Stiles Points: OKC Thunder Is a Different, Better Team Than a Year Ago

A year ago, the Oklahoma City Thunder earned the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference via a Spurs Hail Mary and tiebreakers. OKC swept its way to the second-round before being ousted by the Dallas Mavericks in a six game second round series.

That 57 win ball club became the youngest team to ever earn the top seed or win a playoff series. It wasn't just a step forward for the Thunder's rebuild but a leap, before falling to the eventual Western Conference champions.

Things are different now. Oklahoma City didn't need an assist from any other team or league bylaws to lock up the No. 1 seed in the West, that happened long ago for this 68-win club that finished the year with the best record in the NBA.

Still, that doesn't stop people from attempting to poke a hole in the Thunder's case of contention. While its regular season accomplishments do not promise any postseason results, it is a good baseline to illustrated the sustained success that set OKC a part from the rest of the league.

It is easy to say "Well, they were the No. 1 seed last year!" or point to the age of the roster as reasons to justify picking a different team to make it out of the West, but that ignores context and just how much the Thunder have changed.

"I really hate comparing, but I think last year's team was excellent with the tools that we had from a lineup standpoint, personnel standpoint and this year we have more tools. We maintained some of the things we did really well last year, but we have the ability to move the scoreboard in different ways this year," Head Coach Mark Daigneault said. "The double big is an example. When [Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein] are on the court together, we are an elite defensive rebounding team, Last year, we didn't have that lever to pull. The individual players that are back from last year's team are all in a vacuum, individually better."

This is a sentiment shared within the four walls of the Thunder facility. At the same Wednesday practice, All-Star Jalen Williams echoed the thoughts of his bench boss.

"More experienced. We have different players on our team, too. We've just been through a lot more. That's just how time works. Obviously, being the one seed two years in a row, you go through a lot of different ups and downs this season," Williams said. "One that always sticks out is just us playing in the Cup. We go on a road trip where we play Miami and Orlando back-to-back, just two different time zones. Being able to grow through that. We won 15 in a row right after that. Just learning how to evolve through the season and have no excuses. Just get better through each game."

Oklahoma City has been put through the wringer and its playoff rotation from a year ago doesn't hold a candle to this year's version with external additions and internal improvement.

A plethora of hurdles stand in the way of every contender, it takes a combination of luck and skill to be the one left standing in June. But as predictions loom, do not overthink it. This Thunder team is different, they have proven it.

Song of the Day: Changes by David Bowie