The Thunder are many things, and they’re looking to become even more.
They’re the defending NBA champions. They’ve won a combined 132 games over the last two regular seasons, including a franchise-best 68 victories last season and a league-best 64 wins this season. They’ve had the league’s best regular-season net rating and defense the last two seasons.
They’re the obstacle standing betweenthe Lakersand an appearance in the Western Conference finals, after the Lakers beat the Rockets ina six-game first-round seriesto advance to the second round of the playoffs.
That’s who and what the Thunder are now.
“We saw a stat in our morning meeting [Sunday] morning, like teams that have had back-to-back, 10 or more net ratings in consecutive seasons, you’re talking about the ’95-’96 Bulls and ’96-’97 Bulls and the ’15-’17 Warriors,” coach JJ Redick said after Sunday’s practice. “You’re literally talking about two of the greatest teams of all time. To me,the Thunder [are] one of the greatest teams everin NBA history. It’s just the reality. They’re that good. Our guys recognize that and respect that, and we know what kind of task we have in front of us.”
The Thunder are also looking to become the first franchise since the Warriors (2016-17, 2017-18 to repeat as NBA champions.
And if they beat the Lakers, they’d be the first defending champions to appear in the conference finals since the Warriors.
But who and what makes the Thunder so dominant?
The reigning league MVP is expected to receive the honor for the second consecutive year after arguably his best season.
Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 31.1 points, 6.6 assists and 4.3 rebounds, and shot 55.3% from the field and 38.6% on 3-pointers for the second-most-efficient scoring season by a guard in NBA history behind Steph Curry’s 2015-16 season, when he was named the unanimous MVP.
Source: California Post – Breaking California News, Photos & Videos
