Oklahoma's Collapse

What was the last sentence I wrote in the blurb about the Western Conference Finals yesterday? I said:

If Oklahoma City is going to beat the Mavericks in this series, Kevin Durant has to have the ball in his hands at the end of games."

Here's a pic of the celly that KD mimicked.

Well, the Thunder seemed to be doing just fine until midway through the fourth quarter. The offense was running on all cylinders, they were up by double digits, just cruising. Then, two things happened that possibly crushed Oklahoma City's playoff dreams. First, Kevin Durant hit a 3 to put the Thunder up by 15 with five minutes left. He obviously thought he sealed the game because on the way back to the bench he put on his championship title belt a la Aaron Rodgers, and after that moment he didn't score another point. Secondly, James Harden fouled out with less than five minutes left. After he left the game, the Thunder's offense sputtered, and they only scored six points.

Let's go back to Durant. I understand that the Mavs were double teaming and harassing KD every time he had the ball in his hands, but he's the superstar on this team and if he's not going to put the ball in the basket, he at least needs to manage the offense and create for his team mates. Six total points in the last nine minutes of the game is not going to cut it. On top of that, KD turned the ball over nine times. That's inexcusable if the Thunder expect to win. Granted,  the Mavs turned their game up and clawed their way out of a huge hole to win this game. While this was definitely a choke, you have to give a ton of credit to Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavericks.
While Durant's taunt sparked the Mavericks' comeback, I can understand KD's premature celebration. He is the leader of a young, unexperienced, up and coming team; a team that hasn't been in a situation like this before. He got caught up in the emotion of the moment playing in front of his hometown crowd as he nailed a shot that should have put the game beyond reach. It was tough to watch Durant during TV timeouts in OT as cameras focused on his face. The dejection and confusion in his face as he stared out to nothingness as his coach talked to his team. You could tell that although they were only down four points, that the game was already over. This was a great reminder of what it takes to win an NBA championship. While last night may have been the nail in the coffin of Oklahoma City's title chances, in the overall grand scheme of things this will provide great experience for a young team that maybe just wasn't ready to get over the hump this year. After the game, Durant reverted back to the Kevin Durant that everyone knows and loves. He said:

"I feel upset because I feel that I let the fans down, that I let the city down."

With that statement, Durant reminded everyone that he's different from other stars in this league. He doesn't just play for the fame and money. He's the anti-Lebron. He wants to win and he recognizes that the game is bigger than him. After seeing how Durant handles himself, its impossible to not root for him. I hope that the Thunder can rebound and win a title, because if anyone deserves a championship, its Kevin Durant.