The Oklahoma City Thunder are one of the deepest teams in the league. There's no question about that.
But depth alone is not what will allow the Thunder to make another lengthy playoff run. As the postseason approaches, it will be Mark Daigneault's ability to slim down the rotation while maintaining the team's flexibility. Oklahoma City's on-court combinations, and the acuity with which Mark Daigneault implements them, will likely be the deciding factor.
In one sense, the plethora of injuries the Thunder have suffered this season could make that task more difficult. They truly don't know yet what they'll get out of Jalen Williams. Alex Caruso has been limited for much of the season with various load management issues. Isaiah Hartenstein's lower-body injuries must also factor into his playing time.
But in another sense, missing those impactful players for relatively large stretches of the season gave run to lineups that would not have seen it otherwise.
Ajay Mitchell and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, for example, started five games together in the backcourt between Mitchell's and Jalen William's return to action. In their matchup against the Boston Celtics, Oklahoma City showed exactly how they might use this weapon once the intensity of the playoffs ramps up.
A Mitchell-SGA backcourt gifts the Thunder an offensive freedom they don't often find with their starting lineup
The Thunder's 109-119 loss to the Celtics was a reflective one. At this point is the season, it was an opportunity to see where their points of exposure are, to see what vulnerabilities other contenders might try to exploit.
But it was also an opportunity for experimentation. Mitchell has had a breakout season, averaging 14.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.6 assists while knocking down 34.2% of his shots from beyond the arc. Through the 575 minutes he and Gilgeous-Alexander have spent on the court together this season, the team has an absurd 125.1 offensive rating.
It's not really an option to have Mitchell in the starting lineup long-term given the defensive roles that Lu Dort and Cason Wallace play when they're tapped for the second backcourt spot. But to employ the Mitchell-SGA combination when the team is in need of an offensive boost? That could be a dangerous postseason weapon.
The Thunder did exactly that on Wednesday, giving the pair some run in the first quarter and again in the third when the Celtics continued to pull ahead. It wasn't ultimately sufficient to help the Thunder gain ground, but it was clear that the creativity and offensive potency present when those two players are on the floor is something that can be utilized from here on.
This is the time of year where coaches are making their final tweaks to their rotations. To see Daigneault utilize this combination in a playoff-like atmosphere is a promising sign, and it's evidence of another silver lining from the Thunder's injury-plagued season.