The Playoffs

[Podirk]

No need to recap the string of injuries, if you have been half way coherent you know the story.

Thunder obviously started the season with championship in mind...but what now. The Western Conference is grueling with the all stars, so without them where will this team stand?? If they make it in they will be a scary matchup in the first round, if they don't, they might the most talented roster to not make the playoffs.

I've seen predictions of 5-15 through the first 20 and 8-12 as the high side...what say you?

Just a little thread to track the playoff race in the West.

[bondom34]

Honestly, I don't want to predict as I don't want to jinx anything. All I can do is hope they hang close enough. This team just needs to make it in at this point and I'll be happy to be the best 8 seed ever.

[KD35Brah]

It all depends on how WB and KD look after they return.

[Kizz Fastfists]

They will make the playoffs and the seed doesn't matter. As long as everyone is healthy for the playoffs this team can still win the Finals.

[Envelopes]

If Jones, Jackson and Lamb can get back and play, we could be ok. If not we won't win 5 in the first 20 and that makes it very hard to get in.

[NetsWorld]

They will make the playoffs and the seed doesn't matter. As long as everyone is healthy for the playoffs this team can still win the Finals.

Westbrook and Durant together can literally take over a whole game and overwhelm the opposition. Right now, the Thunder are just going through a transition phase of getting used to basketball without them. If they can hover around .500 by December, maybe 9-14, and KD and Westbrook both return, then OKC can definitely finish as a top seed.

[Bravenewworld]

The additions we made to this team are exactly what we needed in the playoffs.

Morrow and Telfair are both great spot up shooters, high percentage, can score quickly, good defenders, experienced, etc. having these guys in our second string is a big deal.

We probably have a 20ppg, A defense SF/PF (who now has 2 years of WCFs exp) coming in off the bench now in PJ3. Taking the "risk" on drafting him and then allowing him to slowly develop (relative to current NBA standards) seems to have paid off and im really excited to see this guy back in the line-up w/o RWB and KD.

Adams will most likely be posting 28-32mpg and we've seen his averages follow his minutes. So we can easily expect 12-10-3 out of him.

Lamb is playing for a contract and he looks like he will be far more consistent this year. As ive mentioned previously, this also scares me but either way its a major positive for us this season.

Jackson is playing for a contract and starting position. I think we all know he is fully capable of being a starting PG in the NBA. I also think fairly soon we will give him one of the starting guard spots as the FO should realize that we cannot lose Harden and then him. Eventually we will need to pay someone and give them a starting position, and TBH i would rather we go through the Harden trade and develop Jackson and keep him, above simply keeping Harden.

So, unlike 2012 we actually have a great mix of vets, young talent and experienced stars. IF healthy, i don't see anyone taking us out.
And btw now that we have our back up players returning, we will be 5-5 or 5-6 by the end of next week (barring any further injury).

[Podirk]

And. Here. We. Go.


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[bondom34]

And. Here. We. Go.


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Hell yes.

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[Podirk]

Thunder went on a streak when healthy...even with Durant not at 100%...can they start another tonight?

When the rotation was healthy expectations of shooting for a top four seed started creeping up, that's how good this team is when healthy.

Tonight is especially important being PHX is currently a team Thunder are fighting with for a playoff spot...should be a good one to end the year.