Just watched OKC vs TOR, raptors played like crap and thunder still lost, they r currently 1-4, at least 1 month away from getting back RW and they might dig a hole too deep to climb, state ur opinion
Yeah, no kidding. No Durant, no Westbrook and they're playing with 6 freakin' players. As for your question, I believe they'll get in. It may be close.
There's a distinct possibility. Depends on how much time Russ/Durant stay out. They could be back ahead of schedule, later. Pretty much impossible to say.
I could see them winning just 4 games the rest of this month. That would put them at 5-12. With Westbrook back, let's assume they split games until Durant returns, so, say 5-5, with Durant returning just before Christmas for a 2 game homestand (NOP/ Port). Assume they split that homestand (with Durant getting back in a groove). That's now 11-18. I don't think that is too far gone for them - at full health they can beat anyone, and could go 70% the rest of the way. A 14-6 streak puts them at 25-24. Split 10 games again (5-5) to go 30-29. Go 7/10 again and it is 37-32. Playoffs is pretty close from there. 13 games, and if they went 8-5 it ought to be enough (45-37, but because they have come back from a bad record, one imagines 45 wins would be enough)
It'll be close, but I think they'll make it. Westbrook and Durant can't have any setbacks, though. Crazy that in the Western conference your season might end by December.
This might have quite a bit of implication as thunder is probably the worst matchup for rockets, i dont see much of a chance of rockets beating them in a series, if they miss, the #1 obstacle to conference final is eliminated
I don't think they will recover in time. A month away from Westbrook coming back, but even then how long until he is in game shape? Same for when Durant comes back. The West is going to be extra tough this year and if the Thunder don't start winning, they will fall behind. Because even with Westbrook, they aren't guaranteed to be good enough to win.
I thought it was a massive exaggeration when I first heard someone say they could miss the Playoffs. But when it was broken down - it really seems it could be highly likely. With how badly they're playing now even an 8-16 start might be a goal even too far for them. But going on that basis it means to reach the 50 game plateau the lower western conference teams aim for to make the playoffs - they'd need to go 42-16. When you look at it like that it's perplexing. They have a problem on their hands.
The goal is to get to at least 50 wins to make the playoffs in the West. If they go 11-18, like you said, it will be hard for them to get to 50 wins. They would have to go 39-14 the rest of the way. The West is just too good this season. Pelicans, Suns and even the Kings look like they can make a move in the playoff hunt.
Outside of Paul and Griffin, the Clippers look like a mess this season. They do have more talent and a deeper bench than us but last year, our problem was defending them and their three point threats. Ariza and a focused Harden can help us. The big match up will be Jones vs. Griffin. Last year, we had the option to put Asik on Griffin, which worked okay.
I still think they squeak in, and you have to wonder if this brings them together, as a team, or fractures the locker room. At some point, maybe Durant and Westbrook think it's never going to happen in OKC and start making escape plans.
Rockets were 0-4 against the Clippers last year. The first two games was during the failed Twin Tower experiment. The third game Asik played strictly backup C so didn't guard Griffin. The fourth game Howard was out, so Asik again played Center and Griffin only logged 6 minutes. Griffin went out early in that game, and we still lost. There is no proof that Asik on Griffin worked at all. In fact, based on the two early TT games, it was a failed experiment. Let's remember last year. Asik did not play PF hardly at all. And he also whined much of the year and didn't play at all. Asik did not really ever guard Griffin except for the first month failed experiment. just saying
Yeah, but they were slated as a 60 win team before the season began. If they aren't winning 60, then someone else is winning some more, and someone is still losing games. If a team from 'outside the top 8' starts making a run, it pulls down the overall number of wins required to make the top 8 --> the team making the run is beating teams ahead of them in their quest to get in. NOP have improved also, so I don't think it is a clear cut 8 horse race (like it was last season). 10 teams are in the running, and even Sacto is more competitive. 45 will be enough.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Brooks: "KD is an amazing player but I’m actually getting tired of him standing into my huddle. He is trying to tell me what plays to run"</p>— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) <a href="https://twitter.com/JLew1050/status/529794600429297666">November 5, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
