Did the Thunder Get Exposed?, KAT's Homecoming and More Things We Loved and Loathed. | The Mismatch

[@SteadyAscension]

THUNDER HAVE WON NOTHING YET, BUT PEOPLE CROWN THEM AS FINALS LOCK. High glazing

[@natashakuzmanoska9656]

"You are never good as they say - you are never as bad as they say" Giannis, 2024

[@natashakuzmanoska9656]

It like eco chamber, nobody can stand strong with his own opinion, because they will viciously attack you if turns out you are wrong. But if you are all wrong like "Nobody can beat Denver in 7" than there is nobody to attack you if you are wrong.

[@Obiamajoyisrmd]

Chet is out. That’s a big deal.

[@fentanyljones6956]

Clap on em Verno!

[@xavierjohnson4496]

They act like they can't be beat but their size and rebounding is going to be an issue in the playoffs especially if chet ain't there or ain't 100%

[@olenskafanboy]

All sports media is like this, but the love for the Thunder is the classic falling for the bright and shiny young thing. Young teams almost NEVER win in the NBA so this is an NBA media driven narrative coming from people that really should know better.

[@TheCoz27]

people glaze the thunders just cause they’re the new thing. the tide will shift into hate soon

[@Von199X]

Giannis is one of my favorite players along with Steph and Ja, I also like Wemby , Coulibaly and Brandon Miller

[@allanhee]

OKC is just trying to grind through this current stretch and stay in the top-seed conversation until Chet returns. Nobody--including serious Thunder fans--believes that the Thunder have a shot at making the Finals without a healthy Chet. I'm not saying that they're the perfect team or that they do't have issues at the offensive end. But since losing Chet, the Thunder are 14-4 (14-5 if you count the game against the Bucks). That is awesome! Saying that they have exceeded expectations is an understatement. If you told the Thunder in November that they were going to lose their 2nd/3rd best scorer and arguably one of the 5 best defenders in the league, be without a real center for 6 of those games, have no front court depth due to injuries and yet still manage to win 73+% of their next 18 games...they would sign on the dotted line with no hesitation.

[@fentanyljones6956]

Giannis has been the best pre and post media availability all season. Watch the backlog, it’s like a TED talk

[@Jeffberg42]

Holland put up his fists and then the dollar sign went off like a lightbulb and so he backed off and saved himself some money.

[@shorewall]

Yeah, his body moved faster than his brain, and then when his brain caught up, he realized it wasn't worth it.

[@dimitrijetucovic1307]

Giannis and Jokić are true role models, i love them.

[@dylanhuntington3362]

Needed this while stuck at the airport today 🙌😮‍💨

[@MaelstromEnergy]

Wish the Spurs would win some games? They have 14 wins already and only won a TOTAL of 22 last season. The West is so crazy they are only 1.5 games out of the 5th seed. Lol

[@withalittlehelpfrom3]

Mitch Johnson has done a phenomenal job in Pop’s absence too! I’m thoroughly impressed by him stepping up to the plate.

[@pipohemm8726]

Okc's identity is clearly their elite defense and they have a top 5 guy in Sga, jdub and chet are allstar talents and a really deep squad. What they do lack though is a real knockdown shooter who you can play 30 min a game(Cam Johnson would be a major addition). Joe is a 15 min guy, Caruso and Wallace arent reliable shooters this year, Wiggins is about to fall out of the rotation and Dort doesnt scare me as a shooter either. Sga, jdub and Chet can all shoot the three but they arent high volume 40% guys. Dating back to the Mavs series, I think their offense is pretty basic, lots of 1vs1 with shai and jdub. They dont have to turn into the prime Warriors in regards to ball and player movement, but a heavy dose of iso ball, coupled with some mediocre shooters in the rotation is a recipe for offensive struggles deep into the playoffs, similar to what the 2010-2016 teams experienced with their iso reliance and number of non shooters on the court.

[@MaelstromEnergy]

This seema right on point. Their dominant defense will definitely net them a ton of regular season wins, but if I was a OKC fan I would be worried about generating enough offense to win series against the elite West and potential Eastern conference champs

[@BillWithers-hu3zz]

Still better than the Celtics right? SGA over Tatum?

[@withalittlehelpfrom3]

Not only would Grizzlies fans agree with this take, we’ve seen it happen to the Grizzlies the last few seasons! Elite defense with mediocre offense in the playoffs isn’t a winning combo against contenders. Memphis looks so much better because they’ve figured out they should attack the paint first, AND have decent shooters from 3 and the midrange.

[@namechangesallowedeveryd-zt7gk]

I agree with what you’re saying but you’re not far off from describing the team that beat them in the playoffs last year

[@andrecambridge4474]

Wayyy better than Tatum

[@killaD28]

Great pod!

[@edwardflanagan2623]

Gifting fake gifts is an odd PR move only to actually have to gift a PS5 and Tickets

[@shorewall]

Corpo mouthbreathers who don't think like humans.

[@fentanyljones6956]

Draymond’s line was a void

[@ArlenR24]

Yes! Perfect Sat morning!

[@andrecambridge4474]

3.5 games back man has our name in his mouth again.

[@xavierjohnson4496]

Let's goooooo boys

[@Yourscaredlol12]

Kind of weird to have so much giannis dialogue and not mention he is routinely bullied by Al horford.

[@tombystander]

They dominated the Mavs and rockets. That says more to me than the bucks game

[@otislamar8613]

15:49 I’ve been saying this!! OKC is not a real contender because of age/ experience. One playoff run isn’t enough. SGA isn’t a top 5 player so when other players hit that level he doesn’t know how too. It’s not a skill or talent thing it’s an experience and execution thing.

[@pipohemm8726]

@@otislamar8613 sga is top 5, stop it. Only Joker, Luka and Giannis are better imo. Healthy Embiid and Tatum have a case. He even outplayed luka in the playoffs. He is about to make his third straight first team in a league full of elite guards.

[@BillWithers-hu3zz]

But wait I was told that he clears Tatum…

[@andrecambridge4474]

Clears "we did it man" and no defense boy

[@xavierjohnson4496]

Sga not being top 5 is too far guy lol

[@aron.gortman]

Dr Marvin Monroe is the man.

[@scottlarock7924]

Damn, shouldn't Orlando go for Collin Sexton? They should be able to pay less than some other options and still keep their team together to a good degree.

[@fentanyljones6956]

The league is pissed that the young game is evolving faster than they can adapt their rosters around their stars. I’m part of that crowd as an avid Nuggets fan right now but nut up and evolve… the 3 ball isn’t going anywhere

[@Pr0digals0n0]

IF ITS SUCH A BIG GAME WHERE THE STATS COUNT LMAO

[@jumpersforjesus]

How does anyone have time to watch tv shows? I watch 4 games a night.

[@xavierjohnson4496]

If im ant im pointing to the randle trade when i leave in a forced trade in a couple years from now you cheap ass owners wanted to cheap out AFTER SAYING YOU WOULD COMPETE im out. Head to the lakers or somewhere else ready to spend

[@Jeffberg42]

Someone in Charlotte getting fired.

[@Pr0digals0n0]

LOL @ CHRIS COMPARING GUN VIOLENCE MORANT TO THE THUNDER GTFOH

[@gffddvhuug4846]

Vernoh just talking a whole bunch of nonsense about a team that plays without one of the most influential defensive presences in the league and still manages to produce at a ridiculous high level. Labels this bucks thunder cup game as the first legitimate test they've faced, while they had already beaten the crap out of the red hot dallas mavericks and houston rockets (games that mattered way more for their overall trajectory) and brings this moronic half-court offense argument , although the thunder have been a brilliant half-court offense for the last season and a half. Absolutely demolishes shai for having a bad game in the midst of another mind-boggling offensive campaign ( yes, there's a world in which he can be the best player on the floor in any given night) and throws this okc memphis comparison while there's only one team missing their number two pick and that's okc (still better than memphis under this unfortunate circumstance) Vernoh just fails to recognize how much of an organizational outlier this thunder team is. How special of a unit they are, especially for their age and experience.They almost went to the western conference finals last season and if it wasn't for a stupid foul at the end of that game 6, they probably would have. They matched Dallas in these series and and despite some half-court offensive woes (whom I acknowledge), they almost made it. All in all, vernoh seems like a guy who's been waiting for a moment to absolutely bash the thunder. I wouldn't have a single problem with it. However he gets paid to talk and write basketball and I don't. I would expect such a reaction from a 12 year cousin of mine and not from a supposed sport analyst.

[@pipohemm8726]

Yeah, he has been waiting to unleash on them, starting with the group interviews and regularly questioning how good or great the really are. They are the biggest threat to his Grizzlies so he is a natural in the "hater" role. Okc does have some issues though, they have quite a few guys who will be tested as shooters in the playoffs. Their spacing isnt ideal to put it lightly and I dont think their offense has enough movement/creativity. They nearly have to trade for a real knockdown shooter, I dont think they can win the title in 2025 with their current spacing, as great as their defense might be.

[@gffddvhuug4846]

​@pipohemm8726 They definitely have issues. Every team does. My problem here is Vernoh failing to point them out in an accurate and professional manner and instead throwing these "grown men" and "scars" crap like a seven year old child. I wanna hear about the thunder , I definitely do . But with concrete and legitimate analysis .

[@pipohemm8726]

@@gffddvhuug4846 yeah, it is more heart than head talking from him. I usually respect the ringers quality over whatever espn is trying to accomplish with their screaming and all cap analysis. I really respect Vernos love for the game as well as his overall knowledge, I also like his chemistry with Jacoby a lot more than with Killian Hayes' number one fan. In the way he talks about Okc it makes me feel like he is being told to go like Skip on Lebron. Okc is going to be a rival for his beloved team, probably for the next half decade or more. I think he is being told to do it for clicks only and he probably enjoys being allowed to hate on them.

[@BillWithers-hu3zz]

Well they should easily handle the Celtics, right? SGA over Tatum?

[@xavierjohnson4496]

Honestly y'all are too sensitive on this topic it sounds like to me. 1) Verno openly said he's jealous of the attention the thunder are getting bc they've basically replaced the grizz as the new hot young team 2) all he's saying is there's few examples of teams this young meeting this expectation and he's 1000 percent right about that. Not to say it can't happen but you get it 3) if you just admitted the half court woes especially in the playoffs how is it wrong from him to point it out? Especially since he admitted the grizz have the same issue lol 4) the overall point he's arguing is that the thunder aren't head and shoulder better than the field out west as the Boston Celtics are out east and he's right bc In a playoff series who's to say the shooting holds up for series y'all know that tho but don't want to admit it I guess but at the end of the day. The thunder to me are loaded top to bottom FOR THE REGULAR SEASON as I've pointed out but in the playoffs I'm not sure a lot of those guys will contribute at this level look at jdubb in that Dallas series last year he was awful and ik you're going to argue it's bc he had to guard ky and now he don't blah blah bc I'll tell you teams won't care if caruso or Wallace or whoever shoots but jdubb he's really young and a lot of the teams out west don't think he can hold up his end of the bargain like sga and we all think sga will. He's truly a top 5 guy but it's yet to be seen from the rest of them guys and you can't really deny that.

[@j.hooton3461]

Memphis homerism is crazy on this one

[@morgan2552t]

They've been exposed without their 2a or 2b best player in chet holmgren.. 😂

[@redruml5872]

None of it matters. The regular season is meaningless and has no baring on the playoffs....

[@BillWithers-hu3zz]

But wait, I thought SGA cleared Tatum, Chet is an emerging superstar, JDUB over Jaylen Brown…this OKC team should run circles around the Celtics. 4-1 series? Maybe a sweep?

[@andrecambridge4474]

He does and he is. The series is probably a Celtics win. But Tatum is a bench boy and we all know it.