What Sports Illustrated is Saying About Chris Paul
The Oklahoma City Thunder may not be as much fun to talk about as the two Los Angeles teams or the Bucks. But those who know the NBA are keeping one eye on Oklahoma City as the season get's ready to restart.
In Sports Illustrated's countdown of the top 25 players in the bubble Michale Shapiro (Inside the Rockets) has Chris Paul ranked 17. Shapiro believes that the Thunder and Paul are benefitting from him not having another superstar on the floor at the same time.
2019-20 isn’t the best year of Chris Paul’s career, but it’s arguably the most satisfying. The 10-time All-Star has full control of Oklahoma City’s offense after splitting time with James Harden last season, leading the Thunder to a surprising 40–24 record. Paul is shooting his best mark from the field since 2009-10 this season. He leads the NBA in clutch points. The Thunder aren’t true Finals competitors, though with Paul at the helm, they’re certainly a threat for a first-round upset.
If this were a typical season, I would agree with him that The Thunder isn't a real contender. However, this season is as far from ordinary as Oklahoma is from Tokyo, and any team that can stay healthy should be considered a threat to win the championship.
Paul deserves credit for keeping the locker room in order and dealing with any drama that may have arisen. Listening to Shai-Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari, and Steven Adams speak, you get the sense there is a singular focus on not letting what they have built go to waste.
Gallinari says, "We are fighting for something, and I think that what we are fighting for and what we play for is more important than the free agency I am going to approach."..."We are trying to win something, to go far."
A good attitude doesn't guarantee the Thunder a spot in Conference Finals. But, Oklahoma City has shown enough mental toughness to overcome a poor start this season, put themselves a game and half behind Denver for the third seed in the west.
If the NBA's experiment turns into a war of attrition, there is a good combination of youth and experience that should help the Thunder get through any setbacks.
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With more than 20 years of experience hosting local and national radio shows, Erik Gee is a fixture of Oklahoma sports media. He has covered the Oklahoma City Thunder for the past six seasons. He is also the co-host of the Pat Jones show on 97.1 The Sports Animal in Tulsa.
