Stiles Points: OKC Thunder Must Capitalize on Softened Schedule

The Oklahoma City Thunder capped off a 3-1 four game road trip. This mark should be deemed a success by any observer. The OKC Thunder must capitalize on this trip by taking care of business against the softened schedule ahead.

Dec 1, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (8) controls the ball during the first quarter against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Monday, the Oklahoma City Thunder returned home. After a four game road trip that spanned eight days, it was merciful over. Though, the team is only in Bricktown for a cup of coffee. Tuesday's tilt verse the Utah Jazz serves as the lone home game of the week.

The Thunder navigated a difficult road stretch to the tune of a 3-1 record. Winning the house of horrors that is the Golden One Center, squeezing the life out of the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers late, before falling to the Houston Rockets in a tight game.

Now, Oklahoma City has to capitalize on that pat-on-the-back deserving stretch. It is all for not without taking care of business as the schedule lightens up.

After battling the lowly Jazz on Tuesday, Oklahoma City will hop on a bird and head north to take on tanking Toronto. On Saturday, the Thunder wrap up its week against the M.A.S.H. unit Pelicans in the Smoothie King Center - otherwise known as Paycom Center South.

With the understanding that is is hard to win in the NBA. There are no night's off. And yes, there are professionals on the other side too. Now that all the coaches cliches are out of the way, the Thunder should go 3-0 this week.

After earning the feel-good of a four game road trip that ended on a sour note, the house of cards come tumbling down with a slip up against an inferior opponent.

With the margins for error so thin in the West, the OKC Thunder have to live up to its 0-0 and take every game seriously mantras. Holding just a half game lead over the Houston Rockets for the No. 1 seed out West currently, the Thunder narrowly stave off Memphis by a game and a half with Golden State and Dallas looming just two and a half games back respectively.

The heavy lifting is done, for now, but there are no bonus wins. The Thunder have to stack days (another Mark Daigneault-ism) to cushion their lead in the West. It starts by keeping losing teams, losing.

Stiles Points

• OKC Thunder to engage in contract extension discussions with Alex Caruso this month.
• The Oklahoma City Thunder need to play in more games similar to their tilt against the Houston Rockets for the betterment of the team in the long run.
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Isaiah Hartenstein were each nominated for the Western Conference Player of the Week honor.
• The Oklahoma City Thunder technically have a week without games at the moment, but as a reminder at least two games will be added to the schedule once the NBA Cup wraps up.

Song of the Day: El Paso by Marty Robbins

---

Want to join the discussion? Like Thunder on SI 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 the coverage.