OKC Thunder National power rankings week 3

Week three of national media power ranking lists are in for all NBA teams and as predicted the OKC Thunder rapidly ascend the ladder.

It was a given the third week of the NBA national power ranking would bear witness to the OKC Thunder ascending the national scribes ladders. After all following their win-less four game season start the Thunder reversed fortunes.

An unbeaten week replaced the win-less week therefore expectations (as we noted last week) would find the lists echoing their success. Albeit, some will be more impressed than others, but this week reveals a more accurate reflection of how analysts may have felt prior to season start. While some Western teams continue to struggle (cough Houston, cough – um I did warn everyone) week three found OKC finally beginning to mesh.

The spectrum ranged from a high of 11th to a low of 14th. This coming week we’ll see results for the first month and play and it’s also the first check point where teams are cementing identities and or initial panic buttons are pressed (cough, Timberwolves, cough).

For now, here’s where the pundits ranked the Thunder in week three of play.

NBA.com – John Schuhmann:

Of all the analysts, I look forward to the stats savant Schuhmann, although it should be noted this is one week where I beg to differ on the ranking at the very top after rung one. I’ve decided to wait til week four to serve up my personal thoughts to allow for a full month of play.

As for the Thunder they experienced a massive vault up from last week’s 22nd rank all the way up to 11th. It’s not often Schuhmann is given to shifts this dramatic so odds are he expected OKC to be closer to this rank prior to the tough 0-4 start. Given where the Thunder may finish week four particularly in defensive don’t be surprised if Schuh gives them another nudge next week.

"After losing their first four games, the Thunder have won four straight. The much bigger difference (almost 18 points per 100 possessions) between the wins and the losses has been on the offensive end of the floor, where they’ve had some huge quarters (one of 38 points or more in each of the last three wins) and where Dennis Schroder has been pretty consistent, even if his minutes alongside Russell Westbrook haven’t been.The pair is a minus-12 in 76 total minutes and the Thunder managed to beat the Clippers on Tuesday despite getting outscored by 14 points in 10 minutes with the two point guards on the floor. The starting lineup (with Jerami Grant having taken Patrick Patterson’s spot after three games) was huge that night, but has otherwise been inconsistent as well. Home games against the Pelicans and Rockets this week still feel important, but the Thunder’s win in Washington on Friday begin a stretch of eight straight against teams that are currently under .500."

ESPN – Panel

The rise back up the ladder continues although the panel at ESPN was less impressed than their counterparts (shocker – not). Week three the panel move OKC from 20th up to the 13th rung.

ESPN’s panel:

ESPN: Kevin Arnovitz | Tim MacMahon |Andre’ Snellings

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

"The Thunder have finally awakened. After a winless start (0-4) that had them in the league’s basement, the Thunder have won four straight games by an average of 13 points. Dennis Schroder (16.0 points, 5.0 assists, 3.8 rebounds) and Jerami Grant (14.5 points per game, 61.8 percent shooting, 4.8 rebounds per game) have both played well during the win streak, with Alex Abrines and Nerlens Noel also flashing in needed supporting roles. — Snellings"

Bleacher Report:

Don’t be alarmed by Grant Hughes slight shift upward of the Thunder. Hughes ranks on a different timetable which trails the other pundits by a few games..

Hughes moves the Thunder up to 14th from 17th last week.

"As Oklahoma City rounds into form following a 0-4 start, the next order of business might be scrapping lineups that include both Westbrook and Dennis Schroder. OKC may have intended to play both of its point guards in critical closing stretches, but the stats show the pairing is failing miserably on both ends.Still, OKC is trending in the right direction after a crummy start."

(for the full commentary by BR click the link above)

Sports Illustrated – The Crossover

Writer Khadrice Rollins was one of the few who held the Thunder in place last week. That changed this week when he rewarded the team with a four rung move upward to 12th on his listings.

didn’t move the Thunder out of their 16th position in week two. Perhaps because he knew the tide was changing and of course he had the benefit of the one win to draw from.

"What a difference a week makes.Russell Westbrook and Dennis Schroder finding a good balance was a big help, but so were the contributions from the others. Hamidou Diallo is doing everything he can to force Billy Donovan to play him more, but Alex Abrines’s improved defense and steady shooting stroke could keep him from making the jump. Nerlens Noel as a backup center is also keeping the interior defense formidible when Steven Adams is out."

Hoops Habit:

Adding in our sister site Hoops Habit this week to the listings. In the previous week Editor in Chief Gerald Bourguet ranked the OKC Thunder 23rd and in week three moved them up 10 spots to 13th.

"As it turns out, the Oklahoma City Thunder were right not to panic over their 0-4 start. That’s easy to say four consecutive wins later, but when two of those first four losses came without Russell Westbrook, it was only a matter of time before they bounced back.We’ve already seen a few big nights from Dennis Schroder as he looks to correct a poor start, Alex Abrines dropped a career-high 25 points off the bench against Charlotte and Russell Westbrook is back to punishing poor and unsuspecting rims. OKC is back on the right track."

FanSided The Step Back:

More from Thunderous Intentions

Our other sister fellow site features NBA Editor of The Step Back Ian Levy serving up his power ranking list. In week three Levy moved the Thunder from 21st to 12th. Notably the sage remarks on a fact a few have seemingly ignored which how ineffective Schroder and Westbrook have been when sharing the court.

I probably fall more in the middle ground in this argument. This mostly due to the fact the Thunder reserve unit can keep and hold a lead when Schroder is quarterbacking the unit. The alternative is a still out of shape Raymond Felton jacking up shots as if he’s surrounded by players not yet ready to play in the G-League (more on this next week).

"The Thunder were able to hold off the Pelicans after Westbrook went down but they’ve really struggled anytime he’s been off the floor this season. Dennis Schroder has been a pretty big disappointment (or exactly what you expected, depending on your #wokeness). As a team, they’ve been outscored by 3.0 points per 100 possessions with Schroder on the floor and Westbrook on the bench, managing an effective field goal percentage of just 45.2. Here’s hoping Westbrook can recover quickly because who knows what shape this team will be in by the time he gets back."

For Levy’s full comments on OKC and the remainder of his rankings click here.

CBS Sports:

As Reid Forgrave notes the Thunder weren’t constructed to shoot the lights out nor were they going to continue to not score with all the athletic talent on the roster. Forgrave moved OKC up from 17th to 13th.

"Four wins in a row, including the beatdown of the Wizards that had the Washington crowd booing the home team in the first half. The Thunder were never going to be a great shooting team — but they were never going to be the pathetic team they were out of the block, shooting less than 25 percent from three."

That wraps up the week three of power rankings from the National pundits. Once again, the rankings post this week slightly late as I’m still trying to shake this killer flu that hit the 6ix (sure hope the Raptors avoid it – because it quite literally knocks you down your own personal power ranking ladder.

Next. Thunder trade: 5 targets who solve OKC’s shooting woes. dark

Next week I suspect we’ll find some pundits holding the OKC Thunder at status quo while others will continue to push them upward. And, this should be the week where teams who’ve been getting far too much latitude for sustained mediocrity finally get their just punishment or reward as fittingly deserved.

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OKC Thunder National power rankings week 3 – The ascent

By Tamberlyn Richardson | Nov 11, 2018