Denver Post columnist: The Thunder are ‘hotheads,’ Durant ‘soft’

Presented without comment, the Denver Post’s Mark Kiszla:

As a championship contender, Oklahoma City is a fraud. The Thunder is a collection of soft jump-shooters and irritable hotheads. This young team has undeniable basketball ability but a lot of growing up to do.

Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, the Thunder’s best players, received technical fouls by whining at the refs for perceived injustices.

The jump shot of Durant, who doesn’t like to get dirty, has betrayed him for most of this series. He is soft and adds little besides scoring. Wasn’t that the rap on Anthony in Denver?

That’s not a chip on the shoulder of Westbrook, but a whole bag of Hershey morsels. Here’s betting he will implode when push comes to shove in later postseason rounds as the tension builds.

These flaws won’t cost the Thunder against the Nuggets. No team in NBA history has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit in a playoff series.

But Oklahoma City cannot beat San Antonio or Memphis this way, much less the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers.

Not related to anything, but just if you’d like to know, Mark Kiszla’s email address is mkiszla@denverpost.com.