What did Lillard s goal change? The Thunder s new third young master used 68 wins + finals stage to interpret the miracle of fate

Do you still remember Lillard's long three-pointer that broke through the sky that year? The moment when basketball is hollowed into the net not only ends the Thunder's playoff journey, but also looks like a key, quietly opening up a wonderful story about the future. Sometimes I have to sigh at the magic of fate. Those seemingly cruel moments may be the prologue of the new chapter.

In 2023, when Wizards President Wenger asserted that "NBA teams cannot have super giants, new stars and cap space at the same time", I am afraid that the old club, the Thunder, would become the most powerful rebutter. Just like the foreshadowing deliberately laid, in the summer of 2024, the Thunder used 3 years to sign Haltenstein's operation to accurately fill the last piece of the lineup's puzzle. Who would have thought that this team that had experienced team reconstruction had an explosion in the 2024-25 season - Alexander won the MVP trophy, Jaylen Williams ranked among the All-Stars + Best Lineup + Best Defensive Team, and even Homegren, who had limited attendance due to injury, still showed the dominance of the inside gate after his comeback. The 68-win regular season record and the strength of defeating the Grizzlies, Nuggets and Timberwolves in the playoffs have made Oklahoma City fans wait for the finals stage for 13 years, and finally ushered in the home team again.

Every time I talk about this experience with Jaylen Williams, he always mentions that night of the 2019 playoffs. At that time, he was just a young boy who was about to enter the NCAA. Looking at Lillard's cold-blooded blow 36 feet away, he was shocked and more confused about the future. Who would have thought that the moment that determined the Thunder's fate would have connected the trajectory of three young people like dominoes: Alexander, who was looking forward to the future in the Clippers, Homgren, who enjoyed high school, and himself who was nervous about the draft market. "If there was no that goal, maybe there would be no story we are now." Jaylenway always sighed like this.

The chain reaction of fate is much more exciting than expected. Leonard's obsession with joining the Clippers made George's trade inevitable, and Doug Rivers' question of "Can you not send Alexander away" eventually formed the cornerstone of the Thunder's reconstruction. Presti is like a trader who is well versed in chess. At the time when he is forced to dismantle the team, he not only leaves the core of the future, but also saves a full selection of draft picks. When he renewed his contract with Alexander for $173 million in five years, everyone understood that this "scout general manager" once again bet - after all, Durant, Westbrook and Harden, who he personally chose, were all standing on the MVP podium.

Alexander's growth trajectory is textbook-level. From his youthfulness of averaging 19 points per game in the 2019-20 season to an explosion of 31.4 points per game in the 2022-23 season, he used data to interpret what a "gradual superstar path" is. But what really makes Thunder fans feel at ease is the young team built around him by the management. In the 2022 draft, Homgren, who won the second pick and Jaylen Williams, who was selected for the No. 12 pick, who would have thought that this pair would set off a storm in the future?

It's really a sense of fate: the Clippers missed the playoffs due to injury, which turned the likely higher draft pick into the No. 12 pick, and this pick happened to choose Jaylenway, who was not favored at the time. Originally regarded as the second in command, Homegren, however, delayed his growth due to a jungle ball injury, which instead allowed Jay Levitra to seize the opportunity to transform from a "3D wing" into an all-round star. However, Homgren's talent has never been questioned. His defensive dominance this season is terrifying - when 148 players made at least 200 layups, he scored 45.2% limit on shooting, and even Vampanyama and Gobert were at a disadvantage. Dortmund's comment "He doesn't care whether he is detained" expresses the fighting spirit of this inside star.

Compared with the old Thunder Three Young Master, the chemistry of the new version is even more surprising. The golden configuration of defenders + wings + inside, and the technical characteristics of both offense and defense allow them to contribute 10 three-pointers and 8 steals while setting a team record in the Western Conference Finals G4 scored 95 points. Looking at their cooperation on the court, people always remind them of the young thunder in 2012, but now they seem to have found a better way to compatibility.

Of course, salary pressure is always the sword of Damocles hanging overhead. But compared to the regret of being forced to send Harden away, the Thunder is now more calm - there is still one buffer period next season, and the average age of Alexander, Homegren and Jay Levitra is only 24 years old. As Alexander said, "They are only 23 or 24 years old, and they are not even at their peak." This vibrant team is like a treasure waiting to be excavated, carrying the desire of the Russian City fans for the championship and continuing the unfinished dream of the third young man. Perhaps in the near future, we can really see them picking up the O'Brien Cup and bringing the most perfect end to that story about youth and destiny.