Inside The Thunder

Thunder Still Have Least Amount of Minutes Played in NBA

The Oklahoma City Thunder have the least amount of minutes played in the NBA according to a recent study by Hoops Hype.

Rylan Stiles

Oct 15, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Cason Wallace (22) during the second half against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Oct 15, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Cason Wallace (22) during the second half against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
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With the 2024-25 NBA season underway on Tuesday, the Oklahoma City Thunder enter this season with the most praise in a decade. Even after retooling their roster with Carmelo Anthony joining Paul George and Russell Westbrook, they were not the slam dunk favorites in the same way as this version of the team - to find that level of optimism you would have to go back to when Kevin Durant was in Bricktown.

Still, there are questions about the OKC Thunder who hold the best odds to win the Western Conference and are a popular pick to hoist their first Larry O'Brien trophy in franchise history. The main eyebrow raiser being the lack of experience.

A study from Hoops Hype reiterates that tabbing the Thunder as young is not just a lazy narrative - nor is it push the goal post back to duck expectations - but it is just a simple fact. Oklahoma City has the least combined minutes played of any other NBA team - three times less than the top ranked 76ers.

While the Thunder are banking on the second postseason run being when Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren and others explode onto the scene, if their youth still holds them back another season it is no cause for panic. Oklahoma City clearly has the talent in place that can - and likely will - win eventually. Potentially this season.

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Rylan Stiles
RYLAN STILES

Rylan Stiles is a credentialed media member covering the Oklahoma City Thunder. He hosts the Locked On Thunder Podcast, and is Lead Beat Writer for Inside the Thunder. Rylan is also an award-winning play-by-play broadcaster for the Oklahoma Sports Network. 

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