OKC Thunder seek 5th win in row, host Kings – preview

The OKC Thunder are riding a four-game win streak as they return home to host the Sacramento Kings. Gameday breaks down the match.

The OKC Thunder are on a four-game win streak and haven’t lost since returning from the All-Star break.  In addition, they’ve won eight of their last ten and nine in a row on the road. To say this team is feasting would be an understatement.

In fact, with the Utah Jazz losing on Wednesday to the Celtics they fall to the sixth seed and the Thunder has moved up into the fifth position.

OKC trails the Rockets by two games for the fourth seed, are three games back of the LA Clippers and four of the Denver Nuggets in second.

Who could have dreamed at the start of the season that with only 24 games left the Thunder would be within four games of the second seed?

While they might struggle to get there, all they can do is keep winning and let the standings take care of themselves.

On the other hand, the Sacramento Kings are mired in another season of mediocrity. Sacramento is three and a half games behind the eighth seed. They’ve moved past the Spurs but it’s unlikely they’ll be able to pass each of the New Orleans Pelicans, Portland Trail Blazers and Memphis Grizzlies.

The best that they can probably hope for is to shape the playoffs by playing their best basketball and using this as experience for next year. The Kings have some exciting young talent. They have also been playing extremely well since the All-Star break, winning three straight and six of their last eight matches.

One of these streaks will end. With that, let’s look at the key matchups.