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Hardwood Paroxysm presents Super-Overreactionizer 5.5.14: Cool first round, bro

By HP Basketball Network

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The Oklahoma City Thunder Are Just Lucky to Be Here

May 3, 2014; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Caron Butler (2) congratulates guard Russell Westbrook (0) after a play in action against the Memphis Grizzlies during the fourth quarter in game seven of the first round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
May 3, 2014; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Caron Butler (2) congratulates guard Russell Westbrook (0) after a play in action against the Memphis Grizzlies during the fourth quarter in game seven of the first round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /

by Jack “Karl” Maloney (@jmaloney9)

Talk about a lucky break—or actually, multiple lucky breaks. The Oklahoma City Thunder are advancing to the second round of the Western Conference Playoffs, but you know it, I know it, they know it; they’re just lucky to be here.

The Thunder are a great team. There’s no doubt about that. Kevin Durant should win the MVP award, and Russell Westbrook is a top ten player in the league. But that doesn’t mean they can’t be beaten. And they should have been, to be honest.

The Memphis Grizzlies were the better team in the series, and they deserved to win. Unfortunately, Mike Conley was battling injured hamstrings, and Tony Allen—who had been locking up Durant—had to deal with a migraine in Game 7. And on top of all that, the league stepped in like Vince McMahon and pulled a “Montreal Screwjob,” suspending Zach Randolph and handing the series to Oklahoma City. If that’s not luck for the Thunder, I don’t know what is.

Look at OKC, celebrating about being gifted a series win against an undermanned team that was less talented to begin with. They might be moving on to the second round, but they’ve got a date with the Los Angeles Clippers staring you in the face. Now there’s a real team. They fought through adversity to get to the Western Conference Semi-Finals.

The Thunder?

Now they’re just lucky to be here.

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