April 15: At the Dallas Mavericks
There’s a solid chance the final game of the season will have seeding implications. With such a tight race between the fifth and seventh spots, this could dictate who the Thunder play in the first round of the playoffs.
If that is the case, and the game is of importance to the Mavericks, Dallas will likely play Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis. Porzingis has been on a tear since Jan. 31, averaging 27.3 points, 10.9 rebounds, 2.9 blocks and 3.6 3-pointers per game on 39.6% shooting beyond the arc in 11 appearances.
Ideally, the Thunder won’t leave its seeding fate until the final day of the season. But things happen, and with such a difficult April schedule, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Oklahoma City have to play down to the wire. Luckily for the Thunder, its clutch-time performance this season has been maybe the best in the league.