Durant Gets Last Laugh ... for Now

You Can't Go Home Again
-- Thomas Wolfe

Wolfe definitely couldn't. Dude was dead and gone by the time his book got published.

But it's a bit different when you're a professional athlete.

Wolfe had a point if it was a popular jock who ever dared to leave his home. He'd feel wrath. Without the grapes. Different book.

Especially if he comes home with one of the NBA's best teams.

The NBA world was shook last July, when Kevin Durant jumped ship to join an already stacked Golden State Warriors team.

The move evoked strong reactions by both fans and players.

However, no one was quite as upset at Durant as his former Thunder buddy, Russell Westbrook.

The day Durant announced he was taking his talent to San Fran, Westbrook dropped the infamous cupcake pic on his Instagram account. While not explicit, dude was using Thunder code to call KD soft.

The stage for an exciting NBA rivalry was set.

However, so far the rivalry has been pretty one-sided.

In the first two clashes, the home team Dubs won by a combined score of 243 to 196. In the second game, Durant went off on his former team, dropping 40 points, including five treys.

Death Match III was supposed to be different.

With the venue being Oklahoma City, Durant wouldn't have the kind and cuddly Warriors crowd to cheer him on against the revenge of Westbrook.

Suffice to say, the OKC crowd didn't disappoint in venting their anger at Durant. Thunder fans even created a t-shirt with KowarD on the front and a cupcake on the back.

Let’s not forget, these fans only have a team because the SuperSonics were stolen from Seattle, but we digress.

In the early going, the Thunder gave Golden State an early shock, but that was only for the moment. By halftime, the Dubs were utterly dominating an obviously undermatched OKC crew, 73-50.

Down by 23 against the best team in the league, a lot of squads would've quit, but not a team led by King Petty Westbrook.

Still down big late in the third, Westbrook began chirping at KD that he’s coming.

Durant, with the scoreboard on his side, shrugged off the confrontation. At least, he ignored this one.

Later in third, Durant got into it with André Roberson over a less-than-kind foul.

While Westbrook and Roberson may have been glad to get in their shots, Durant and the Dubs still came away with another easy W.

With their three regular season meetings now come and gone, Durant doesn’t have to worry about Westbrook, at least until what could be an awkward All-Star game.

Maybe the NBA gods will grant a Warriors-Thunder playoff series, but only if it'd be competitive.