The Thunder have no excuse to lose the championship

[rlsmooth775]

If the Thunder don't win the title it will be a epic choke job. The team is young explosive they have the best scorer the best the best point guard on the same team. Are they going to let some old spurs and heat team beat them. Or the Pacers who are led by a first year superstar

[navy]

Westbrook is still injured with no guarantee of returning 100%

[DaSeba5]

If Westbrook is not 100%, Durant won't be able to sustain this for the rest of the season and then for a long grind in the playoffs. They must get a healthy Westbrook back to have a chance.

[Rose'sACL]

I think they will go into playoffs as the favorites unless Westbrook is not 100% by then.
There is a small chance that pacers might get the best odds from Vegas though. They matchup well with pacers though.

[JohnFreeman]

Championship or bust.
inb4 stans start making excuses

[215Philly]

The pressure is on :rockon: inb4 second round exit

[navy]

Are people going to call Durant a choker if he loses in the second round again?

[TMT]

There's a big reason they have an excuse to lose the championship... The Miami Heat. They match up horribly. Now if the Pacers are in the Finals that's a different story.

[flipogb]

its pressure time now, they have gone through enough to deserve to win and now they gotta make it happen. only a matter of time before disappointment takes over the players minds (like Bron in Cleveland) and they start planning exits.

[215Philly]

There's a big reason they have an excuse to lose the championship... The Miami Heat. They match up horribly. Now if the Pacers are in the Finals that's a different story.
They won't make it that far :no: You have a Spurs avy, come on now :rant

[ripthekik]

Still miami's to choke and lose away,

[rlsmooth775]

Are people going to call Durant a choker if he loses in the second round again?

I think Durant is a great regular season player but in the playoffs when he was expected to win it for his team against Miami and Memphis he choked . I thought the Thunder should have won the 2012 finals in 6.

[HoopsFanNumero1]

If Westbrook is healthy by then, they have a good a chance as any. Their last series with the Heat had some pretty close games, and at that time Lebron, Wade, and Bosh were all playing relatively well. OKC's defense has gotten better since then too. Would definitely love to see the matchup again though.

[navy]

Still miami's to choke and lose away,
How? Durant is better than Lebron and Wade is old.

[Leftimage]

Looking forward to this year's NBA finals

http://a.espncdn.com/media/motion/2014/0108/dm_140108_nba_durant_lebron_nnl/dm_140108_nba_durant_lebron_nnl.jpg

Thunder better not mess up this rematch-for-the-ages opportunity !

[TMT]

They won't make it that far :no: You have a Spurs avy, come on now :rant

The Spurs sure as hell don't look like a Finals team this year the way they've played against the best, I'll tell you that much. Portland is inexperienced and WCF is their best case scenario in my mind. OKC should be the favorite in the West.

[BuffaloBill]

Looking forward to this year's NBA finals

http://a.espncdn.com/media/motion/2014/0108/dm_140108_nba_durant_lebron_nnl/dm_140108_nba_durant_lebron_nnl.jpg

Thunder better not mess up this rematch-for-the-ages opportunity !


If the Heat make it past the pacers

[oh the horror]

Championship or bust.
inb4 stans start making excuses


I think a lot of you confuse "excuses" with actual reasons.

[Mr. Jabbar]

someone is tryin' to get some pressure off the heat i see, nice try, but pressure is on da heat cause of stacked tim

[SCdac]

steer clear of this dude and they should be cool

http://dy.snimg.com/story-image/0/0/194647/194647-650-366.jpg

[Leftimage]

If the Heat make it past the pacers

http://i.imgur.com/aSGGIwE.gif

[rlsmooth775]

Still miami's to choke and lose away,

No the Thunder look great now. Miami is the oldest team in the league and they apparently have ADD they seem to lose focus all time. It's basically Lebron Bosh and a bunch of old guys with streaky 3 point shooting. Cole and chalmers look like trash this year and I dont think Wade will ever be healthy again.

[215Philly]

The Spurs sure as hell don't look like the Finals team this year the way they've played against the best, I'll tell you that much. Portland is inexperienced and WCF is their best case scenario in my mind. OKC should be the favorite in the West.
I think GS will out OKC tbh. They match up pretty well against them & Durant won't drop 50+ that time of the year. GS vs Pacers Finals: Book it

[red1]

steer clear of this dude and they should be cool

http://dy.snimg.com/story-image/0/0/194647/194647-650-366.jpg
I want to choke this guy

[BlackVVaves]

If the Thunder don't win the title it will be a epic choke job. The team is young explosive they have the best scorer the best the best point guard on the same team. Are they going to let some old spurs and heat team beat them. Or the Pacers who are led by a first year superstar

Wrong, but valiant effort of taking the Heat of the hook.

Miami resides in the weaker conference, and despite their players underperforming these past several weeks, the Heat still have the most talented roster top to bottom in the league.

So, it's Miami, with the best player in the league and two time MVP, who will concede a choke job if they don't make it to the Finals.

[rlsmooth775]

someone is tryin' to get some pressure off the heat i see, nice try, but pressure is on da heat cause of stacked tim

Have you been watching basketball this year. The Thunder are dynamic athletic explosive the Heat are the exact opposite.

[BrownEye007]

I think Durant is a great regular season player but in the playoffs when he was expected to win it for his team against Miami and Memphis he choked . I thought the Thunder should have won the 2012 finals in 6.
He choked against Memphis? more like Westbrook was injured and the Thunder didn't have a chance. Durant would have had to play like a basketball god to take that Thunder team past that Grizzly team.

[oh the horror]

Have you been watching basketball this year. The Thunder are dynamic athletic explosive the Heat are the exact opposite.

Miami is also an incredibly bad matchup for okc in a series. I don't see how people don't see that.

[TMT]

I think GS will out OKC tbh. They match up pretty well against them & Durant won't drop 50+ that time of the year. GS vs Pacers Finals: Book it

Seriously? GS are good scorers but very inconsistent. I just don't see it.

[ripthekik]

No the Thunder look great now. Miami is the oldest team in the league and they apparently have ADD they seem to lose focus all time. It's basically Lebron Bosh and a bunch of old guys with streaky 3 point shooting. Cole and chalmers look like trash this year and I dont think Wade will ever be healthy again.
Because the Thunder will have to play 3 extremely hard and challenging series to get to the finals.

Heat will play who? Wizards? Bobcats? Raptors? on their way to ECF.

[HOoopCityJones]

Durant out there looking like Jordan.

[215Philly]

Seriously? GS are good scorers but very inconsistent. I just don't see it.
I really like David Lee,Bogut,Iggy,Barnes,& Crawford. Really deep team unlike OKC. Don't be surprised if it happens.

[rlsmooth775]

Wrong, but valiant effort of taking the Heat of the hook.

Miami resides in the weaker conference, and despite their players underperforming these past several weeks, the Heat still have the most talented roster top to bottom in the league.

So, it's Miami, with the best player in the league and two time MVP, who will concede a choke job if they don't make it to the Finals.

No one is taking anyone off the hook. The Thunder are the best team in basketball. No one even comes close they have the talent athleticism chemistry youth. The old spurs and heat should have no realistic chance

[TheMarkMadsen]

I want to choke this guy with my c0ck

:wtf:

[HOoopCityJones]

GSW were pretty close last year, and all they needed was another years worth of playoff basketball under their belt. Steph is looking really good and with Iggy I think they'll get over the hump this year.

[rlsmooth775]

Because the Thunder will have to play 3 extremely hard and challenging series to get to the finals.

Heat will play who? Wizards? Bobcats? Raptors? on their way to ECF.

No not really the west teams outside of OKC and Spurs are overrated. They should sweep teams like golden state and portaland they rely on nothing but 3 pointers to save them

[Big#50]

Thunder will get all the calls in the playoffs. It is obvious we are headed for a Durant vs Lebron finals again.
**** The Thunder.

[Fudge]

No not really the west teams outside of OKC and Spurs are overrated. They should sweep teams like golden state and portaland they rely on nothing but 3 pointers to save them
:facepalm

[BlackVVaves]

No one is taking anyone off the hook. The Thunder are the best team in basketball. No one even comes close they have the talent athleticism chemistry youth. The old spurs and heat should have no realistic chance

The Thunder aren't the best team in the league thusfar. So, either you are just another sad troll or oblivious to the chords of reality.

From the look of your posts in this thread, I'm guessing the former.

[rlsmooth775]

:facepalm

Its true The Thunder should destroy them in 4 or 5 games. Who seriously thinks Golden state and Portland could win the championship with the way they play basketball

[lebeast666]

So they the favorites again like 2012 huh.

btw no one is beating a healthy Okc in the West.

Mia/Ind vs OKC is guaranteed.

[chazzy]

OP is a gimmick account. All of his posts of been pro-Lebron hyperbole

[I.R.Beast]

Durant average 46.5 minutes a game in that grizzlies series... He was out of gas midway through the 4th quarters because the team was sucking without him on the floor.. They need westbrook in the playoffs...Also people act as if the western conference isnt loaded with teams just as good if not better than the thunder...smh... The warriors and the blazers have the best start 5 in the west and all those teams have 2 - 3 legit stars...the thunder are still one piece away...If lamb can keep progressing to a point where he can take away more of thabo's minutes that would be great for OKC... Also OKC has the Spurs number...

The Spurs are nothing but gate keepers. Duncan is washed up, parker's games doesnt elevate in the playoffs and Popavich is holding back kawhy leonard, they will be second round exits.

[215Philly]

[QUOTE=BlackVVaves]The Thunder aren't the best team in the league thusfar. So, either you are just another sad troll or oblivious to the chords of reality.

From the look of your posts in this thread, I'm guessing the former.[/QUOT:biggums: What team looks better than the Thunder right now
Pacers?

[Solefade]

Miami is also an incredibly bad matchup for okc in a series. I don't see how people don't see that.

the only advantage miami has over OKC is lebron > durant. true story.

[rlsmooth775]

If Im so crazy what team looks better than the Thunder right now. They have it all youth athleticism best scoring duo in the league. Guys who give it all 110% effort every game

[houston]

lol at this premise

[juju151111]

If Im so crazy what team looks better than the Thunder right now. They have it all youth athleticism best scoring duo in the league. Guys who give it all 110% effort every game
They should of won last year but Westbrook got injured.

[BlazerRed]

Wrong, but valiant effort of taking the Heat of the hook.

Miami resides in the weaker conference, and despite their players underperforming these past several weeks, the Heat still have the most talented roster top to bottom in the league.

So, it's Miami, with the best player in the league and two time MVP, who will concede a choke job if they don't make it to the Finals.

:applause:

They also get more chances to rest players being in the weak East, so they have chance to be fresher going into the playoffs.

[Rodmantheman]

http://i.imgur.com/aSGGIwE.gif

The pacers are for real and Blowing teams out. The Heat are struggling against bottom feeders HCA is huge.

[riseagainst]

I think OP spelled "Heat" wrong.

[Milbuck]

I can see the Thunder coming out of the West with Russ healthy. They'd have the edge against Indiana, but Milwaukee and maybe Miami still have the edge.

[oh the horror]

The problem with okc is that they're a two gun system.

You have Durant and you have Westbrook. One of the two become neutralized and they become considerably weaker. They reply heavily on jump shots at times too. They lack deal inferior threats. And please folks don't tell me Ibaka.

[JBrizzy]

Stupid overreaction threads.

1. Thunder lost to the Blazers earlier in the season. One game doesn't mean a damn thing.

2. Westbrook will come back and when he does, Durant's production will go down. Duh. Durant is my pick for MVP at the moment but he also had a good look at it last year and didn't end up getting it.

3. People talking about how the Thunder would have won last year if Westbrook wasn't injured. In other threads Westbrook makes stupid mistakes and is a reason why they haven't already won the championship. Also, the Thunder will never win with Scott Brooks as a head coach, remember?

Moody mofos.

[All Net]

The title race is very open this year and it certainly wouldn

[Flash31]

You know That's news to everybody

because last everybody checked the Miami Heat were the defending champions,and

even if you wanted to include another team in it it wouldn't be OKC,
it would be SA



Though it's kind of odd you bring up no excuse

Now,I'm not an OKC fan but

Kendrick Perkins,Scott Brooks,all iso offense,and Miami simply being better than OKC at what OKC does would be valid reasons

OKC CAN'T Beat Miami period.

They're like the Utah Jazz of 90s always up against a team that simply has their number

If MIA wasn't in league then OKC are clear favorites



Though when WB comes back,OKC has 0 excuse in losing to Grizz,SA,Dal again

It's basically OKC up against LAC,SA,MEM
Other side MIA up against CHI,IND,BKN


With OKC healthy,0 excuse they don't make finals especially with KD trying to be Best player and Team and not 2nd place

[Flash31]

[QUOTE=All Net]The title race is very open this year and it certainly wouldn

[Flash31]

[QUOTE=All Net]The title race is very open this year and it certainly wouldn

[BrownEye007]

The thunder aren't winning the chip this year. Just not enough talent outside Westbrook and Durant.

[ArbitraryWater]

IF Heat&Thunder meet in Finals, LeBron will have to go into that series with the right attitude, and battle KD left and right, firing off punches/shots, getting it in on Defense, etc. can't be none of that passive passing shit, otherwise teammates will brick shots, see it coming, while Durant just lights LeBron up for 35+... the dude is hungry right now.

BUT, if LeBron goes in there with a scorer mentality himself, while playing great defense&playmaking, it has the potential for a GOAT series.

[ArbitraryWater]

Legit 4 title contenders

MIA
OKC
SA
IND

Miami struggles with SA and IND
but thrashes OKC

OKC struggles with SA and Can not beat Miami
but thrashes IND

SA struggles with Mia and OKC
but can beat IND


IND struggles with MIA and OKC
but can beat SA


Either of these 4 could win
there are troubles for every team along the way

NY-IND,Tor-Ind,Det-IND
BKN-MIA,Mia-Chi,Mia-DET

Okc-Mem,OKC-LAC,Okc-Hou
SA-GS,Sa-Mem,SA-Por

There are darkhorses in LAC,POR,DET,BKN

But it's a 4 man race with
the 4 from last year again really
SA,OKC,MIA,IND

And it's probably going to come down to WCF,ECF
SA-OKC,MIA-IND

So Miami struggles with Indi and Indi struggles with Miami?

Wow.

The struggle is real.

[SillyRabbit]

Ironic how OP claims the Thunder have "no excuse" to not win the Championship when the only reason this thread was created is to make excuses as to why the Heat won't win the Championship.

[rlsmooth775]

Ironic how OP claims the Thunder have "no excuse" to not win the Championship when the only reason this thread was created is to make excuses as to why the Heat won't win the Championship.

The thunder look like the best team in basketball Miami is old

[Rose'sACL]

thunder, heat and pacers should have no excuse if they lose. Those 3 teams were clearly built to win it all this year.
If they don't then i am sure all of them will feel that they didn't play well and failed.

[SHABBA]

They could theoretically win it if they face Indiana rather than Miami in the finals but probably won't because they're a pretty badly coached team and who knows how Westbrook's health is.

[rlsmooth775]

The thunder are to dominant so young so explosive look at them right now against the spurs

[NumberSix]

the only advantage miami has over OKC is lebron > durant. true story.
Nah, even though we're not seeing it right now, Miami is a WAY better defensive team than OKC.