Inside The Thunder

12-Year NBA Veteran Says OKC Thunder is 'in a class' of its own in the West

Raja Bell, a former All-Defense honoree and 12-year NBA veteran, gave Oklahoma City his vote of confidence in a recent podcast episode.

Randall Sweet

February 10, 2012; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder shooting guard Daequan Cook (14) is defended by Utah Jazz shooting guard Raja Bell (19) during the first half at EnergySolutions Arena.
February 10, 2012; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder shooting guard Daequan Cook (14) is defended by Utah Jazz shooting guard Raja Bell (19) during the first half at EnergySolutions Arena. / Russ Isabella-Imagn Images
In this story:

The regular season is almost finished in the NBA.

Most teams around the league have about 15 games left on the schedule, with the postseason set to start shortly after.

In the first 67 contests of the 2024-25 campaign, the Oklahoma City Thunder have cemented themselves as one of the best teams in the league this season. OKC boasts a 55-12 record, two All-Stars and an MVP candidate to go along with one of the best defenses in recent memory.

Heading into Sunday night's contest against the Milwaukee Bucks, the Thunder hold a 12.5 game lead on the Houston Rockets for the top seed in the Western Conference. Assuming Oklahoma City is able to hold on to the No. 1 seed, this will mark the second consecutive season that Mark Daigneault and company have held the top spot in the West.

Yet, despite the team's success over the past two years, many media members and teams around the league don't have faith that the Thunder will be able to replicate their play in the postseason. According to a report from Brian Windhorst in late February, NBA personnel doesn't 'respect' the Thunder or expect them to be a Finals contender.

One former NBA player recently gave the Thunder his vote of confidence, however, saying that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, along with the team's defense, makes them the best team in the West.

"I would generally go with age, and experience, and star power to some degree," Bell said. "This year, I think OKC is in a class, kind of by themselves in the Western Conference. I mean, the record suggests that, they're 12 games clear of anybody. But, I just think that, while they don't have the overall age and true experience, I just think they're that good defensively. They have the best scorer in the NBA, they have pieces all around him that are very complimentary. I think they check a lot of boxes, so I'm going to go with OKC. ... That's the team that I have the most trust in."

Bell, a 12-year NBA veteran and two-time All-Defense honoree, has good reason to trust the Thunder. The team defeated the defending champion Boston Celtics and surging Detroit Pistons in the first two games of the team's current road trip, and have one of the best Net Ratings in NBA history.

Of course, Oklahoma City still has to prove that it can play the same high-level basketball it has all season in the playoffs. After a tough loss to the Dallas Mavericks last year and a few solid additions over the offseason, the Thunder seem even more prepared this time around.

Want to join the discussion? Like Thunder on SI on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Thunder news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.

Published
Randall Sweet
RANDALL SWEET

Randall Sweet is a 2022 Oklahoma University graduate who has formerly written for the Norman Transcript and OU Daily. Randall also serves as the Communications Coordinator at Visit OKC.

Home/News