The Western Conference is the Thunder's to Take

Could the OKC Thunder take the Western Conference in the regular season and playoffs?

Oct 29, 2023; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) works to steal the ball from Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon (50) on a drive during the first quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

The Oklahoma City Thunder, to some, are considered the favorite in the Western Conference, and for good reason, too. They won 57 games and earned the No. 1 seed in the conference a season ago. It was a tight race between them, the Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets, though.

The three aforementioned teams finished within one game apart of each other by the time the regular season ended. The Thunder needed help from a tie-breaker to earn the top spot in the stacked conference.

This season could be different, though. Winning the conference in the regular season could be much easier. The general core of the team has continuity, gearing up for another season together. The additions of Isaiah Hartenstein and Alex Caruso will be seamless. The team parted from Josh Giddey to acquire Caruso. Some might think losing a playmaker will hurt the team's fluidity, but that simply won't be true.

Neither Hartenstein or Caruso are ball-stoppers. In fact, they're complimentary players that will help the offense flow like the Thunder want it to. Giddey, while a strong playmaker, couldn't consistently space the floor and would often times dribble into trouble that broke the flow of the offense.

Needless to say, the Thunder's roster -- yes, the one that won 57 games a season ago -- improved. There's a chance they're an even stronger regular season team in the 2024-25 season. Of course, there are moving parts, like the general health of the team over the course of the season.

Furthermore, teams like the Timberwolves and Nuggets arguably got worse. Denver's depth got notably worse, as there's question to the strength of the team's fifth starter as well as the entire bench unit. Should the team face any injuries, they'll see a significant decrease in production.

The Timberwolves recently traded a heartbeat of their team, shipping Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks to land Dante DiVincenzo and Julius Randle. Now, those two players can contribute to winning, but the star center spent nine years with the franchise which just made the conference finals.

Those two teams rivaled the Thunder atop the Western Conference in the regular season, and should both take a step back this season. The LA Clippers, the fourth seed last season, lost Paul George in free agency, which will see them face more struggles this year.

The biggest threat to the team in the regular season, arguably, will be the Dallas Mavericks. Fresh off an NBA Finals appearance, the team added Klay Thompson to a core of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. The health of that team will be in question, as Thompson and Irving are aging players. Also, will Thompson return to form after facing heavy criticism a season ago? What will he look like alongside the two superstars?

Essentially, the Thunder can take the Western Conference in the regular season again. Now, with some experience under their belt, they'll be a strong pick to make the NBA Finals out of the Western Conference should they put together a good season as they are expected.

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