The Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder are a classy choose to characterize the Western Convention within the NBA Finals subsequent season, and why not?
They completed with the No. 1 seed within the West this previous yr they usually boast one of the crucial tantalizing stables of younger expertise in basketball.
One of the crucial outstanding items of the Thunder’s core is massive man Chet Holmgren, who simply earned large recognition for Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale.
In a bit the place Favale named the 5 NBA gamers most destined to interrupt out subsequent season, Holmgren made the record.
“Put a cap on Holmgren’s Yr 2 potentialities at your individual peril,” Favale wrote. “Nearly something—All-Protection, All-Star, All-NBA, Most Improved Participant, no matter—is on the desk.”
Holmgren was chosen by the Thunder with the No. 2 total choose of the 2022 NBA Draft, however missed the whole 2022-23 marketing campaign with a foot harm.
Because of this, final season was successfully his rookie yr. He began all 82 video games, averaging 16.5 factors, 7.9 rebounds and a pair of.3 blocks over 29.4 minutes per recreation on 53.0/37.0/79.3 taking pictures splits. Holmgren completed second in Rookie of the Yr voting consequently.
The Gonzaga product is a terrific two-way participant and is already thought of one of many prime contenders for the Defensive Participant of the Yr award subsequent season.
We’ll see if Holmgren can take a giant step ahead in 2024-25.
The Thunder have been bounced out of the second spherical of the playoffs by the Dallas Mavericks this previous spring, they usually have their sights set on a lot greater objectives subsequent season.
You possibly can chalk up Oklahoma Metropolis’s 2024 playoff exit to a scarcity of expertise. The Thunder are an extremely younger crew, with 26-year-old Shai Gilgeous-Alexander representing one in all their “veterans.”
However heading into the 2024-25 marketing campaign, OKC now has some much-needed playoff burn underneath its belt, so it ought to have the ability to deal with the stress of postseason basketball a lot better this time round.
Between Holmgren, Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams (who additionally made Favale’s record, by the best way), the Thunder have an exceptional nucleus of gamers that might very effectively make a run to the finals subsequent June. Let’s additionally not neglect Lu Dort, who’s establishing himself as one of many league’s greatest defenders.
After all, Oklahoma Metropolis could have fairly a bit to take care of out West. The Mavericks are nonetheless there, the Minnesota Timberwolves must be higher, the Memphis Grizzlies are getting wholesome and you may by no means low cost Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets.
Nonetheless, the Thunder might very effectively characterize the most important risk to the Boston Celtics’ throne.
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