The Thunder team for which I played could have been a dynasty. This one can still | Oklahoma City Thunder

I was in Oklahoma City last month when the Thunder won its semi-final from the Western Conference Against the Nuggets of the match 7And saw the Thunder Run Denver in the first hand off the field. The game was not even close. The Thunder surpassing them on both sides of the courtyard.

Defensively, the coach of the Thunder Mark deigneult put the 6 feet 5 inches Alex Caruso in the Nikola Jokić 6 feet 11 inches and, surprisingly, it worked. With Chet Holmgren or Isaiah, Hartenstein providing support on the help side, I looked at a jokić frustrated to fight to go to his places. His usual tips – flop, pulling mistakes – did not work. The Thunder defense moved to perfect synchronization, and it completely disturbed the rhythm of Denver.

It was absolutely beautiful to watch. The Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Thunder was named MVP of the League shortly after, beating Jokić in second position, and it really deserved the prize.

Their superior defense was again exhibited during the western conference finals against Minnesota Timberwolves. In the victory of match 5 which sealed the progress of the Thunder to the NBA finalsI watched them destroy the Timberwolves and the defense was once again the key. Anthony Edwards of Minnesota described the defense of the Thunder: “A chain, 15 puppets on a chain.”

This is what motivated their ascent all year round. In a league where defense is often neglected or criticized, the Thunder has made their identity. And now these are only four victories far from a Nba title.

But as I appreciated this current Thunder team, I can’t help but think back to the Thunder team for which I played in 2010.

The Thunder are strongly favored to beat the Indiana Pacers in the NBA final, which start Thursday, and they are the youngest team to have ever done the final … The Thunder did it with a completely different casting in 2012. But I can say with 100% confidence, that if the Thunder kept this team – with Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, James Harden and Serge Ibaka – won several championships.

In 2009-2010, when I was part of the list, the Thunder was extremely young. Scott Brooks was the coach. It was the recruit year of James Harden. I remember that when I met him for the first time, he shook my hand and said to me: “Delighted to meet you sir. I grew up watching you play university with Syracuse. You blocked everything and shut up”

This is where I realized that I was now the old man in the room. But it also struck me – Harden was in the same position where I went once when I joined the Washington Wizards as a recruit, meeting guys like Michael Jordan, Patrick Ewing, Charles Oakley and Christian Laettner.

Throughout this season, myself, Kevin Ollie and Nick Collison, who were some of the team’s older men, sat down and looked at the youngest, shaking their heads and saying: “These young cats did not know how good they will be”.

It all started with KD.

He was the youngest player to have ever managed the league by scoring at the time. And his work ethics was something that I had never seen before.

I remember that after training, KD did this exercise that he loved-playing head-on against an invisible defender. But he went there with the intensity of someone who participates in the NBA final. Each movement was as clear and deliberate as possible. Everything was at the speed of the game.

After training, we all entered – shaken, eaten, receive treatment, spoken. Some coaches watched the film with players. Then we returned to the field, and KD was still there, becoming full speed with his head-on-one movements. Sweetness of sweat. He had been there for almost two hours.

I had never seen this kind of concentration before. But when the team’s star works so hard, everyone is online and that’s exactly what happened. The whole team has reached its level. Even after someone had a big match, he was back at the gym the next day, working as if he had just lost. They directed defensive slides and exercises in the middle of the season, when most of the teams reduced training time.

Harden fell online and worked hard every day. Even when he made recruit errors, he quickly picked up work ethics. It was clear – if KD had no criticized problem, Harden couldn’t either.

I looked at Harden to study KD closely – how hard he worked on his shot, his offensive movements, his cups in the basket, how he moved without the ball. Even after having left 40 years the day before, KD returned to work. And Harden noticed.

Then there was Russell Westbrook – without fear, relentless. He trained stronger than anyone and played as a Tasmanian devil, all intensity and energy. He would pick up the full court, never taking a game. I remember that coach Brooks said to the staff: “If we are not slowing down this guy, he will be worn.” But he never did it. He continued – at full speed, all the time.

Westbrook was supervised by Maurice Cheeks, who really took him under his wing, guiding and encouraging him. I remember hearing them speak on the plane after the matches – you could feel the intensity and passion in Russ’s voice. This hunger was real, and it was going to take him far. And it did.

Then there was Jeff Green – one of the most underestimated players of this Thunder team, in my opinion. It was an integral part of their success. He has never complained of gunshots, touches or a lack of recognition. He has just introduced himself and did his job. Too fast for most attackers, too strong for most small attackers and incredibly effective. He did not decide anyone. And its ability to keep positions 2 to 5 it made it invaluable.

Ibaka was young, athletic and raw – but he was soaking everything. By the way, Thabo was also a key element of this team.

Let me be clear: I do not blame myself on the organization or any player to explain why this group did not stay together and I became a dynasty. But the talent was there. And they were only going to improve. This will be part of one of the biggest What -Iifs in the history of the NBA – not if They would have won a title together, but How much They could have won if they had stayed together.

This current OKC team has similar talent levels. But this time there is a real chance of finishing what they started. And with the NBA final from Thursday, they are lucky to start a championship race – which could last for years.