Ahead of All-Star Break, OKC Thunder Cracks Top-3 in Latest Power Rankings

With an overwhelmingly impressive start under its belt and no signs of slowing down more-than midway through the season, the Oklahoma City Thunder continues to sit atop power rankings, and CBS Sports' latest is no exception.

While a majority of focus around the NBA is largely set on the impending trade deadline, it's not the only league-wide event taking place. Many big-time stars are likely off the market in this round of exchanges, likely leaving a majority of squads either minimally improved or largely the same. 

And the Oklahoma City Thunder fall into the latter category.

With ample draft capital and plenty of trade-able assets, it comes as a slight surprise to not hear the second-youngest team in the league among discussions with veteran All-Stars, but taking one look at their record and already-assembled team, and that surprise fades. 

With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leading the way, Chet Holmgren a strong candidate for Rookie of the Year and a slew of role players and mini-stars backing the roster, the Thunder is doing quite well. 

Excellent, in fact.

Feb 6, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; The Oklahoma City Thunder bench reacts to a shot against the Utah Jazz during the second quarter at Delta Center / © Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

Now past the 50-game mark, Oklahoma City sits in a three-way tie for first place with the Minnesota Timberwolves and reining-champion Denver Nuggets. It's been able to compete with any team that stands in its way, with one major difference separating it and the other two teams tied with it.

The Timberwolves have Anthony Edwards — a young, budding star playing a similar role to Gilgeous-Alexander — but also have a multi-year All-Star in Karl Anthony-Towns and multi-year Defensive Player of the Year in Rudy Gobert. The Nuggets, on the other hand, consistently rally behind two-time MVP Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray and are backed by players like Michael Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon.

Yes, the Thunder has talent, but on paper, not to the level of the two teams it's knotted with. That adds another layer of impressiveness to its already-such season, and is a big reason why it sits atop plenty of NBA Power-Ranking iterations.

CBS Sports' latest is no exception.

Does OKC Thunder's 'House Money' Mean No Pressure At Trade Deadline?

"OKC beat the Nuggets to start the week (albeit without Nikola Jokic), then took down the Hornets and narrowly escaped with a double-overtime win over the Raptors on Sunday," the site wrote. "The defense was stout, allowing just 109 points per 100 possessions in the three games. They're tied for first place in the West."

Like mentioned before, the Thunder may not be big buyers at Thursday's trade deadline, but rather than it being a negative thing — which for many teams, is the case — it's a sign of front-office trust.

Oklahoma City has gotten this far, doing undeniably well, at that, so why change things up? It has the talent, the poise in big games and as fas as we know, the consistency to perform night in and and night out. 

There are still plenty more games to go, but as it stands, the Thunder sits in a strong position. If other teams decide to build up or talent-stack, it can only sit and watch.

But when it lines up against them on the court, it can win. 

And that's exactly what it intends to do.

---

Want to join the discussion? Like Inside the Thunder 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 our coverage.