Oklahoma City Thunder: Will This Year's Season Shine a Brighter Light on OKC?

Last year's NBA season was a huge success for the Oklahoma City Thunder as the underdog team rode all the way to the conference finals. In the Western finals, the Thunder suffered a loss to the Dallas Mavericks who went on to win the championship. Even though the team made a huge run, they knew they could have done better. I will be giving you some of the areas that the starting lineup could improve on.

PG: Russell Westbrook

Russell, Russell, Russell.

This star studded point guard had a tremendous season last year as he and his team mates brought this underdog team all the way to a conference final. Last season, Westbrook proved to be one of the good point guards last year as he was in the Western All-Star roster alongside fellow teammate Kevin Durant. Westbrook proved that this was one of his best seasons as he was a productive scorer, passer and stealer. He might have had a great season last year, but there are still aspects of his game that could be improved.

In terms of offense, Russell Westbrook is a great player. He can be a prolific scorer at times, and a hardcore defender as well. Westbrook has been a good attacking player, but there are some things that need fixing. In one of the games in the Western finals, Westbrook scored 30 points... and had 30 shots. This proves that he is less of a shooter than he is a passer; I mean he can shoot his free throws consistently and hit his mid-range jumpers, but he is just a better passer. When Westbrook is a passer, he has provided big scoring nights for Durant. Westbrook averaged 8.2 assists per game.

On the defensive end of the court, Westbrook is decent. He is good at finding the right situations to steal the ball (he averaged 1-2 steals per game). But, stealing isn't the only important aspect of defense. Westbrook needs to stay up in his man's face, whether it's a man-to-man defense or a zone. He needs to be more of a consistent defender to improve this area of his game.

If Russell Westbrook were to add all these improvements to the way he plays, he would be even more of an effective player. 

SG: Thabo Sefolosha

This shooting guard has been the defensive hub of the Thunder, creating various defensive plays: fast breaks, steals, and even chances of his own on the other side of the basket. Even though this maestro is a terrific defender, the attacking aspect of his game is lacking. If there is one major place he can improve, it would be his offensive game.

On offense, Sefolosha has put in some inconsistent performances; sometimes he's on fire, while other games, his scoring ability has been extinguished. Like Westbrook, Sefolosha can be a good passer, but if he worked on his shooting, I bet this guard could put in some great, consistent performances. 

SF: The Durantula (Kevin Durant)

This 22 year old entered the league a few years ago. Since then he has proven to be the best player on this team. He topped the scoring charts for two years straight! And made the Western All-Stars team with fellow teammate Russell Westbrook. There is so much to say about Durant, but there are a few areas that he could improve in on the offensive end, as his defense has been stellar.

Durant has been a prolific scorer in "most" of his matches. The reason I quote most is because he topped the scoring chart with 27.7 points per game, which is amazing, but he has had some horrible games where he has scored around 8-12 points. It has been those terrible shooting nights that have hurt this team in some of their playoff series. If the Durantula could improve his consistency, then... he would be unstoppable.

PF: Serge Ibaka

I love Serge Ibaka. He has so much to offer on the defensive end, especially his ability to block. Similarly to Thabo Sefolosha, he is a defensive powerhouse. He doesn't have very quick hands, but he makes up for that with his sensational ability to block shots (he was third in the league with 2.41 blocks per game). He has brought this team a big advantage on the defensive end, but his offense could use a little work.

On the offensive end, Ibaka's strength is posting up. He can shoot his mid-range jumpers and his free throws, but it could use some improvement. He should be more aggressive down low so that if he has an uninterrupted path to the basket he can lay it up, or kick it out. The 6'10" Congo native has a lot of potential as a forward his his defensive ability

If Ibaka were to add these improvements to his current playing style, he could be one of the best power forwards in the league. 

 

C: Kendrick Perkins

Kendrick Perkins, former Boston Celtic, got traded to Oklahoma City Thunder in a move that involved Perkins as well as fellow Celtic Nate Robinson, and Jeff Green from the Thunder. This was an emotional move for all three of the players, especially for Green as he would move to a new team in Boston where he didn't know anyone. While for Kendrick, he knew teammate Nate Robinson.

As Perkins joined the Thunder, he brought with him his defensive strategy and mentality; this helped the team greatly as it brought the defensive strategies of one of the best defensive teams in the league. Even though he brought his defensive strengths, his offense could still use some touch ups.

On offense, one thing's for sure, Perkins is not a shooter. If one is to make Perkins effective on the attack, one must make him a post-up player; he has the aggression to get past other centers. If he can, he should lay it up, if not, then he should kick it out to a teammate. There is nothing to say about his defense as it is great.

If Perkins can add these offensive strategies to his game, he would be the complete center package. 

Conclusion

Finally, all the players on the Oklahoma City Thunder have pure talent; they have defensive technicians to dismantle their opponent's offense, and offensive sharks to take a bite out of the opposition's defense. But ultimately, there are always areas for improvement. And if the Thunder can add all these improvements to their current game, they would be contenders to win the championship.