Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) drives past New York Knicks center Iman Shumpert in the third quarter of an NBA basketball game in Oklahoma City, Friday, Nov. 28, 2014. Oklahoma City won 105-78. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
At 5-12, the Oklahoma City Thunder are in a dangerous position. The absence of stars Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant pushed the Thunder into their worst start since the 2008-2009 season, when the team ended November with a 2-16 record. The Dallas Mavericks won 49 games last season and still had to fight off competition to break into the playoffs as an eighth seed. Unfortunately for the Thunder, the Western conference is off to another hot start and a similar race for the final playoff berth could come down to a team with wins in the high 40s.
With little room for error, OKC would need to play close to .700 basketball the rest of the way to even have a chance to make the postseason. With the timetable for Durant’s return still very cloudy and Westbrook’s return from a broken thumb still a work in progress, can the Thunder make the playoffs this year? Perry Green and Stephen D. Riley debate.
Green: If I’m in the front office for the Thunder, then I have to be seriously considering tanking the season to secure a high draft pick. The Phoenix Suns and Sacramento Kings are hovering around the final two playoff spots right now and they both have a .560 or higher winning percentage. If either team can keep up that pace, they’ll finish with between 45 and 50 wins, making the Western Conference playoff picture a strong one. The margin of error is too small for the Thunder, and trying to scramble to make the playoffs in what’s shaping up as a lost year could result in added injury for Westbrook or Durant. Keep in mind that Durant is out with a foot injury, and those delicate injuries need time to heal. Rushing him back could have lingering effects that last into next season, and the last thing the NBA needs is another Derrick Rose situation. Oklahoma should let Durant heal properly and snag a top pick to make a run next year in Durant’s final year of his contract.
Riley: Considering that Durant only has two years left on his deal, it’s even more vital that OKC make this push now. Durant’s a great player and the Thunder can’t just assume that he’ll re-sign for another run. The future is never promised, so the Thunder need to continue to try to win games while he’s still under contract. You can’t just throw away a whole season of an MVP-caliber player and hope that everybody comes back healthy next season. OKC is down in the conference, but with arguably two of the NBA’s top five players on the same team, there’s always going to be a window of opportunity for the team as long as both of those players are healthy. We haven’t even entered December yet, and there’s still a ton of basketball to be played. If Durant can hustle back from injury, then OKC could surge as the New Year comes.
Green: After a string of disappointing postseason finishes, it might be safe to say that we’ve already seen the best the Thunder have to offer. We’ve seen them without Westbrook and we’ve seen them without Durant. We’ve seen them without Serge Ibaka and we’ve even seen them healthy with all their pieces intact, including departed free agent James Harden. No matter which version of the team you’re looking at, they’ve all suffocated under the pressure of being a top unit and dealing with injuries and setbacks. There’s no evidence to show that Durant and Westbrook returning from their injuries will suddenly catapult this team into a dominant position. Even if Durant comes back firing, how much more damage can a bandaged Thunder team do compared to a healthy one? The two-man game of Durant and Westbrook still needs a few more pieces around it, and OKC could find themselves in a prime position to gain that piece with a high draft pick.
Riley: The two-man game of Westbrook and Durant has been enough to power the team to new heights over the last few seasons and, barring injury, those two would be enough to sneak them into the playoffs. Things typically come full circle in the NBA, so don’t discount the idea of any of the current conference leaders coming down with the injury bug themselves. The task is going to be a tall one for the Thunder, but with two superstars on the team any type of run is possible. Thunder head coach Scott Brooks has to be feeling some type of heat at this point for not delivering more with the talent he has. Oklahoma City knows their time as a unit could be dwindling with Durant and Westbrook’s contract status up in the air, and the team won’t simply lay down without delivering a strong charge to make the playoffs.
