Some things that are out of your control still winds up in your favor. That is what’s happened with teh NBA Playoff bracket for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
OKC controlled the controllable all season long. From racking up 68 wins in the regular season, good enough for the best record in the NBA after what was a historic campaign.
As the regular season came to a close, the Thunder saw Luka Doncic, LeBron James, Anthony Edwards, Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler all on the other side of the bracket to only have to face off with one of those top-notch squads in an eventual Western Conference Finals berth should OKC make it that far.
After the week long layoff before Round 1, Oklahoma City controlled its destiny in the first round, sweeping the Memphis Grizzlies to enjoy another long stretch of off days. On the flip side, the Denver Nuggets and LA Clippers are playing a hard fought series that will be decided in seven games and has seen nail bitters –– including an overtime tilt –– along the way.
With Round 2 set to begin shortly, the bracket is still shaking out in the Thunder’s favor.
On top of OKC having a massive rest advantage over the Clippers and Nuggets –– setting up a must-win Game 1 scenario –– Doncic and James have already been ousted.
With that long series, comes bumps and bruises to the Thunder’s Round 2 matchup. Aside from fatigue, players like Michael Porter Jr. are serverly hampered by injuries with still a game to play. When you factor in the talent gap and rest advanage, you could not dream up a better opportunity for Oklahoma City to punch its ticket to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2016.
It will come at the cost of beating a good team –– which would mark the first time the OKC Thunder have accomplished that feat in the NBA Playoffs –– But if the Bricktown Ballers are who we think they are, it is a task they have to handle.
On the other side of the bracket, things are shaping up for the Timberwolves and Warriors to go toe-to-toe in a cross-country bloodbath in Round 2.
No matter how you slice it, Oklahoma City has plenty of built in advantages on top of proving out to be the best team in basketball during the 82 game marathon.
No road to a potential championship is easy, or lacking obstacles, but the Thunder have positioned themselves –– and benefited from outside factors –– to have as good of a chance as you can drum up.
The only thing truly standing in its way? Youth/inexperience and streaky shooting.
Though, that list of weaknesses is shorter than anyone else’s in the Western Conference. It is all out in front of the Oklahoma City Thunder, now, they have to go out and take it.
