OKC Thunder at the break: The good, the bad, and the ugly

OKC Thunder (Photo by Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images)
OKC Thunder (Photo by Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images)
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OKC Thunder, 2019 NBA All-Star
Nerlens Noel, Paul George, Russell Westbrook, OKC Thunder (Photo by Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images)

The OKC Thunder have a lot going for them at the All-Star Break, but there are also some areas of concern.

The All-Star break is considered the unofficial halfway point of the NBA season. In reality, it’s the three-quarter mark, with most teams having around 25 games left. The OKC Thunder currently sit at 37-20, third in the Western Conference. Considering where the Thunder started this season, that is certainly a positive step as the stretch run begins.

After a 0-4 start, the Thunder made up for lost time winning its next seven games. It wasn’t until January when the Thunder had another rough patch, losing five out of six games. But OKC finished the season on a relatively strong note, winning 11 of its final 13 games, featuring impressive wins at home against Milwaukee, and Portland (twice), as well as some difficult road wins in Philadelphia, and Houston.

Oklahoma City is four games back of first-place Golden State, and two back of second-place Denver. OKC is three games ahead of four seed Portland, while also holding the head-to-head tiebreaker.

The Thunder rank 14th in the league in offensive rating (111.51), fourth in defensive rating (106.4) and sixth in net rating (5.12) These numbers paint a relatively accurate picture of how the Thunder have done so far this season. Still, let’s take a broader look at how the Thunder season has gone, analyzing what’s been great, and what could use improvement.