA. I suggest to re-watch the game, especially the first quarter, with that in mind. I expect we'll see a very different scenario in game 4, let alone the home games in Oklahoma. This is what everyone said all season. With fair officiating they look very mortal and beatable. Too bad Jokic didnt get this outside of one game.

or maybe Minny just finally played insane great defense in this series (they were the second best defense in the POs before the WCFs) and some people finally think playing great physical defense is cool when it's not OKC doing it.

Game 1 they whistled up Minny for enough fouls that Rudy sat down 90 seconds into the game and OKC shot 11 free throws in the 1st quarter. Don't even pretend this a "well finally Minnesota came to play" situation. Ain't nobody that dumb.

let's be serious. Minny make some stupid stupid fouls in the first half of game 1...probably lack of rythm with almost a week without playing. Yesterday they did everyhing right on defense. I know a lot of people like some conspiracy theories in today's world but it's non sense.

[Sealab2024]

Home teams get a favorable whistle, as do smaller players defending bigger ones. This isn't new. OKC just presses those officiating advantages more than most.

Cause they aren't good enough to play real ball.

[Dadouv47]

Minny was in the bonus early in the 3rd quarter AND 4th quarter of game 2 but they only call fouls on them...Sure

[CzBoobie]

Shai is the weakest MVP in years.

To think the trashing Jokic took when they lost a game, even though his entire team minus Gordon let him down mostly...i wonder how SGA gets away with this no show

Lol, we have threads glorifying Jokic after second round exit where he had a game exactly like SGA today and you think he got thrashing? Nobody from OKC showed up...so how is that any different from what Jokic got out of his teammates?

[cgf]

Home teams get a favorable whistle, as do smaller players defending bigger ones. This isn't new. OKC just presses those officiating advantages more than most.

Cause they aren't good enough to play real ball.

Nah, it annoys people because they are good enough to be a great team without working the refs. If these were Jimmy's heat, beating more talented teams in the playoffs by daring the refs to call a foul on every play, people would be much more into it...but since OKC is talented enough to be a powerhouse playing a clean game, neutrals get annoyed by the unethical hooping.

[cgf]

Minny was in the bonus early in the 3rd quarter AND 4th quarter of game 2 but they only call fouls on them...Sure

Just because they call fouls on you, doesn't mean they don't also let you get away with a lot

[Laimbeer]

I wonder if people really understand what happened there and how this landslide was possible all of a sudden. In my opinion this was one of the few games where refs were allowing teh same contact on both ends. Minny was smart to test the limits early. They played the exact same defense that OKC showed throughout the entire season and suddenly it was allowed, even against SGA. I suggest to re-watch the game, especially the first quarter, with that in mind. I expect we'll see a very different scenario in game 4, let alone the home games in Oklahoma. This is what everyone said all season. With fair officiating they look very mortal and beatable. Too bad Jokic didnt get this outside of one game.

or maybe Minny just finally played insane great defense in this series (they were the second best defense in the POs before the WCFs) and some people finally think playing great physical defense is cool when it's not OKC doing it.

Game 1 they whistled up Minny for enough fouls that Rudy sat down 90 seconds into the game and OKC shot 11 free throws in the 1st quarter. Don't even pretend this a "well finally Minnesota came to play" situation. Ain't nobody that dumb.

So what's your theory - the officiating changed in Game 3? If so, why?

[KayDee35]

I wonder if people really understand what happened there and how this landslide was possible all of a sudden. In my opinion this was one of the few games where refs were allowing teh same contact on both ends. Minny was smart to test the limits early. They played the exact same defense that OKC showed throughout the entire season and suddenly it was allowed, even against SGA. I suggest to re-watch the game, especially the first quarter, with that in mind. I expect we'll see a very different scenario in game 4, let alone the home games in Oklahoma. This is what everyone said all season. With fair officiating they look very mortal and beatable. Too bad Jokic didnt get this outside of one game.

Absolutely correct. If people don't get how officiating in the playoffs sets the tone for a game they haven't watched enough playoff basketball.

Shai got only 1 phantom call, OKC defenders got called for reaching and fouling, and they reacted with shocked expressions, and Minny was allowed to play physical, playoff defense.

I'm not suggesting that fair officiating results in OKC losing. I'm suggesting that unfair officiating allows OKC to be far more aggressive and physical and forces other teams to turn down their intensity or else risk being in the bonus early or fouling out.

[TorontoBarneys]

I wonder if people really understand what happened there and how this landslide was possible all of a sudden. In my opinion this was one of the few games where refs were allowing teh same contact on both ends. Minny was smart to test the limits early. They played the exact same defense that OKC showed throughout the entire season and suddenly it was allowed, even against SGA. I suggest to re-watch the game, especially the first quarter, with that in mind. I expect we'll see a very different scenario in game 4, let alone the home games in Oklahoma. This is what everyone said all season. With fair officiating they look very mortal and beatable. Too bad Jokic didnt get this outside of one game.

Absolutely correct. If people don't get how officiating in the playoffs sets the tone for a game they haven't watched enough playoff basketball.

Shai got only 1 phantom call, OKC defenders got called for reaching and fouling, and they reacted with shocked expressions, and Minny was allowed to play physical, playoff defense.

I'm not suggesting that fair officiating results in OKC losing. I'm suggesting that unfair officiating allows OKC to be far more aggressive and physical and forces other teams to turn down their intensity or else risk being in the bonus early or fouling out.

Hard to really care about the MPV award when players are embellished so much with this type of nonsense. How can you tell how good a superstar really is when they receive so many favorable calls compared to the average player?