It's been an up-and-up season for the Oklahoma City Thunder. This was a franchise filled with exciting young players that was supposed to need another season to reach this point. They were too young, too inexperienced, and too outmatched against the firepower of the Western Conference around them.
Instead, the Thunder have blown those expectations out of the water, sitting just outside of the top spot in the Western Conference with the league's third-best net rating. They still face a postseason gauntlet that will test their lack of experience, but as far as regular season success goes the Thunder are crushing it this season.
Inside of that context, however, not every player on the roster has had the season that they hoped for. Additionally, the team's success has increased the pressure on certain players; every member of the Thunder's long-term future has to be able to contribute in the playoffs. The Thunder will be a title contender for the forseeable future, so underperforming players have more of a microscope on them than they did before.
Who is playing well, and who is not?
Looking at the team through that lens, who on the team is ahead of schedule, exceeding expectations this season and helping to boost the Thunder toward the top? Conversely, which players on the team are underperforming, failing to meet those expectations and beginning to cast doubt on their futures?
Let's take a look at a collection of players who fit the bill and analyze what moving forward looks liek after the All-Star Break.