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In the NBA, champions evolve from teams that previously didn't quite get there; they aren't made overnight. If the Thunder win a title, it will be because they learned from this loss.

Understand this moving forward: Russell Westbrook -- not Kevin Durant -- will be the reason OKC wins a championship.

Start with his numbers. Then look at what he's done for the Wolves. Any questions? Didn't think so. Kevin Love is in the MVP conversation.

NBA fame and fortune. International success with USA Basketball. Stardom in college. Kevin Durant has all that. But until this week, he didn't have real New York streetball cred.

There's one every season: the team no one wants to meet in the NBA playoffs. Right now, it's Oklahoma City showing the muscle and the mojo to keep playing into June. Fear the Thunder!

Was that a hip-hop icon or a part-owner of the Nets who went into the Kentucky locker room during the NCAA tournament? Was it Jay-Z or Shawn Carter? Can they co-exist in the NBA?

Despite what you might have heard, the NBA sky is not falling just because LeBron and Melo turned their backs on the Cavs and the Nuggets to start fresh in greener pastures.

It won't be easy, but here's a way for the NBA and its players association to get around one of the roadblocks in the way of a new CBA.

This most eventful of NBA offseasons has given rise to question after question after question. It's time for the answers. So let the games begin!

Noah's 'game' on -- and off -- the court vs. the Cavs justifies one writer's faith.

Kevin Durant has the whole basketball world in his hands these days, and an appearance in this weekend's NBA All-Star Game to prove it.

Kevin Durant, O.J. Mayo and Joe Johnson showed that H-O-R-S-E needs to be a permanent part of All-Star Weekend.

If Kobe Bryant did contact Kevin Durant, who cares? Shoe contracts are part of the game these days, writes Page 2's Scoop Jackson.