With the Golden State Warriors defeating the Memphis Grizzlies in the first leg of the Play-In Tournament, there are three teams left that the Thunder could play in the first round. Those three teams are the Grizzlies, Dallas Mavericks, and Sacramento Kings. Last year, the playoffs didn’t go the Thunders’s way, and they were eliminated in the Western Conference Semifinals. This year, they are hoping for different results, and they won’t find out who they play in round one until Friday. Regardless of who the Thunder play, certain things need to happen for the Thunder to have a successful postseason. Let’s dive into five keys for the Thunder to have a successful postseason run and be one of two teams playing in the NBA Finals.
5 Keys For The Thunder to Have a Successful Postseason
The Thunder Can’t Be Too Dependant On Shai
Last year was the playoff debuts for many members of the Thunder’s rotation. It showed up more in round two than round one. In the second round where the Thunder played the Mavericks, no one besides Shai Gilgeous-Alexander showed up for that series. They became too dependent on him. Even with the Thunder being too reliant on Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder were one bad foul away from forcing a Game 7 back in Oklahoma. In addition, the Thunder and Mavericks scored the exact same amount of points in the six games total, which shows you how close that series was.
The Thunder know Gilgeous-Alexander is going to show up for the playoffs and help this team win. However, if the Thunder want to make it to where they want to go, others are going to have to help. Shai can’t take the Thunder to the NBA Finals on his own even with as great of a player as he is. If the Thunder can be less dependent on Gilgeous-Alexander to bail them out every time it gets tough in the playoffs, it will help to open more things up for the Thunder and make them harder to guard.
Chet and Jalen Williams Have to Show up as Co-Stars
Two players that need to help Gilgeous-Alexander more than anyone are his two co-stars in Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams. Last year, it was Holmgren’s and Williams’ first time in the postseason, and they struggled with consistency. There were some games where they showed up and helped Shai. However, most of those games were in the opening round rather than the second. This year, they need to show up more consistently and help take the pressure off of Gilgeous-Alexander.
Taking the pressure off of Gilgeous-Alexander won’t just benefit the Thunder, but it will benefit Shai as well and make his life a little easier. The Thunder have all the pieces to win a championship. They have a top-five player in the NBA, they have a great young coach, they have the depth and role players, and they have homecourt advantage in the playoffs. However, the Thunder won’t reach their goal until Jalen and Chet are ready to take that next step.
The Thunder Must Hit Their Outside Shots Consistently
One of the biggest reasons, outside of being too Shai-centric, why they lost in the playoffs was their outside shooting. In the second round of the playoffs, the Thunder shot the worst from three out of all the remaining teams. The Thunder might not have tons of elite shooters, but they do have a lot that are above-average. In the last two seasons, the Thunder have ranked inside the top six for three-point percentage. This year, they ranked sixth, and last season, they were number one. They have proven to be a great three-point shooting team, but they haven’t done it yet in the playoffs.
Isaiah Joe, Aaron Wiggins, Lu Dort, and others will have to be better at consistently making three-point shots. If they can shoot like they have been in the regular season, there aren’t many teams in the NBA that can beat this team. However, if they have the same shooting output they showed last year in the playoffs, they will be looking at another disappointing playoff exit and certain changes could be on the horizon with their role players.
Using Their Depth as a Strength
One of the biggest advantages the Thunder have is their depth. A lot of teams in the playoffs will be relying a lot on their starting five to carry the load. However, that won’t be the case for the Thunder. Two of their reserves, Wiggins and Joe, averaged double figures in scoring this season. The Thunder can use their depth as an advantage by keeping certain players fresh during the game and can overwhelm teams. If that occurs, this team will be hard to beat in a seven-game series and will have a good chance of making it to the Finals.
The Thunder’s Defense Must Show Up
In the playoffs, the Thunder are going to rely heavily on their defense as they should with the number one defense in the NBA. However, there have been times this season when their defense has been shaky and inconsistent, especially during the last stretch. The Thunder are going to have to have the defense that has been showcased for a majority of the season to show up in the playoffs. The reason for that is because the Thunder are a defensive-oriented team first, as they use their defense to get back into a game or go on these 15-0 outbursts that put teams away.
The Last Word
The Thunder are the favorites to come out of the West, and one of the favorites to win it all. However, the Thunder still have to do certain things right for them to reach their ultimate goal. If the Thunder are unable to perform like they did last year it will be another disappointing playoff exit for what was a historic season. Ultimately, for now the Thunder are just sitting back and waiting for who they will play in round one.
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