The OKC Thunder are now seen as the new villains of the NBA. And Guard Luguentz Dort is officially embracing this tough new identity from the fans.
Dort is known for his very physical defense against the league’s stars. He spoke to The Ringer about how people view his tough role on the OKC Thunder roster.
“The fans always look for the villain,” Dort said in the new interview. “Whatever they got to say, they got to say.” Dort says his only job is to help his team win every night.
However, Dort has played this physical style for many years in the league. The Thunder are the defending champions, and they want to win again, and Dort is set to play a crucial role as the OKC takes on stronger attacks in the Western Conference semi-final series vs Lakers.
They swept the Phoenix Suns in a dominant first-round NBA Playoff series recently.
Also read: Ja Morant injury update: ‘Dirty play’ by Lu Dort? Draymond Green takes a swipe
Thunder face huge challenge against LeBron & Lakers
Despite a decisive 108-90 win for the OKC Thunder in the first game of the semi-final series, the OKC face a tough opposition in the form of the Lakers.
The Lakers are coming off a big win against the Houston Rockets. LeBron James is carrying his team without the help of Luka Doncic and is playing some the best matches of the final years of his career. He averaged over 23 points and eight assists in the first round.
However, the Thunder beat the Lakers four times during the regular season. They won those games by an average of nearly 30 points. Still, Oklahoma City is the heavy favorite to win this second-round series. They might have to play without star player Jalen Williams today.
Also read: Ja Morant injury update: ‘Dirty play’ by Lu Dort? Draymond Green takes a swipe
Williams is a key part of their defense and their offensive flow. LeBron will be the biggest challenge for Dort and his teammates. This is their first playoff meeting since the 2012 Western semifinals.
Mark Daigneault believes the team is fueled by outside doubt
Head coach Mark Daigneault knows his team is ready for this fight. He believes the Thunder players are wired to love a challenge.
“When they see a challenge, they’re excited about a challenge,” he said. Daigneault thinks his squad is fueled by all the outside doubts. “There’s a lot of gasoline there. You just got to flick a match.” The team built a winning culture during their championship run last year.
They view the start of the playoffs as an exciting new challenge. The series will open on Tuesday night in the city of Oklahoma. Fans are waiting to see if LeBron can stop the Thunder team. The game will start at 8:30 p.m. for the East Coast.
