Nine Games Left

[ljbab728]

It's going to be a very interesting and exciting end to the regular season for the Thunder. After tonight's win and the Spur's loss they are tied in the loss column to determine home court advantage for the playoffs and need to finish one game better than the Spurs. Every remaining game is winnable but based on recent experience nothing can be taken for granted. The Spurs remaining schedule is comparable in difficulty. Another factor is the race in the East where the Heat have the same number of losses as the Thunder and the Bulls have one less loss. OKC has the tiebreaker over the Bulls if it comes down to them.

http://espn.go.com/nba/standings

[Snowman]

It looks like Charlotte is going to clinch the best draft lotto pick chances this week.

Has also been a few articles on tanking, how OKC was an exception to the norm when it did so just before the move here.
The Oklahoma City Unicorns
Does it (tanking) even work?
Tanking is the tip of the iceberg

[Pete]

I would love to see American pro sports adopt the promotion/relegation concept used in many international soccer leagues.

Basically, if you finish in the bottom three of the league, you get sent down to the next level. If you finish in the top three, you get promoted to the next level.

That concept means teams can't take and also makes even the most woeful season full of intrigue. Even very late in the season there are very few meaningless games.

[SoonerBoy18]

OKC has the tiebreaker over the Bulls if it comes down to them.

http://espn.go.com/nba/standings

Does that mean if Bulls win the ECF, The Thunder will have home court in the finals?

We are capable of winning these last 9 games, but I think Thunder will have a extremley difficult time playing the Clippers in Los Angelas, I cant even remember the last time we beat them in their place.

[G.Walker]

With the nine games left, we have a 5 away game stretch that I am not fond of. Particularly @Minnesota (they gave us a run for our money last time we played them at home, going into OT, @Phoenix (they are playing pretty good right now, @Clippers (we haven't been them in LA yet), so its going to be interesting. I think if we can win all of our remaining home games, and go 3-2 on the away games, we might just end up having the best record in NBA, finishing 49-17.

[Lord Helmet]

I would love to see American pro sports adopt the promotion/relegation concept used in many international soccer leagues.

Basically, if you finish in the bottom three of the league, you get sent down to the next level. If you finish in the top three, you get promoted to the next level.

That concept means teams can't take and also makes even the most woeful season full of intrigue. Even very late in the season there are very few meaningless games.

Seconded

[BrettM2]

Does that mean if Bulls win the ECF, The Thunder will have home court in the finals?

We are capable of winning these last 9 games, but I think Thunder will have a extremley difficult time playing the Clippers in Los Angelas, I cant even remember the last time we beat them in their place.

The Bulls currently are one game ahead of us in the loss column. We'd have to tie them in the standings for the tiebreaker to matter.

As of today, records are:

Chicago 43-14
Miami 40-15

Oklahoma City 42-15
San Antonio 40-15

SA has the tiebreaker on us, so we have to finish a game ahead of them to win the West. If all four team are tied, we'd be 2nd in the West but have the tiebreaker over Chicago.

We have a tough 5 game stretch on the road, but we can beat every team we play (not that we will). I think we need to go 7-2 to win the West as SA will probably rest their starters a couple of times (as well as have games against the Lakers and Grizzlies left).

Bottom line: It would be immensely helpful to get the #1 overall seed, but we can beat anybody we play. Our team just has to be consistent for the playoffs.

[dankrutka]

It looks like Charlotte is going to clinch the best draft lotto pick chances this week.

How many times has the worst team won the lotto in recent years? The worst team still only has something like a 25% chance of winning the lottery... Tanking is pretty much pointless.

[Snowman]

How many times has the worst team won the lotto in recent years? The worst team still only has something like a 25% chance of winning the lottery... Tanking is pretty much pointless.

I was just noting they were clinching the best pick percentage, no they will not likely get the first pick but certain to get a top four pick. Tanking being a terrible strategy and that it benefited us when the team did it in Seattle was an anomaly was a point in the articles I had linked too. The drafts were not meant to help rebuild teams, they were a tool to keep player costs down.

[ljbab728]

Eight left now and we're in about the same situation with the Thunder and Spurs both losing tonight. Chicago has a two game lead now though in the race for the overall best record and home advantage.

[SoonerBoy18]

I cant believe the Thunder players are playing the way they are, I dont know if they are over looking these last games but they are having trouble with being consistent and its so aggravating on a fan.

[OKCisOK4me]

I cant believe the Thunder players are playing the way they are, I dont know if they are over looking these last games but they are having trouble with being consistent and its so aggravating on a fan.

^^the life of an oSu fan...

[OKCJapan]

The loss last night was a bit of a surprise. However, everyone is fighting for playoff position right now and they are bringing their A game every night. This means the Thunder are going to struggle to win the the games against the Clippers, Suns, and Lakers next week. I still think the best the Thunder are going to be able to do is the #2 seed.

[G.Walker]

The loss last night was a bit of a surprise. However, everyone is fighting for playoff position right now and they are bringing their A game every night. This means the Thunder are going to struggle to win the the games against the Clippers, Suns, and Lakers next week. I still think the best the Thunder are going to be able to do is the #2 seed.

I just don't understand when you are down 100-98 with 8.8 sec left and you for for a 3, why not go for 2 and tie the game. We had a much better chance if we had of given the ball to Harden or Westbrook to drive the lane for an easy 2, or draw a foul. Scott Brooks shouldn't have drew up that play for KD to shoot a 3, KD was having a bad shooting night, 7-21, and only 3-8 from beyond the arc, with one of those coming in last minute of the game.

It makes more sense to give the ball to Harden who was having a great night, he was 4-8, and was 3-6 beyond the arc. Countless times we have seen Harden drive the lane for an easy 2 points, an AND 1, or draw the foul.

[BrettM2]

I just don't understand when you are down 100-98 with 8.8 sec left and you for for a 3, why not go for 2 and tie the game. We had a much better chance if we had of given the ball to Harden or Westbrook to drive the lane for an easy 2, or draw a foul. Scott Brooks shouldn't have drew up that play for KD to shoot a 3, KD was having a bad shooting night, 7-21, and only 3-8 from beyond the arc, with one of those coming in last minute of the game.

It makes more sense to give the ball to Harden who was having a great night, he was 4-8, and was 3-6 beyond the arc. Countless times we have seen Harden drive the lane for an easy 2 points, an AND 1, or draw the foul.

The Thunder aren't the only team on the court. They have to react to what the defense brings. I didn't get to see the game, but I've seen enough games to know that not every offensive plan will get a real chance to succeed.

I don't think we're overlooking games. The Clippers are fighting for the #3 seed and the Pacific division title. This game was just as important to them as it was to us. We are playing professional athletes every game. They are all good enough to win games (maybe not most of their games, but even Charlotte has won this year).

[Thunder]

I read like a week or two ago that the Thunder already clinched a Playoff spot, so why worry? I'm sure the Thunder will be fine in the Playoffs and take home the trophy.

[Lord Helmet]

I read like a week or two ago that the Thunder already clinched a Playoff spot, so why worry? I'm sure the Thunder will be fine in the Playoffs and take home the trophy.

Because home court would be nice to have.

[G.Walker]

We SHOULD when tonight against the Kings, and on the road Saturday against the Timberwolves, since K.Love isn't going to play...but winning in LA against Clippers on Mon, I don't know about that one!

[UrbanNebraska]

That dunk was insane!

[betts]

That dunk was insane!

I think that was the loudest I've ever heard the arena for a single play. They replayed it four times immediately afterwards and the crowd went nuts for the replays as well.