10 best games from 2008-09: No. 10

How about a little countdown leading up to training camp (just two weeks away!!!)? Everybody knows once you get sucked in to a countdown, there’s no leaving it. That’s why for some reason I get trapped watching things like “Top 50 Ugliest Celebrity Divorces” and “Top 20 Irish Folk Songs from the 70s.” If you show me No. 20, I’ve got to know what No. 1 is. Just got to. So here we go.

No. 10:  Thunder wins first game ever, 88-85 over Minnesota

It’s almost no fun to count this game because it came during the Dark Times. It happened when Coach Peej was leading the team and we were about to watch a brand new team with a ton of excitement start 1-16. But regardless, this win was the first one and it was a pretty good game. Ahead by one with 30 seconds left Nick Collison hit a runner to put OKC up 88-85. After a big stop, Jeff Green was fouled and

missed both. But the Thunder got the stop they needed, locking up an 88-85 win.

Kevin Durant had 18, Collison finished with a double-double and Russell Westbrook started his breakout with 14 points and a couple excellent defensive plays late. Sure, the next win wouldn’t come for another 27 days, but maybe that’s what kind of made this one so special.