After a few more Cleveland Cavalier losses, it is safe to say that the Oklahoma City Thunder are still the best team in basketball. They have dominated the rest of the league all season long, and there are no signs of them slowing up anytime soon.
Of course, we first have to point to the unbelievable play of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to explain the season Oklahoma City is having. SGA has been enjoying one of the most dominant offensive campaigns of this century, even statistically rivaling Kevin Durant's MVP season with the Thunder from 11 years ago.
But in acknowledging Gilgeous-Alexander's greatness this year, we also have to recognize just how much the brilliant roster construction of the Thunder has contributed to their 61-12 record. There have been numerous heroes on this squad that have been more unsung, but Aaron Wiggins stands out as one that is particularly impressive.
Playing in his fourth season in Oklahoma City, Wiggins has taken a step up this year and is widely considered the team's most improved player from last season. A brilliant all-around talent, Aaron leaves his fingerprints all over the game when he's on the floor, as evidenced by his +641 plus/minus for the season, the eighth-highest of any player in the NBA.
Aaron Wiggins has been OKC's most improved player
Put simply, Wiggins is a ceiling-raising player. One area in particular he has been a big difference-maker as of late is with his three-point marksmanship. Over the course of his last 24 games, Aaron is shooting it at 43% from beyond the arc while attempting six three-pointers per night.
This serves to highlight his improved overall scoring punch. While playing the most minutes since his rookie season in 2021-22, Wiggins is averaging a career-high 11.7 points while primarily coming off the bench. We see his expanded bag on a nightly basis as he puts opponents in the torture chamber with regularity.
Critics will say that Wiggins' situation with the Thunder allows him to thrive like he does, but his multi-dimensional talent is clear to see. The implications of his play on Oklahoma City's title chances are significant. The Thunder were already built to succeed in the playoffs, but having a solid gold guy like Wiggins step up like this only serves to increase the chances we see OKC walking away holding the Larry O'Brien trophy by the time the middle of June rolls around.