Right before the postseason began, pundits wondered aloud whether play-in protagonists in the Western Conference were better off trying to finagle their way into eighth. Even as the question was off-putting for purists who believe that tempting fate can never be a positive, it nonetheless underscored a valid point: Placements in brackets matter. And at stake in this particular discussion was a first-round date with the Thunder — no doubt strong as evidenced by their pacesetting standing in the conference, but who likewise lack the experience seen as a requisite to postseason success.
To be sure, nobody bit into the prospect. Even the Lakers found it insulting, never mind that the alternative meant another best-of-seven affair with the seemingly invincible Nuggets. The overriding reason, of course, is that past performances should not be treated as a predictor of future outcomes. Which is to say that the purple and gold knew they could both upend their longtime foils and be overcome by the upstart Thunder depending on how things play out. They would do well not to dwell on factors other than those they can control — how and to what extent they are able to give a good accounting of themselves.
Now, two and a half weeks into the playoffs, the results are mixed at best. The Lakers wound up shellacked by the Nuggets anew, with the gentleman’s sweep claiming a victim in erstwhile head coach Darvin Ham. Meanwhile, the Thunder took out their broomsticks against the supposedly competitive Pelicans. For good measure, they then exposed the Mavericks as pretenders in Game One of the conference semifinals, the sterling showing against the Clippers in the previous round notwithstanding. So much the blue and yellow for being wet behind the ears.
Certainly, one match does not guarantee advancement to the West Finals. The Thunder can yet fall prey from an otherworldly effort by the Mavericks courtesy of All-Stars Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. Then again, it’s equally fair to contend that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been the best of the best in the series, highlighting his status as a bona fide Most Valuable Player candidate. Today, he gets to prove it anew, and the onus is on the seemingly backpedaling competition to stand in his way. Else, one more short series looks to be in the offing.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.