Oklahoma City Thunder: 7-1
An offseason ended using the Thunder appearing as vulnerable as the top-tier Western Conference teams they were assumed to have a border on.
Kevin Durant’s fractured foot has been the blow off, but then Anthony Morrow sprained his MCL. Reggie Jackson rolled an ankle, and Jeremy Lamb’s back flared up.
Injuries are part of each summer and preseason slate, plus they are bad news for everyone. But for OKC, a team in position to make the most of the Clippers’ minimal advancement and the theoretical decrease of San Antonio, the onrush of maladies was particularly ill-timed.
The window of the Thunder is by no means closed. Fully healthy, they’re a threat to knock anybody . And if there aren’t any lingering effects from the current laundry list of injuries (Durant’s in particular), they might even be favorites in the conference by the time the postseason rolls around.
At the same time, the playoff positioning of Oklahoma City could hurt. Heading into the dance as a No. 4 seed makes reaching the last round a great deal harder. So second-year breakout candidate Steven Adams and Russell Westbrook, Serge Ibaka must compensate for their lost teammates’ production.
OKC still belongs on the pedestal that is contending, but its own tower is more shaky than anticipated.
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