The OKC Thunder is ranked third in ESPN’s NBA Power Rankings

With a current record of 16-5 and the number one seed in the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder have consistently been one of the best, if not the best, team in the entire NBA.

Whether it’s their historic defense that prevents opponents from scoring and causing numerous turnovers or their players’ ability to score from anywhere on the court, the Thunder have virtually no flaws. However, they still fail to reach the top spot in the power rankings.

Oklahoma City is ranked third in the ESPN Power Rankings

In a recent article by the NBA experts and insiders at ESPN, they released their league power rankings and placed the Thunder as the third-best team in the association.

Currently, the other two teams ahead of OKC are the Boston Celtics and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Although their record is currently better than the Thunders, it’s only a matter of one or two games. Otherwise, the Thunder have been extremely impressive and should be considered for the top spot.

Oklahoma City was able to dominate its opponents both defensively and offensively. Not only do they have the best defensive rating while leading the league in steals, deflections and loose ball recoveries, but they also have the best overall net rating and bench net rating in the NBA.

All of this was accomplished with Chet Holmgren playing just ten total games, Jaylin Williams still off the field, and countless players on the Thunder roster on the injured list.

While the Cavs and Celtics were impressive, especially on offense, what OKC was able to accomplish while still being at full strength should be a testament to how “powerful” they really are, especially when backed by players like MVP be cited. Contestant Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams putting up all-time stats:

Third-year forward Jalen Williams is building a strong case early for his first All-Star selection as his production has increased in all five major categories (21.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 2). .1 steals and 1.0 blocks per game). . The only players to average at least 21 points for an entire season at this level of performance in the other categories: Michael Jordan in 1990-91 and Scottie Pippen in 1994-95.

Once the entire Thunder roster is fully healthy, it will only be a matter of time before they secure a permanent spot at the top spot in the power rankings.

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