OKC Thunder: 3 potential playoff X-factors the team needs
Final thoughts
Like a search for buried treasure, Thunder coach Billy Donovan must dig through his bench to find a timely hidden prize. That prize is a player who will dig deep to find it in himself to be the X-factor treasure the Thunder need to send the tipping point in their favor during the first round of playoffs. Ideally, assuming OKC advances to the second round, that player will maintain his upward trajectory to bolster and stabilize what can sometimes be a shaky reserve lineup.
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It could be anyone, but it will most likely be a player who already gets a steady stream of consistent minutes he can count on to make a difference. This rules out players like Raymond Felton, Patrick Patterson, and Deonte Burton, who often go several games before getting the chance to step onto the court.
Instead, I believe it will more likely be Nerlens Noel, Markieff Morris, or Abdel Nader. These guys, though often getting less than 15 minutes per game, still see more than a full quarter’s worth of game-play. All three of these guys have more potential than their performances usually suggest.
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It could be one of them that rises up, or it could be a cumulative effect of all three stepping up. Either way, these three men get consistent enough minutes to go out and make a much bigger impact on the court than they typically achieve. There’s only one thing standing in their way – they have to choose to do it and execute on that decision.