If you can call this game correctly, you deserve a ribbon. It just seems impossible to try to predict how many dumb things Westbrook and Durant will do at any given time. Durant is like the emperor with no clothes. Everybody tells him that he is awesome because he is a 7-footer who dribbles and passes like a guard. But if any 6' 4" guard lost the ball as much as Durant does while dribbling or passing in traffic, that guard would never make an NBA team. And since everybody tells Durant he dribbles and passes like a guard, he perpetually places himself in situations where he turns the ball over.
Westbrook plays in a Kobe-like twilight zone where he is usually the most awesome athlete on the court. But like Kobe in his prime, Westbrook is in a constant struggle to figure out when and if it is time for him to use his superpowers to try to take total command of a game. And like Kobe did, Westbrook often makes huge mistakes in making those decisions.
These guys can last forever making their mistakes because they can continue making them and still easily beat all but 2 or 3 teams in the league. So every year they are seen as successful because they win 50+ games and make the playoffs. They are heroes in Oklahoma and so close to winning a championship that the Oklahomans are plenty willing to be patient and wait for their big moment.
And the truth is, at any given moment they could make game-time decisions that aren't so dumb. Durant could stick to simple one-on-one dribbling that lasts just long enough to create a shot for himself. Westbrook can fly into the paint like a bat out of hell and then suddenly dish off to Steven Adams for the easy dunk. They could stick to Curry and Thompson like glue at all times. And they can beat the Warriors. But how could you ever predict ahead of time whether or not they would do such a thing?
I thought of taking the loser of tonight in Game 4 as well, but decided to try and pick a side here.
Several reasons for that.
I believed before the playoffs and I still believe now, that Thunder are the toughest rival for GSW, match ups wise. They can give their best against Curry, with Durant, Westbrook and Roberson, all capable of taking turns guarding him. Adams/ Kanter and Ibaka have great playoffs so far and Billy D is starting to use them the right way. I really really doubt we will see Dubs go back home leading 3 - 1, so it's either the more probable 2 - 2 outcome of Thunder going to Oakland leading 3 - 1. Overall, this series has zig zag written all over it.
Thunder really gave Dubs hard time in most of regular season games between the two and Dubs are worse than they been in regular season and Thunder are better. My line here is around PK...
Also took a teaser:
Cleveland -1 and Thunder +8, 1.91 odds - 7 units play
Doubt it will be a blowout win for the Warriors, even if they do win it and Cleveland... really doubt this series goes back to Cleveland tied 2 - 2...