2012 Thunder

Uhhhhh....if there is a 2012 Thunder, or NBA for that matter. Or 2012 at all....
   No, ok, optimism. Optimism. Because, honestly, all this insane fervor for the Thunder may take a hit if the NBA locks out and the season starts late. (OU football is a real heavy hitter, and OSU football...well...it exists, if nothing else) But i'm trying hard to believe that Oklahomans are no fair weather fans (...and knowing their college football tendencies, that is a big stretch) So, i'm going forward, imaging what one can expect from next seasons Thunder.

     Realization of potential. The thunder are most certainly coming into their own, and with a good, deep, playoff run under their belt, and a 55 win season, the thunder are one of the favourites to win it all next year. With Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook coming face to face with their team dynamic during the playoffs, the emergence of James Harden and Serge Ibaka, and the assumed better health (or Japanese hyper-steel implant) of Kendrick Perkins knee's, the thunder are ready to take that title: Favourite.

     Now, it can't ever be all perfect. Eric (the co-proprietor of this blog once he gets back from a week of hookers, coke and heckling lebron fans in miami) and I have talked about what we hope does 'not' happen, when the team comes out of their 'anywhere but OKC' summer, and gets into the gym to start the season.
     I mentioned being horrified at the spectacle of Russell Westbrook getting the NFL wide reciever disease, and showing up in a Bugatti Veyron, fresh off a visit to the studio to drop vocals for the hotly anticipated first single off his upcoming rap record. Truthfully i give Westbrook more credit than a lot of people, and think he'll revert to the level headedness he showed for the majority of the season. But, on the dark side of the Thunder moon, just imagine Kazaam 2: Lost in Bricktown, featuring Westbrook.
   Last season James Harden 'blossomed' if you want to call it, or at least begun to. He is on the path, step for step, of becoming a fantastic contributor, and perhaps a year or two out from an all star appearance (by which time if Westbrook hasn't signed with young money records, he and KD should both be starters) and hopefully several years of bottle popping at the end of the playoffs. Downside? Many wondered why Harden didn't start during the playoffs, after being able to spark the Thunder when no one else could. Truth is, Harden struggled in the 5 games he started during the season, and coach Brooks seems to have a real fetish for consistency. The dynamic of Harden and Collison coming into the game midway through the first, was bread and butter for the Thunder, for a number of reasons. If Harden starts next season, it's unlikely Sefolosha could bring the same bench spark, and it's no guarantee that Harden will be consistant. This is really stretching it though, as i feel all signs point to Harden breaking out like Westbrook did. (KD and Westbrook starting for the West and Harden off the bench? Inappropriate. Just, wildly inappropriate)
     As far as individual players go, the Thunder most likely won't have these 'apocolypse' scenarios (or any other unmentioned ones, like Nate Robinson dating KD's mom, or Aldrich and Mullens having a mid-court fist fight resembling two redwood trees making love) however the Thunder could fall prey to expectations. OKC improved by 5 games over last season, which is relative considering the doubling of wins from the 2009 to 2010, and also considering...how many more games do you want them to win? lets say they improve by...10. Just 10 games. The Thunder could have easily won 10 more games this year, putting them at 65-17. However, they won some very close games, and could have lost another 6 or 7 just as easily. If the Thunder were to stagnate and bask in their glory at any point, they could find themselves around 50 games again, swimming in the middle of the playoff pool again, something the newbie OKC fans would probably be disappointed by.