This season for the Oklahoma City Thunder has not gone as planned. They have been a perennial contender in the Western Conference recently, but for the first time in a while, the Thunder are on the outside looking in for a playoff spot. More than halfway through the season, the chances of them missing the playoffs are very high.
Could the Oklahoma City Thunder miss the playoffs?
The Thunder have been ravaged by injuries this season. Russell Westbrook missed time in the beginning of the season with a fractured hand. But ever since, he has been on an absolute tear. The past two games, Westbrook has scored 45 and 48 points. At the same time, Westbrook needs to learn to defer to Kevin Durant. While he has had a great season, Durant is the reigning MVP. I’m not saying he needs to completely change his game, but defer more to Durant in clutch time.
For Kevin Durant, it could not be a more stressful season. The Thunder have played 51 games, and Durant has only been active for 24 of them. While his numbers have been great when he’s playing, this is a completely different team with the reigning MVP suited up. He is still averaging 25 points per game, but it’s been very hard for Durant to play on a consistent basis. He already missed time in the beginning of the season with a fracture in the foot, and the injuries keep coming. He then injured his ankle, and has missed some recent games with a toe injury. Durant is the leader of this team, and he needs to do whatever it takes to be on the court at all times. Their chance of making the playoffs is now on the line.
Besides the star players for the Thunder, the role players really need to start making strides. After the Thunder acquired Dion Waiters from the Cleveland Cavaliers, I really expected to see the Thunder take off. That hasn’t been the case. Waiters has played better, but he is still struggling to produce at a high-level every night. With Waiters in the mix now, it’s been a little hard for him and Reggie Jackson to play at the same time. These two are very talented players, and need to get their chemistry going. With these two playing at their best, the Thunder are a very hard team to beat.
Let’s not forget about Serge Ibaka. He has quietly had a fantastic season. He is averaging 14 points per game, and has added the three-point shot to his arsenal. This season, more than 30% of his shots have come from beyond the arc. While he is taking more three’s, it would be better to see him knock them down on a more consistent basis.
Anthony Morrow signed with the Thunder this past offseason. He is a great three-point shooter, something that the team desperately needed. He hasn’t been able to knock down shots on a consistent basis, which is a small concern. He needs to get his shot going if the Thunder want to be in the playoffs.
Steven Adams has also made strides this season. It was recently reported that he will be out for three weeks after a procedure on his hand, so Kendrick Perkins will be back into the starting lineup. It is important that Perkins is the great post defender he is.
With the playoffs not too far away, the Thunder very well could miss out on competing for a championship. The Phoenix Suns aren’t slowing down, and the New Orleans Pelicans have done very well this season with Anthony Davis leading the way. Seven of the eight playoff teams as of now will not fall out of the standings. For the Thunder, they just have to keep winning. Every game matters at this point.
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