Stiles Points: OKC Thunder Has to Beat the Odds Again to Keep Season Alive

The Oklahoma City Thunder have to out-perform expectations yet again in order to keep their season alive.

May 15, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) | Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports

Once again, the Oklahoma City Thunder will have to beat the odds if they hope to keep their 2023-24 campaign alive. Their back firmly against the wall, a game away from elimination, this upstart Thunder team will attempt to force a Game 7 back in Oklahoma City on Saturday against the Dallas Mavericks.

This will be a tough test. Kyrie Irving is a perfect 13-0 in close out games as he and his co-star Luka Doncic are no stranger to wrapping up series with their prolific shot making. Dallas will attempt to ride the moment of a rowdy crowd in the American Airline Center to wrap this series up in six games.

After dropping a pivotal Game 5, the Oklahoma City Thunder have certainly put themselves behind the eight bal, a place they’re no stranger to being.

The Thunder entered the year as the second youngest team in the NBA, after a surprise 2022-23 season, Oklahoma City was still projected to win just 44.5 games according to Vegas in the rough and tumble Western Conference.

Teams this young as not supposed to be this good, rattling off 57 wins and earning the No. 1 seed, the youngest squad to ever accomplish that feat. Along the way, they’ve won games against every top team in the association in an attempt to prove they belong en route to winning their first playoff series since 2016.

As Oklahoma City enjoys their most success since Kevin Durant was in a Thunder uniform, they’ll have to shatter through expectations yet again on Saturday to keep their series alive with many counting Oklahoma City out.

OKC has labored to score while looking lackluster at times effort-wise and clanking wide-open triples. It is yet to be seen if the Thunder can turn the tide this series or if their inexperience and the stellar Mavericks defense will continue to doom them.

Want to join the discussion? Like Inside the Thunder on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Thunder news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.