NBA Restart: How reworked rosters will shape the Western Conference
By Kyle Craib
5th: Oklahoma City Thunder (⇆)
In one of the pleasant surprises this season, the Oklahoma City Thunder has exceeded expectations and currently sit in the fifth spot in the Western Conference.
After last season saw their team lose star-tandem Russell Westbrook and Paul George, the Thunder found a new brand of basketball in the players they received.
Rising star and soon to be face of the franchise Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has excelled in his sophomore season in the NBA, putting together 19.3 points per game before the break and showing leadership skills within the offense.
Fellow offseason pickup Chris Paul has been a consistent veteran presence that can command the Thunder from the starting point guard spot. Even with some baggage from past injuries, Paul gives the thunder stability in a position they desperately needed.
Chris Paul will need to be played with caution as the playoffs approach, a strategy head coach Billy Donovan has already implemented, sitting the veteran guard in the Thunder’s final exhibition game.
Going into the restart, both players are going to be crucial if Oklahoma City wants to see any form of success surrounded by solid competition in the West. Against plus .500 competition, the Thunder have struggled this year, going 9-17 in those games.
The Thunder have very luckily avoided any COVID-19 cases among the team, boasting a clean injury sheet going into the restart.
A big surprise comes from Andre Roberson, who has not played an NBA game since the first half of the 2017-18 season. Roberson finally has made a full recovery from the gruesome knee injury that sidelined him over the past two seasons and took place in the exhibition games played prior to the restart.
Roberson is going to have some obvious rust on his game after missing such a large chunk of time. However, if he can get back to even a glimpse of his 2016-17 All-Defensive Team selection, Roberson can once again develop his concrete style of play on that end of the floor.
Also returning from injury, Darius Bazely is back in the lineup after recovering from a bone bruise on his right knee and looking sharp. Bazley led the team in scoring with 20 points in their final scrimmage win against Portland.
Keep an eye out for German point guard Dennis Schroder, who has experienced a breakout year from the Thunder bench that is leading him down the path of a potential Sixth Man of the Year award. Schroder was on a tear before the break, averaging 19 points per game on 46.8 percent shooting from the field.
At full capacity, look for the Thunder to open some eyes and continue to exceed expectations going into the playoffs with a roster filled with experience and young talent.