Naturally, comparisons are already being made between the two. However, All-Star wingman Paul George contended that while the current team, led by recently-named Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, is hands down the better team, the 2011-2012 team had better individual talent, which sadly, they weren't able to harness.

But there's not really a single NBA player who more directly can link himself to two of the NBA's conference finalists than George. PG was at the heart of two massive trades that

Follow live as Minnesota takes on Oklahoma City in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals after the Thunder won Game 1 on Tuesday

Two players from the Oklahoma City Thunder have been honored for their work on defense this season. Luguentz Dort was named to the NBA’s All-Defensive First Team and Jalen Williams was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team.

After the 2018-19 NBA season wrapped up, Oklahoma City Thunder General Manager Sam Presti held his usual end-of-season press conference in Oklahoma City. Among the most anticipated topics was, of course, his take on the recent blockbuster trades involving two of the franchise's biggest names: Russell Westbrook and Paul George.

Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook (0) and Paul George (13) talk during a Thunder-Jazz game at Chesapeake Energy Arena on Feb. 22, 2019. russ pg13 / SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK ...

Once one develops a reputation in the NBA, it's hard to shake it. With the way social media is and how everybody talks and has an opinion, it can almost be sort of like a "mob mentality" at times when everybody just loads up and piles on one narrative.

After a sleepy first half, the Oklahoma City Thunder rubbed away their eye boogers for a 114-88 Game 1 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. The statement victory put the first seed ahead with a 1-0 series lead in the Western Conference Finals.