OKC Thunder Getting Hot at Right Time, Mounting For Playoff Run

Having played four games since the All-Star break, the Thunder's sights are set on the playoffs in the backend of the regular season.

The Oklahoma City Thunder are picking the perfect to ride a hot streak. The All-Star break is a thing of the past and they've played four games since the break ended. They've won each of those four contests, proving to be one of the hottest teams around the league. 

Of course, the Boston Celtics -- the top team in the league -- is on a nine-game winning streak. Right behind them is the Thunder on a six-game winning streak, being the next-longest active winning streak.

A big reason the Thunder has been able to be so solid as a team as of late is because of the big three's ability to play off each other. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a 30-plus points per game scorer, but Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren have been both dominant and complimentary of the first-team All-NBA guard. 

On top of his MVP-level play from the first half of the season, Gilgeous-Alexander has been getting hot from beyond the arc. 

"I just keep shooting them, and they're going in," Gilgeous-Alexander said of his recent shooting. "I try to shoot where I'm comfortable shooting. I work on them, and hopefully they keep going in."

The confidence shooting from deep adds to an already incredible bag that Gilgeous-Alexander hoists. This combined with Williams' ability to shine in the fourth quarter and Holmgren's ability to dominate stretches of a game, the Thunder has piled together six straight wins while having a plus-93 point differential in the past four games. 

Of course, this is just the production of the big three. Beyond that, Josh Giddey and Lu Dort continue to be complimentary starters. Giddey has been seeing different looks from opposing defenses, and the team continues to win while he figures out how to approach the game.

The depth remains incredibly solid and only gets better with the additions of Gordon Hayward and Bismack Biyombo. By the time those two players are fully implemented into the system, the Thunder will be ready to compete in a seven-game playoff series.

With a 41-17 record, the Thunder is tied atop the Western Conference with the Minnesota Timberwolves. They pass Phil Jackson's 40-before-20 rule, which is a group of teams to achieve 40 victories before 20 losses, his definition of a true title contender. 

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