Race for Top Overall Seed Presents Final Challenge for OKC Thunder

The Thunder have proven themselves throughout the regular season and have one last goal to achieve.

Jan 8, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland (10) drives to the basket against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) during the second half at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Oklahoma City has one more thing to play for in its final 10 games.

The Thunder surprised the NBA last season by going from the play-in to a 57-win team and the top seed in the West. After flaming out in the second round of the playoffs, the Thunder made some key additions in the offseason to bolster an already impressive roster.

Those moves, alongside the Thunder’s player development, have thrust the team back into the top seed in the West and with a chance to end the regular season with the league’s best record. Going into Thursday night’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies, the Thunder have already locked up the top seed in the West but are still looking to expand a two-game lead over the East-leading Cleveland Cavaliers.

Although the Thunder and Cavaliers split the season series, the Cavaliers would own the tiebreaker if the teams finished with the same record, thanks to having a better record against the East than the Thunder have against the West. That means the Thunder’s magic number for home-court throughout the entire postseason is nine.

If the Thunder can simply repeat the 9-1 mark in their past 10 games, they will finish on top of the Cavaliers regardless of their finish. While earning home-court advantage for the entire postseason would be a key accomplishment, it is not necessarily at the top of the Thunder’s priority list.

Oklahoma City seems to be more focused on simply being prepared and in a good rhythm going into the playoffs. That likely includes trying more lineup combinations and making sure the Thunder’s bench players will have the needed confidence to contribute in big moments.

The Thunder will play six of their next seven games at home, with six coming against playoff teams and another against the Chicago Bulls, who look like a true threat to make the playoffs. After that stretch, the Thunder will finish their season with a three-game road trip against some of the worst teams in the West, traveling to Phoenix, Utah and New Orleans.

Considering the Thunder have taken care of business in the Western Conference standings, finishing with the league’s best record might not be a priority, but with a team as dominant as the Thunder, it might not need to be.

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