Predicting how OKC Thunder would perform in trio of return scenarios

Scenario 1 – complete the regular season:

Of the three options, this seems the most unlikely to occur. Should the Thunder resume play with the ability to pick up right where they left off they would have an excellent shot at taking the fourth seed.

If the league were to shock us and play out the schedule the Thunder has 18 games remaining on their schedule where they currently own a 40-24 record as the fifth seed.

OKC is in a virtual tie with the Rockets but owns the tiebreak which nudges them ahead. The other three logical teams in the mix are the Jazz, up by a single game, the Mavericks who trail by 1.5 games and the Nuggets who hold a 2.5 game advantage. The Grizzlies are too far back to catch the Thunder and neither LA team is realistically within reach.

Ten games were scheduled for the road and eight at home to complete the season. But, with all teams projected to play in one venue, all 18 games would essentially be road games.  OKC is one of seven teams (Bucks, Raptors, Celtics, Lakers, Jazz, Mavericks) who’ve won 20 or more road games.

Given the nature of fitting in all these games presumably, teams might play additional back-to-back sets.

The benefit of this scenario is the Thunder can move up the ladder, get more time to shake off rust and have time to work players back into the rotation like Darius Bazley who was out injured as of the suspension.

And, if the team is bent on keeping their draft pick they could elect to flirt with disaster and consciously work to drop down to 11th.