How do the Oklahoma City Thunder match up against the rest of the Western Conference playoff contenders?
Despite how competitive the Eastern Conference has been this season, the route to an NBA championship runs directly through the Western Conference.
The West has been the home of many of the NBA’s title contenders for most of the last decade, and that has not changed this year. Even though some teams are having some unexpected struggles this year, (see the Phoenix Suns and New Orleans Pelicans) the strength at the top of the conference says they are still dominant.
With the Warriors winning at a record pace, the always dangerous and criminally underrated San Antonio Spurs and the always-dangerous Oklahoma City Thunder sitting atop the standings, this is where most of the NBA power resides.
Related Story: 25 Best Players to Play for the Oklahoma City Thunder
Outside of the Cleveland Cavaliers, there are no true title contenders in the Eastern Conference, and many of the teams in the playoff hunt wouldn’t stand a chance against the Western power teams.
Since getting through the Western Conference playoffs is nearly as admirable as winning an NBA title, each team needs to understand how they match up against one another.
Here is how the Thunder match up against the top teams in the conference and what strengths they can exploit to win.
Next: Familiar Foes