Inside The Thunder

Sports Illustrated: Thunder is the Sleeper When Season Resumes

The Oklahoma City Thunder are 40-24 as the NBA season gets ready to resume. We'll tel you why Sports Illustrated says they could be a sleeper pick in the playoffs.

Erik Gee

The Oklahoma City Thunder are getting ready for their longest road trip of the season. Even though they will be technically playing neutral site games when the season resumes, everything about the NBA's set up in Orlando will feel like playing a series of away games. 

The Thunder's current road record is 20-11, they've gone 19-4 away from the Peake since the start of December, and that is the best road record in the NBA since that time. At one point, Oklahoma City won nine straight in other team's arenas in that stretch they beat the Rockets, Pelicans (with Zion Williamson), and the Nets. 

It's that road success that has Sports Illustrated's Corey Parson feeling bullish on the Thunder. "My sleeper squad is going to be the Oklahoma City Thunder. First of all, they're the best team in the NBA against the spread. 

"They're also the best road team in the NBA."..."The job that Billy Donovan has done this show is Oklahoma City Thunder team that people more or less left for dead has been amazing."

" Listen, we got a situation where the Oklahoma City Thunder can actually get up to the three seed right behind the Clippers and the Lakers in the Western Conference as we play out these next eight games."... "NBA Union President Chris Paul has done a fantastic job leading this team."

"Guys like Gilgeous-Alexander also playing very well."... "So, listen, I think the Oklahoma City Thunder is going to be a tough out."

Oklahoma City General Manager Sam Presti says, "We have to go down to Orlando and put our best foot forward and try to recreate the base or foundation of the things that were successful for us"... "I just think -- I have a lot of confidence in the group that they'll respond in those circumstances because they've been adjustable and adaptable throughout the year, and we're going to need to do that again.

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Erik Gee
ERIK GEE

With more than 20 years of experience hosting local and national radio shows, Erik Gee is a fixture of Oklahoma sports media. He has covered the Oklahoma City Thunder for the past six seasons. He is also the co-host of the Pat Jones show on 97.1 The Sports Animal in Tulsa. 

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