Before the NBA's Western Conference was a patented, contender-chocked bloodbath, the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder stood alone, together, both of equal prominence and promise.
One was—and remains—a certified dynasty operating on what feels like borrowed time, ebbing in shelf life, flourishing in function. The other was a dangerously devised powerhouse, flaunting two megastars, waiting to seize control of its counterpart's throne.
But no more.
The Spurs enter their Christmas Day matchup against Oklahoma City hobbled by injuries—yet still the standard for Western Conference longevity. The Thunder, meanwhile, enter as just another member of an increasingly esteemed field.
This is by no means an attempt to vilify the Thunder or paint them as immodest underachievers. Nor does it imply that the Spurs' Association reign won't ever end. It will. It has to. (Right?)
That sense of inevitability behind the Thunder's rise hasn't been forgotten. They are still the team that crept past the Spurs and into the NBA Finals in 2012. They are still the team that has jostled ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NBA
Article written by Dan Favale
OKC Thunder Finally Feeling Pinch of NBA’s Stacked Western Conference
December 23rd, 2014 by Dan Favale Leave a reply »
Advertisement