The OKC Thunder season-long struggles could end in the NBA Playoffs

The OKC Thunder found themselves at the crossroads last summer, with everyone expecting big changes and new additions surrounding Russell Westbrook. After Kevin Durant left Russell Westbrook & company for Golden State Warriors in search for his first NBA ring everybody was waiting to see OKC’s next move.

The Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti announced that they signed the former Orlando Magic leader, Victor Oladipo. He did his part and did everything he could but he just couldn’t replace KD even though he had a solid season. It was obvious that Russ needed a real star beside him..or maybe two! And OKC’s front office delivered.

Time to Start Over

First, they traded Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis to the Indiana Pacers for NBA superstar, Paul George. Fans all over the world thought that this was a steal for the Thunder and that they won this trade (but, did they?). Presti said that “Paul is a tremendous fit for our organization on and off the floor. He represents all the positive traits of an elite competitor.’’ That is what they really needed. A true competitor to play alongside the highly motivated Westbrook.

After that, OKC’s center Enes Kanter, forward Doug McDermott, and Chicago’s 2018 second-round draft pick were traded in exchange for the New York Knicks superstar Carmelo Anthony. ‘’This is a deal we feel works for both this franchise and Carmelo’’. President Steve Mills said, adding that this is the new beginning for the Knicks.

When this trade went down, the Thunder’s fans finally felt the hype coming back, imaging Russ, PG and Hoodie Melo playing together. Many OKC fans had high hopes coming into this season and thought that this season the Thunder could be among the best in the league. But, there were also some fans that weren’t that sure about all of this.

Then the regular season started and the hype slowly began to fade and the doubters started to become louder. Things didn’t start well for OKC’s big three in their first season together. Let’s take a look at some of their team stats that have improved:

Then, we have this:

Obviously, their biggest problem is the offense. They need to spread the floor more and start searching for better shots instead of settling down for the first available shot. When they did actually implement this strategy, they rarely lost a game.

Their defense on the other side is something with what they can be very proud of. They love to hustle their opponents, push them out of the paint and make them take bad shots.

If they can keep this level of intensity on defense, and at the same time, improve their offense just a little, they will be a nightmare for any team in the NBA Playoffs this year.

The Impact of the “Big Three”

It’s obvious that Westbrook is the team leader and that the ball is mostly in his hands. This season, he averages 25.6 PTS, 9.9 REB, 10 AST, 1.8 STL in 36.4 minutes. He is playing the same way like he did last year and he is close to averaging a triple-double two years in a row.

That’s something special and we have to appreciate that. The problem is that he is also averaging 4.8 TO’s per game and that is mostly because he is trying to do too much. He needs to trust George and Melo a bit more, despite the fact that they are not playing their best ball at the moment.

This season, George is averaging 21.7 PTS, 5.7 REB, 3.3 AST, 2 STL in 36.6 minutes. Those are still solid numbers but if we compare his games before and after the All-Star break, it is clear that his game is not at the same level. Maybe his poor performance in the JBL Three-Point Contest affected his confidence and because of that, he is not the same.

He is currently a player with the most 3PT shots made in the NBA and one of the best defenders in the league, and that is something that he has to take with him into the Playoffs.

Unlike him, Carmelo Anthony, aka Hoodie Melo, is not his usual self this season. He is averaging “only” 16.2 PTS, 5.8 REB, 1.3 AST in 32.2 minutes per game. The points are not the problem, it’s his shooting percentages. With FG% just above 40%, he is currently playing his worst season in the NBA. His 3PT shot is around his career average with 36% so far.

He needs to bump those numbers a bit, he needs to be the Melo we know and start hitting those shots that he has been making his entire career. If he finds the rhythm and shot, the OKC Thunder would instantly become a true offensive power and very hard to stop.

How do the Sportsbooks see the OKC Thunder Playoffs chances

Prior to the start of the regular season, the OKC Thunder were given +5000 odds to win the NBA Title. These odds have been going up and down throughout the season, depending on the form of the Thunder. However, even the Sportsbooks have found some faith in the OKC Thunder, making them the 6th team with the biggest chances of winning the NBA Title (+2500).

With their campaign this season seeing many ups and downs, winning and losing streaks and so on, the Thunder should be happy to make it to the postseason, something that came in question only a few days ago.

Now it’s on them to prove the doubters wrong and to show how good they really are. One thing that gives high hopes to the Thunder nation is the fact that they have played very well against teams .500 or above winning percentage, recording a 26-23 record in those games. Only the Rockets and the Warriors have played better against teams .500 or above winning percentage.

If they continue to play well in “big games”, their chances of going deep into the playoffs would be realistic and their season-long struggles could be easily forgotten. The answer to that question will come pretty quickly with the Playoffs just around the corner.

Stay tuned with Get More Sports for more NBA odds and latest info across the NBA.