OT: OKC will miss the playoffs

[Draco]

The Westbrook injury on top of the Durant injury is crippling. Even with the second best record in the league last season the Thunder were only 11 wins outside the lottery. National analysts are underestimating how balanced the western conference is top to bottom this year. Common rhetoric is that the Thunder will just drop to a 5th or 6th seed. That is incorrect. These 7 teams listed below all made the playoffs last season with 50 wins (49 in Dallas case) and are all going to build an insurmountable lead by Christmas time that the Thunder cannot catch:

SAS, DAL, GS, POR, HOU, LAC, MEM

Then after those 7 teams there is a 48 win Phoenix team that was in the lottery; an interesting Denver team with much more healthy start to this year; and a New Orleans team with an impressive Asik/Davis/Anderson frontline. OKC will be in a 4 way battle with those teams for the 8th spot and I'd say odds are strongly that they will fall short. There is more parity in the NBA then ever before.

 

[donkiez]

possibly, but both are still due back before christmas I believe. Plenty of time to get a low seed and be the team no one wants to face.

 

[BBert]

The Hillbilly Tears will be so delicious.

 

[santeesioux]

This seems like a jinx thread.

 

[Sinobas]

They've played so well despite all the injuries, only lost by 3 last night. It seems that when teams get injuries, they have a few inspired efforts in them before it really starts showing, like what happened when LA got hurt last year.

It'll probably take 50 wins to get in this year, so they'd really have to play well when they get healthy.

 

[Pinwheel1]

I am wondering if it will take 50 this year. If the west is even more competitive as discussed, I am wondering if the number to make the playoffs might drop.

 

[andalusian]

I am wondering if it will take 50 this year. If the west is even more competitive as discussed, I am wondering if the number to make the playoffs might drop.

ESPN's pre-season preview (for what it's worth) has it at 48 wins.

 

[KingSpeed]

I think Thunder will make playoffs. Look at how Grizzlies bounced back from injuries last season. Watch us get the #1 seed and having to play healthy Thunder in first round.

 

[BBert]

I think Thunder will make playoffs. Look at how Grizzlies bounced back from injuries last season. Watch us get the #1 seed and having to play healthy Thunder in first round.

That's a pretty reasonable prediction.

What's the matter with you?

 

[BlazerBeav]

That Memphis team still had more talent after the injuries than what OKC is operating with. The Clippers literally tried to hand the game to the Thunder last night, but those scrubs couldn't get out of their own way. I had read that they have a somewhat easy schedule in November - but that means that when their stars do come back, they'll have to make up ground while playing against the tougher part of their schedule.

 

[julius]

The only way they miss the playoffs is if Durant AND Westbrook both miss half the season.

 

[Hobbesarable]

It's time for our Blazers to take advantage of the Thunder's woes and go straight to the top of the division!

 

[KingSpeed]

It's time for our Blazers to take advantage of the Thunder's woes and go straight to the top of the division!

We're already there.

 

[Hobbesarable]

We're already there.

Yeah, we are tied with the Nuggets at 1-0. I'd like to see our wins increase greatly over the next several weeks while Westbrook and Durant are mending.

 

[Sinobas]

I am wondering if it will take 50 this year. If the west is even more competitive as discussed, I am wondering if the number to make the playoffs might drop.

No, the good teams just beat the crap out of the east and the crappy teams in the West.

 

[KingSpeed]

Yeah, we are tied with the Nuggets at 1-0. I'd like to see our wins increase greatly over the next several weeks while Westbrook and Durant are mending.

Well, we have a LOT of home games coming up so we should be able to do that.