2012 OKC Thunder vs 2025 OKC Thunder

[1987_Lakers]

2012 has the perfect team to beat the 2025.

Durant would rain buckets on Caruso in the midrange. Harden would flop his way around Dort or shoot stepback 3s in the face of Shai. Westbrook would run up and down the floor to match them. Adams would bully ball Chet. Ibaka would cover on defense.

People forget how good that 2012 team was and how they were a few bad calls from going 7 games against the Heatles.

Adams wasn't on that team.

[tpols]

Also we have to talk about their roads. Having to beat the best peak version of Lebron James and still prime Wade with a filled out roster is much tougher than Haliburton / Siakam and bum Antman + Randle. Jokic is the only one who put up a fight but he got sand bagged by his own teammates.

[90sgoat]

Adams wasn't on that team.

Ah yes, Perkins.

[ArbitraryWater]

People shouldnt talk about 2012 Westbrook like he was some net negative

To me it seems like SGA isnt quite there yet when actually challenged, in pressure tight games against equal competition... he didnt look takeover against the Nuggets.

Thats where 2012 KD is clearly ahead.

And Harden/Russ had step-on-throat mentality.

I dunno, this OKC team is very deep and athletic, and so good defensively, but 2012 OKC wasnt far behind in depth and similar in athleticism, and have more star power and clutch factor to me.

This OKC team is unproven and we saw that in the Nuggets series.

They ran away with game 7. If it would have been close, I dont trust them to come through the same way Id trust 2012 OKC.

[Full Court]

I guess OP ran out of reddit posts to make threads about.

[Phoenix]

It's an interesting match-up. I think if you just put the two teams in a vacuum and have them meet, the 2025 team maybe wins in 7. If you have them go through their respective playoff runs with the teams they faced, the 2012 team is more battle-tested and primed for what the 2025 Thunder would throw at them. The 2012 Thunder swept the defending champion Mavs, gentleman swept the Lakers who won the title 2 years prior, and beat the Spurs in 6 who would make the finals the next year and win it all 2 years later.

[Wally450]

I think 2025 is deeper. Perk would be played off the floor, putting Ibaka at the 5. Shai vs. Westbrook would be fun to watch. Dort on KD would be hell, but KD would get his.

Would actually be a fun matchup.

[AlternativeAcc.]

People shouldnt talk about 2012 Westbrook like he was some net negative

To me it seems like SGA isnt quite there yet when actually challenged, in pressure tight games against equal competition... he didnt look takeover against the Nuggets.

Thats where 2012 KD is clearly ahead.

And Harden/Russ had step-on-throat mentality.

I dunno, this OKC team is very deep and athletic, and so good defensively, but 2012 OKC wasnt far behind in depth and similar in athleticism, and have more star power and clutch factor to me.

This OKC team is unproven and we saw that in the Nuggets series.

They ran away with game 7. If it would have been close, I dont trust them to come through the same way Id trust 2012 OKC.

How was the 2012 Thunder more proven than the current Thunder? The 2011 Thunder lost in 5 to peak Dirk and the Mavs the year prior. KD was 23, Harden 22, and they were way less deep and Hartenstein/Chet shit on Perk/Ibaka.

Why do you keep bringing up the Denver series as if going to 7 with a proven championship team and the best player in the world, possibly top 5 all-time talent at his peak, and winning convincingly in game 7 is a negative indictment?

The 2012 Thunder didn't come through. LeBron bullied them and Wesrbrick shot them out of games. They lost in 5 and their defense wasn't close to the current Thunder.

KD was better than Shai as a scorer, but Shai is a better playmaker and defender, and the rest of the group is head and shoulders better.

[tpols]

How was the 2012 Thunder more proven than the current Thunder? The 2011 Thunder lost in 5 to peak Dirk and the Mavs the year prior. KD was 23, Harden 22, and they were way less deep and Hartenstein/Chet shit on Perk/Ibaka.

Why do you keep bringing up the Denver series as if going to 7 with a proven championship team and the best player in the world, possibly top 5 all-time talent at his peak, and winning convincingly in game 7 is a negative indictment?

The 2012 Thunder didn't come through. LeBron bullied them and Wesrbrick shot them out of games. They lost in 5 and their defense wasn't close to the current Thunder.

KD was better than Shai as a scorer, but Shai is a better playmaker and defender, and the rest of the group is head and shoulders better.

Who would you pick between 2012 Miami Heat or 2025 OKC?

They haven't faced a beast like that in this year's playoffs like 2012 Thunder had to face.

[AlternativeAcc.]

Who would you pick between 2012 Miami Heat or 2025 OKC?

They haven't faced a beast like that in this year's playoffs like 2012 Thunder had to face.

I agree, but the 2012 Thunder weren't an all-time great team on paper.

The 2025 Thunder have the 2nd best net rating of all time and one of the best defenses ever.

I think the 2025 Thunder go more than 5 games with 2012 Heat ... that same Heat team were down 3-2 to the old Celtics

If both teams are equally as inexperienced, im rolling with the one who is all-time great on paper, and doesn't have massive liabilities like Perkins or Westbrick in the clutch.

Also KD at that time wasn't a great playmaker or defender - Shai is clearly better than 2012 KD in that department with low turnovers. This current team would feast on Westbrick and Durant turnovers, and completely overwhelm them with depth and defense. Harden would fold up like a tent like we saw against Miamis perimeter D.

[highwhey]

yeah, you guys are wild for thinking 2012 would beat the 25 team. this is one of the most balanced and deep teams ever assembled.

[AlternativeAcc.]

Not only are the Thunder significantly better on defense than the 2012 Thunder, but they have 7 guys who averaged > 10ppg during the season, and thats not including Wallace or Caruso who shit on any bench player on the 2012 Thunder. 2012 had 3 guys average over 10ppg.

2012 Thunder were a top heavy team, the current Thunder are almost as top heavy but have all-time great depth and 8 or so legit 2-way players compared to 2012s team who had zero.

Shai, Jdub, and Chet are worse offensively than 2012s version but they all play much better defense.

[ArbitraryWater]

How was the 2012 Thunder more proven than the current Thunder? The 2011 Thunder lost in 5 to peak Dirk and the Mavs the year prior. KD was 23, Harden 22, and they were way less deep and Hartenstein/Chet shit on Perk/Ibaka.

Why do you keep bringing up the Denver series as if going to 7 with a proven championship team and the best player in the world, possibly top 5 all-time talent at his peak, and winning convincingly in game 7 is a negative indictment?

The 2012 Thunder didn't come through. LeBron bullied them and Wesrbrick shot them out of games. They lost in 5 and their defense wasn't close to the current Thunder.

KD was better than Shai as a scorer, but Shai is a better playmaker and defender, and the rest of the group is head and shoulders better.

Denver was a great team but theyre pretty much just Jokic and Gordon right now. When OKC got challenged in that series, they looked very human.

They were down big in 4th quarters of game 4 and 5, and relied on bail-outs/chokes.

2012 OKC beat the champion Mavs, the Lakers, and then the 62-win pace Spurs(lockout season).

They also made the WCF the year before.

Hows that for proven? How are they NOT more proven than current OKC?


I could care less that 2012 OKC lost to the Heat. This is about OKC vs. OKC. Id expect this OKC to lose to the 2012 Heat too.

[Lakers Legend#32]

Their fanbase keeps getting more and more redneck.

[Doomsday Dallas]

I vote 2012... that team was dangerous.