Stiles Points: OKC Thunder Continue to Prove They Are One Of The Most Dangerous Teams

The Oklahoma City Thunder have been one of the best teams in the NBA this season and Friday's win over the Suns showed why they are so dangerous.

Mar 29, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Josh Giddey (3) reacts to an / Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports

The Oklahoma City Thunder are one of the best teams in the NBA with a 51-22 record. Throughout the 2023-24 campaign, the Thunder have been a top-five offense, defense and net rating. Led by an MVP candidate, a pair of rising stars and the favorite for the Coach of the Year Award, Oklahoma City has all the makings of a team that is set to make a deep postseason run.

As many knock the Thunder's lack of size and experience, Franchise Legend Kevin Durant is extremely confident in Oklahoma City's ability to go far in this year's playoffs.

On Friday against Durant's Suns, the Thunder without their MVP candidate showed just how dangerous they can be. Not only can Oklahoma City get unbelievably hot from beyond the arc as the team shot 53 percent from behind the tape on Friday, but they have the depth to compliment their stars.

While people overlook postseason depth, the question you should be asking yourself is: How often will Mark Daigneault not be able to find three or four players off the bench who have a hot hand on any given night? From a lengthy list of candidates like Isaiah Joe, Aaron Wiggins, Gordon Hayward, Jaylin Williams, Kenrich Williams, or Cason Wallace? The odds of all of them having an off night are slim to none.

With Josh Giddey hitting his stride at the perfect time to mix into an already alarmingly good starting five, the Thunder quickly become one of the toughest teams to defend.

Without Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder flooded the Suns wrestling away the game after nine lead changes and five times before eventually turning in a 25-point victory in the Paycom Center. If this is who the Thunder can be without their megastar against a fully loaded Suns squad featuring Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, the sky is the limit for this team regardless of their playoff inexperience.

Stiles Points:

• Wiggins was fantastic in the starting lineup injecting energy to the group and allowing the Thunder to get off to a solid start in this contest, keeping pace with the Suns before flooding Phoenix.
• The OKC Blue have clinched a spot in the G League playoffs for the first time in five years. The Blue will host their first-round matchup on Tuesday inside the Paycom Center.
• Hayward played just ten minutes in this contest and was not seen on the bench at times throughout the game. Something to monitor ahead of the Thunder's East Coast swing.
• After Jusuf Nurkic pulled down 31 rebounds against the Thunder the last time these two squads met, he only grabbed three total rebounds tonight in 23 minutes.
• Wallace flashed his on-ball playmaking both to create for himself and others. With a trio of assists to go along with his in-and-out dribble which set up a clear path to the basket, you continue to be encouraged by how much room he still has to grow.
• The Thunder shot 56 percent from the floor, 53 percent from 3-point land and 100 percent from the charity stripe.

Song of the Day: Never Been to Spain by Elvis Presley.

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