Oklahoma City Thunder: 3 Ways This Young Team Must Improve Before the Playoffs

Even the best teams in the league have ways in which they can improve.

With a 29-7 record after an impressive 105-102 comeback victory over the Orlando Magic on Thursday, the Oklahoma City Thunder are leading the Western Conference thanks in large part to young superstar Kevin Durant and his partners in crime Russell Westbrook and James Harden.

However, despite their youthful dominance and their 4.5-game lead in the West, this team still has ways in which it can become a more complete championship contender. Spreading out the ball and ramping up the defensive intensity are just two of many improvements that could be made.

Here are three ways this team can improve in the second half of the season.

Spread the Ball Around

While it's nice to have three scorers as well-rounded and lethal as Kevin Durant, James Harden and Russell Westbrook, it will be much easier for this young team in the playoffs if they learn how to spread the ball around better.

Right now, the previously mentioned trio are the only players on the team that get more than seven shots per game. That's understandable given the scoring potency of each.

However, getting guys like Serge Ibaka and Daequan Cook more shots will benefit the team in the long run. Ibaka, along with Durant, leads the team in field-goal percentage at 51.2 percent. The only reason he isn't more of an offensive threat is because he doesn't get enough looks to score.

More ball movement, especially in the half court, will benefit this team greatly.

Ramp Up the Defensive Intensity

The Thunder are ranked 20th in the league right now in opponent points per game, giving up 96.2 points per game. That type of defense can work in the regular season, especially when you score 102.4 points per game.

However, in the playoffs, when the tempo slows down as teams get more focused defensively, giving that many points up per game just won't cut it. The Thunder need to buckle down on defense, especially on the perimeter.

The encouraging sign is that the Thunder are ranked fourth in the league in point differential per game. If the team can hold that stat where it is at six points per game, it will a very tough out in the playoffs.

Figure out the Backup Point Guard Situation

One of the biggest personnel issues for the Thunder this season has been the loss of backup point guard Eric Maynor for the entire season and playoffs.

Rookie point guard Reggie Jackson has filled in nicely, especially when one considers that he was drafted as a guy who no one expected to play very often.

However, there are worries out there that Jackson isn't mature enough to run the second unit for the Thunder. With Maynor at the helm, the Thunder's second unit was one of the best in the NBA.

Whether or not the Thunder should pick up another point guard has been a hot topic of debate in Oklahoma City, but nothing very solid has come out in the way of rumors. Either way, the team needs to address the issue by bringing in another guard or making it clear that Jackson is the man for the job.