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Extra reason to watch
Every NBA team has a character or two who go above and beyond to entertain the fans. Whether it adding flair to their game, playing with an unconventional attitude, or being a generally goofy guy, these guys become easily identifiable as the season progresses.
If you thought I was going to pick anyone other than Russ for the Thunder, you don’t know me. There isn’t a player more entertaining to me in the league, from the dress, to the scowl, to his general disdain for anyone not in a Thunder uniform, that means the rim as well, Russ plays the game with an unparalleled aggression and hatred, never allowing the opponent to gain an edge.
Case in point, last Sunday vs the Pacers, Russ had two only Russ plays. The first was when he blocked George Hill during a timeout as if he was shooting a Finals winning three.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59XcfWWon9c
Then later in the game, he poked the ball away from Lance Stephenson and let out the most classic Russ death glare/glance of dismissal imaginable before running down court.
The Grizzlies, though they display grit and grind at every turn, do have some sense of entertainment in them. For me, there isn’t a better combination of passing skill and flair in one big man than Marc Gasol, someone who sees tiny angles but also has the ability to create these angles out of ingenuity.
Despite the subsequent shot missing from this pass, if we get just one more of these out of Marc before season’s end, I’ll be one happy camper.
Prediction
The Grizzlies aren’t your average 7 seed, having won 50 games this year, and being 40-19 when Gasol plays, good enough for a 56 win pace. That would have put them as the 4 seed in the West this year, making this much more like a second round matchup. These teams know each other very well and there is not going to be much that either side can throw out there that is going to surprise the other, which means we will get the pleasure of watching two teams try and impose their contrasting styles on the other.
With that said, the Thunder have not one, but two players who are better than anyone on the Grizz and that goes a long way in the playoffs. I know the Grizz will bring everything they got and push the Thunder every game, but in the end, theThunder will take the series in 6, avenging their loss from last year.
All stats per basketball-reference.com.
Sports VU stats come from nba.com.
Guess the Lakers players!
