Before the season, very few people thought the young Oklahoma City Thunder would be a title contender. Now Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Co. are even starting the playoffs from the top seed. OKC has more of an outside chance of winning the title, but the future should belong to them – or should it not?
Without question, NBA observers saw plenty of potential for the Oklahoma City Thunder before this NBA season – but probably more in the future. The young team led by superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was certainly expected to make the playoffs for the first time since 2020, but the fact that the Thunder are the top seed in the West after 82 games played in the regular season should surprise even the experts. Coach Mark Daigneault’s team starts the playoffs in first place in the Western Conference – and is therefore automatically considered one of the contenders for the title.
Gilgeous-Alexander, who scored the third most points of all players in the regular season with 30.1, leads the squad. No player in the NBA is more dangerous when moving into the zone, no one generates more points from drives than the 25-year-old. With two steals per game, “SGA” is also the second-best ball thief in the league – meaning he has an impact on both sides of the court and is at least a candidate for the MVP title. Like his team, few had expected such a meteoric rise for the guard before the season. However, he is not shouldering the responsibility alone
Do the Thunder have a new “Big Three”?
Another key player is playing his first NBA season, and how: Chet Holmgren is scoring the third most points per game of any rookie (16.3) and is on the floor for around 29 minutes. In both categories, he is only surpassed by San Antonio’s wunderkind Victor Wembanyama and Hornets forward Brandon Miller. Not to forget: Holmgren was drafted second overall in 2022, but had to sit out an entire season due to injury.
The 2.16-meter big man sometimes moves offensively in the style of a build-up or wing player and also hits 37 percent of his threes. Thanks to his arm span of 2.30 meters, he can also influence the game defensively: 2.3 blocks document this, putting him in the top 5 in the NBA. If the 21-year-old continues like this and remains injury-free, the Thunder already have the next upcoming superstar in their ranks.
However, Jalen Williams is currently the second most important option in attack: the versatile forward is also only 22 years old, contributes 19.1 points per game offensively and shoots almost 43% from outside. In defense, “J-Dub” is also regarded as a tough defender. He should be particularly important in the playoffs when superstar Gilgeous-Alexander is doubled. Then it will also become clear how strong the dependence on “SGA” is. In general, does OKC have a new “Big Three” for the future with him, Holmgren and Williams? For keen observers of the league, this should bring back memories of the team around the three later league MVPs Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden.
Everything seems possible in the playoffs
They stormed all the way to the NBA Finals in 2012, where they lost 4-1 to the then Miami Heat team led by superstar LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. None of the superstars were older than 23 at the time, but the Thunder never reached the finals again after that, with all three players leaving Oklahoma City over time. Even if the end of the current generation is not yet in sight, there are surprisingly many parallels to the current team, in which the other top performers around Josh Giddey (21 years old) and Luguentz Dort (24 years old) are also still young, although the former has taken a step back this season.
At 39, coach Mark Daigneault is also one of the youngest coaches in the league. He has managed to elevate his team to the top level on both ends of the floor. The Thunder play a slow tempo, which is quite surprising for a young squad. But the half-court offense is among the best in the league. And Daigenault? He is one of the hottest contenders for the “Coach of the Year” title. Nevertheless, the question arises: Will that be enough for the really big win in the playoffs this year? After all, most of the players are about to make their first appearance in the postseason.
The Thunder could at least avoid last year’s champions from Denver, led by superstar Nikola Jokic, in the final round until the conference finals. They would have home court in a possible seventh game. The fact is: the team is a miracle bag due to its inexperience. From a run to the finals to an early exit against experienced teams, anything seems possible. And even if OKC seems to be the future, it’s better not to rely on that in the Midwest: Their own Finals team from 2012 serves as a cautionary tale.