The Oklahoma City Thunder wrapped up their series against the Phoenix Suns in four games, and they now await their second-round opponent.
At this point, their path to the NBA Championship has never seemed easier. While the San Antonio Spurs played phenomenally against the Portland Trail Blazers, both the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Denver Nuggets have dealt with their own injury struggles that will make their runs much more difficult.
Even heading into the series between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Houston Rockets, which determines the Thunder's second-round matchup, it didn't truly seem as though either team had the juice to compete with Oklahoma City.
The Lakers offense has failed to find a true groove in the absence of Luka Doncic, but they managed to take a 3-0 lead as a result of the Rockets' own season-long struggles on that end of the floor. Los Angeles is averaging just 101.8 points per game during the playoffs, the third-lowest mark in the league.
But Houston has now won two games in a row, only one of which Kevin Durant was available for, bringing the series to 3-2 and forcing a Game 6 in H-Town. Even with Doncic projected to be out for the second round, the Thunder have a clear rooting interest here.
If the Rockets are able to pull off the comeback, Oklahoma City's path to the Western Conference Finals suddenly gets a whole lot easier.
The Rockets are undeniably the less threatening second-round matchup for OKC
As much as Doncic's absence disrupts the Lakers' offensive structure, they've shown their potential as a dangerous offense even when being led by LeBron James and Austin Reaves. If they are able to recover from this backslide, they could pose a surprising threat to Oklahoma City.
The Thunder have struggled all season to limit opposing teams' 3-point opportunities. The Lakers have shot 37.6% from beyond the arc as a team so far in the playoffs, and they shot a solid 35.9% in the regular season. At this point, any team who doesn't have the defensive juice to rival the Thunder has just one lane to an upset— their 3-point shooting.
The Rockets, for their part, have struggled mightily to maintain a consistent offense all season. They averaged just 115.2 points over the course of the regular season, and they took the third-fewest 3-point attempts out of the entire league. Even with their staunch defense, they'd be the preferable matchup for the Thunder.
Even with Durant out for Game 6, though, Houston has the chance to pull off the comeback. They held Los Angeles to just 93 points in Game 5, and the Lakers shot just 42.1% from the field even with Reaves back in the fold. Their path to a first-round victory lies in their defense, and Houston has that in abundance.
It will be an uphill battle for the Rockets, but the Thunder must clearly hope they're able to prevail and secure a second-round date with Oklahoma City.
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