2025 Thunder have no-one to guard prime Westbrook and Durant, and Chet is going to die trying to contain a full-sprint athletic prime Westbrook attacking him relentlessly. That’s not to mention that Adams alone would kill Chet, throwing him across the floor like a fucking sack of potatoes. Even Kanter off the bench would give Chet the business in the post, being an automatic bucket.
The 2016 squad is bigger, stronger, and filled with veterans who would bully 2025 on the boards and impose their presence inside with no issue despite the cries of “spacing”.
On the flip side, Shai is going to be strangled by Robes with help defense from Ibaka, Durant, and Westbrook. Even if Chet pulls Adams out of the paint, they still have more than enough rim protection between the rest. You’ll see the same thing you did this year against the Mavs with the roleplayers putting up duds, but now the Mavs have the best perimeter defender in the NBA on Shai.
The elite 3d players have always had more to them, despite their primary focus/strength being obviously 3&D.
Eric Gordon for example on Houston was obviously there to chuck deep 3’s and play defense, but he was more than capable of putting the ball on the floor and slash to the rim on occasion. Basically, any time Harden was out for a game, Gordon flashed for like 30+ points show casing his complete offensive skillset instead of simply playing a cog in the Harden wheel.