NBA: Biggest x-factors heading into the final month of the season
By Kyle Crabbe
Oklahoma City Youth Brigade
The Oklahoma City Thunder might be the biggest x-factor as a team in the entire NBA come post-season play. Led by Russell Westbrook and Paul George, the Thunder have position themselves just two years after losing league’s best talent Kevin Durant to possible compete to beat KD and Warriors for the Western Conference crown.
However, the x-factor for the Thunder is their group of exciting and talented 25 and under. The Thunder have developed and acquired a group of young players all 25 years of age and younger to be significant pieces for their championship hopes. Those players include Dennis Schroder, 25, Jerami Grant, 24, Steven Adams, 25, Nerlens Noel, 24, and the youngest, Terrance Ferguson, 20.
Each one of these players will have a huge impact on the Thunder’s chances coming down the stretch of the regular season and in post-season play. Schroder has become an elite player off the bench in the NBA, while Steven Adams has become one of the very best overall big men in the NBA, add that with the young Terrance Ferguson who is being mentored by the aforementioned Paul George into becoming an elite two-way player in his own right.
If these players continue to develop under Coach Donovan, the Thunder might be challenging all competitors come May in the NBA.