The Thunder have dominated the NBA this year with a record of 53-12. This is the best record in the Western Conference and second best overall. They are only a few wins away from being the second team to clinch a playoff berth this year. Additionally, they are five wins away from increasing their win total by at least one for the fourth consecutive year.
However, last night, the Thunder ended their seven-game winning streak with a loss to the Denver Nuggets. Ultimately, the bigger story coming out of the game was the Thunder losing Jalen Williams to a hip injury that could sideline him for a few games. The Thunder’s health has been a big story all season, as they have been dealing with the injury bug all year.
Chet Holmgren has missed 45 games this year. Isaiah Hartenstein has missed 21 games this year. Alex Caruso has missed 23 games this year, and others have missed a couple of games here and there as well. Even with all these injuries, the Thunder have only lost 12 games this season. This is mainly due to the MVP-caliber play of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the emergence of Jalen Williams as an All-Star. However, the Thunder’s health will ultimately decide their fate in the playoffs.
The Thunder’s Health Will Be Their Achilles Heel
Why the Thunder’s Health Will Matter in the Playoffs
Last year, this Thunder team was one of the healthiest teams in the NBA. Although they have not held the same fortune this year, they still keep winning. It is crazy to think they have this record when their top nine players have only played a handful of games together. Who knows what the Thunder’s record could have been if they had been fully healthy all year? However, the playoffs are different than the regular season, and health is more important in the playoffs.
The Thunder only have two losses since the All-Star break, coming against playoff teams in a playoff-like atmosphere. The common denominator in those losses was the Thunder losing players to injuries. In the first game, which came against Minnesota, it was Hartenstein who left with an injury, and the Thunder blew a 20-point lead in the fourth quarter. The second game was Jalen Williams, who didn’t return in the second half against Denver, and the Thunder were outscored 73-54 in that span. These two games should show OKC will not be able to win in the playoffs if they sustain any injuries, especially to key players. All nine of their rotational players serve a certain role, and if one of them is missing, they have to change a certain aspect of the way they play.
This Thunder Team Will Be Hard to Beat Fully Healthy
If this team is fully healthy in the playoffs and remains healthy for the duration of the postseason, it doesn’t seem any team in the West will be able to beat them in a seven-game series. This Thunder team has everything you need to win a championship. They will have arguably the best player on the court in every series with Gilgeous-Alexander. If you want to double-team him and take the ball out of his hands, they have a guy in Jalen Williams who can beat you. Before the injury, Williams was proving he was ready to be the second go-to scorer in the playoffs as he scored 20 or more points in seven consecutive games.
If you need to win with defense, OKC has the number one defense. If you need to outshoot someone, the Thunder have a top-10 three-point shooting team with percentages and shots made. Finally, if you need your superstar to win you a certain game, they have that with Shai. The Thunder have so many different ways they can beat you, which is extremely important in the playoffs. However, if you take one of those ingredients out with an injury or two, this team will have another disappointing playoff exit.
The Last Word
Everyone is going to point to OKC’s youth, or their role players’ inability to make shots when it matters the most to be the Thunder’s downfall in the playoffs. All of this is true—if their role players shoot like they did last year, it will be hard for them to win. However, this year, they feel like a different team, and it seems like their role players and stars will be ready for their second go-around in the playoffs. Their ultimate downfall will be their health. If the Thunder can stay healthy, they have a good chance of representing the West in the Finals.
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