We’re less than three weeks away from the NBA playoffs.
The Oklahoma City Thunder have broken the franchise record for most regular-season wins. OKC has already clinched the No.1 seed, and with less than 10 games remaining, there are a few things to monitor for the season’s final stretch.
Here are 6 things to monitor before the start of the playoffs:
What to Watch for the Rest of the Way for the Thunder
How Many Games Does OKC Win
OKC just became the youngest team in NBA history to win 60 games in a season, and the Thunder just recently broke the record for the most wins in franchise history.
How many games does this team set themselves apart from the franchise record in the wins department?
The Thunder are on pace to win 68 games which would be the most since the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors and the 2015-16 San Antonio Spurs.
Getting Jalen Williams Back In Form
Jalen Williams returned to action on Friday night against the Memphis Grizzlies after being out since March 10th.
After missing seven consecutive games, it’s crucial that he’s back in top form as OKC prepares for the playoffs.
The Chet Holmgren-Isaiah Hartenstein Pairing
The pairing of Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein remains one of the most important developments for OKC, as this pairing is the key to the Thunder’s success in the playoffs.
Size, physicality, and another interior presence were glaring needs. Now, the Thunder have more options, can throw out different lineups, and can play in multiple ways.
The duo’s synergy is improving, as Hartenstein has not only helped unlock a new element for Holmgren but also for the Thunder’s offense.
When on the court together (248 minutes), the duo has a 122.6 ORTG, a 108.7 DRTG, and a +13.9 NETRTG.
How Shai Gilgeous-Alexander & Oklahoma City Are Officiated
The chatter about Shai Gilgeous-Alexander‘s favorable whistle and the Thunder’s ability to be more physical on defense compared to the opposition has only intensified this season.
Most notably, the opposing coaches and fan bases, such as Chris Flinch, have complained about playing the Thunder.
Gilgeous-Alexander ranks second in free-throw-attempts per game at 8.9 and 1st in drives per game at 20.6.
OKC ranks 27th in free-throw-attempts per game at 20.3 and fouls the 6th most in the league at 19.9.
With the playoffs right around the corner, it’ll be worth monitoring how SGA and the Thunder are officiated during this final stretch before the playoffs.
The West Standings & Finishing Ahead Of The Cleveland Cavaliers
OKC has already clinched the No.1 seed in the Western Conference. Therefore, as Mark Daigneault would say, the Thunder will look to sharpen their blades.
OKC also has the opportunity to have home-court advantage throughout the playoffs, as the Thunder have a two-game lead on the Cleveland Cavaliers for the best record in the NBA.
The Thunder have the 18th toughest schedule remaining, and the Cavaliers have the eighth toughest schedule remaining.
Now, a handful of teams in the Western Conference behind the Thunder have a lot to play for, and their seeding implications are huge. The Houston Rockets hold the No. 2 seed by two games. The Denver Nuggets hold the No. 3 seed by a two-and-a-half over the Los Angeles Lakers and Memphis Grizzlies. The Los Angeles Clippers, the Golden State Warriors, and the Minnesota Timberwolves are all within half a point from each other for the No. 6 seed. The Sacramento Kings, the Dallas Mavericks, and the Phoenix Suns are all within a game of each other for the final two play-in spots.
Even after clinching the No. 1 seed, the West will be an absolute gauntlet.
The Conclusion Of The MVP Race
This topic has only intensified since returning from the All-Star break. The discourse surrounding this MVP race has become tiresome.
Overlooking the discourse, SGA, Nikola Jokic, and Giannis Antetokoumpo are all having historical seasons.
However, in recent weeks, Gilgeous-Alexander has become the heavy favorite to win MVP, mainly due to his continued greatness and team success. Plus, Jokic has missed five consecutive games due to injury.
With the final stretch of the season having huge implications on seeding and how well Jokic performs in order to overtake SGA. SGA is on the verge of winning his first MVP.
Main Image: David Butler II-Imagn Images
