Everyone knew the Thunder entered the playoffs with a big goal in mind. With their star racing MVP, the idea was never to leave room and easy. They were fearless throughout the season with a 68-14 record, and in the playoffs, it was always expected that they would be daunting the opposition from the get-go, irrespective of the team that came their way. But seeing the thrashing the Grizzlies are taking at their hands, it’s quite astonishing what pushed them to play such a pathetic game. You know which fans are laughing the hardest? Kevin Durant‘s 11th-placed Phoenix Suns. They knew- if the shoe was on the other foot, the fate would’ve been the same, if not worse.

Context? Three-quarters leads saw the Thunder make history. The 32-point first-half lead serves as the largest first-half margin in Thunder playoff history. And let me point out some irony here- the largest win in NBA history came in a 73-point victory by the Grizzlies in a 152-79 win over the Thunder on December 2, 2021. So seeing OKC repay the favour is hilarious to the Phoenix fanbase. Or treat to the eyes to anyone who just loves seeing the ball drop from the basket. Ja Morant and co., honestly, didn’t have anything to surprise or punch a record in the last two quarters either as they hand over the series 0-1 to the OKC, losing 80-131.

But what drags the Suns? To be honest, Phoenix doesn’t have a lot to celebrate this season. There are debates ongoing on them being the worst super team in NBA history. And in Durant’s illustrious Hall of Fame career, this part will be buried in the fine print. So you can’t really blame the fans for ripping into Memphis’ joke of a display at the Paycom Center. Let’s dive deeper into these comments.

Suns fans relieved they’re not in Grizzlies’ position

You can’t keep people’s humor away when you choose to do a circus on the court. But worse, to the Grizzlies’ beating, the Suns took the bullet. One among many, a Phoenix fan took to X to write, “Thank God I didn’t have to watch the Suns get abused this way.” Well, if this doesn’t pinch the biggies of the Suns, then nothing can. After a season where Phoenix’s star-studded trio somehow produced more headlines than wins and zero playoff chemistry, the upset lies deep.

“That could have been my Suns. Thank god we didn’t make it 😹” The pain in the sarcasm is visible. Can’t blame fans as a team that lost 9 of their last 10 games, would have crawled all throughout the court for shelter to this OKC thunderstorm. and “Thank God the Suns ain’t playing against these ni—-.” are the narratives set currently. The fans know their squad’s quality, that it would’ve beckoned a heavier defeat if the roles were reversed.

Had the Suns made the playoffs, Kevin Durant wouldn’t have been available. And seeing as how he’s easily their best attacking output, they know they’re better off laughing at their TV screens. The Suns ended their season on the 11th with a shameful 36-46 record. The Thunder had no mercy on anyone this season, and the Suns were no exception as they too were blown out 125-112 in the last encounter.

If Phoenix were in this first series game, the fans helped themselves to predict their half-time scores too. A fan said, “Suns would have only had like 15 points right now” while another fan said “if suns made the offs, this score would be 10 – 63 OKC 😹😹.” So, what actually happened when the pair met during the regular season?

Met thrice, only to get crushed. The worst of it came during the trade window when the Thunder knocked the Suns for 140-109. On top of that, the Suns lost their last 6 head-to-head against Oklahoma City. The last win came exactly 2 years ago! But contrary to the ongoings of the first playoff series game between the Grizz and Thunder, the Suns were up at halftime in the last two meetings against OKC. It was a second-half meltdown that caused their loss. So, can you imagine if the Thunder brought the same heat in those games? The outcome would’ve been much worse for sure.

The fans have had their fun for sure. There’s no doubt that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the OKC Thunder would’ve sent the Suns straight into the slumps. Despite the Grizzlies game being Shai’s worst game statistically, OKC has proved that they’re a solid team unit and are here for a reason. And for Kevin Durant and co.? They are better off preparing for the next season. What’s your take on this?