Predicting where OKC Thunder finish season
In question 19 of the OKC Thunder 30 for 30 roundtable series the T.I. writing team makes their case for what seed the team will finish with.
Next up in the roundtable series, the Thunderous Intentions team offers up their seed prediction for the OKC Thunder.
This assumes the NBA returns to action and there is a least a portion of games remaining on the schedule played.
With that, I give you question 19 from the series…
Q19: Assuming resumption of games, what seed will the OKC Thunder finish with?
Shontelle Matano:
I believe the OKC Thunder will finish fourth in the Western Conference. I think if play resumes they’ll win the majority of their games, continuing their incredible team play throughout the season to get home court advantage. Seven of their 18 remaining regular-season matches are against teams not in playoff contention.
But with the tenacity, and clutch play they have shown this year, they’ll be able to get past teams such as the Miami Heat, Clippers, and Lakers who they will face. They are on the cusp of the fourth spot so I think they’ll overtake the Utah Jazz with them finishing 5th.
This would see them host the Jazz in the first round and provide a rematch of the 2018 playoffs when the two sides met. But this time the Thunder will look to add a new chapter of victory to their history.
Rylan Stiles:
I think this OKC Thunder team will finish around the 5th seed, I do not think if we play out the entire season after this delay that the Thunder could pull out the home court advantage. However, if it is a shortened season past the delay, then they could absolutely get the 4th seed. I think the Thunder will end up in fifth.
Dustin McGowen:
I think that the Thunder will finish in fifth because the season will restart with the playoffs.
The Thunder will get an entire series (without home-court advantage) with the Jazz to see which team is better. More on that tomorrow.
More from Thunderous Intentions
- Stealing one player from every Southwest Division team for the OKC Thunder
- Should the OKC Thunder chase after a disgruntled hometown hero?
- 3 OKC Thunder players who can step up in Aleksej Pokusevski’s absence
- Aleksej Pokusevski sidelined approximately 6 weeks with ankle injury
- Damian Lillard does not fit with the OKC Thunder
If this prediction is incorrect and the regular season resumes, the Thunder should go at least 8-4.
This would most definitely put them in fourth, and in that scenario, they would play the Houston Rockets in a matchup that would be absolutely amazing.
Tamberlyn Richardson:
The OKC Thunder are 20-11 on the road or win approximately 65 percent of their road matches. Ironically, the team has a slightly worse record at home (20-13).
Assuming the league returns the presumption is there will be at least a portion of the season played out and it will all occur in one location. In essence, every team will be playing on the road.
No matter how I dice it up I think teams will need at least a handful of games to iron out the kinks. And if that is the case, I bank on the Thunder finishing fourth.
Their opponent would likely be one of the Jazz or Rockets. That should make OKC Thunder fans happy because those are by far the best matchups (as opposed to the Nuggets, Mavericks or Clippers).
Saturday the Thunderous Intentions writing team considers how the OKC Thunder matchup versus the Jazz in question 20.
Wishing everyone a safe and healthy day.