OKC Thunder week 6 power rankings – a minor drop off
Week six of the national NBA power rankings witnessed the OKC Thunder dropping a smidge, but mostly valued as a top five team.
As teams launched into their seventh week of play, most had completed 20 games or a quarter of their regular season schedule. The OKC Thunder began week seven having played 19 games with a 12-7 record.
Over the past 15 seasons the quarter pole has provided an extremely accurate forecast method of predicting the 16 playoff seeds The significance of team’s record as outlined by John Schuhmann is western clubs who are 11-9 have typically earned a playoff berth. Accumulating 12 wins by this point cemented those odds even further. With the OKC Thunder having reached both benchmarks that should be cause for celebration.
However, this season has been far from typical. Still, sitting atop the league with the best defense, and winning games without Russell Westbrook in the lineup has most National pundits recognizing OKC as a top five team.
For more on why the Thunder should safely make the playoffs based on Schuhmann’s wisdom but why this season may well end up being the exception to the rule check out TI’s article from earlier this week.
Related Story. History dictates OKC headed for postseason via 20 game theory. light
Week six power ranking lists:
Moving back into the power ranking lists despite the unusual nature of this season the 20 game dynamic is playing a factor on lists. Teams who weren’t predicted to be among the elite, but continue to perform are finding their way up the ladder. The East is much more “typical” aside from the wacky Wizards and confusing Celtics.
The West is where things get tricky. In spite of the turmoil, seeming parity and for the most part, the entire Western Conference operating almost in the reserve of expectations. Three teams who’ve performed to expectations ( or near them) are the Warriors, Thunder and Blazers. As such, these squads land inside the top 10 on most lists.
OKC ranks at a high of third and a low of seventh in week six. Here are the top seven lists and where they play the Thunder.
NBA.com – John Schuhmann:
Holds the OKC Thunder steady at fifth and highlights the how the relationship between Russell Westbrook and Dennis Schroder is succeeding in the excerpt below.
"With Russell Westbrook returning from a six-game absence last week, the Thunder had some great numbers (plus-28 points per 100 possessions in 73 minutes) with Westbrook and Dennis Schroder on the floor together. Schroder dropped a season-high 32 points on the Warriors on Wednesday, and (with Hamidou Diallo out with an ankle injury) OKC started and finished their win over Charlotte on Friday with both point guards on the floor."
For the rest of Schuhmann’s OKC Thunder insight and remainder of his week six rankings click this link.
ESPN – Panel
Remember last week when I noted the ESPN panel moving the Thunder inside their top five was unusual and a drop was expected. Well, turn out they didn’t hit OKC too hard dropping them a single spot from fourth to fifth. Click this link for the full panel rankings.
ESPN’s panel:
ESPN: Kevin Arnovitz | Tim MacMahon |Andre’ Snellings
The Undefeated: Marc J. Spears | FiveThirtyEight: Chris Herring
"The Thunder took a disappointing home loss to the Nuggets on Saturday, which prompted Russell Westbrook to do a publicized late-night shooting session, but other than that, they continue to chug along at a strong pace. The Thunder have won 12 of their past 15 games and are firmly in the group of six teams within two games of first place in the West. — Snellings"
Bleacher Report:
Grant Hughes bumps the Thunder from fifth to third noting Westbrook’s return and their top ranked defense as per the excerpt below.
Hughes also notes the specific growth of Jerami Grant‘s game and how economical the contract he negotiated to re-sign this offseason looks now. For that portion and the rest of Hughes list click here.
"Russsell Westbrook’s return from six games off nursing an ankle sprain couldn’t help the Thunder avoid a 117-113 loss to the Kings on Monday, but that knock-the-rust-off game didn’t hurt OKC too badly because of how well Westbrook’s teammates held things down without him.In those half-dozen Russ-less games, Oklahoma City went 5-1. The slate was easy, but the Thunder used a series of pushover opponents to dial in their defense. Allowing a stingy 105.4 points per 100 possessions when Westbrook got hurt, the Thunder posted a defensive rating of 99.0. On the year, they’ve pulled ahead of Boston for the league’s top defensive ranking."
Sports Illustrated – The Crossover
For the third consecutive week writer Khadrice Rollins holds the OKC Thunder in sixth place. Link to the rest of his ratings is here.
"Oklahoma City didn’t look as great as it would hope with Russell Westbrook coming back in the lineup, but injuries to Terrance Ferguson and Hamidou Diallo didn’t help matters. Still, Westbrook needs to keep finding ways to help the offense off-ball so Dennis Schroder and Paul George can keep attacking and creating. Westbrook also needs to make sure he’s not hampering a defense that started allowing more points after he got back in the rotation"
CBS Sports:
Week six finds writer Reid Forgrave of CBS Sports holding the OKC Thunder in seventh. For the full list of his rankings click here.
"The Thunder’s defense has been elite, ranking first in the NBA despite being without Andre Roberson. Why? Led by league-leading thief Paul George, no team steals the ball more often than the Thunder do."
FanSided – The Step Back:
Many of the pundits kept the OKC Thunder in the same position they pushed them up to for week five. In The Step Back and Ian Levy’s case that equates to fourth. Given Levey jumped the Thunder from 11th to this position in week five this isn’t a slight.
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
Like many the who are recognizing OKC in the top five Levy regards the top ranked defense and Paul George’s contribution specfically.
Below is a portion of his excerpt on the Thunder. For the remainder of Levy’s wisdom and the remainder of his week six ranking list click this link.
"The Thunder have emerged as the best defense in the league and it’s helped them right the ship after an incredibly poor start to the season. Since his return, Russell Westbrook has been struggling to find his place in the offense, particularly as a scorer, but Paul George has been sensational and, in weeks like this where Dennis Schroder is more treat than trick, they have more than enough to win big games."
Hoops Habit:
A week after vaulting the OKC Thunder to their highest ranking on any of the lists Editor Gerald Bourguet of Hoops Habit drops them from second to fifth.
"The Oklahoma City Thunder have won 12 of their last 15 games, so despite the 2-2 week, it feels like everything is starting to click — no small feat for the league’s No. 1 defense that’s been playing without Andre Roberson this entire time.The best part is Dennis Schroder is starting to look extremely comfortable in his sixth man role, dropping 32 points in a win over the Warriors and averaging a 19-5-5 stat line over the last 10 games."
Next. Thunder trade: 5 targets who solve OKC’s shooting woes. dark
Week seven featured only two games for OKC versus the Cavaliers and Hawks, both of which the home team won. This coming week the Thunder travel East to play three games facing the Detroit Pistons, Brooklyn Nets and Chicago Bulls.
That wraps up the week six power rankings from the National pundits. Check back for the editors ranking.
Have a great Sunday.