RIVALRY WEEK: The Thunder are bad and that’s good

Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports [EIC’s note: This is the first piece in a series we’re calling “Rivalry Week” — running up until the start of the season talking about Mavericks’ rivals, whether historic, current, imagined, or something else. The pieces will be sometimes serious, sometimes funny, and sometimes both. Hope you enjoy!]

The rivalry between the Dallas Mavericks and the Oklahoma City Thunder began in earnest on May 17th, 2011. Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. The Thunder were in just their third year of existence, but nothing can kick start a rivalry faster than a playoff series. And nothing cements a rivalry faster than all your friends bein’ real jerks about how good their…