Everybody back last night and they lost to New Orleans. Down to 5-13, need to go 45-19 to win 50.

Yep. I think 50 wins is about the best they can hope for at this point. The west is just too deep.

Even if the season started today, I doubt any team can go .770 in the west this year, including a healthy OKC.

Looks like they make it

They are only a half game out already. They will easily make it.

They're playing really well right now, two big road tests this week against Sacramento and Golden State. Westbrook is playing out of his mind right now.

Lots of fail on this thread.

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Lots of fail on this thread.

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Everyone was assuming Durant/westbrook wouldn't be back until late December

Not sure why everyone felt that way - the team never said late December.

They said 6-8 weeks for Durant early November and 4-5 weeks for westbrook. It turned out they returned in 4.5 and 3 weeks

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Not sure why everyone felt that way - the team never said late December.

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Yeah it was not expected to be this soon

On Oct 12 it was announced by the team that Durant would be out 6-8 wreks. He returned on Dec 2. 7 weeks. Russ was out 4 weeks. It was originally reported he would be out 4-6 weeks. Neither came back before the earliest estimates of their return.

They returned 2-5 games sooner than expected, but more importantly they came back and started winning immediately without playing crazy minutes. That's incredibly impressive, enough that given the same scenario, I would probably make the same prediction again.

All that said, they have not exactly been playing the cream of the crop lately. Pretty much any WC playoff team would have had the same results against that slate. There's still a lot of basketball to be played.

I know everyone hates him here, but Westbrook is playing MVP caliber ball right now.

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I know everyone hates him here, but Westbrook is playing MVP caliber ball right now.

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Russ is the most exciting player in the league. He's scary when he's had this much rest.

They returned on the early side, but also most on here expected 8th place in the west to be more than a .500 team (and they may have been sub. 500 when they returned. ). My guess is that most would have thought teams 9 and 10 would also be over .500, with the thunder at about 11.

Unlike in years past, the top 8 in the west may be determined by Christmas, with the last two thirds of the season determining the order of those 8.

I think Russ is the hardest match up in the NBA right now. He's a solid MVP candidate.

Iowa...you thought the Thunder would finish the year 11th or they'd be 11th when they got healthy?

From my post on page 1:

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They have to hope at least three teams fizzle out - Suns, Pelicans, and Kings. I see it being a 4-way race for the eight spot.

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OKC's definitely out of the woods as far as making the playoffs. Suns and Kings have completely fallen apart, both going 2-8 in the past 10 games. OKC now virtually tied with the Pelicans at the 8th spot.

The way they're playing right now, I see them passing up both the Pelicans and Spurs in the next few weeks. (Currently 5 losses behind SA.)

Only question now is whether or not they make it up to the top 5.

I thought that when the KD and Westbrook returned they would be sitting around 10-12.

I expected the Suns to be playing better, and the Kings would have been higher had Cousins not contracted meningitis. So I think most would have thought those two teams, along with the Pelicans, would have been ahead of the Thunder with both KD and RW out 4-6 weeks I thought that the Nuggets would be more competitive and that would have been a pick 'em with where the Thunder were with the Nuggets.

It wasn't the Thunder's record that surprised me when both those guys returned, but that those other teams weren't better, and don't appear to be playing good enough to be considered a WC playoff team.

Like I wrote above, once the Thunder get in the top 8, I expect the top 8 to stay the top 8, with only the order changing, and that should by Christmas. Unlike the past few years where 10 teams or so were entering the top 8 and the playoff teams weren't all decided until the last week of the season.

Mark Jackson said last night the Thunder will have the best 2 players on the floor no matter who they play in the playoffs. That's scary for everyone else.

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Mark Jackson said last night the Thunder will have the best 2 players on the floor no matter who they play in the playoffs. That's scary for everyone else.

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Timely insight as usual from Mark Jackson. They had the two best players on the floor in every series they played last year.

Still, they barely beat Memphis, LAC was a competitive series, and of course they lost to SA. OKC is scary, but that's not new, they aren't invincible, and Mark Jackson is dumb.

1. Marc Jackson is an idiot.

2. It aint true vs the Rockets.

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1. Marc Jackson is an idiot.

2. It aint true vs the Rockets.

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Wait who on the Rockets is better than Westbrook or Durant?

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1. Marc Jackson is an idiot.

2. It aint true vs the Rockets.

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Wait who on the Rockets is better than Westbrook or Durant?

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kostas papanikolaou

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Mark Jackson said last night the Thunder will have the best 2 players on the floor no matter who they play in the playoffs. That's scary for everyone else.

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Fortunately for everyone else, they still have Scott Brooks who is such a liability that he basically destroys any advantage they have from having the best 2 players on the court.

I don't like the Spurs even a little but but I respect their gamesmanship. Their 3 point shooting is their identity and when Serge is healthy we routinely handle them fairly easily as their guards don't force the defense to rotate when the best defender in the league is swatting their shots into the cheap seats. Still I think they are a decent team and I respect Pop for coming up with the best strategy for the hand he has been dealt. Props to SA. However, Houston is a joke. They haven't won jack and remind me of the little annoying puppy chasing the limo. Get back to the curb Rocket!

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1. Marc Jackson is an idiot.

2. It aint true vs the Rockets.

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Pfft, please

Yea, nbobbs post is hilarious.

Good luck with that.

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I don't like the Spurs even a little but but I respect their gamesmanship. Their 3 point shooting is their identity and when Serge is healthy we routinely handle them fairly easily as their guards don't force the defense to rotate when the best defender in the league is swatting their shots into the cheap seats. Still I think they are a decent team and I respect Pop for coming up with the best strategy for the hand he has been dealt. Props to SA. However, Houston is a joke. They haven't won jack and remind me of the little annoying puppy chasing the limo. Get back to the curb Rocket!

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You mean Serge Goaltender?

Serge is playing like garbage this year. OKC isn't going far in the playoffs with the way he's played thus far.

Poor Trevas...that Memphis butthurt is strong

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Serge is playing like garbage this year. OKC isn't going far in the playoffs with the way he's played thus far.

Poor Trevas...that Memphis butthurt is strong

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Nah just stating that he goal tends a lot but also gets away with it a bunch. Mainly the playoff series against the Spurs.
While they were often caught, both players had big moments last season during missed goaltending calls. Ibaka had several high-profile goaltends-turned-blocks in the NBA Playoffs.
http://saltcityhoops.com/the-nbas-goaltending-leaders/

Serge is the most ridiculous goal tender in the league.

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Serge is the most ridiculous goal tender in the league.

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There is a reason why I call him Serge Goaltender.

Finally hit .500

Durant is playing at a ridiculous level right now.

I think they are 9-1 when durant finishes games.