OKC Thunder need Russell Westbrook and Paul George to fail immediately

Bench MUST get better

A deep, competitive bench is the key to winning an NBA championship in today’s league. Performance is expected to drop off slightly when starters step off the court, but the second unit can’t be a liability if the Thunder hope to make a push for a Western Conference title and spot in the NBA Finals.

With a new teammate on the roster in Markieff Morris, the urgency to solidify the second unit is more prevalent and pressing than ever. Morris needs to adapt to the Thunder culture and gameplay to find his role, but he isn’t the only non-starter who needs to establish himself. All players on the Thunder roster would benefit from stepping back to assess their game and remember how they fit into the bigger picture before taking the next step into the playoffs.

The time is now for the Thunder bench to succeed without Westbrook and George. Although no fan wishes the duo to fall out of sync and struggle, it is the only way for the other starters and bench players to rely solely on themselves to coalesce into a separate identity that allows them to succeed without their superstar leaders.

The Thunder have enough potential to put a competitive team on the court without Westbrook and George. Though unwanted, they would benefit from learning through trial and error now rather than during game seven of the first round of playoffs.