The Oklahoma City Thunder are among the favorites to be the first seed in the Western Conference this year. They begin what they hope will be a long and successful season against the Denver Nuggets on Thursday. Getting off to a fast start like they did last year could be crucial for them in the long run. Teams like the 2010 Heat, among others, have had successful seasons even if they struggled right out of the gate. However, given how deep and strong the Western Conference is, getting off to a fast start will be more beneficial.
Getting Off to a Fast Start Will be Crucial For The Thunder
Why Starting the Season Strong Will Be More Beneficial
Moving up in the standings is a lot harder than moving down. Playing catch-up throughout the year isn’t easy, especially with how deep the Western Conference is, where eight games could be the difference from the first seed to the Play-In tournament.
More Room for Error Later in the Year
Usually, teams are healthy at the beginning of the year, but injuries will undoubtedly arise throughout the year. Having that cushion where you get a sizeable lead at the start of the season will help provide some cushioning when the injury bug comes.
In addition, Oklahoma City will be without Isaiah Hartenstein for at least six weeks. Since he is new, integrating him into the offense may take time, and it won’t be perfect immediately. In his limited action in the preseason, there was a lot of promise and potential in him fitting with the Thunder’s offense and what they can do with him. However, that may not translate right away in the regular season. Getting off to a fast start without him will give them time to gel together.
10 Home Games in the First 16 Games
Finally, the Thunder have 10 home games in their first 16 outings. This translates to Oklahoma City having 24.4% of their home games already done in the early stretch of the season. They will only have 31 more home games left in 66 games. Teams usually play a lot better at home than on the road. If they struggle to open up the season when a majority of their games are at home, it could be more challenging to play catch-up on the road. This shouldn’t be a problem for the Thunder. In 2023-24, the team went 33-8 at home, illustrating their dominance on their turf.
The Last Word on Why the Thunder Need a Fast Start
Oklahoma City has big aspirations this year to repeat being the Western one seed and winning a championship. The best way to help secure their spot at the top is to get off to a fast start like they did last year. If they are unable to, it will be more difficult to get where they want to be come April and May, especially with how their schedule is formatted. But even if the Thunder don’t get off to a hot start, it doesn’t doom this season as a failure.
