will OKC make the playoffs?

[Rose'sACL]

8th seed in the west would most probably require 50 wins at least.
Last year thunder won 59 games. lets say durant and westbrook return fully fit by december if we are being too optimistic.
That would be 16 games gone in total and record would most probably be 2-14. That would mean that thunder would have to go 48-18 to probably make the playoffs but to make sure they are in they would have to win 53-54 games which would mean winning 50 games out of 66.
Can thunder do it? and if they can then would team at top 2-3 seeds tank later on to avoid them ?
Again, these are all really optimistic guesses. Both durant and westbrook would probably play together only after mid december which would make it even tougher.

[KDthunderup]

Even though it's only early the West doesn't look as competitive as it was last year. I think 50 wins is too high, maybe around 48 max will be enough.

The problem has been we haven't even been able to stay healthy not even including KD and Westbrook. This has cost us at least a couple of wins imo, if the core of Ibaka, Jackson, PJ3, Lamb, Adams, Roberson can all actually stay healthy together for once then I think we can start grabbing some home wins and maybe steal some on the road. The schedule does start to ease up a bit now after a pretty brutal start.

I think we will still make it, but we have to start winning some more games soon.

[AKADS]

I don't think so. First off I don't think Durant will be back till mid December. Westbrook should be back before that. And when Durant gets back he won't even be close to game shape. He will not have been able to train with his foot messed up for 10 weeks. So it will take him a few weeks to get back in shape.

Plus they have a very tough second half of the season. Could be a good time to hold Durant and Westbrook out longer then needed and make sure they are healthy and try to get a high draft pick.

[KDthunderup]

I don't think so. First off I don't think Durant will be back till mid December. Westbrook should be back before that. And when Durant gets back he won't even be close to game shape. He will not have been able to train with his foot messed up for 10 weeks. So it will take him a few weeks to get back in shape.

Plus they have a very tough second half of the season. Could be a good time to hold Durant and Westbrook out longer then needed and make sure they are healthy and try to get a high draft pick.
This is a winning franchise. We will fight until the very end of the season.

[AKADS]

This is a winning franchise. We will fight until the very end of the season.
No there not the a franchise that is more worried about bottom line profits. If they were a winning franchise they would have signed Harden and actually tried to win a tittle. They also would have fired Brooks and paid real money for a better coach.

[KDthunderup]

No there not the a franchise that is more worried about bottom line profits. If they were a winning franchise they would have signed Harden and actually tried to win a tittle. They also would have fired Brooks and paid real money for a better coach.
I'm talking about the players and culture, not what the owner or FO does.

You can't seriously believe this team would try to tank?

[Cobra Kai]

I don't know. Hopefully they do. It would be a shame if they didn't. The playoffs wouldn't be the same without 2 of it's brightest stars.

[AKADS]

I'm talking about the players and culture, not what the owner or FO does.

You can't seriously believe this team would try to tank?
Well if the FO tells the medical staff to be over careful with Durant. Plus no one knows how Durant will come back he is a 7 footer with a foot problem. Big Z and Brook Lopez come to mind. If he can be healthy by Dec 9th and the Thundar are 4 and 16. Do you rush him for a small chance to make the playoffs.

Plus you assume they team stays healthy when they are playing that hard to try to make the playoffs. I hope Westbrook and Durant get back healthy one bad season for a franchise I don't care, that team pushing to great players and setting their careers back. That would piss me off.

[nba_55]

Simple answer: Yes! I think they are good enough to make it even without the refs helping them, but if at some point, they need help to make it in there, the refs will help them. (Look at 2013 Lakers)