3 Reasons Why Thunder Can Win the NBA Title
The Oklahoma City Thunder cleared the first hurdle to reaching the NBA Finals: making it out of the first round. The Thunder became the second team to sweep an NBA series this season and the second of three to make it to the conference semifinals after sweeping the New Orleans Pelicans. They now await either the Los Angeles Clippers or Dallas Mavericks in round two of the Western Conference playoffs.
Despite Oklahoma City becoming the youngest team to win an NBA playoff series and doing so for the first time since 2016, it should not be counted out. The Thunder have the third-best odds to win the NBA Championship, with NBA odds giving them +900 odds to win it all. We will look at what gives them a leg up on the other teams.
Thunder’s Path to NBA Title: SGA and Holmgren’s MVP and Rookie Magic Unleashed!
Oklahoma City secured the No. 1 seed in the playoffs in part by way of its defense, which showed up as it swept New Orleans.
The Thunder finished 11th in the NBA in the regular season defensively, limiting teams to 112.7 points on 45.5% shooting. They were even stronger in the first series of the playoffs. Oklahoma City held the Pelicans under 100 points in each of its four wins, ranking first in postseason play and limiting New Orleans to 89.5 points on 39.6% shooting.
It wasn’t just the Pelicans’ shooting that was an issue, however, as OKC forced numerous turnovers in the series. Though the Thunder forced just 11.8 turnovers during the regular season, the Pelicans committed at least 18 turnovers in three of the four games in the series. OKC outscored New Orleans 79-37 on points off turnovers. The defense should continue to play a crucial part as they make a run in the postseason.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: MVP Material Leading the Thunder Charge
The Thunder are also led by MVP and Rookie of the Year finalists Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren, respectively.
The duo led Oklahoma City to the No. 1 seed in the West in the regular season, with SGA leading with 30.1 points and 6.2 assists a game and Holmgren adding 16.5 points and 7.9 rebounds. Gilgeous-Alexander’s offensive prowess continued to show up in the first round as he averaged 27.3 points in the series. He helped contribute to the 18-2 run against the Pelicans as well with a double-double of 24 points and 10 rebounds in the series-clinching victory.
Holmgren’s defense, meanwhile, played a big part. Though Zion Williamson was absent from the series, Holmgren made scoring difficult for anybody within five feet of the basket. According to ESPN Stats, the Pelicans were 9 of 35 in that range when he was the closest defender. Holmgren also averaged 15.3 points and 8.8 boards in the series, and with his tough rim defense and Gilgeous-Alexander’s strong offensive play, the duo should continue to make things tough for opponents.
Thunder’s Rest Advantage: A Key Factor for NBA Playoffs Betting Success!
Another aspect that goes in favor of the Thunder may be their time off as they await the winner of the Clippers-Mavericks series.
Since Oklahoma City swept the Pelicans, they have a bit more time to rest up and heal whatever minor injuries it may have sustained in the opening series with New Orleans.
With Los Angeles and Dallas also locked in a tight series, currently tied at 2-2, whoever comes out on top will likely be more worn out for a well-rested Thunder team. Oklahoma City will have the advantage of being able to scout the next opponent while also not having just come off the back of a competitive series.
There’s still plenty of NBA playoffs to go, so whether you believe the Thunder can go all the way or not, don’t forget to make your NBA picks at the sportsbook while you still can.
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Questions Of The Day
Who leads the Thunder in scoring?
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads OKC averaging 27.2 points a game in the playoffs.
What are the Thunder's odds of winning the title?
OKC has +900 odds of winning the NBA Championship.
The odds and predictions in the article are based on the time of writing and publication. They may differ as to when the actual event takes place.
