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When the highest two groups within the NBA sq. off, it is anticipated to be a marquee occasion. Suffice it to say, Thursday’s matchup between the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder and Cleveland Cavaliers didn’t reside as much as the billing as OKC ran off to a 134-114 victory that wasn’t almost as shut as even that lopsided rating would point out. 

It was one sport. In January. Barely per week in the past, the Cavs defeated the Thunder on their dwelling flooring in the most effective regular-season video games you’ll ever see. On paper, all of the Thunder did was return the favor on their dwelling flooring. 

It felt like greater than that, however nonetheless, by itself, you’ll be able to solely learn a lot into this end result. Nonetheless, as the newest bullet level on Oklahoma Metropolis’s 2024-25 resumé, it is the freshest reminder that the Thunder are completely able to win a title proper now, and must be thought-about the favourite to take action. 

Whether or not they may is one other query. Who is aware of how accidents will play out. The Western Convention is a wooden chipper. If the Celtics are wholesome, they carry all the identical issues to the desk that OKC does. However the Thunder are prepared. Don’t enable your self to get caught up within the cliché “youth and inexperience” concern. 

One playoff run was sufficient expertise. The Thunder have been just a few possessions from making the convention finals final yr, the place I consider they’d’ve taken out Minnesota. Even with no lick of expertise, this was an sincere Finals staff final season, and it is even higher this yr. 

Let’s begin with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who would virtually definitely win MVP if the season ended as we speak. He is the perfect participant and most dependable supply of particular person offensive creation on any of the highest groups — OKC, Boston and Cleveland. On Thursday, SGA went for 40 factors and eight assists in 29 minutes. He outscored the Cavs by himself within the first quarter (15-14) and did not even must play the fourth. 

Now let’s discuss protection. Final yr’s Timberwolves have been legitimately being talked about as the most effective defensive groups ever. This yr’s Thunder are giving up virtually 5 fewer factors per 100 possessions, which is a large gulf. 

Oklahoma Metropolis is a turnover-creating manufacturing unit with its platoon of lengthy, athletic, bodily and aggressive wing defenders. They compelled the Cavs into 21 turnovers on Thursday, leading to 30 factors for a 23-point margin in that column. They held Donovan Mitchell to eight factors.

“It felt like seven pit bulls on the market — not 5 — seven,” Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson stated of the OKC protection after Thursday’s loss. “They have been clawing and scratching and reaching, in an excellent sense. Their velocity and athleticism, they form of toppled us over. And that is their calling card, that is their identification. They’ve carried out it to plenty of groups.”

Over these final two OKC-Cleveland matchups, the truth is, Mitchell has missed 25 of his 31 photographs. The Thunder haven’t any fewer than 5 guys who could make life a dwelling hell on a scorer of Mitchell’s caliber: SGA, Jalen Williams, Cason Wallace, Lu Dort and Alex Caruso. Aaron Wiggins is not any picnic, both. Behind all that, ultimately, can be arguably the second-best rim protector on this planet in Chet Holmgren. 

Did any person point out Holmgren? Certainly, the Thunder did this to Cleveland with out Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein, who was out with a calf damage. Taking part in with no middle towards a staff that begins Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley must be, on paper, a demise sentence. However OKC can go small with guys able to guarding above their weight class (Williams, Caruso) and trigger every kind of issues. 

The 2-way versatility and depth of this staff is off the charts. Within the common season, that alone goes to take you a great distance. If you even have the doubtless MVP, nicely, you find yourself with what would, if the season ended as we speak, go down as the perfect scoring differential in NBA historical past. 

Level differential has traditionally been a greater indicator of championship benefit than anything, as evidenced by the truth that solely three of the groups on that checklist above did not win the title.

Once more, it is unimaginable to say whether or not the Thunder will turn into the fourth to fall brief or the tenth to punctuate a historic level differential with a title. However as of Jan. 16, 2025, the night time they dismantled Cleveland, they’ve earned and deserve the excellence of title favourite.

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