Three Things Thunder Fans can Root For

.A look at what Thunder fans can root for down the stretch, even if it isn't wins.

As the 2021-22 NBA season starts to wind down, and teams try to put together wins for a last minute push for playoff position, the Thunder and its fans still have a few things to root for — even if it isn’t for many wins of their own.

OKC (20-46) currently has the fourth-worst record in the league, two games back of the Detroit Pistons for the final spot to receive a 14% chance at No. 1, and will need some help from the teams below them to secure one of those spots.

The future of the Thunder looks as bright as any team in the NBA, and there will be plenty to cheer for when the time comes, but here are three things to hold fans over:

Extended looks

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While fans undoubtedly want to see Josh Giddey come back and make a late push for rookie of the year, or see more games from second-rounder Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, there is still plenty to watch for from the guys that are healthy.

The most obvious of those being Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. SGA is averaging 23.9 points, 4.9 rebounds and 5.8 assists this season and has gone nuclear since his return from injury post-All-Star break.

Over that stretch he is averaging 30.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, 7.8 assists and two steals as he enters the next level of his game’s progression. And with 16 games left to play Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said the organization hasn’t had discussions of resting their star — not yet at least.

As for the rest of the roster, there are still players with plenty to play for.

Lindy Waters III and Olivier Sarr are both young players on two-way deals that could play themselves into a spot at the end of the roster next season, whether that be in OKC or for someone else.

Vit Krejci has missed the vast majority of his time under contract with the Thunder due to injury, but is finally putting together a consistent stretch of playing time with the newfound openings.

Darius Bazley has just one more year left on his contract and will want to show the front office he deserves to stick around beyond the 2023 offseason. A situation Aleksej Pokusevski can relate to with eyes on the summer after. 

Health and recovery

Alonzo Adams / USA Today

The Thunder have been hit harder than any team over the last month with a flurry of injuries piling up. In their most recent game the Thunder injury report featured eight of the 15 full-roster players, three of which (Lu Dort, Mike Muscala, Ty Jerome) who have already been ruled out for the remainder of the season following surgeries.

Tre Mann figures to return the soonest of the rest of that group, and there’s still a chance we haven’t seen the last of Giddey's rookie campaign, but the nine guys that played in Wednesday’s loss to Minnesota look to be the core for OKC’s final 16 games.

In the meantime fans can cross their fingers that everyone on that list takes their time and prepares for opening day 2022.

Detroit, Orlando and Houston wins

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It’s fairly straight-forward what the Thunder need to do to get Top-3 odds and secure the best chance at a Top-3 pick — lose more games than the teams below them.

OKC has the seventh-easiest remaining schedule, so this isn’t quite as simple as playing the best teams equaling losses, but with the number of injuries the Thunder have it might not need to be.

The Thunder still have both of this season’s matchups with Orlando to come as well as the Pistons taking a visit to the Paycom Center.

So while Thunder fans might not want too many more wins this season, there still is plenty to root for as the Thunder close out the season.