At this point, the Oklahoma City Thunder have made actual game breakdowns a bit mundane. Either they blow out teams or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander turns into a scoring machine in high-pressure moments. The reigning NBA champions are on track for one of the greatest seasons ever — once again.

This has forced folks in the NBA media-sphere to go big picture with this team. Could they beat the all-time wins record in the regular season? Where are their place in league history? Is Gilgeous-Alexander really modern-day Michael Jordan?

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And here’s a new one that has surfaced recently — have they figured out the NBA and made basketball boring?

That’s the latest narrative ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith has leaned on. Hard to blame him, either. Any average OKC win can turn the rest of the NBA into cynics. To the point that some ponder if going all in is worth it or if the smarter strategy is to wait out the Thunder.

According to one NBA legend, he’s had the opposite reaction. The Thunder’s dominance has attracted him to watch more games — which is quite the impressive feat considering how jam-packed his job keeps him.

Memphis head coach Penny Hardaway showered the Thunder with some love recently. The four-time All-Star has coached his alma mater for the last eight seasons. It’s been some of the program’s best years with three March Madness appearances and a 2021 NIT championship.

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Right now, Memphis sits at 4-5. The Tigers have three more games lined up before the school enters Winter Break. From Dec. 22-31, Hardaway recently said on his radio show that he hopes to consume about 50 games. While most will be at the collegiate level, he might sneak in a few Thunder games as a treat.

“I do love watching (the Thunder), not because they’re the best team in the NBA, but they play the game the right way,” Hardaway said. “(And the) Celtics, they play the game the right way. And I still enjoy watching the Grizzlies. I still like watching to see how they’re progressing. The Knicks, watching Jalen Brunson. I watch Minnesota with Anthony Edwards.”

Considering Hardaway’s stance that the NBA isn’t as fun to watch as it used to be, those are well-earned compliments from the Memphis head coach. He played 14 years in the NBA from 1993 to 2008. His best seasons were at the start with the Orlando Magic.

How the Thunder play basketball has made recent rounds on social media. You had Victor Wembanyama’s comments at the NBA Cup go viral as he took subtle shots at OKC’s playstyle. The 21-year-old used buzzwords like ‘ethical basketball’ to rile up fans across the league.

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But at the end of the day, results are what matter. The Thunder have been the NBA’s clear-cut best team this season. Hearing fans from across the league complain they get away with fouls on defense and Gilgeous-Alexander gets favorable calls comes with the territory of all-time dominance.

This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: NBA legend believes Thunder are must-watch TV: ‘Play [the] right way’