Oklahoma City’s rebuild continues to take steps ahead within the progress towards being aggressive within the NBA once more, a minimum of on paper.
Oklahoma City gained 44 video games in 2019-20 with the assistance of Chris Paul. The final two seasons haven’t been clean. OKC hasn’t gained greater than 25 video games in both of these seasons. The Thunder have a mixed report of 46-108, which is much less wins than every particular person season from 2015-2019.
However, the temper across the workforce is greater than it has been for the reason that starting of the rebuild. With three new lottery choices, a surging Shai Gilgeous- Alexander the Thunder must be on the monitor ahead.
Chet Holmgren, the best chosen of the three lottery, might be out for the season with a Lisfranc damage. But the Thunder’s expectations are greater than final season, however sure benchmarks will inform extra clearly their progress all through the season.
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Benchmark 1: Pistons and Rockets
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The Thunder, Pistons and Rockets have been energetic of their rebuilds in latest seasons, every taking steps ahead to being aggressive groups.
The Rockets and Thunder have had a aggressive collection which has led to a way of rivalry amongst the groups.
The collection in opposition to these two groups will set a benchmark for the Thunder to see how they fare in opposition to different groups close to the underside of the league.
OKC and Detroit face one another twice this season, and one further time within the preseason. The common season video games are spaced out sufficient, the primary Nov. 7 and the second March 29.
Benchmark 2: Pelicans
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The Pelicans are a workforce who completed 36-46 final season and earned the eighth seed within the Western Conference.
A workforce with a loaded roster who added two extra first spherical picks this low season, together with Dyson Daniels. With rising optimism round Zion Williamson the 4 video games between the Thunder and Pelicans will inform quite a bit about the place the Thunder are as a unit.
In the earlier two seasons the Thunder are a mixed 3-3 in opposition to New Orleans. The Thunder don’t have to win the season collection to show they’ve gotten nearer to competing with playoff workforce’s however a win or perhaps a cut up will communicate volumes, particularly with out Holmgren.
Benchmark 3: The contenders
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The Thunder play the Warriors and Suns 4 occasions every and play the Celtics and Bucks twice.
These units of video games will show an uphill battle for the younger Thunder roster in opposition to groups with title hopes.
While the Thunder is probably not to the purpose of successful season collection in opposition to the groups, the exams and the way properly they play in opposition to them might be good checks of the progress the workforce has made each total and all through the season.
Playing title-contending stage opponents double-digit occasions over the course of a grueling 82 sport schedule is essential to the event of the OKC youthful core.
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