USA Today via Reuters
Aug 24, 2020; Lake Buena Vista, Florida, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Chris Paul (3) passes the ball against Houston Rockets forward Robert Covington (behind) and forward Ben McLemore (16) during the first half in game four of the first round of the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
USA Today via Reuters
Aug 24, 2020; Lake Buena Vista, Florida, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Chris Paul (3) passes the ball against Houston Rockets forward Robert Covington (behind) and forward Ben McLemore (16) during the first half in game four of the first round of the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
The OKC Thunder has had a rough time. They drafted three MVP’s in three seasons and have one Finals appearance from 9 years ago to show for it. They had historic collapses, like dropping a 3-1 lead against the Golden State Warriors. However, they managed to stay relevant for a decade by constantly retooling. It looked like that was over when Paul George and Russell Westbrook were traded the last off-season.
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The Westbrook trade with their playoff opponents, the Houston Rockets, netted the Thunder Chris Paul. Paul orchestrated a game 6 win for the OKC Thunder to extend their first-round series to 7 games. NBA analyst Skip Bayless coined it his ‘greatest playoff game ever’.
“They had a stockpile of draft choices and it felt like Houston had finally given up on CP3 because he is always hurt. he’s always pulling something at the worst moment. We’re up 3-1 in the 2018 Western Conference Finals against Golden State and he pulls a hamstring for game 6 and 7, and you’re out.”
Bayless spoke about the CP3-Westbrook trade because of its implications on Paul. “It felt like he was shipped to NBA Siberia. All the stars are gone. They have Durant, Harden, Russ, and Paul George and now it looked like CP3 or bust and he has been on a mission to show them that they were wrong and led this league in clutch points, which is impossible. He is only 6 feet tall. I can argue from start to finish this was the best year of his career and I can argue that last night was the greatest playoff game of his career. He just flat out took it over.”
"I can argue from start to finish it was the best year of Chris Paul's career. And last night was the best playoff game of his career. CP3 just flat-out took over."@RealSkipBayless pic.twitter.com/SVA08sjquy
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) September 1, 2020
OKC Thunder continuing their fairytale run?
The Thunder can win. However, the underdogs usually falter in the playoffs. CP3 has led this team as warriors, but the Rockets have too many weapons. Nonetheless, Thunder has to neutralize them for just one more game. With how their game-plan has been working, I wouldn’t put it past them. However, the star power of James Harden and Russell Westbrook is hard to overlook.
The Thunder have done well to get here, now it is on them and mainly Chris Paul to book a second-round series against the LA Lakers.
