The biggest game of the season for the Thunder is Friday in Oklahoma City.
Yeah, in November.
Yeah, this is real life and that's where this team is.
Just 4-12, but honestly, happy to be there, the Thunder get the Knicks and a win is really important.
Yeah, this early in the season.
Here are three reasons why only a win will do Friday night:
1. Because Russell Westbrook is going to play
No, nothing official has been announced, but yes, be surprised if Westbrook does not play. Hey, be surprised if Westbrook doesn't start, doesn't score 20 points, doesn't dominate the game.
All signs are pointing to Westbrook playing starting with the fact that he and Kevin Durant have been practicing for much of the past week, including going through contact drills. Meanwhile, coach Scott Brooks said before Wednesday's win against Utah Westbrook and Durant were set to be re-evaluated in the "next few days." And if you're into full-blown conspiracy theory kind of stuff, Brooks even avoided questions about how guard Sebastian Telfair was fitting in with the Thunder.
By now, you know Telfair was waived Wednesday after playing against the Jazz, making room for one of the Thunder's inactive players. Seems to make sense that they would waive a guard to bring in a guard, right?
A season ago, Westbrook had 14 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists in a 123-94 victory on Christmas Day. Little did we know, it would be the last game Westbrook would play after re-injuring his knee and sitting out until after the All-Star break. Coincidental it would be the Knicks for his first game back after missing all but one game this season.
If Westbrook plays, it's hard to imagine a scenario where he doesn't put forth a game-seven kind of effort. The Thunder aren't in desperation mode, but Westbrook will play like it.
In addition, fans have been treated to a season's worth of close losses. It can be explained away in large part because the Thunder haven't had that go-to reliable player to count on in the final seconds. Serge Ibaka and Reggie Jackson have missed shots that would have won or tied games. So has Andre Roberson.
If Russell Westbrook plays, and he will, he'll take it upon himself to make sure Oklahoma City wins. And against the Knicks, that may be enough.
2. Because it's the Knicks
Too many games against too many good teams remain so when an Eastern Conference team not named the Bulls, Cavs or Raptors comes to town, a win is a real possibility no matter who suits up for the Thunder.
Oklahoma City has already lost at home to Detroit and already lost at home to Brooklyn. Losing to the 4-12 Knicks, at this point, is pretty much unacceptable if we're going to still think playoffs for the the Thunder.
The Knicks don't have a win this season over a team with a winning record. Now, they have beaten Cleveland, but their other wins have come against Denver, Charlotte and the winless 76ers.
Seriously, lose to the Knicks and you might as well start panicking about Durant's upcoming free agency, thinking draft picks and who is going to get the Thunder to the playoffs in the 2015-16 season. Lose to the Knicks and it's not just a rock-bottom holiday weekend, it's pretty much the beginning to the end of a bad season.
3. Because Derek Fisher is over there
This isn't the time to let Derek Fisher get the headlines â because he will if the former Thunder guard wins Friday night.
We all know the downside of what happens if and when Fisher, now the Knicks coach, gets a win over the team he played for the past several seasons.
This is a game where Brooks has a decisive coaching advantage. Fisher had never even called as much as a timeout until October as he went right from the floor to carrying a clipboard. Now he's in charge of directing a bunch of life-long malcontents in Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith how to share the ball and run the Triangle offense.
Kind of makes Brooks' job of deciding when to play Lance Thomas and Ish Smith a lot easier when put in the proper perspective.
No doubt, it will be emotional and there will be pre-game hugs and daps for the likable Fisher, but c'mon, you can't let a team like New York come to town on a Friday night and steal a win no matter how bad your situation is.
A loss against the Kincks would have to be considered the worst loss of the year.
And that means ...
Essentially, if the Thunder don't win, especially coming off a victory Wednesday against Utah where they put together maybe their most-complete effort of the season, all the good vibes of Westbrook returning will lead to questions on whether the Thunder are going to be good enough, even with Westbrook in the lineup to chase down a playoff spot.
Follow Andrew Gilman on Twitter: @andrewgilmanOK
