Stiles Points: OKC Thunder Have Arrived In Historic Season

The Oklahoma City Thunder have arrived and are not going anywhere any time soon.

Apr 14, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) / Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports

During the course of the Oklahoma City Thunder's rebuild, General Manager Sam Presti has remained consistent in his messaging. No matter if it was a surprise 2019-20 playoff run, or the lowest point of back-to-back 20-something win seasons that saw the worst loss in NBA history, Presti and the Thunder organization remained the picture of consistency.

“When we do get back to the postseason, we want it to be an arrival, not an appearance,” Presti said during his exit interview back in 2021.

This phrase has resonated with Thunder fans since that day, but it has also ringed true in everything Oklahoma City has done. Despite acquiring countless future draft picks and having cap space at various times in this rebuild, Oklahoma City never skipped steps.

As many grew impatient or blamed the Thunder for "slow playing" things despite only seeing two seasons without a trip to the postseason, Oklahoma City now returns to the playoffs stamped as contenders and looking as though they will finish near the No. 1 seed for the next decade.

On Sunday, the Oklahoma City Thunder (57-25) took care of business against the Dallas Mavericks and got the necessary help from Denver beating Memphis to secure the top seed in the Western Conference.

As Oklahoma City becomes the youngest no. 1 seed in NBA history (23.9), the Thunder will begin their first playoff journey in Bricktown in five years as the 2019-20 run was confined to the Disney World Bubble.

“I think about what's it gonna be like the next time there's postseason basketball in Oklahoma City. What’s it gonna look like? What's it gonna feel like? What's it gonna smell like...Everyone here is going to be driving to the arena at some point and the people that walked the path with everybody here are gonna have a Mind Body Soul experience.. that's what sports is about in a small market," Presti said his 2022 exit interview.

April 21, the Thunder General Manager, staff, players, fans and media will make that drive to the arena and have that out-of-body experience with no sense of this appearance being anything short of an arrival ushering in a new era of basketball.

As the youngest team to ever claim the top seed and to win the Northwest division, are led by an MVP candidate, the Coach of the Year front-runner, a pair of rising stars and a high-level supporting cast.

While everyone will spend the next week discussing the potential playoff opponents and who Oklahoma City should hope to avoid the Thunder have proven to be able to beat anyone. You can not do much better than top-five offense and top-five defense as the Thunder turn in a 57 win season earning the top seed for just the second time in team history.

Presti came through with his promise, his vision is 20/20 now and this is only the beginning for Oklahoma City. The first chapter doesn't even have its final punctuation.

Stiles Points

• The OKC Blue take on the Maine Celtics in a winner-take-all all-game three of the NBA G League Finals. The contest will tip-off at 8 P.M. CT on ESPNU.
• Ousmane Dieng and Lindy Waters III should be in Maine for game 3, though, when Mark Daigneault was asked about their status pregame on Sunday he said "We will see."
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the first player in Thunder history to log a 30-plus point per game season in back-to-back years, a crazy feat for a franchise that features all-time greats such as Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.
• The NBA Playoff bracket could not have broken better for Oklahoma City being on the opposite side of both the Nuggets and Timberwolves, with the Lakers just needing to win Tuesday for Oklahoma City to avoid them in the first round.

Song of the Day: Outstanding by The Gap Band.

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