On Saturday, the OKC Thunder beat the Phoenix Suns to take a commanding 3-0 lead in the first round of the postseason, but that was hardly the most advantageous thing to happen to them on the day.
Injuries to Timberwolves players Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo, accompanied by a Minnesota win over Denver, might have just extinguished two of the three most menacing threats in the Western Conference.
Minnesota, now down their superstar for multiple weeks, firmly put themselves into the driver's seat with their third straight victory over the Nuggets.
The win has created a pathway for one of two scenarios to unfold, both of which are highly beneficial to the Thunder.
Timberwolves lead over Denver benefits Thunder repeat chances
In the first scenario, the Wolves close out their first-round series against the Nuggets. Though at less than full strength, they have looked like a well-oiled machine since the start of the playoffs.
They boast numerous scoring options and a dynamic bench that combined to score 76 of the team's 112 points in Game 4. A win somewhere over the span of the next three games is still highly plausible.
The Nuggets could also rattle off three straight to come back and win the series. However, the league will likely not view them as the same title threat it did before the series began.
After winning the opening match, Denver has been exposed.
Their severe lack of depth has been on full display, as they have averaged just 26.0 bench points from games two to four. Only Tim Hardaway Jr. has played more than 20 minutes each game for their second unit.
Wolves forward Jaden McDaniels has already called out their lack of defensive intensity, and Aaron Gordon is already battling injuries.
As a result, they now face the unexpected threat of a quarterfinals exit.
In other words, they are in nearly the exact same position as last year: hobbled, inconsistent, and far too reliant on their star power.
Menacing Thunder title threats now likely reduced to one
With the degradation of both Minnesota and Denver's rosters, just one team stands in the Thunder's way on paper.
The San Antonio Spurs look well on their way to advancing past the Trail Blazers. After dropping an unexpected Game 2, they righted the ship with two straight double-digit wins to take a 3-1 series lead.
Even with Victor Wembanyama out with a concussion in Game 3, fellow stars Stephon Castle and De'Aaron Fox still found themselves stepping up to steady the boat.
Thunder fans will have one eye on their next opponent, likely the Los Angeles Lakers, and the other on the Spurs.
The projected Western Conference Finals matchup between the Thunder and Spurs is highly anticipated, and both teams look more than capable of taking care of business to ensure the meeting when the time comes.
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