The OKC Thunder were able to possibly save their season with a win against the Houston Rockets.
The Oklahoma City Thunder had a three-game stretch against three playoff teams in the New Orleans Pelicans, Golden State Warriors and the Houston Rockets. The OKC Thunder were able to go 2-1 after beating the Pelicans and Rockets.
The Rockets win prevented the Thunder from going into a three-way tie for eighth in the Western Conference with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets.
The Big 3 played rather well in the past three games that the Thunder had. All three went for double digits in all three games.
Russell Westbrook averaged 31.3 points per game, Carmelo Anthony averaged 16.6 points and Paul George averaged 23.6 points in the three-game stretch. In the game against the Rockets, Anthony had 22 points, George had 24 points and Westbrook had 24 points..
The Thunder needed to win these three games because they were on the fence to make the playoffs. They still have to win their last two games as the Timberwolves and Nuggets are right behind them.
The Thunder already do not have the tiebreaker against the Pelicans and San Antonio Spurs, so they are currently seventh in the standings. All three teams have the same record at 46-34 after the Spurs took care of the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday.
The Thunder have the tiebreaker against the Utah Jazz, who are fourth in the standings. They are only a half game behind them.
The ending of the season on April 11 will decide the seeding in the Western Conference playoffs. The Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves and the San Antonio Spurs and the New Orleans Pelicans all face each other in the final day of the regular season.
If the Thunder can win these last two games they may be able to move up in the standings.
The Thunder will have to keep an eye on the Jazz in their remaining three games. They are the only team out of this group with three games remaining and the schedule is rather tough.
They have to face the Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center, which is always tough because of the bright lights of LA (and its nightlife). Then they have to face the Warriors, who have been the best team consistently over the past couple of years. They are 28-11 on the road this year as they will face the Jazz on the road.
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Utah will then have to face the Portland Trail Blazers, who just got Damian Lillard back in the lineup, on the road to finish the season. If the Jazz lose the last two games and the Thunder win their last two games, then the Thunder could see themselves moving up.
If the Spurs and Pelicans win their games against the teams that they play before their matchup, and if the Jazz beat the Lakers, the Thunder cannot move up.
The Spurs and Pelicans will take care of each other and if the Jazz lose against two tough opponents, the Thunder will be able to move up to fifth.
The Big 3 of Westbrook, Anthony and George have been playing well. The win against the Rockets saved their season and was their most gigantic win this year to date. Now they have to face opponents who they have swept combined (they beat the Memphis Grizzlies all three times and the Miami Heat in their only matchup).
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If the Thunder can continue this good play and if the pendulum swings in their direction, they should be able to get a better seed.