Former OKC Center Issues Bold Proclamation about Thunder's Title Chances

The Oklahoma City Thunder closed out a first round sweep on Saturday with a narrow victory over the Memphis Grizzlies.

This marks the second year in a row that the Thunder have swept their first opponent, but this season's squad seems to be even more well-prepared for the next round than the group was in 2024.

This doesn't come as a surprise either, as OKC turned in a historic regular season performance that included 68 wins and the highest point differential in NBA history. Alongside a new additions Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein, the players who were on Oklahoma City's roster last year have also taken another step forward in 2024-25.

Last year, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren had big moments in the postseason, but weren't as consistent as the Thunder needed to overcome a strong Dallas Mavericks team. This year, the Mavericks are no longer an obsticle, and the aforementioned duo has been impressive through four games.

After a strong season and a first round sweep, former Oklahoma City center Kendrick Perkins announced on ESPN that he believes the Thunder are a shoo-in for the NBA Finals.

"They're still coming out of the West," Perkins said. "I said it in December, January, February, March; I'm saying it again in April and I'm going to say it in May. They're going to the NBA Finals. And here's another thing, they actually have a legit chance of winning it all."

Perkins pointed to OKC's depth as one of the primary reasons he expects the Thunder to reach the NBA Finals, highlight the strengths of Isaiah Hartenstein, Holmgren, Alex Caruso, Isaiah Joe, Aaron Wiggins and more.

For Oklahoma City to prove Perkins right and win the Western Conference for the first time since 2012 and the second time in franchise history, the aforementioned players will need to continue to perform well in the second and third rounds of the playoffs.

Alongside the aforementioned players, Cason Wallace and Lu Dort will likely play important roles in OKC's quest for a title.

After knocking off Memphis, the Thunder will meet either the Denver Nuggets or LA Clippers, who are knotted at two games apiece in a series between the No. 4 and No. 5 seeds in the Western Conference.

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