The Golden State Warriors are rampaging all over the NBA and it seems like no one can stop them.
The Oklahoma City Thunder have the best duo in the NBA in Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. Both of these players are unstoppable individually, but in three tries against the Warriors this season, they came out empty-handed.
How will they stand in a seven-game series? Many red flags and question marks were raised. One of them was discussed in NBA.com-perhaps the Thunder is not actually a great team?
"They're a very good team, but they're a clear step below the Warriors and Spurs," John Schulmann said. "Their offense gets too Russ-and-KD heavy, with little ability to adapt, down the stretch of close games. But defense, especially when they go to their bench, is their real problem. They rank 14th on that end and 25th since late January."
That's a sharp contrast to the team game of the Warriors, when there were crucial plays that did not even involve Curry who is the best player in the league right now.
Which is why they could not be declared a "great team" as Ian Thomsen opined.
"They have great talent. Are they a great team? That's one of those questions to be answered in hindsight only. Just because they have the talent and the potential doesn't make them comparable to the Warriors or Spurs - the only way for OKC to be great is to prove it."
In contrast, the impression on the Spurs is very different. Despite getting shellacked by the Warriors in their only meeting, they are still seen as the only real threat to the Warriors.
In an ESPN feature, their panel of experts was asked if the Golden State Warriors will win the championship. Only Insider Bradford Doolittle gave a decisive dissenting opinion.
"I think the Spurs will beat them," Doolittle stated. "Give Gregg Popovich the practice and prep time that goes with a seven-game playoff series, not to mention the roster he has at his disposal, and the Warriors could be in for more days like yesterday (the Warriors loss to the Lakers). The regular season has belonged to Golden State, but the postseason will belong to San Antonio."
The Thunder were not even mentioned as a cause for concern, partly because they would have to get through San Antonio before they could face the Warriors.
Winning two series against the two best teams in the league, and eventually taking on the presumably rested Cleveland Cavaliers, the Thunder has the hardest path to the championship. If they rely on Durant and Westbrook too much, great as they are, that might be too daunting of a task.