Week 18 pundit rankings are based on the OKC Thunder games played versus the Blazers and Pelicans. The National pundits and top bloggers rank the OKC Thunder as high as third and as low as sixth.
NBA.com – John Schuhmann:
In week 18, Schuhmann drops OKC to fourth (previously third). Schuh offers up the sad testament of the regression of Patrick Patterson. My rose colored glasses convinced me Pat would snap back into his typical post Christmas form. But, after two consecutive seasons, it’s hard to mount a defense. Plus this season three is no offseason knee surgery to point to.
Perhaps Raptors Masai Ujiri had this figured out, but I’d always assumed Patterson’s departure had more to do with Ujiri’s desire to bring back P.J. Tucker (which was a real thing, but Chris Paul coaxed childhood friend to join him in Houston instead. By then Patterson had signed with the Thunder, but in hindsight, it sure seems like there was more intel on hand.
To peruse Schuhmann’s remaining list click here.
"When Jerami Grant missed the last two games before the break with an ankle injury, Patrick Patterson replaced him in the starting lineup and shot 2-for-13 (including 0-for-8 from 3-point range). Defense was the bigger issue in their 1-2-3-Cancun loss in New Orleans on Thursday, but in 52 total minutes with Patterson in Grant’s place in the regular starting lineup, the Thunder have scored just 92 points per 100 possessions, 20 fewer than the regular starters have scored in their 602 minutes together. So yeah, the Thunder could use Markieff Morris (who they’ll reportedly add this week), even if he hasn’t shot as well as he did last season. They have the league’s toughest remaining schedule, with 17 of their 25 games (including 11 of their next 13) against teams that currently have winning records."
ESPN – Panel
In week 18 the panel holds the OKC Thunder steady in fourth. Andre’ Snellings serves up the obvious, but no less poignant observation about defense winning championships boding well for the Thunder.
Clearly, the obvious issue being the OKC Thunder haven’t ranked in the top ten in the past two months. For the month of January, OKC slipped to 22nd although February they’ve performed better with a 13th rank. Still, this squad can shut any team down when focused and it’s far better for OKC to suffer slippage mid-season then enter Spring sliding back.
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 reached the All-Star break in third place out West, four games behind the Warriors. The Thunder have positioned themselves as a legitimate contender, built on the strength of a top-five defensive efficiency and two MVP-caliber team leaders, Russell Westbrook and Paul George. If defense and superstars win championships, a healthy Thunder squad is one that no one will want to face in the playoffs. — Snellings"
Bleacher Report:
Grant Hughes offers some intriguing insight about stars Russell Westbrook and Paul George as he moves them from sixth back up to fourth. Most impressive is his insight OKC hasn’t lost to a seeded Western squad since the double overtime thriller in San Antonio on January 10th.
For the full Hughes passage on the Thunder and the remainder of his rankings click here.
"The Thunder erased a 26-point deficit to down the Rockets on Saturday, preserving a remarkable streak. They haven’t lost to a West team currently in playoff position since they fell in overtime to the Spurs way back on Jan. 10. OKC has won 11 of its last 13 games and has surpassed the Nuggets in net rating, leaving the Warriors as the only West team ahead of them by that statistic."
Sports Illustrated – The Crossover
Khadrice Rollins elected to compare where he ranks every team two-thirds into the season versus where he placed them preseason. In terms of the Thunder his preseason mark was eighth and in week 18 he places OKC third overall (which is where he positioned them in week 17 also).
Click here for his full week 18 ranking list.
"With Paul George playing like an MVP candidate, the Thunder have a great chance to avenge last season’s first-round playoff exit and potentially make another run to the Western Conference finals. As long as Russell Westbrook’s shooting touch continues to improve from where it was in the middle of the season."
Hoops Habit:
More from Thunder News
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- Damian Lillard does not fit with the OKC Thunder
Not sure I fully agree with writer Gerald Bourguet of Hoops Habit take on Paul George in the main event of All-Star weekend. Although Giannis Antetokounmpo would’ve won MVP had his team held on George was a close second in terms of his performance. At least PG and Steph served up something a little more with free passage to the rim. Plus he was hitting treys and dishing some sweet dimes. Then again, I’m biased.
Although Russ had arguably his worst All-Star performance of his eight visits I’ll point you to Dirk Nowitzki‘s second triple. Watch the film and you’ll see Westbrook call out for the ball handler (I think D’Angelo Russell) to get the ball to Dirk at the top of the key. While this is occurring Russ is setting a screen (more accurately he was illegally holding his man) to ensure Dirk got the wide open shot. This is yet another example of things the Brodie does that consistently endear me to him.
Bourguet drops OKC two spots to sixth which was the lowest rank on the board. To view his full rankings click here.
"Before the All-Star break, Russell Westbrook recorded his 11th straight triple-double, extending his own NBA record for consecutive triple-doubles and passing Gary Payton as the franchise’s all-time scoring leader. During the break, neither Westbrook nor Paul George really leapt off the page, but at least rookie Hamidou Diallo quite literally leapt over Shaquille O’Neal to secure the Slam Dunk Contest."
CBS Sports:
CBS Sports writer Reid Forgrave examines teams as they hit the two-thirds mark of the season and adds some intriguing predictions with his week 18 rankings.
Although the source isn’t named his OKC Thunder offering suggests NBA insiders are earmarking them as the most legitimate Western contender behind the Dubs. Again, we’re biased here, but it shouldn’t be that surprising. Forgrave shifts the Thunder from up one spot from sixth to fifth. For his full ranking list and predictions click here.
"I asked an NBA source over All-Star Weekend which team in the West he’d slot behind the Warriors. He picked the Thunder, saying there isn’t a team in the NBA that plays harder. I worry, though, that we might see the Thunder — currently in third place — fall a bit in the West standings over the rest of the season with the NBA’s most difficult remaining schedule, per Tankathon.com."
Next week:
The next power rankings in week 19 will feature the results from games played versus the Jazz and Kings in a back to back set for the OKC Thunder.
That wraps up week 18 power rankings from myself and the National pundits. Hope you’re enjoying the return of competitive games after the week off. Moving forward, expect the final eight weeks of gameplay to shower fans with a progressively increasing intensity as the OKC Thunder seek to build momentum heading into the postseason.