OKC Thunder: 3 takeaways in big win over Bucks

Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) drives to the basket as OKC Thunder center Al Horford (42) defends: Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports
Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) drives to the basket as OKC Thunder center Al Horford (42) defends: Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports /
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Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports /

OKC Thunder takeaway No. 2) Thunder could easily be in the playoff hunt

One stellar game doesn’t rewrite the 25 games that came before it, but it shows that the OKC Thunder could easily be in the playoff hunt.

Consider for a moment that the Thunder were able to pull off victories in some of their closest losses of the season. That would mean the Thunder would find themselves at 15-11 rather than 11-15 in the Western Conference, which puts them in seventh in the conference, dropping the Denver Nuggets to eighth and eliminating the Golden State Warriors from contention if the playoffs began right now.

No, it’s not the reality, but so far this season, the Thunder have lost five games by a combined 11 points. One of those games accounts for seven of those points when the Thunder took the Los Angeles Lakers to overtime in the first of a two-game series and fell apart as the Lakers won 119-112.

Now, consider tonight, where the Thunder battled the Bucks, gave up a lead late in the game and found a way to come back, create some distance and pick up the win.

The Bucks are an elite Eastern Conference team currently on a three-game skid. That will work itself out in time; Milwaukee is good for it. The Bucks command respect and can dominate any opponent set to take the court against them.

But in a game that was considered by most to be a guaranteed win, the Thunder shone the brightest and upstaged one of the league’s best teams.

The OKC Thunder combine teamwork and resiliency to compete for a win each time they step onto the court. They’ve managed to scrape together 11 victories after committing to a rebuild and assembling a roster that includes mostly NBA inexperienced players and “washed up” veterans.

In a few years, assuming the roster stays mostly intact, the Thunder will be one of the scariest teams in the NBA.

It’s a great time to be an OKC Thunder fan.