Everyone says it: Rivalries in the NBA are dead, ghosts of the past.
Rising from the grave, though, might be at least a good old-fashioned feud: Golden State vs. Oklahoma City.
In this corner, Kevin Durant.
In the other, Russell Westbrook.
They were teammates and friends in OKC until Golden State came between them.
As everyone on the planet knows, Durant left Westbrook to sign with the Warriors as a free agent.
Befitting their polar opposite personalities, KD went on his laid-back merry way; Westbrook snarled defiantly.
As if to confirm his disappointment in Durant's decision _ after all, KD did sign with the team that the Thunder couldn't finish off in the playoffs _ Westbrook stealthily targeted him in a recent Nike commercial.
It shows Westbrook dribbling down a court with the sound of a roaring jet accompanying his take-off at the foul line.
A gravelly voice says, "Some run. Some make runways."
Yeah, I'm pretty sure the "some run" comment is aimed at Durant, perhaps a fight-or-flight dig.
The "some make runways" part, of course, refers to Westbrook taking on the rebuilding challenge in OKC without KD.
It's clever, curt _ and corporately choreographed because NBA rivalries don't come naturally anymore.
They are manufactured and produced, with a camera crew, a director, an agent and a flock of marketers.
Back in the day, Westbrook and Durant would have gone nose-to-nose and prepared their teams for a street fight. Now one of them needs makeup, a clothier and the right lighting to get a point across.
Maybe they've all just become civil and sophisticated.
Players certainly are closer than ever. They leave teams so they can play together, speaking of LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. And if they can't play together, they'll still party together like trust-fund kids.
They share agents, stock tips, text messages and grandma's recipes. It's a love fest at the center-jump circle each night and during All-Star Weekend. Superstars grow close playing on Olympic squads and carry on the way Hollywood pals do.
And for the last 25 years, the NBA has chosen to market its stars over its teams, muting rivalries among cities.
So what do we expect?
Durant and Westbrook probably won't turn into mortal enemies over this.
With their back story, all we really need is for them to push their teams to a frenzy when they meet and help get us through an 82-game season.
Durant said his relationship with Westbrook and others in OKC "won't be the same," adding that Westbrook "wasn't happy about the decision but he respected it as my friend."
Even Westbrook said that he and Durant have a history and "you just don't throw that away."
And maybe part of Westbrook coyly enjoys messing with everyone, including Durant.
After Durant's exit, Westbrook was captured on video singing along to three break-up songs with titillating titles: "Now I Do What I Want" by rapper Lil Uzi Vert along with "Bad Blood" and "We Are Never Getting Back Together" by Taylor Swift.
Again, subtlety messaged karaoke is what passes for a rivalry in the NBA today.
I just can't recall Larry Bird spicing up his '80s tete-a-tete with Magic Johnson by singing "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' " by Michael Jackson.
