Power rankings Week 15 – OKC Thunder enter upper echelon

In week 15 of  NBA power rankings lists pundits unanimously view the OKC Thunder as an upper echelon squad. Scribes ranked OKC Thunder with a high of 3rd and low of 6th.

Not surprisingly pundits were happy to move the OKC Thunder up their power ranking lists given the hot win streak the team was on. Losing Andre Roberson to the brutal injury likely registered with them as well.  The latter in terms of fans and analysts waiting all season to witness how great OKC could be only to witness a horrific injury possibly affect their potential this season.

With the trade deadline due this coming week (Thursday, February 8th) rumors are OKC is actively looking to make moves. Logically the team was always going to be keen to add some depth given the underwhelming performance of the reserves. However, with Roberson lost for the season the priority likely shifts to finding a suitable player with a defensive presence.

Anyone thinking the OKC Thunder don’t have the cap space, draft picks or assets to work a deal isn’t familiar with the magician better known as Sam Presti. Seriously, don’t be surprised if Presti finds a way to turn Kyle Singler and Josh Huestis into something tangible. Hey, it’s what he does – create something out of thin air.

Week 15 of power ranking lists encompassed games played versus the Brooklyn Nets, Washington Wizards, Detroit Pistons and Philadelphia 76ers.

NBA.com – John Schuhmann

Every week John Schuhmann opens his power rankings with a reflection on the top stories of the week. The preamble often reflects on team accomplishments of MVP candidates, but this week focused on injuries. Schuhuman noted how important Andre Roberson is to the OKC Thunder and called him a Defensive Player of the Year candidate. As sad as Thunder fans are to lose Dre for the season this acknowledgement from Schuh is an important statement.

Schuhmann elaborates on Roberson:

"One is an All-Star and a 25-points-per-game scorer on the league’s sixth-ranked offense. The other is a Defensive Player of the Year candidate on the league’s sixth-ranked defense. And both are done for the season."

Within the NBA ranking Schuhmann speaks directly to Roberson’s affect on the Thunder defense.

"Andre Roberson is done for the season and in regard to his value, the numbers are pretty clear. The Thunder defense has been 12.2 points per 100 possessions better with him on the floor than with him off the floor. Their regular starters allowed 96 points per 100 possessions in 539 minutes together, but OKC has allowed 115 in 424 minutes with somebody else as the fifth guy alongside the other four."

Schuhmann Week 15 Power Ranking:

As for his power ranking Schuhmann moved the OKC Thunder into his top five from a previous high placement of 8th. This is a major move from the stats master as he never arbitrarily moves teams to his top five unless they’ve earned the spot. And, generally for teams to make a leap they’ve been doing things for weeks prior to warrant the jump.  One key note Schuhmann makes is this was the first week OKC ranked in the top ten of all three categories.

"Still, this is the first Monday this season in which the Thunder have ranked as a top-10 team on both ends of the floor, they lead the league in offensive efficiency over the last six weeks, and in their first game after Roberson’s injury, they had one of their best offensive performances of the season against the Sixers’ top-five defense, with Russell Westbrook registering a season-high 14 fast break points. They’ve won eight straight games and are only a game in the loss column out of third place in the Western Conference."

ESPN – Panel

All season the panel has seemingly kept the OKC Thunder at a distance. While they’ve been able to rationalize the Cavaliers terrible defense no slack was given for the Thunder. And, although this weeks article opened focusing on OKC’s win streak the panel still refused to move them into their top five. Instead they moved the team up one spot from 7th to 6th.

ESPN’s panel:

ESPN: Kevin Arnovitz | Amin Elhassan |Ramona Shelburne

The Undefeated: Marc J. Spears | FiveThirtyEight: Chris Herring

"How much will the Thunder miss Andre Roberson‘s defense? In 539 minutes with Roberson joining Russell Westbrook, Paul George, Carmelo Anthony and Steven Adams on the floor, the Thunder allowed a measly 95.9 points per 100 possessions. In 402 minutes for the Thunder’s four starters without Roberson, they allow 114.5 points per 100 possessions. — Michael Schwartz"

Sports Illustrated – The Crossover

Kenny Ducey was keen on the OKC Thunder a week prior to his peers. He holds them in third and his comments why are primarily visibly demonstrated.

"When you tick off Brock Lesnar, this happens:"

"Similarly, when you tick off Russ Westbrook, you lose and this happens:"

Although this tweet isn’t about the OKC Thunder it’s just too good not to include.

CBS Sports:

Chris Barnewell has been an OKC Thunder advocate for the team most of the season and moves them from fifth to third this week. I will note however some of his choices are baffling.

For example he placed the Sixers and Wolves ahead of  the Raptors. Considering Toronto beat the Sixers three times out of four this selection is odd. Then factor Toronto’s lone loss occurred with  Lowry just returning from injury in a week they played three games in four days (including the Heat, Cavaliers and Warriors).

Or the fact he placed the Celtics and Spurs 11th and 12th. I get the offensive regression of the Celts and the Spurs uncharacteristic up-down, win-loss situation, but they still rank among the best of the best, so I’m not keen on many of his selections.

"Losing Andre Roberson for the season is really bad news for the Thunder. Their identity is defense and the difference when he’s on and off the floor is staggering. OKC is going to have a really difficult time replacing him. That said, nobody is hotter right now than this team."

Bleacher Report:

Grant Hughes returned to his lengthier style for team ranking which also happens to coincide with him raising the OKC Thunder from 8th to 4th.

"Nothing juices an offensive rating like a 148-point eruption, and thanks to that ridiculous output against the Cavs, the highest in Oklahoma City history, this Thunder team is on the cusp of joining an exclusive club. Already a top-five defensive squad, OKC is knocking on the door of top-10 offensive efficiency—something made possible in large part by Russell Westbrook‘s decision to holster three-point shots."

More from Thunderous Intentions

• Stealing one player from every Southwest Division team for the OKC Thunder
• Should the OKC Thunder chase after a disgruntled hometown hero?
• 3 OKC Thunder players who can step up in Aleksej Pokusevski’s absence
• Aleksej Pokusevski sidelined approximately 6 weeks with ankle injury
• Damian Lillard does not fit with the OKC Thunder

Hughes wrote more about the Thunder which you can view via the link.  Also of note, Hughes rankings do not include weekend games, so he’s always a few games behind the other pundits.

For example this ranking discussed DeMarcus Cousins ascendance because it was written just prior to his injury.

That wraps up week 15 lists. Week 16 of power ranking lists will be determined from games played at the Washington Wizards and Denver Nuggets as well as the New Orleans Pelicans and LA Lakers at home.

Of note, expectations are OKC will drop again out of the heights they achieved on lists this week, but maybe pundits will cut them some slack given the loss of Roberson, traveling through copious time zones and quite frankly looking exhausted. Check back next week to see where the scribes place the OKC Thunder given these factors.