re: Defending NBA Champs vs San Antonio Spurs, Game 1 / SA wins up 1-0 in Series

That was a great great game…

Whoever wins this series is winning the NBA championship. Cleveland isn’t beating either of these teams and I don’t think New York is either. New York doesn’t have the the it factor

Denver was up 1-0 on OKC last year. Wed is huge.

Man if tonight wasnt the official “holy shite the league belongs to Victor Wembanyama now” game then I honestly dont know what the hell is. Everybody came into this Western Conference Finals opener talking about OKC’s depth, Shai being this ice cold killer, the crowd going absolutely nuts, all that stuff. And yeah OKC still looked like a damn machine for stretches. But Wemby walked into that arena like somebody who already KNOWS the NBA is eventually gonna revolve around him. The stat line was crazy enough by itself but it was HOW he did it that had everybody sitting there like what the frick are we even watching right now. Pull up threes, weakside blocks that literally dont make sense, rebounds over like 3 people at once, then dribbling coast to coast like he’s a damn guard trapped in some create-a-player body. The scary part is he still dont even look finished yet. Dude is still learning while already cooking people in the damn conference finals.

There was this stretch in the third when OKC finally started making a run and the building got LOUD loud. You could feel momentum shifting hard. Usually thats where younger teams kinda panic a little bit. Instead Wemby basically said nah frick that, hit a three over a switch, blocked somebody into another zipcode, then came down the floor and threw a pass that looked like Jokic if Jokic was built in a fricking secret government lab or some shite. Thats the thing that seperates him already. He dont just put up stats. He changes the entire feel of the game. Every possession starts feeling tense because everybody knows some insane shite might happen at any second. You could literally see OKC dudes second guessing layups because this 7’4 alien might just appear outta nowhere and erase the ball.

And look Shai was still Shai. Dude is cold blooded as hell and OKC aint going nowhere. That team is stacked, disciplined, fast as shite, and they just keep coming at you in waves. But tonight felt bigger then just one playoff game honestly. It kinda felt like one of those passing the torch moments the NBA gets every once in awhile. LeBron had it. Steph had it. Now here comes this freak from France moving like a wing, protecting the rim like prime Hakeem, and carrying himself like pressure dont even exist. ESPN probably losing they damn minds right now because they KNOW what they got. Casual fans stop scrolling when Wemby highlights pop up. Kids already trying to copy him at the park. Every road game turns into a circus when he shows up. He isnt becoming the face of the league anymore. Dude already kicking the damn door down.

Whats really crazy is San Antonio dont even look like some feel good rebuilding story anymore. They look dangerous RIGHT NOW. That organization spent years getting clowned for tanking and hearing everybody say the dynasty days was over forever after Duncan retired. Now they got another generational monster and you can already see the fear setting in around the West. Cause once Wemby fully figures out how to punish double teams and manipulate defenses every single possession this shite is gonna get unfair fast. Tonight wasnt just a breakout game. Felt more like a warning shot to the rest of the league honestly. Victor Wembanyama aint “the future” anymore. The future already got here.

This might sound crazy but Kendrick Perkins is on a roll right now, he’s kind of grown on me

Spurs are mostly 22 and younger and hopefully will have Fox back.

I don't think they'll pull a Minnesota iand lay an egg in Game 2 knowing if they win it's huge momentum going to San Antonio.

Game 2 is now must watch. If OKC loses again.....

OKC just took the Spurs best punch, and it still took 2OT, on a night where everyone not named Dub and Caruso were objectively horrible.

I remind you that last year OKC lost Game 1 against Denver on a Gordon game winner & Game 1 against Indy on a Hali game winner.

Long series.

quote:

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But Wemby walked into that arena like somebody who already KNOWS the NBA is eventually gonna revolve around him.

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OKC has to get this one lmao. I’m not sure how many times they’ll have an opportunity against Wemby in a 7 game series if it’s not now.

You can’t understate how huge it was to get Castle and Harper to pair with him. The league is fricked

Also Castle was great tonight despite his 11 turnovers with his great defense .

If he cuts those down that's even better. His 3 ball since the All Star break has been money.