Could Oklahoma City Reach 50 Wins Before 20 Losses?
We've heard all about Phil Jackson's infamous contender rule. The legendary coach believed any team that was a serious contender for the championship needed to have 40 wins before 20 losses.
Oklahoma City has exceeded expectations once again this season, and the team's rise to the one seed has been one of the best stories in the NBA. They joined Jackson's club of contenders a few weeks ago, along with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Boston Celtics, and Denver Nuggets.
Could the Thunder take it a step farther, though, and hit 50 wins before 20 losses? It's certainly possible.
Recent losses to the San Antonio Spurs and the Los Angeles Lakers certainly don't help, but at 44-19 overall, it's not out of the question at all.
Oklahoma City has won three out of its last four games and the team is playing good basketball after taking care of an Eastern Conference contender in the Miami Heat. The Thunder's schedule is relatively light, too, opening up the door for a six-game win streak.
The team's home stand continues with three more matchups at the Paycom Center against Memphis, Indiana and Dallas. From there, the Thunder will play at Memphis, versus Utah and at Toronto. No game is a walk in the park, and last week's matchup against the Spurs is a walking testament to that. But the six games on deck all seem more than winnable for the West's No. 1 team. As a matter of fact, the Thunder could be favored in every one of them.
Oklahoma City is still in the process of commanding respect from the NBA community, but with every big win it seems like there are a handful of new believers. Nobody will fully know until this team takes the court in the playoffs, but the regular season accolades are starting to catch a few eyes.
Hitting 50 wins before 20 losses would be another impressive stat for the Thunder's resume.
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