2 teams Thunder fans should be rooting for during final stretch of season

The Oklahoma City Thunder have clinched a playoff berth for the first time since the 2020 season. This feat marks the end of a short but grueling rebuild, which is certainly a cause for celebration.

However, the job is far from done, as OKC is preparing for what is hoped to be a deep and prosperous postseason run. 

They are currently jousting with Denver and Minnesota for the top seed, which guarantees home-court advantage and perhaps an easier path (although one never knows in this absurdly talented Western Conference).

It’s not a make-or-break outcome, but securing the one seed would be massive. 

The Thunder rank third in the NBA in home-court win percentage. On top of this, they have outscored opponents by 11.3 points per 100 possessions at home compared to only 3.2 points per 100 possessions on the road (via NBA.com).

Meanwhile, Denver sits second in home-court win percentage and eighth in away win percentage. They are adjusted to Colorado’s altitude, which contributes to their dominance at Ball Arena.

As a result, snagging the top seed could be the difference in a series against the Nuggets. 

In addition, the NBA Draft Lottery percentages will be impacted by this final stretch of games.

For example, the ninth-worst record owns about a 23 percent chance at a top-four pick, while the tenth-worst record only possesses roughly a 14 percent chance. 

Given the playoff and draft ramifications, which franchises across the league should Thunder fans be rooting for to win games during the final two weeks of the season?