Russell Westbrook, Thunder Clinch Playoff Berth with Win vs. Heat

The Oklahoma City Thunder punched their ticket to the postseason Monday with a 115-93 victory over the Miami Heat and announced as much on their Twitter page:

The Thunder loaded up to make a run at the title over the offseason by adding Paul George and Carmelo Anthony through a pair of blockbuster trades, but title aspirations have slowly faded as the year has progressed. 

While OKC has looked like one of the league's most dangerous teams at its peak, inconsistencies—especially on defense—have been a real cause for concern. 

Specifically, the Thunder have taken a step back since Andre Roberson ruptured his left patellar tendon against the Detroit Pistons on Jan. 27. Before that injury, OKC owned one of the league's most formidable defenses and surrendered a fifth-ranked 103.1 points per 100 possessions. 

Since then, the Thunder have allowed 106.7 points per 100 possessions, which is just 13th in the league.

They have also closed the season in rather lethargic fashion. 

Despite improving to 43-29 with a win over the Toronto Raptors on March 18, OKC stumbled down the stretch and is just 4-5 in its last nine games. 

But now that the Thunder have made it, they can set their sights on making some noise. 

Because for all of their faults—wing defense, bench scoring and three-point efficiency among them—they still have Westbrook, George, Anthony and one of the league's most imposing centers in Steven Adams. 

That's enough firepower to scare any opponent, and it has the possibility to throw the Western Conference for a loop if things start clicking for the Thunder at the right time. 

Stats courtesy of NBA.com.