Final night time wasn’t actually about final night time. In actual fact, given latest occasions, this season isn’t even actually about this season anymore. Every part taking place now solely issues within the context of the place this franchise thinks it’s headed. Possibly, for these paying consideration, that subtext has at all times been clear, however now it’s specific. The wins, the losses, the ups, the downs—we will’t get caught up within the milieu. Final night time didn’t matter, aside from all of the ways in which it did.
The Spurs misplaced 146-132. No matter. Everyone knows who the Thunder are, and everyone knows what their deal is. The ultimate rating was irrelevant. Right here’s what we’re taking with us from this recreation: The Spurs fought. They obtained their hair up a little bit. They went out in entrance of a raucous dwelling crowd on nationwide TV and traded punches—in some circumstances, fairly actually—with among the finest groups within the league. They confirmed up, and so they gave it all the things they’d.
That’s one thing.
Right here’s one thing else: It wasn’t simply that the Thunder are nice (They’re!), it’s that there was a palpable dislike radiating off our guys towards this group. They wished to tug this title contender down into the muck and make them slug it out. They wished to break one thing stunning. They wished to ship a message: Take pleasure in no matter you have got going proper now—as a result of the Spurs are coming.
We like that.
Now, did they really accomplish any of those objectives? Who can say? It’s totally doable that OKC walked off the court docket, loved the win, and easily obtained again on their aircraft. However for me, I used to be simply pleased to see our group play this card. Frankly, I used to be beginning to marvel in the event that they even had it within the deck anymore.
Victor has it for positive. He’s pushed by some unseen pressure to go on the market and destroy all comers. We’ve seen his teammates draft off that power and briefly flip into killers themselves. It’s enjoyable, it’s thrilling, and it’s additionally a little bit of an phantasm.
Do they nonetheless have that fireplace in them with Victor in road garments?
Do they nonetheless need to battle, to push, to show that they belong in each single dialog in regards to the NBA’s subsequent decade?
Final night time, at the very least, the reply felt like sure. A loud sure. A powerful sure.
Boy, can we like that.
Thunder followers—or anybody else, actually—are welcome to label this as Premium Grade Cope, however I appreciated what I noticed. We had guys who have been hopelessly outgunned refusing to simply lay down and hand over a win. They performed like they knew larger and higher weapons have been on the way in which. And when that day comes, this mindset goes to serve them nicely.
We’ve obtained a enjoyable little budding rivalry on our palms right here with OKC. Final night time might not appear to be it went our method, however I believe it did—in all of the ways in which matter.
Takeaways
Jeremy Sochan has my sword. I simply need him to be round and part of regardless of the Spurs are constructing. He’s robust, annoying, and enjoyable. He brings a fireplace to the proceedings that this group desperately wants. It’s not wild or uncontrolled—it’s a managed burn, simmering proper underneath the floor. And the trick is, it by no means goes out. He’s at all times able to go at a second’s discover, no questions requested. He rides for his group, and he rides for us. Genuinely, what extra may you ask for in a participant? I’m going to consider tonight lots each time somebody asks about him. That picture of him ending a dunk, hanging on the rim, trying over to see a battle breaking out—it’s burned into my mind. No hesitation. Drops down, briskly walks over to the huddle, and begins grabbing dudes in blue. No questions. No pause. Simply instincts. He’s the person, and we must always all deal with him as such.
I do know it’s simply, like, a shout into the void, all issues thought of, however it’s fairly legit that the Spurs put up 132 factors on the Thunder. That’s a terrific defensive group—they make it their enterprise to clamp groups down each single night time (because the Spurs discovered within the third quarter), and we nonetheless principally discovered a strategy to get buckets. Plenty of that was Stephon Citadel coming alive and, positive, possibly that’s not one thing we will recreate each night time proper now, however the extra he reveals a capability to do issues like this, the extra you begin to marvel if the Spurs have one thing actually particular on their palms.
The flipside of the earlier level is that, nicely… I imply, clearly it’s very UN-legit that the Spurs, in flip, gave up 146 factors. Not what you need! Sure allowances are at all times going to be made when your Defensive Participant of the 12 months is sitting out and also you’re up in opposition to one of many prime groups within the league (and sure MVP). STILL. 146 is loads of factors. It felt sloppy and haphazard for a lot of the night time on that finish, and so they simply seem to be they’re attempting to carry all the things along with duct tape and a prayer. Possibly they’re! However I’d actually like to see some type of imaginative and prescient—something—earlier than the top of the yr for a way we plan to defend groups with no big Frenchman plugging all of the holes.
BISMACK BIYOMBO seemed nice on the market.
Did he do a complete lot? Eh.
Did he make an enormous distinction? Mmm.
Did I get pleasure from watching him work? YOU BET I DID.
WWL POST GAME PRESS CONFERENCE
– It looks like possibly, simply possibly, you took a single incident from this recreation, extrapolated a complete expertise from it, and projected it onto the sport as a complete.
– What do you imply?
– Like… the battle? Yeah? There was that massive dust-up within the third quarter—individuals pushing, shoving, guys getting ejected. It was attention-grabbing, however it sort of looks like you watched that and stated to your self, “That’s it. That’s what this recreation was about.”
– Yikes. Actually placing me on the spot right here. Um. Look, that is an previous sailor’s trick. You employ all components of the buffalo when attempting to put in writing a bit like this. Generally, there’s lots to speak about and a really clear narrative to both comply with or deviate from. This recreation, although? Murkier. All of those Put up-Victor video games are going to be murky. You’ve gotta sift by way of them to search out one thing price latching onto and, nicely, the battle felt like a tangible illustration of a bigger concept I used to be selecting up on. There’s that phrase: “When the legend turns into truth, print the legend.” And, nicely… generally, you gotta print the legend a little bit bit first.
– So it’s not a crutch you’re leaning on?
– Me? No. I’m for positive not leaning on something.
