The Oklahoma City Thunder currently have the second-best record in the Western Conference, standing at 41-18. Having had their six-game win streak brought to a close by the Spurs in their last matchup, the Thunder don’t seem to be breaking much of a sweat over it. And given how the team has been playing so far, there is no reason that they should be. In fact, given their performances thus far, it’s likely that they will make a big splash in the NBA playoffs. That said, a certain two Boston Celtics legends had an entirely different opinion on the matter.
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Celtics legends Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett recently took to The Big Ticket’s podcast, KG Certified. The two talked about the Oklahoma City Thunder squad and their chances of making a big splash in these upcoming playoffs.
Paul Pierce started the analogy of the Thunder squad claiming he was not underestimating the young squad. Pierce went on to explain how the Thunder have been regularly performing at the ‘Comedy Store’ (Regular Season) but the world has yet to see them perform on the big stage, which translated to the ‘Laugh Factory’ (Playoffs) here.
While Kevin Garnett didn’t entirely dismiss Pierce’s take, he did agree with most of what the 10-time All-Star said. Garnett even went so far as to claim that the Thunder already have the pieces they require, the team just needs to grow and develop a bit more.
“Guess where you get your stripes at? In the ‘Laugh Factory.’ They’ll boo your a** in the laugh factory. Get your a** out of here. So, you gotta build that.”
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Garnett stated that the Thunder may have an excellent record but they still haven’t earned the league’s respect as many don’t see them as a threat yet. And it is all due to the playoff experience that the team lacks with next to no veterans on the squad. However, that may not be a complete disadvantage in itself.
The Thunder have one of the youngest squads in the league. Not only does OKC have an extremely young core but most players on the roster have a very high ceiling that they can develop into in the coming years. So, even if they don’t make the most noise in these upcoming playoffs, their future as a sure-shot contender for an NBA champion is something that is the farthest thing on the planet from being in doubt.
While on the podcast, Garnett expressed his confidence in the Thunder ‘earning their stripes’ in the postseason. Moreover, he also went on to point out how this young Oklahoma City squad ‘Wants Smoke’ and is ready to go head-to-head with anyone and everyone in the league.
Kevin Garnett exudes confidence in this Thunder squad
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder last played the Miami Heat on January 10. The Thunder took the game with a 128-120 final score but Gilgeous-Alexander may have indicated a few things for the team’s future.
While finishing up the postgame press conference, SGA may have indicated that he is expecting to see the Heat and the Thunder have a rematch in the NBA Finals instead of waiting till the next season.
Thunder PR ends postgame availability, says “see you guys in Oklahoma, or next year (Miami media).”
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, walking out of the room, says “NBA Finals.”
— Joel Lorenzi (@jxlorenzi) January 11, 2024
Shai’s comments indicated confidence in the current Miami Heat team but his remarks also suggested the amount of trust and confidence he has in the Thunder and their chances to come out as Western Conference Champions to face the Heat in the Finals.
Based on the current roster and the players they possess, the Thunder might just end up defeating the entire West in the postseason. The team is spearheaded by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is leading the league in steals and comes in second for most points scored per game in the league.
The Thunder had already landed another building block in Chet Holmgren who did not play due to an injury last year. However, Holmgren turned out to be worth the wait as he is in the fourth spot among league leaders for blocks and the only other contender for the Rookie of the Year award.
Jalen Williams has been the most surprising player on the Thunder squad so far. The Santa Clara product was a highly-touted prospect coming into the league but Williams took over the Thunder right from the start, even after suffering an injury in the first couple of games of his career.
Other notable names on the Thunder are third-year man, Josh Giddey and Luguentz Dort, who has been developing into a trusted and proven 3&D player for the team. So, as KG said, the Thunder does possess the pieces required to win it all, they just need to develop their players a bit more over the next few years.
