Predicting how OKC Thunder would perform in trio of return scenarios

Scenario 2 – Play a shortened handful of games prior to playoffs:

All teams will return with the same physical limitations but the Thunder has a great mix of youth and vets. Since Billy Donovan doesn’t typically go deep into his bench and their clutch lineup has demonstrated consistent winning it shouldn’t take long for OKC to return to form and shake off the rust.

In this scenario, OKC could still alter their seeding. The irony of course is it’s expected any return would occur in one location. That means no court or fanbase advantage and in the West, the teams are all so closely matched there isn’t much to gain from being the higher seed.

Still, even a few extra games could play a factor in the final seeding just like a full complement of the schedule would.

No team wants to look too far ahead, so trying to jockey for position may seem futile, but it is an option even with a few games played leading up to the postseason.

Either way, it’s looking like the second round would feature one of the LA clubs and neither is an ideal scenario. Therefore even a handful of games prior to the playoffs would allow the Thunder to conceivably decide if they want to be in the Lakers or Clippers bracket.

This is the most likely scenario for the league to choose. First and most importantly it gives the athletes real games to get back into a flow. Second, it affords Adam Silver the opportunity to have his play-in tournament for the final seeds in each conference.

There is also an outside chance the commissioner could use the unusual circumstances of the suspension to test out his lottery based tournament although he may need longer to get buy-in from the NBAPA and BOG.