Thunder's Five-Game Western Conference Stretch Could Prove Pivotal

Oklahoma City has five straight games within the conference that could prove key down the road.

It has been a strong start to the season for the young Thunder team. Oklahoma City sits at 5-3, although could easily be 7-1 at this point. The Thunder blew a 22-point lead to the Pelicans and lost in a controversial finish to Golden State to go along with a blowout loss to Denver.

Chet Holmgren has added a new dimension to this team and hasn't showed any signs of rust. Concerns of his fit with the lineup have been wiped away and he looks like an elite big man already. The Thunder's No. 10 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, Cason Wallace, has turned heads too. The addition of Holmgren and Wallace has given the Thunder much more talent than they had a season ago and brought about loads of versatility.

Oklahoma City hasn't had a cake-walk of a schedule by any means, but it's about to ramp up in a big way. Not only are the opponents tough, but the next six games consist of Western Conference foes, with five coming against postseason hopefuls. The Thunder have to take advantage of the matchups now, because tiebreakers will matter down the line when the pressure ramps up.

The Thunder will square off in Sacramento on Friday night, in Phoenix on Sunday, Tuesday night in San Antonio, and back-to-back games in Golden State against the Warriors. It's a loaded slate, and games against the Kings and the Warriors will certainly matter as the season wears on. The Spurs have been a fun surprise to start the season, too, and the inevitable Holmgren vs. Victor Wembanyama matchup adds plenty of excitement.

For the team to take the next step, OKC will have to knock off the elites in the Western Conference. The next week of basketball is a great chance to get ahead early.

---

Want to join the discussion? Like Inside the Thunder 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.