The vacations are over. THE Thunder resumes the sport At 8:30 p.m. Friday in Utah. OKC (44-10) has an advance of eight Western Summit video games with 28 video games to play.
The West was gained a very long time in the past. Historical past is the one factor that is still for the Thunder to proceed. OKC is in the course of one of the crucial dominant, Perhaps essentially the most dominantCommon season of all time.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is on the prime of the MVP race, Jalen Williams Appears to be like his first look in stars and Chet Holmgren is again within the fold.
To preview the “second half” of the NBA season (we’re 66% of the trail) OklahomanJenni Carlson and Joe Mussatto reply just a few questions in regards to the subsequent step for the Thunder.
Extra: The OKC star Thunder Shai Gilgeous-Alexander separated from the longtime agent, in comparison with
What thunder recreation remaining are you most impatiently anticipated?
Register me for the March 12 match in Boston. It comes just a few days after this dual-head at house towards Denver, which shall be a model, so we will see how OKC reacts ups and stockings. As well as, we may additionally get an outline of the NBA finals. The match towards Celtics earlier within the season was such an explosion. Perhaps the suites won’t ever be higher, however I’d not guess that it’s one other basic. –Jenni Carlson
The house match of March 9 towards Denver. It is a Sunday midday on ABC. Isn’t significantly better than that. In fact, there’s the Shai Gilgeous-Alexander nook towards Nikola Jokic MVP, however extra importantly, it could possibly be an outline of the Western Convention finals. I anticipate the nuggets to finish as a seeded n ° 2. Denver is the largest menace of OKC within the West. The one factor that withdraws the intrigue from this match is that we’ll see it once more a day later. The Thunder welcomes nuggets in a double header at house / home. -Joe mussatto
What was the largest growth for the Thunder this season?
Can I take a 20,000 ft view? I really like how enjoyable this crew is to take a look at. Whether or not in assault or protection, you actually by no means know what you will see. Talent and athletics and tenacity are such pleasure to take a look at. The primary iteration of thunder was enjoyable, however differently. It was extra of what Magic-Will-Kd-Or-Russ-Pull outdoors the intriguing chronometers. It’s a pleasure due to the variation and expertise of this crew at each ends. -Jenni Carlson
How the elite the protection of thunder was even when its greatest defenders got here out. He challenges logic. Chet Holmgren, essentially the most impactful defender of OKC, missed 41 video games. Alex Caruso, a totally defensive double participant, missed 21 video games. And OKC at all times has the very best defensive notice within the NBA. By a mile. OKC permits 104.5 factors per 100 possessions. The Clippers, protection n ° 2, grant 108.3 factors per 100 possessions. Completely ridiculous. -Joe mussatto
What’s a priority for OKC?
Simply the truth that so many gamers had been injured for such durations. Sure, we may see different gamers growing of their absence, however it could definitely have been nice to see Chet and Hartenstein play extra minutes collectively. Or sleep and Caruso. Or 1,000,000 different mixtures. In fact, there have been circumstances of all this, however having a bigger pattern measurement would have been useful at this stage as a result of the tons of thunder in the direction of the playoffs. –Jenni Carlson
It’s tough to get a crew of 44-10. I’ll go along with a 3 -point shot, nevertheless. OKC attracts 35.9% in depth, rating seventeenth within the league. Final season, OKC led the league to shoot at 38.9%. This can be a nice purpose why the Thunder’s offensive went from the third final season to sixth this season. -Joe mussatto
The Thunder will finish with a ultimate file of…?
I do not assume it is a crew of 70 wins – the Thunder ought to win 26 of its final 28 video games – however plainly 65-17 is extraordinarily possible. This whole victories can be ranked within the prime 20 of all time within the historical past of the NBA. –Jenni Carlson
I’ll get a greater match: 66-16. It’s to decide on the Thunder to complete 22-6 after the celebrities break. It will be the very best file within the historical past of the franchise, even relationship from the times of Seattle. –JOE MUSSATTO
This text initially appeared on Oklahoman: Predict OKC Thunder’s end within the final half of the NBA 2024-25 season
