Matt’s Monday Musings – OKC Thunder Shooting for Home Court and Fourth Seed

After the recent changes to the OKC Thunder roster, the fourth seed could well be within their grasp.

This edition of Musings examines the schedules of teams seeded ahead of the Thunder with my opinion on how those teams will fare in the stretch run and what it would take for the OKC Thunder to move past them and garner home court in the first round.

Despite  three recent losses, there is still a chance for the OKC Thunder to grab the fourth seed in the competitive Western Conference.

If the regular season ended today, the Thunder would be playing a complete team in the San Antonio Spurs. This would not be an ideal first round matchup to say the least.

Should the OKC Thunder move to sixth, they would face the current third seeded Houston Rockets. The Rockets have been good at beating teams by out-shooting them from three. This would be a more preferable match up for the Thunder because the bolstered Thunder perimeter defense matchup well against the Houston Rockets.

Must Read: Dispelling the myths and appreciating Russell Westbrook for who he is

Firstly, if the OKC Thunder were to move to fifth they would  face the Utah Jazz. Because the Jazz have great defense, but I do not think they can contain the wrecking ball that is Russell Westbrook.

And, if the Thunder finished fourth, they would either play the Clippers or Jazz, depending on the way the respective franchises finish the season. Why is it especially relevant to gain the fourth seed? Home court advantage. Oklahoma City has been really good at home and less impressive on the road.

Therefore, let’s take a look at the schedule of the OKC Thunder and the three teams above them.