These are good times for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Scott Brooks’ team has won seven straight games after defeating the Indiana Pacers 105-92 Tuesday night, strengthening its grip on the West’s eighth and final playoff spot. The Thunder now lead the ninth-place New Orleans Pelicans by two and-a-half games in the standings, and are three full games up on the Phoenix Suns – whom they meet Thursday in the desert for a must-win game from the home squad.
Russell Westbrook is playing like the MVP. Serge Ibaka is enjoying the best stretch of his career. Oklahoma City’s new additions have made a nearly seamless transition. And the Thunder are doing it all with Kevin Durant sidelined and slowly regaining full health.
So when Oklahoma City’s reserves broke Tuesday’s game open with a flurry of treys early in the fourth quarter, it was no surprise to see a star-studded bench celebrate with aplomb. We just assumed that Westbrook and Ibaka could come up with well-intentioned taunts a bit more creative than these.
Which is better/worse: Westbrook’s wild bowling stroke or Ibaka’s hilariously wooden jig?
Like the aesthetic of either player’s antics, the truth is that it doesn’t matter. What does is that the Thunder are suddenly playing well enough for Westbrook and Ibaka to bust out these celebrations at all.
And when Durant returns to the lineup, we’ve a feeling it will be high time for both stars to come up with new ones.
[Vines via Thunder Obsessed and DylanBuckingham]
