Another season. That was the overwhelming expectation for the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder again in October. After No. 2 general choose Chet Holmgren suffered a foot damage that ended his rookie season earlier than it even started, the plan was to have one other shot at buying a excessive draft choose and presumably French phenom Victor Wembenyama.
Think about including Holmgren and Wembanyama to the dynamic backcourt of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey, together with the Thunder’s assortment of different younger skills. However after Sunday’s come-from-behind win over the Brooklyn Nets, their third straight win, Oklahoma Metropolis is undoubtedly nearer to a playoff spot than they’re in the Wembanyama sweepstakes.
Whereas it’s going to nonetheless take time, the Thunder are positioning themselves to blow up as one of many NBA’s greatest groups sooner fairly than later.
The win over the Nets strikes the Thunder to 21-23 on the season, and whereas that’s hardly setting the world on fireplace, the tight-knit nature of the Western Convention places them no less than within the playoff dialog.
Oklahoma Metropolis at the moment shares eleventh place within the convention with the struggling Phoenix Suns, however an unimaginable 2.5 video games separate them from the Dallas Mavericks in fifth place within the West. With the dearth of momentum from a bunch of groups within the logjam, we would have to begin taking the Thunder somewhat extra severely.
It’s frankly troublesome to be an uncompetitive group with two extremely proficient, expert guards who usually make the sport a lot simpler for his or her equally younger teammates. Within the case of Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder even have somebody who can carry the scoring load with particular person shot-making when the offense stagnates. Even Giddey is displaying indicators of improved isolation scoring, main Oklahoma with 28 factors to go along with his 9 rebounds and 9 assists within the 112-102 win over Brooklyn.
You’d in the end be hard-pressed to discover a group with a extra thrilling future than the Thunder. It is a group that can add plain expertise in Holmgren, plus they may generate $40 million in cap room this offseason. That’s to not point out the ridiculous 15 first-round picks that Sam Presti has compiled over the subsequent 5 drafts alone.
There’s all the time the prospect that they conveniently put Giddey and notably Gilgeous-Alexander on ice to make sure an affordable lottery place. However with 21 wins on the board, over double the worst-placed Houston Rockets, time might have run out for that to happen once more. Will the Thunder truly make the playoffs? In all probability not. However even a play-in expertise can be helpful to this youthful roster.
