Are Oklahoma City Thunder unbeatable in the West? – NBA Feature
Oklahoma City Thunder seem to be having a great year. They are currently at the top of the Western Conference, with the second best record in the league behind Chicago Bulls. They are looking good to make it to the NBA Finals,
because of the talent in their team and the sheer dominance they have shown in the league this season.
Starting with their line-up, Oklahoma City have a top contender for the MVP, while there is the live wire point guard who isn’t far behind. We are of course talking about Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. Kevin Durant is averaging
27.8 points, 7.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. In every big victory, Kevin Durant has a major role to play. Russell Westbrook is not far behind. The guard is averaging 24.3 points, 5.4 assists and 1.7 steals per game this season. He is also a great ball
mover and play maker.
Together, these two players are responsible for the majority of OKC scores on a regular basis.
Serge Ibaka is the forward-centre for the Thunder, and another reason why they have been so successful this season. He is averaging 8.9 points and 7.7 rebounds per game in 27 minutes of playing time. Ibaka’s partner in the front
court, centre Kendrick Perkins, is a defensive rock and an experienced campaigner.
And to cap the team roster off, OKC have quite possibly the best 6th man in the league at the moment in James Harden. He is averaging 16.5 points, 3.7 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game this season in 31.6 minutes of
playing time. With Harden, the OKC roster seems complete.
Role players such as Derek Fisher and Nazr Mohammed give OKC the depth that is required to win series in playoff atmosphere.
OKC are 2nd in the NBA in points scored in home games and top the league in field goal percentage at 47.4%. They also have the best free throw shooting percentage in homes games in the league. On the defensive end, OKC
are 5th in the league in rebounds per game and 1st in the league in blocks per game. They are an exceptional team at home, but their away record is also 2nd best in the league at 19-10. And with the #1 spot in the Western Conference,
the Thunder are well on their way of securing home court advantage all the way to the Western Conference Finals, and even the NBA Finals.
With the kind of roster that OKC have and the performances their star players are giving on a regular basis, it will be very difficult to beat Oklahoma City in the Western Conference Playoffs. San Antonio Spurs seem to be finding
their dominant form and Lakers is a great playoff team but Oklahoma City has a balance between offense and defence in their roster. They have the game plan to topple the Lakers, as well as the youth and energy to give San Antonio a run for their money. It
will be interesting to see how they perform once the playoffs commence.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article do not represent Bettor.com’s editorial policy.
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