[Beard13Participant]

If they keep the team together and everyone stays injury free and add another player to help out the 2nd unit this team will win next year. This team through the years has always made strides the following year.

09-10. Took eventually NBA champs la lakers to 6 games could have gone 7.

10-11. took eventually nba champs dallas mavericks to 6 games in the wcf.

11-12. Lost too miami heat in finals in 5 games.

If history follows the trend the thunder should win one next year.

[Beard13Participant]

eric Maynor or Cole Aldrich one of those two have to emerge as solid role players next season

[B-ball fanParticipant]

 It isn’t quite that easy.  The Thunder will be the favorite to win the west next year, but it is more difficult to make the step from losing in the Finals to winning than it is to make the step from one round to the next.  All it takes is one team to knock them out and the Heat will probably be back and be better, with freed up cap space from Miller’s retirement and more of an understanding of how to win.  The Heat adjusted on the fly to win this championship; next year they can work even more on centering their offense around James’ post game.

Of course, OKC will be back.  They figure to continue to improve as Durant, Westbrook, Harden, and Ibaka grow as players.  Eric Maynor will be back and will certainly be a big upgrade over Derek Fisher.  They could get impactful play from Tibor Pleiss or another rookie big.  They will be extremely dangerous next year, and I expect they will have the best regular season record of any team next year.  The playoffs are just difficult to predict.

[ChrisCrossParticipant]

 They need a big guy that can score in the post. They rely too much on jumpers, in the finals they went cold from 3. If they had a big who could post up and get easy buckets, it would make things so so much easier for KD and crew.

[SubZeroParticipant]

If Ibaka learns a good hook shot and some other post moves, that would help a lot. He wanders around in the midrange area too much, which clogs up driving space.

@Beard13 2 years ago when Maynor wasn’t hurt, he was one of the best back up PGs in the league. He’ll come back and give us a very good extra option, because he can shoot well and can create for others. However, I agree with you on Aldrich. I really hopes he develops well and can play like he did at Kansas, blocking shots and hopefully he can develop some ball handling skills and get a little hook like Ibaka needs to get

[KayjayParticipant]

However people to forget the league gets better every year. And unlike Miami (competition is anemic), the West is much stronger than the East right now by far. What about Memphis? What about the Lakers? Lakers situation is pretty bad concerning the roster but they are still a threat every year. And lets not forget about the Clippers, they overachieved and got past a surging Grizzlies team with out a legitamate post presence. I can see OKC making it right back there again. But lets not act like everyone in the West are pushovers.

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