Golden State Warriors: Ranking their greatest threats in the West
3. Oklahoma City Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder are in the midst of a slump, having dropped four of their past six games and nine of their last 13 overall. On the flip side, they are currently tied with the Spurs for the fifth-best record in the Western Conference.
They have a pair of MVP-caliber players that can hurt opposing teams on any given night. Russell Westbrook is averaging a triple-double for the third consecutive season. Just let that thought sit in your brain for a minute.
Paul George is also having a great season as he’s averaging career highs in scoring (28.3 points per contest), rebounding (8.2) and assists (4.2). On top of that, PG-13 also leads the league in steals with 2.2 per contest. Simply put, they make a formidable 1-2 punch.
OKC also bolsters a very balanced attack, with five players scoring in double figures, and they are the second-best rebounding team in the association. From a defensive standpoint, the story becomes a little suspect, though, as the Thunder ranked 15th in both points allowed (110.9 points per outing) and opponents’ field goal efficiency (45.8 percent).
Although the season series isn’t always indicative of how a playoff matchup will go, the Dubs have knocked off the Thunder in two of their three meetings, winning by average of 15 points per game, including a recent 110-88 home loss on Mar. 16.
When it’s all said and done, OKC can be a difficult out in the playoffs, but they doesn’t have enough to dethrone the champs.