Let's talk about Durant admitting not being hungry for a title this season

[the cac mamba]

Watch how many "Westbrook = " or "filing papers on Russel WestBrook" threads get started this year by these reactionary coli clones this year. I predict at least 5

 

[Brozay]

Let's be real here, the Thunder are in that dangerous area where they had their shot in the sun, failed for whatever reason and now everything will slowly trickle downwards from here. The past 2 years they were a contender for the West....this year they're no more than a 5th seed IMO

No more than a 5 seed?

Thats ridiculous. They just won 60 games last season.

 

[Majestic Pape]

No more than a 5 seed?

Thats ridiculous. They just won 60 games last season.

Saying that they can't get any higher than a 5 seed is ridiculous. Predicting them to be fifth, though, may not be that ridiculous. Depending on how soon and well Westbrook comes back, I could see LAC, San Antonio, Memphis, and Golden State all having a better regular season record.

Edit: Forgot about Houston too.

 

[jadillac]

No more than a 5 seed?

Thats ridiculous. They just won 60 games last season.

LAST Year. They dont have a 3rd man anymore.

They went from having Jeff Green, Harden, Durant, Russ....to Harden, Durant, Russ.....to Kevin Martin, Durant, Russ....to just Durant, injured Russ.

 

[Edi]

the edge = being surrounded by a better team.

 

[Eternal Tecate]

Nope. There was an article about how his obsession to win last year hindered his performance and state of mind. So now this year he's not obsessing in hopes it makes him play better.

 

[Brozay]

Saying that they can't get any higher than a 5 seed is ridiculous. Predicting them to be fifth, though, may not be that ridiculous. Depending on how soon and well Westbrook comes back, I could see LAC, San Antonio, Memphis, and Golden State all having a better regular season record.

Edit: Forgot about Houston too.

LAST Year. They dont have a 3rd man anymore.

They went from having Jeff Green, Harden, Durant, Russ....to Harden, Durant, Russ.....to Kevin Martin, Durant, Russ....to just Durant, injured Russ.

I think they will be just as good as last season. I will concede though that the top half of the West is REALLY good and havin Westbrook out a month could be the difference between a 1 seed and a 4-5 seed.

It really depends when he gets back.

Once hes back I think they are still the team to beat in the West.

 

[ThugLife]

Half the nikkas in this thread was saying he got the killer instinct bron dont 2 years ago doe

 

[TooLazyToMakeUp1]

Nope. There was an article about how his obsession to win last year hindered his performance and state of mind. So now this year he's not obsessing in hopes it makes him play better.

Wasn't last year one of his best seasons tho

 

[L. Deezy]

it needs to be said...

if Bron said this prior to winning a title he would be KILLED.

he didnt have to tho.. he just packed for Miami

 

[Trojan 24]

Let's be real here, the Thunder are in that dangerous area where they had their shot in the sun, failed for whatever reason and now everything will slowly trickle downwards from here. The past 2 years they were a contender for the West....this year they're no more than a 5th seed IMO

I think they may end up as this Decades King's. Which is crazy considering how young they are, but it does seem like they are slipping.

 

[god shamgod]

When he was "in character" his team lost four in a row in the Finals.

That "edge" - I believe - is needed. To reach greatness you can't be worried about being everybody's friend and trying to be a nice guy and shyt. There's a reason that most of the people you see reach the upper echelon of success are so antisocial and are @ssholes to teammates/refs/opponents (Mike, Kobe, Shaq, Bird, Isiah, etc., etc.), etc.; somebody with the personality like LeBron winning seems to be a rarity.

so you're tellin pro athletes how THEY'RE are supposed to think.You mean the same zeke who hung out with magic and kissed him before games? Or Jordan who kicked it with barkley and joked with him during games? and routinely kicked it with ewing and oakley?

When it comes down to gametime Durant,Lebron etc all trying to win period.

Everybody is different.Lebron gets along wit opponents,kicks it with mad teammates and he has admitted on record he don't have a killer instinct and he has 2 titles Everybody don't have to be an anti social weirdo like kobe or roast/intimidate teammates like Mike to succeed.If durant says he won't do what he did last year then so be it

 

[Eternal Tecate]

Wasn't last year one of his best seasons tho

Yeah that's just what he said

 

[Rob's al Ghul]

Let's be real here, the Thunder are in that dangerous area where they had their shot in the sun, failed for whatever reason and now everything will slowly trickle downwards from here. The past 2 years they were a contender for the West....this year they're no more than a 5th seed IMO

Wilbon alluded to this on PTI yesterday...or maybe it was Friday; I'm behind LOL. Said they were dangerously close to becoming like the 90's-era Blazers, where they came close and sometimes real close, but couldn't seal the deal.

5th seed sounds about right as it stands now, but they can surely go higher. How much higher obviously depends on (NTM SA's age, how well/soon LAC's/HOU's chemistry develops, etc.).

 

[The War Report]

OKC is still a 2 seed.