2016 Record: 13-3.
Why do I cite a boxing match - correction, no A boxing match but one of the greatest boxing matches of all time - for this an NBA Western Conference Final playoff game in 2016?
Because human psychology is consistent. Our courage, our conviction, our ability to persevere in spite of the most imposing of obstacles has not changed with regard to how our brain works and how our brain propels the body since 1975, or 1575, or 1575 BC.
And when you are dealing with the psychology of a subgroup of extraordinarily elite athletes, the examination of their mindset and their ability to perform becomes even more precise.
We must draw correlations of and through psychology (not causations), to understand how one opponent might react to another, or one team to another.
It was prior to that fight that Ali ruthlessly mocked Frazier with perhaps the most racially charged press conferences of all-time: one in which he pounded a toy gorilla with his fist, the gorilla symbolizing the great Joe Frazier. We know what Ali was saying and what he meant to convey and it was cruel (and unusual).
Normally I'd say such mockery was due for a rightful comeuppance and put my money on Frazier, had I been alive at the time.
But that fight ended how? With Frazier's trainer throwing in the towel in the 15th round. Yes, one of the all-time greats couldn't even answer the bell for the final round.
Even the pre-fight mockery couldn't drive him to get past the 15th and have the judges to call the fight...and in boxing, anything is possible when it goes to the cards.
Ali was so brazenly confident going into that fight, he felt he could beat Frazier even if he ruthlessly slandered him on the way in, that is, he got his punches in before the fight even started.
So how does this relate to the Thunder vs. Warriors?
Well I saw this Ali-like cocky confidence when Durant and Westbrook were asked a question about Steph Curry's defense after the Game 5 loss. Watch it here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSs0bbdDhOA
Folks, this is a 73 win team (now 83 wins with the playoffs); this is a team with the greatest shooter the game has ever seen; these are the defending champs; and here you have two of the best players in the league on the opposing team not worrying one iota about creating bulletin board material for Golden State. They are literally laughing at the notion Steph can adequately guard Westbrook. And Durant's answer is clearly a backhanded compliment. Like Lebron's comments about Curry recently, the answer was more to insult than it was to praise.
And that shows how far these two power kegs of the court have come: they are ready to explode. And we are going to profit from it.
They took out a mega co-favorite to win the title in the Spurs.
And how did they do it? They waited for Game 6 and BOMBED them by 14 in a game that they could have won by 40. Why? Because they KNEW the refs could take over and push this series to 7 and they wouldn't allow it (as the NBA has done countless times historically under David Stern who washed his hands of such notions like Pontius Pilate. The gambler was no fool all the while.).
Because THIS IS OKC's Game 7. As Game 6 was the last round too. You CANNOT go back to San Antonio for a Game 7. You CANNOT go back to Golden State for a Game 7.
You need to get the job done RIGHT NOW. So you get all the Game 7 intensity on your home court for all the marbles in a Game 6. There are reasons why a team hasn't come back from a 3-1 deficit in conference finals in nearly 33 years. It is EXTREMELY hard to do and this is the game that is EXTREMELY hard to win, even for a team like Golden State.
And psychologically, I see a team that is ready to do it. I've said this before: you get PEAK KD; you get PEAK Westbrook; you get a mature and confident workmanlike Adams; you get Roberson who is shooting nearly 60% from 3 in the series; you get an always solid Ibaka. You get a truckload of height. That's quite a bit of 'gets'. You do deal with a bench that can give you more but so many minutes will be eaten up by the starting 5 in this game it will matter less.
And on the other side of the ball? Where are the dominant Warriors? Is this the Warrior team you watched all year? You know damn well it is not. And what is the reason? The dagger 3's just aren't falling right now for Golden State. 37%, 30%, 30% from 3 in the past 3, two of which were blowout losses. This is a team that shot 41% from 3 all year. And when they get hot, they can shoot 50%+ from 3.
And Curry? Is he injured or isn't he? It doesn't matter. He will pile up the points because he always has the ball but his shooting percentages in the series are 42% and 37%(3's) compared to 50% and 45%(3's) for his season averages.
And all those gargantuan, fall off your seat three's (like the one he hit in OT against OKC to win in the regular season)...long gone like dust in the wind. *Poof*. He doesn't even look like he WANTS to take those shots. And when he does lauch some moonshots some barely scrape rim.
And THOSE are the shots that struck fear in opponents. But no more.
Those shots are not falling. 3, 3, 3, 3: They are not falling with the same rapid fire consistency these past 3 games. Steph is 7-29 from 3 in the last 3.
And Klay has been worse: 41% and 29%!(3's) compared to season averages of 47% and 42%. The averages they had during the year won them SEVENTY THREE games. There is a reason this game is +2.5 Golden State folks...
73? There's a 7 and a 3 I'd like to reference; they may not win 3 against OKC in a 7 game series.
Don't even get me started on Green who is so far off his regular season self, if we look too closely, he may be a Javale McGee in a Draymond Green jersey.
This is not the same team.
. Not saying you wrong . Just my 2cent 
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