Russ and KD “Reunion” Was Nothing and Everything Like We Expected
The regular season’s most anticipated match up happened last night and it kind of went the way we all thought it would. Even when it didn’t.
Last night, the Thunder faced the Warriors in a regular season NBA game for the first time. It was the kind of “LeBron returns to Cleveland after having his jersey kebabed across Ohio” or “Kobe and Shaq don’t as much as begin to pretend to look in each other’s direction” monumental storyline we all wanted from an otherwise seemingly predictable season. This was our fuel. This was our fire. We bought into this narrative from the start, perhaps a little too much, conjuring up “shots fired” where shots were most definitely not fired or probably fired but most likely not fired. We wanted this to be true so much we were willing to do whatever it took to make it happen, like keep aggravating Russell Westbrook with a different variation of the same question each interview: how do you feel about Kevin now Russ?
For the record, I think the February meeting between the two, in Oklahoma City will be a lot more telling. For one, both teams will pretty much be what they are by that point. They will have established themselves in both playing style and form. If I had to venture an educated guess, Oklahoma City will be middling somewhere between Playoffs and not quite, while Golden State will reach it’s almost final hydra form, burying teams in barrages of such volumes we have never seen before, but that’s my guess. For two Kevin Durant didn’t only turn his back on Russell Westbrook, he turned his back on a city that built it’s entire sports identity around him. You don’t just get to walk away from that and not have some sort of novelty bristol board poster prepared for your return. But that’s not until February.
Despite what I believe, this first meeting did have some significance. The first time you see your ex you always want to look good. Perhaps you see her in an isle of whole foods so you grab the nearest Kale juice and pretend like you’ve been living the “all healthy lifestyle” since she left, getting in shape for the much more attractive options. Maybe you grab your attractive female friend who definitely has a boyfriend by the waist and whisper “just play along with it.” Maybe you collapse on the floor and beg for them to take you back. The first meeting between exes is always telling.
Russ definitely didn’t keep us waiting.
Yeah. There’s only so much time you can spend each summer telling us “you’re fine” through your teeth at a pitch of an audible squeal. Eventually we get a peek behind you and see half eaten Chinese leftovers scattered over your apartment, food stains covering up the diorama you’ve been making out of magazine cut-outs with you and your ex. It all culminated for Russ last night, who until this point has been able to channel his anger into his historic war on rims due to their presumed basketball atrocities. Last night he took it to the “throw not to subtle shade at your ex” territory.
What matters more than the jawing off the court was the action we saw on it. Russ came into this game leading a yet to lose 4–0 Thunder squad. He came into this game so hot that the air around him was basically carbon dioxide. He came into this game riding an incredible average, until he wasn’t. Russ finished with 20 points, 6 rebounds and 10 assists, which is a decent stat-line until you factor in that he’s basically been putting up lottery numbers prior to last night or the fact that he shot 4 for 15 from the field and half of his points came on free-throws. He had the second lowest Offensive Rating out of the starting five (do better Andre Roberson), but the highest usage. It wasn’t his best game and yet somehow it was indicative of how the rest of the Thunder season was going to go.
What made it even more illuminating was that Durant was showing them exactly what they were missing. He started the game slow, but then this happened.
That’s Jerami Grant, the newest Thunder member and part of the latest “Hinkie didn’t die for this” trade by Philadelphia 76ers new GM, yamming it on KD early in the game. To be fair, it wasn’t a malicious dunk. It wasn’t one of those dunks where you reach into a man’s soul through his throat and pull it out through his chest on display for everyone. Jerami Grant has no horse in this race. He just got there. He would very much like to be excluded from this narrative that he did not ask to be a part of. And yet here he is, fueling it. He shouldn’t have done that. He definitely shouldn’t have done that.
Like anything combustible that flies into the sun, the Jerami Grant explosion did no damage to KD. It just fed his radioactive heat. Kevin Durant finished the game with 39 points, 7 rebounds and 1 assist which was basically a “I can pass but I’m going to handle this my self” statement. And handle it he did. In a stark contrast to Russ’ night (think Jamie Foxx and discount mobile brand Jamie Foxx) Durant shot a flammable 15 for 24 from the field knocking down jumpers every which way en route to a tying his career high 7 three pointers. He looked like vintage OKC “just give me the ball and move to a safe recommended distance, but also please put on your protective goggles” KD and punctuated the game with this
Which still didn’t stop Enes Kanter from doing this
KD was almost more comfortable talking smack on the court. A quiet, unassuming guy with a body not made for hand to hand conflict he was always going to let his silky smooth jumper do the talking. Because anything else just sounds awkward. Like a fifth grader that just learned he can swear for the first time.
In the end though, while this is a rivalry we all want, it isn’t one on the court. Golden State was always going to be miles better than OKC, that’s just the reality of rostering four of top 20 players in the modern NBA. They’re built for lasting, meticulous demolition of other 28 teams and possibly Cleveland. Even the combustible state of OKC’s scorching hot form couldn’t prepare them to face basketball Voltron, and Voltron only had one arm fully operational. But boy did that arm do damage. I think on some level Russell Westbrook knew that (even though he forgot to tell Enes Kanter) and he got his licks in before the game. And now he can proceed on the Russell Westbrook Revenge Encore Tour 2016 without the pressure of this game hanging over him and maybe take his team to the playoffs.
Because in the end, this season really only has one rivalry narrative.
I can’t wait to see the LeBrons and their Christmas decorations.
