The Golden State Warriors, people betting on basketball, the entire world, everyone was shocked by the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 108-102 win in game 1 of the NBA Western Conference Finals. The question is, can OKC keep the momentum rolling for game 2, which will take place on Wednesday at the Oracle Arena in Oakland? If they hope to do so, the Thunder need to strike while the iron is hot. It’s safe to say that we never saw that Oklahoma team coming – but then again we also never saw that Warriors team coming.
The Thunder definitely need to keep mining that vein because they struck gold, but also because it is a certainty as big as a cathedral that Golden State immediately went back to the proverbial drawing board and will be out for blood on Wednesday night. Nothing short of tying the series would be acceptable, which is way sneaking away to the Chesapeake Energy Arena with a 2-0 lead would hurt the Warriors more than anything else – and who knows, maybe even deprive them of their current status as sports betting on basketball favorites. Even Charles Barkley has gone as far as giving the series to “OKC in six” – as long as that’s okay with Charles Oakley, of course.
I don’t know if Chuck felt the same way prior to the game, or if he just flipped-flopped, but I wouldn’t blame him if it were the latter. In fact, I wouldn’t blame myself either. Because this Thunder victory is the very definition of game-changing. Before it, nobody in sports betting gave OKC snowball’s chance in hell. Sure, it was going to be even, and most likely not a sweep – the Warriors are by no means undefeated in this postseason – but it was pretty much a foregone conclusion that Golden State would keep its march toward the Championship series at the expense of the Thunder. Lack of foresight, or did Oklahoma truly pulled off a miracle on the court? And if so, was changing our collective opinion the real miracle?
At the end of the day, the Warriors might easily win the next four consecutive games. But they might not, and that’s what’s different know. Things are interesting now; there is a sense of drama, urgency, suspense, poignancy. Golden State is no longer the safest proposition when it comes to betting on basketball. In summary, the Thunder has us all believing, and when push comes to shove, who doesn’t love a good underdog story. Moreover, as far as I’m concerned, Oklahoma already has a special place in my heart for having knocked off the San Antonio Spurs. Who’s to say they can’t do the same to the Warriors?