Is it Time For the OKC Thunder to Panic?
By Jake Fielder
Q: How does Oklahoma City’s talent stack up against their competition’s rosters who are also pushing for the 8th spot in the West?
David Ramil: Inconclusively. They’ve dropped both games to the Pelicans while winning both against the Suns. OKC crushed Phoenix in their first meeting (in the midst of a seven-game win streak) while the Suns were struggling with injury and then squeaked by for an overtime win in their second matchup. Kevin Durant had to score 44 points in that second game and they got 46 points off the bench that night. It certainly helped that Phoenix’s best player, Markieff Morris, had fouled out of the game.
The Pelicans have managed to stay ahead of the Thunder despite a much weaker roster; they simply play harder and more consistently than OKC does. And while KD and company will only face Phoenix once more this year (Feb. 26), Oklahoma City has a home-and-home set against New Orleans in just a few days (Feb. 4 & 6). If the Pelicans sweep the season series, there’s no chance of making the playoffs.
Jake Fielder: In a vacuum, OKC is vastly more talented than both the Pelicans and the Suns. However, you’re right that both these teams have been vastly more consistent. Still, I have to give the nod to Oklahoma City on a game-to-game basis.
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New Orleans has some nice players in Anthony Davis, Jrue Holiday, Tyreke Evans, and Omer Asik. However, their wings are not capable of handling a full-strength Durant. Asking Evans or Eric Gordon to body up on K.D. is asking them to get absolutely scorched. If they decide to pull Davis away from the basket to chase Durant on the perimeter, this only further harms their rim protection, which Russell Westbrook has already exploited to the tune of 25 ppg in previous matchups. I can’t see the Pelicans knocking off OKC again so long as a healthy Durant is in the lineup. It simply puts too much stress on an already overmatched defense (currently ranked 22nd in efficiency).
The matchup with Phoenix is a little more problematic. The Suns have one of the only point guards (Eric Bledsoe) capable of matching Westbrook’s athleticism. They also have several wing players in P.J. Tucker, Goran Dragic, and Gerald Green that present unique matchup problems for the OKC’s wings. Markieff Morris’ improvement also presents another problem for the Thunder, as his ability to space the floor pulls Serge Ibaka away from the basket, leaving Steven Adams isolated and contending with Bledsoe/Alex Len pick and rolls. However, the Thunder are just too talented for the Suns’ well-coached, cohesive roster to contend with. No matter how good of a coach Jeff Hornacek is, his best player (a toss up between Dragic, Bledsoe, and Morris) would be the Thunder’s 4th-best. It’s not an easy call but I think that OKC’s overall talent is simply too much for the Suns to overcome.
Next: A Look at OKC's Schedule