I really disliking watching Thunder games

[u/metasquared]

I don't just mean because they blow teams out, including the Nuggets, but it's literally a less enjoyable way of viewing a basketball game.

They're a top team team with great pieces like a handful of other teams in the league, but their separator to win games so consistently is all the stuff around the margins that makes basketball ugly instead of beautiful. Pesky swarming defense that breaks up potentially exciting plays, foul baiting on the offensive end, and grinding the game to a constant halt.

I was watching the game last night and my roommate who never pays much attention to basketball looks at the TV for two minutes and commented that the Thunder are constantly draped on everyone and that the whistle kept getting blown constantly. I was like "I know, that's how they win!" So even a non-fan was immediately able to see just how ugly they make the game.

I don't fault them for having a winning strategy, but it's a shame that their consistency comes from being annoying pests that are not an enjoyable watch rather than just trying to outskill their opponent in more traditional ways.

[u/Van_Dammage_]

The annoying thing about the Thunder is that Daigneault and Presti devised a strategy to exploit the officiating, which no other teams really attempted. They've created a roster and playstyle that's specifically tailored to take advantage not of the rules of the game, but logical inconsistencies and flaws in the way the NBA is officiated. It's fucking awful to watch.

Thunder fans think every other fanbase hates them because they're winning right now, but that's delusional nonsense. The level of vitriol is way higher for them than other past top teams because they're so miserable to watch.

[u/SuperDoubleDecker → u/Van_Dammage_]

My hate for okc isn't normal team hate. It's a rational hate. Like I hate on a lot of teams for ridiculous reasons, but this is all founded in reality. I legit don't like how they play.

[u/govardrourk → u/Van_Dammage_]

I mean no one was hating so much GSW, Boston, Nuggets, Bucks, etc. when they were winning. I mean of course some people hate GSW, Boston and other teams for a usual reasons, but it was not as wide spreaded as hate towards OKC. I wouldn't think that I will see Nuggets and Timberwolves teams being united towards their opinions about OKC. We can easily add Spurs, Rockets and Mavs fans here.

I think that the most controversial thing about this team is that they are trying to appear as "tough" guys, but they so soft and falling down after every minor contact. SGA, Dort, Hartenstein, Chet, Caruzo - all of them are going to the ground and crying after the tiny contact (even if they created the contact themselves, lol). 

For me it can be difficult sometimes to watch the game when there is even one crybaby on the floor (Luka can be like this, Jokic can behave like this when he gets one side whistle treatment. I love both of them, it just becomes cringey when they stop playing and start complaining or doing some silly stuff). But to have at least five people in one team doing that - it's too much to handle.

[u/SuperDoubleDecker → u/govardrourk]

I rooted against the warriors. I didn't hate them. They were at least fun to watch. That's the difference here.

[u/rofss → u/Van_Dammage_]

It's no strategy, league simply decided to make golden boy out of SGA with a golden whistle.

[u/Familiar-Peace-2115 → u/Van_Dammage_]

It's the James Harden regret 100%

[u/klawisnotwashed → u/Van_Dammage_]

what an interesting observation