Predicting OKC Thunder's Record During Final Regular Season Stretch

The Oklahoma City Thunder are on a roll.

After a shaky stretch during the middle portion of the NBA regular season, OKC has rebounded and is playing some of its best basketball as the regular season draws to an end. The team still has 11 games left on the schedule until the postseason begins, but Mark Daigneault's group has found its stride heading into the playoffs.

Oklahoma City has reeled off 11 consecutive wins, the most recent coming against the Washington Wizards. At 56-15 on the season, the Thunder won't be able to secure a better record than it did a year ago, but OKC still holds the No. 1 seed and should surpass 60 wins once again.

The San Antonio Spurs are just three games behind Oklahoma City in the Western Conference standings, though, and the Thunder will need to keep its foot on the gas to maintain the top spot.

Nine of the Thunder's final 11 contests will come against teams who are currently in position to reach the postseason, creating a difficult final stretch of the regular season. Oklahoma City should get reinforcements at some point, though, as Jalen Williams is set to return to the lineup soon.

OKC will meet the Philadelphia 76ers, Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons, Los Angeles Lakers twice, Utah Jazz, LA Clippers, Denver Nuggets and Phoenix Suns to end the year.

Oklahoma City's games against Philadelphia and Boston will both be on the road, as the Thunder look to sweep the season series against both squads. The 76ers have been playing without stars Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid due to injury, and could be shorthanded against a red-hot OKC squad.

The Thunder should be able to take down Philadelphia, but could struggle two days later against Boston to finish off the team's road trip. The Bulls have lost five of their last seven games, and should be another win for Oklahoma City, especially at home.

The Knicks are on a five-game win streak, but will meet the Thunder at the Paycom Center after the two teams played a thrilling contest at Madison Square Garden in early March. The Knicks will certainly be a tough matchup, but Oklahoma City's home crowd should be a major boost for OKC.

The Thunder's next three games against the Lakers, Jazz and Clippers also come at the Paycom Center, and the Thunder have the potential to earn victories in all three contests. The Lakers have been playing well, but Oklahoma City has taken down Los Angeles twice already this season.

The Jazz and Clippers have each played OKC close at times, but likely won't have enough to take down the regining champions in the Modern Frontier. The Thunder will play three consecutive road games following the long homestand, and could struggle against the Lakers in Los Angeles and the Nuggets in Denver.

The Thunder close the regular season against the Phoenix Suns at home, Phoneix has been a plucky team this season, and OKC could have secured the top seed in the West by that point, which would likely lead to the Thunder resting multiple key players.

RECORD PREDICTION (NEXT 11 GAMES): 7-4

FINAL RECORD PREDICTION: 63-19

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