After Mavericks Victory, Young Thunder Team Now Feels the Pressure to Win

Feeling the pressure to win the last two games of the season is great experience for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

With postseason basketball on the horizon for the last few weeks, Oklahoma City hasn’t quite had the finish to the season they were hoping for. The Thunder, currently No. 10 in the West, still controls its own play-in destiny, but the team could’ve easily cemented its chances by now.

The Thunder have won just two out of the last eight games, dropping a costly pair to Charlotte and Indiana. The games Oklahoma City penciled in as wins — they lost.

But the point remains, the team still has a chance to clinch a postseason birth by taking care of business. Through all of the struggles down the stretch, the flashes of greatness, and everything in between, Oklahoma City has a chance.

While the current scenario wouldn’t have been the Thunder’s preferred route, the youngest team in the NBA is now in a unique position. Oklahoma City’s developing core, with an average age of 22.5 years old, now gets to feel the pressure to win. Had Dallas lost against the Kings, or decided to shut down Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving like the rumors suggested, the Thunder would essentially be in by default. But now, with almost no room for error, OKC desperately needs to its final two games of the season.

After the last two weeks, Oklahoma City certainly can’t overlook any opponent in the NBA. The Thunder have favorable matchups, however, against a Lauri Markkanen-less Utah Jazz team and the Memphis Grizzlies, who will very likely be resting star players for the postseason. It’s a prime opportunity for the taking, and one that can send the Thunder’s stock soaring.

Oklahoma City has a bonafide superstar in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, two rising stars in Jalen Williams and Josh Giddey, and the biggest mystery in basketball — Chet Holmgren. Experiencing the pressure to win this early in their careers, and growing together through these games, is invaluable for the Thunder’s bright future ahead.

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