The OKC Thunder four-game win streak came to an end on Sunday but it sure was fun while it lasted. This young roster is competitive with a grittiness that defies the typical tanking teams.
They enter week five of the NBA scheduled seeded 10th in the West and with four games on tap including a revenge match versus the Rockets prior to heading out for a three-game Eastern swing that takes them through Milwaukee and Boston on a back-to-back this coming weekend (then finishes next week in Atlanta).
However, to start this week they’ll face a team on a mission — the Miami Heat. These two clubs experienced polar opposite weeks. While the Thunder feasted on a winning streak the Heat suffered their first consecutive losses that expanded into a three-game losing streak before they snapped it in Utah.
OKC Thunder face an inspired Heat squad to launch week five
Week four witnessed Miami drop from first to fifth, get into a tussle in Denver, lose Jimmy Butler to a sprained ankle, and the resurgence of clutch Kyle Lowry.
While most analysts point to the Nets or Bucks as the favorites to come of the East, this Heat squad is deep, versatile, and built for the playoffs. Forget about last week’s stumble – that was a blip in the grand scheme of things.
Missing Butler in the second half of the Lakers match, they went into overtime before succumbing, and with him still out the next night, Lowry almost single-handedly beat the Clippers (they lost by three points in both matches).
Tyler Herro has begun this season resembling a version closer to his bubble self and Duncan Robinson finally found his shooting stroke after a rough start to the year.
Also, let’s not forget former OKC Thunder player Victor Oladipo is still on this roster. He might not be the All-Star version of pre-injury days but even if he’s close having his scoring off the bench will be a huge bonus for Spoelstra to tap and should be an upgrade over Goran Dragic in that role.
Barring serious injuries this Heat squad has looked like a genuine title contender that will improve as Lowry and Tucker gain experience with their new teammates and will be a force in the postseason.
The OKC Thunder can’t expect the Heat to underestimate them – they’re ticked to be 1-3 on the final game of this trip and will be dialed in from the tip.