Thunder’s Round‑1 uncertainty
The Oklahoma City Thunder will face one of three possible play‑in survivors in the first round, leaving their opponent unsettled as the last qualification games finish. (okcthunderwire.usatoday.com) That bracket uncertainty keeps scouting and matchup planning fluid for OKC until the play‑in results finalise. (okcthunderwire.usatoday.com)
Oklahoma City still does not know its first-round opponent, with the Thunder waiting on the Western Conference play-in to decide the No. 8 seed. (nba.com) The Thunder finished 64-18 and locked up the West’s No. 1 seed, so their series starts Saturday, April 18, against whichever team survives the final play-in game. (nba.com 1) (nba.com 2) One possible opponent is the Phoenix Suns, who lost 114-110 to the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday, April 14, and now get one more chance to claim the conference’s last playoff spot. (nba.com) Portland is no longer in Oklahoma City’s pool because the Trail Blazers won that 7-versus-8 game and took the West’s No. 7 seed instead of the No. 8 seed. (nba.com 1) (nba.com 2) The other two possibilities are the Los Angeles Clippers and the Golden State Warriors, who were scheduled to meet in the West’s 9-versus-10 elimination game after the regular season ended. (nba.com) (usatoday.com) The play-in format is what creates the delay: the 7-versus-8 loser plays the 9-versus-10 winner for the No. 8 seed, so Oklahoma City cannot finalize its matchup until that game is over. (nba.com 1) (nba.com 2) That leaves Oklahoma City preparing for three different styles at once: Phoenix finished 45-37, while the Clippers finished 42-40 and the Warriors finished 37-45. (nba.com) The rest of the West bracket is already set, with the San Antonio Spurs as the No. 2 seed, the Denver Nuggets as No. 3, and the Los Angeles Lakers as No. 4. Oklahoma City is the only top-four team in the conference still waiting on a specific first-round opponent. (nba.com) The uncertainty ends Friday, April 17, when the West’s final play-in game decides who opens the playoffs in Oklahoma City the next day. (nba.com)
