Why this could be the Thunder’s season
There aren’t many, if any, teams in better shape than the Oklahoma City Thunder. They have a sharp front office, a Most Valuable Player candidate, a handful of young players with future All-Star potential, the reigning Coach of the Year, lots of draft capital and room (for now) within the salary cap.
It’s rare for a team to boast all of the above. From top to bottom, OKC is built to last and built to win, say, 60 games this season. That’s realistic.
What about a championship? Well, why not?
Putting aside any unforeseen speed bumps — injuries, bad luck, yada — OKC fits any definition of a contender. Yes, they came up short last season despite holding the No. 1 seed in the West, but consider that a necessary step in a rising team’s development and education.
OKC Thunder General Manager Sam Presti has only improved the line-up since.
Let’s examine how they fit in the postseason, where the court shrinks, each series is best of seven and opposing teams’ scouting reports are much more refined.
The Thunder were among the best 3-point shooting teams last season and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a certified handful. Those two assets are crucial in such a setting. There’s another — rebounding — where OKC was lacking. They swung the biggest (literally) signing of the summer in getting center Isaiah Hartenstein, coming off a breakout with the Knicks.
What about defense? Imagine a team with Lu Dort and Chet Holmgren adding Alex Caruso in a trade. That’s three candidates for the National Basketball Association All-Defense on one team.
OKC can play halfcourt and up-tempo with Jalen Williams, and the bench is productive. So, now it’s all about what OKC can’t control: Match-ups and hot streaks.
Take the second one first: Sometimes the hottest team in the playoffs trumps the better team. See the Miami Heat a few years back, and several other teams before that. Even last season, the Mavericks made a midseason trade, caught fire and reached the NBA Finals over OKC. It happens.
As for match-ups, maybe the Thunder run into Nikola Jokic on another MVPlike binge or the Mavs again (with Klay Thompson this time) or meet the defending champion Celtics in June.
There are no sure things this season, not even for OKC. Still, the signs are boldfaced and vivid about the Thunder’s chances and how favorably they stack up with anyone. The road in the West will likely travel across the Panhandle. It would not surprise anyone if 2025 becomes the Summer of Thunder.
The Thunder will open their season at 8 p.m. Thursday at Denver, then travel for a 7 p.m. Oct. 26 game in Chicago before playing their home opener at 6 p.m. Oct. 27 against former Oklahoma Sooner Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks.
