FROM THUNDER TO DRIZZLE

The re-building Oklahoma City Thunder had a big overhaul this off-season. The team said goodbye to their two superstars, Paul George, and more notably, Russell Westbrook, who has been the most consistent and decorated part of the franchise’s 11-year existence.

As OKC moves on, its new marquee name is 34-year-old Chris Paul, an aging All-Star that has three years and $124 Million left on his massive contract. He was part of the Westbrook deal and it is an unkept secret that he’s there to be a trade bait to teams that are on a win-now mode.

For now, though, “CP3” will act as the leader of the Thunder, particularly as the mentor for their potential future star, second-year point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The former Kentucky Wildcat was a key piece in the crumbs that OKC received in exchange for George.

Gilgeous-Alexander has shown flashes of being a defensive guard with great instincts and slashing abilities – think Rajon Rondo. He had solid rookie year and averaged 10.8 points, 3.3 assists, and 1.2 steals per game.

A EUROPEAN TANDEM

The Dallas Mavericks also waved goodbye to a fixture in their franchise as one of the city’s most beloved sports stars in history, Dirk Nowitzki, has decided to hang it up after 21 seasons with the team and a long list of franchise records.

Still, there’s good reason to believe that the Mavericks have a bright future ahead. Through good drafting and some wheeling and dealing, they have two of the most talented European players in the league today – Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis.

Doncic won the 2019 NBA Rookie of the Year award through showcasing versatility and a knack for making clutch plays. He quickly brushed off doubts casted upon foreign rookies and ended up the year averaging 21.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 6.0 assists per game. To top it all off, he also set the record for most triple-doubles by a rookie, with 8, breaking Magic Johnson’s mark that almost stood for three decades.

The hype for Porzingis isn’t as strong since his last real NBA action was in February 2018, when he went down with an ACL injury. However, the talent that the kid has is still undeniable – he isn’t called “The Unicorn” for nothing. The 24-year-old is a ball-handling, sweet-shooting, and rim-protecting forward that towers opponents with his 7’3 frame.

Before getting hurt midway through his 2017-18 campaign with the New York Knicks, Porzingis was netting 22.9 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks per game. Whether he can reach those numbers again is still a mystery.

WHO COMES OUT ON TOP?

We should see the Thunder with a lot of energy. They are playing in front of their home crowd and will also be influenced by head coach Billy Donovan’s defensive-minded style.

That being said, it’s hard to go against one of the masters of adjustments, Mavs coach Rick Carlisle. Since Carlisle would also have a team that’s been playing together much longer, they look more poised to get the win.