The Agony and the Ecstasy

All hail the Oklahoma City Thunder, this year’s NBA champions!!! After 82 games in the regular season that started in Oct of last year, after 23 more grueling games in the playoff mano-a-mano match-ups, the Thunder’s gladiators finally emerged as the premier team in the premier cage league in the world. Outlasting an equally deserving and proud Indiana Pacers squad who fought the OKC Thunder all the way to the very last game of the season. Congratulations to the OKC Thunder once again and to the playoff MVP, Shai Gilgeous Alexander, for a fantastic job.

The Thunder improved from an already elite 57-25 win-loss slate last season to an even more immaculate 68-14 slate, clearly demonstrating a singular resolve to go for the very top. After losing to the 5th seeded Dallas Mavs despite their lofty top-seed position in last year’s playoffs, the Thunder lost no time in making a no-holds-barred critique, leading to the needed adjustments that bolstered the team’s chances even more this year.

The Thunder brought in Isaiah Hartenstein from the New York Knicks to address the team’s weak rebounding issues, which was the highlight in the Thunder’s debacle against the Mavs in last year’s playoffs. This would allow Chet Holmgren to slide down to the power forward slot, where he was more comfortable playing in. Another key acquisition was the veteran Alex Caruso, who came in from the Chicago Bulls via a player swap for Josh Giddey. The emergence of Jalen Williams at the 3-spot had diminished Giddey’s playing time. The trade for Caruso would allow the Thunder a way to further improve their guard core defensively. These 2 notable personnel augmentations enhanced an already deep roster for the Thunder. Clearing the way for the Thunder juggernaut that barreled through the playoff series. Taking the Western Conference top-seed honors by storm.

Only to be met in the Finals by the tough-as-nails Indiana Pacers, which had breezed through their playoff campaign as if it were a basketball fairy tale.

The Pacers’ rise to the Eastern pennant was as magical and as unexpected as one could imagine. They were a respectable fourth in the Eastern Conference by the end of the regular season. Then, they waved a proverbial magic wand and turned into fearsome playoff giant-killers. First, they eliminated the Giannis-led Milwaukee Bucks 4-1, just four years removed from being the NBA titleholders. Next, in the biggest upset of this year’s playoffs, they dispatched Donovan Mitchell and the Eastern Conference top-seeds, the Cleveland Cavaliers, 4-1. This was followed by yet another upset, eliminating the Jalen Bronson-led New York Knicks 4-2.

In all these 3 playoff series, the Pacers would salvage a supposed lost game, trailing by 7 or so points in the last minute before stepping on the gas. Before a swarming trap-defense would force their opponents into errors. Before Tyrese Haliburton, that wizard-of-a-winner, would find a way to throw in a dramatic buzzer-beater shot. Truly magical!

Thus, the fight for all the marbles came into being. Pitting a team that had gone through the maturing process through years of hard work; and a team that had mysteriously found a powerful potion, as if willed by the cage gods, conjuring incredible victories from seemingly definite defeats.

And once again, the Pacers would wield the upset axe, stealing Game 1 by taking the lead (for the first and only time!) only in the last .2 seconds remaining! Again, through another crazy Haliburton shot to bail out the Pacers. Four playoff series, four holy Hali buzzer-beaters. This has never happened before. Ever. And this will never happen again. EVER!

But OKC’s talented crew refused to be cowed. They too were made of sterner stuff, nurtured by years of dedication and hard work. They would fight toe-to-toe, fighting fire with fire. And like two grizzled pugilists, both teams trudged on. Giving and absorbing the haymaker blows; both bloodied, battered but unbowed.

Until the Pacers’ miracle man finally took a fall. Tyrese Haliburton, creator of 4 miracle wins in 4 consecutive playoff series, acknowledged leader of the Pacer pack, goes down. And out. Like a wounded warrior in the most important fight of his life, he risked everything he had, until he could no longer run or walk – nay, crawl if he must. To the credit of OKC’s appreciative fan base, Tyrese received a standing ovation, on this crucial road game, a Game 7 in the NBA Finals, as he was tearfully carried off the floor.

That would signal the beginning of the end for the Pacers’ lofty crown dreams. TJ McConnell tried to rally the Pacer troops, but he could only do so much. By the 3rd canto, the tide had started to turn. The Thunder juggernaut was now slowly juicing up. The Thunder players were starting to relax and feel the rhythm. And their depth and solid defense now started to take over. And Shai? Shai was now sashaying up and down the court like the true MVP he was.

OKC is it this year. They deserve it, after years of toiling in the fringes. After being dismantled, dismissed, disrespected for years. After decades of agony in defeat. This year, the Pacers are left with the agony, as the OKC Thunder finally taste the ecstacy of getting its first-ever NBA title. Long live the Oklahoma City Thunder! All hail the new kings of the NBA!

Cover photo courtesy of the NBA. Other photos courtesy of Sports Illustrated, CNN, Los Angeles Magazine, Yahoo Sports, Fox Sports, Facebook, Inquirer Sports and the New York Times. For a closer look, just click on the pics.