Last season was a roller coaster for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Through injuries, poor play, and a bevy of roster changes, 2014-15 was a season full of change that ended with nothing to show for it.
At the conclusion of that campaign, Scott Brooks was fired and OKC had to start from step one. That sounds pretty bad until you realize that step 1 still includes Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.
The new man behind the helm is NBA Rookie Billy Donovan, and he inherited a high-profile job with stars and a high expectations (sound familiar?).
It was clear OKC looked at the new opportunity like the Golden State Warriors did two summers ago, hiring a rookie coach and trusting his basketball experience, IQ, and current roster could get them to the title. So far, that decision has paid off.
At the moment of this writing, OKC is planted firmly in third place. They sit behind the world-beating Warriors and the here-we-go-again San Antonio Spurs. With a healthy Durant (hopefully) and Westbrook back in action, this team looks like one that is ready to strike, and has cemented its status as a contender out west. They are doing it by attacking on offense and dominating the glass.
For his part, Donovan hasn’t been afraid to shake things up either. When backup point guard D.J. Augustin wasn’t playing up to Donovan’s standards, he was pulled from the rotation in favor of rookie Cameron Payne. Payne has played well in his new role, and the team has responded by winning 13 of 15 games.
The real key to this team has been their rebounding. Serge Ibaka and Steven Adams have anchored the starting five, but the secret weapon has been Enes Kanter off the bench. Averaging only 20 minutes per game, Kanter has blossomed to average 12 points and 8 rebounds.
The team is second in the league in total rebounds per game, and first in the league in offensive rebound percentage. That kind of dominance on the boards is the only way that they can contend with the Warriors and hope to win a seven game series.
Finally, let’s not forget the reason that the Thunder even stand a chance in this conference: Durant and Westbrook. These two have figured out how to play cohesively with each other (at least, more evidently to the public than in the past), and are putting up gaudy numbers.
Both average over 25 points per game, and are playing all-around basketball. When either (or both) of these two guys are feeling it, they can go stretches where the basketball is just electrifying. For OKC to really have a legitimate chance, they need both Durant and Westbrook to stay healthy and play like superstars, but with them in the fold just about anything is possible.