Yes they beat GS but they just lost badly at Dallas and stand at 8-11 and are on the outside looking in at playoffs. Last year's MVP isn't even top 30 in the NBA in PER. It's only 19 games so I ask you. Do you think OKC will rally to win the division and earn a top 4 seed? Thoughts?
Top 4 seed? By this point in season, Heatles had jelled. KG/Pierce/Allen jelled immediately. Thunder have same record as Lakers.
You don't need to look that far back to see a team with significant turnover who started playing well sooner. There is a team in the league that is 18-3 now and had only 4 returning players in the off-season, I think. Their whole bench has one player who was here last year.
They'll make the playoffs but I've thought all along if OKC started slow they'd be hard pressed in the West to claim a top 4 seed. It's too stacked and they're not good enough.
I thought they'd be mediocre. Not a great combination in terms of talents and ego, a team that wasn't built organically and their stars aren't a good fit with each other and most of them are past their prime. They could get better if they develop chemistry and become a team but that would take letting go of some ego for players used to be the man. For example for them to understand that Steven Adams is maybe their 2nd most important player
They will be better by the end of the season, but their destitute bench will only allow them to go so far. They have some stars, but the bench is their limiting factor.
