Rockets GM Daryl Morey: "We Should Win This Thing"
Before the NBA restart, Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey spoke boastfully about having Russell Westbrook and James Harden in his lineup.
"Two of the greatest players ever on our team."... "We should win this thing." According to the Houston Chronicle, Morey would go on to say the only way the Rockets' season could be considered fruitful was by winning a championship.
"That's how we've measured success the past few seasons, so I guess we've been a bust."
During his two seasons in Houston, Chris Paul helped guide the Rockets to an appearance in the Western Conference Finals in 2018 and the Semis in 2019. Aside from setting out games six and seven of the WCF vs. Golden State with a strained hamstring, Paul scored in double figures every playoff game he played for the Rockets.
Hardly a "bust." For his efforts, he was traded to Oklahoma City for Westbrook. Paul is a naturally motivated person; competition alone is enough incentive to lead the Thunder to drive into the second round of the postseason.
Add on top of that, that the Rockets didn't think he was good enough to bring them a ring, and now you've got the makings of a classic series. Whatever went wrong in Houston between Paul and Harden is not happing in Oklahoma City.
Paul is not only the unquestioned locker room leader, but he also sets the standard for effort. Billy Donovan says, "He only knows one way to compete, and that's all-in."
"You can throw four guys out there with him; it doesn't make a difference. He has a belief that he can make people around him better."
Deonte Burton is one of those people Paul is making better.
"I don't love basketball as much as Chris [Pau] he like watches basketball all day long."...." He made me want to study the game a lot more than I already was because he's like a savant of the game."
Burton's statement is why the Thunder will keep the Rockets from advancing in the playoffs. Paul's teammates want to be better for him, and as long as he plays with an intensity, they will follow.
A lot will happen over the next few games, but if you're going to lay some money in Vegas, are you willing to bet against Chris Paul? He'll remind you the Thunder had a .2 percent chance of even being in the playoffs.
Now, it's time to watch what he can do when the lights are brightest.
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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.
