Berry Tramel: College football still rules Oklahoma, but the OKC Thunder bandwagon is filling up quickly

The Oklahoman sports columnist Berry Tramel answered questions from readers in today's Power Lunch chat. Read the entire chat recap here. Participate in our Power Lunch chats Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. at NewsOK.com/sports

On the state's allegiance to college football and whether an NBA title from the Thunder would surpass an OU football national title in prestige:

There are more OU fans than Thunder fans in the state right now. So obviously a college football national title is huge. But if the Thunder beats Denver, San Antone and, let's say, the Lakers. If the Thunder reaches the NBA Finals? The bandwagon would fill quickly, because what you said is right. Everyone in the state would jump on board. Here's the other thing. The NBA Finals are in June. The Thunder would be a runaway national story. The whole danged state would be going crazy.

On whether the Thunder will sweep the Nuggets and win the next two games in Denver:

No. I don't think it'll be a sweep. I think it's going to be OKC in five. Now, if the Thunder wins Game 3 Saturday night, I think the Thunder wins Game 4. Hard for a team to keep its chin up when it's down 3-0.

On Oklahoma City playing Kevin Durant, James Harden and Daequan Cook together in Game 2:

I thought that was interesting, too. It was really an offensive lineup. Ibaka, Durant, Cook, Westbrook and Harden, I think. When Denver goes small, Brooks can use that lineup if he wants to. Then in the final minutes, Thabo came in. But Cook played the whole fourth quarter. Which makes up for Cook not playing at all in the fourth quarter of Game 1.

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