What about the Thunder?

This has been one crazy offseason for the NBA. From Deron Williams deciding to stay in Brooklyn for a hefty 98 million dollar deal to Ray Allen going to the dark side in Miami.  Then came Steve Nash's decision to leave the desert and join rival Kobe Bryant in the quest for a championship(his first).  Yes with the addition of Nash, the Lakers are suddenly a better team.  Nash is one of the best point guards of all time. We all know that.  But what bothers me, and a lot of other people, is that the Lakers are now being labeled as "the big threat in the West" or as the "only team to dethrone the Heat."

Have they completely forgotten about the Thunder? The team that came out of the Western Conference this year? The team that just beat the best West teams of the last decade in the playoffs? The team with the BEST player in the NBA? I could go on and on.  These people on ESPN are saying that the Lakers are the only team who can beat the mighty Heat.  Yes the Lakers are a good team. They have Kobe Bryant who is one of the greatest players of all time.  There's no dispute there.  But the guy is 34 years old and is now teaming up with another legend in Steve Nash, who is turning 38 this year himself.  So yes they do have experience on their side.  A lot more than the Thunder.  But who really expected the young Thunder to be this good? I don't think anyone did.  We all knew they were talented and that Durant could be an amazing player.  But reaching the Finals in their fourth year playing together? That's crazy.  What's even crazier is that most of these guys are in their early 20s. They're very mature for their age, especially Durant.  America has fallen in love with these guys.  They are the future of the NBA.

My point with all this is that I wish the Thunder would get more respect.  Is it still because they play in Oklahoma City and not in some big city like LA or Miami? I don't know.  I just don't think we'll really get the respect we deserve until we win a championship, which will be next year.  I hope these guys on ESPN will realize how good we really are and keep us in the contender talk each year.  Miami is very good and it's going to take a very good team to beat them.  I don't think it's the Lakers.  The Thunder is the team to beat in the West and will dethrone the Heat next year.  That will start the Thunder dynasty.