2018 NBA Playoffs: Power ranking all 16 teams

11. Oklahoma City Thunder

On paper, the Oklahoma City Thunder are a top-10 defensive team with a star-studded Big 3 and a guy who just became the first player in NBA history to average a triple-double in two seasons. If only this team’s “on paper” strengths couldn’t also be used to write them off as a non-threat out West.

Not only are they facing a Utah Jazz side that’s won 29 of its last 36 games and has a superior point differential, but they just haven’t figured out how to keep both Paul George and Carmelo Anthony engaged on offense when Russell Westbrook dominates games. There’s still a “your turn, my turn” feel to the offense that Thunder fans were hoping they’d stop seeing by January.

Oklahoma City’s bread and butter was defense, but the bread has gone moldy and it turns out the butter was really just margarine ever since Andre Roberson went down. The Thunder’s defensive rating dropped from 103.1 (fifth in the NBA) with him on the court to 107.0 (15th) after his season-ending injury. Against the streaking and more cohesive Jazz, home-court advantage may not be enough for a collection of talented individuals.