You reap what you sow NBA Gods didn't like what OKC did to Seattle and let it be known without hurting KD, Russ and Harden's overall careers. They still MVPs while OKC never gets a ring.
You have a point no doubt but great organizations do what it takes to get it done if they feel they have the players to do so. Lakers had Shaq and Kobe and were getting their asses handed to them by the Spurs and Jazz so they brough in Phil Jackson. We could debate all day about Mark Jackson deserving the credit for GSW's success but history will show that once the FO brought Kerr in they did get over the hump.
And Harden disapearing in the finals was not his fault. The Heat targetted him secifically because they knew Durant would get his if not even up with LeBron but if they allowed him (Harden) to go off they would never recover. Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade himself said this that the entire series Spoelstra stressed nullifying Harden's impact was the primary goal.
NBA Finals: Miami defense has focused on taking out James Harden
So i cant blame this on Harden entirely.
To be fair, OKC stayed getting their ho card pulled by Memphis. It took a Reggie Jackson late game run in 2014 for them not be eliminated in the 1st round by them
Yea this pretty much sums it up right hereThey wasted it with horrible coaches, cheapness and a racist cess pit of a city.
I think injuries were a bigger part of why they didn't win a title or at least reach an additional finals. No Westbrook for most of 2013 postseason, Ibaka was out vs Spurs iirc, no KD for 2015, got Klay'd in 2016 in a series vs a better team that they nearly beat
From potential dynasty in 2009 to basketball wasteland in 2019, with no rings to show for it, what a turnaround
Memphis, especially those years was ALWAYS a tough out for ANY team. A young one overcoming chemistry issues notwithstanding.To be fair, OKC stayed getting their ho card pulled by Memphis. It took a Reggie Jackson late game run in 2014 for them not be eliminated in the 1st round by them