As if Oklahoma City needed any more bad news, a blog on the Oklahoman website is arguing that the ankle injury that Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook suffered in the first round against the Houston Rockets may end up costing his team an NBA championship.
The defending NBA champion Miami Heat are facing the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 in Miami with a spot in the NBA Finals at stake tonight. With nagging injuries to Heat guard Dwyane Wade and ineffective play from forward-center Chris Bosh, the Heat are in real danger of having their season end tonight.
That makes Westbrook's injury all the more difficult to swallow, the Oklahoman writes.
"If Indiana wins, the Russell Westbrook injury hurts even more. There was a feeling in Thunderville - maybe not within Thunder headquarters, I don't know, but among the fans and media and general NBA people - that this was not to be the Thunder's season. Miami was too tough. A bad matchup for OKC. ...
"But Indy in the NBA Finals? That's a different story. Then all of a sudden, the Thunder's title chance are much greater. Of course, OKC would have had to dispatch Memphis and San Antonio. I'm confident the Thunder would have beaten the Grizzlies; I think the Thunder would have beaten the Spurs, too, although that was a virtual tossup. And heck, beating the Pacers would have been a bear, too."
The Thunder, however, likely would have been favored in all three series. Without Westbrook, Kevin Durant and the Thunder lost to Memphis in five games - although none of the Grizzlies' wins were by more than six points.
The Spurs swept the Grizzlies, and they said their loss in the Western Conference Finals to Oklahoma City last season after winning the first two games was part of their motivation this season.
The Thunder didn't have sixth man James Harden this season, but could've had the upper hand mentally if they would've gotten ahead early in the series - just as the Pacers have been able to tear down the Heat's aura of invincibility.
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