No. 4 2015-16 Thunder vs. No. 12 2019-20 Thunder
4 seed: 2015-16
Regular season record: 55-27
Playoff result: Lost Western Conference Finals
The Oklahoma City Thunder couldn’t close out the series against Golden State, falling in seven games to bring an abrupt end to the Durant years in OKC.
Key players:
Kevin Durant – Durant averaged 28.2 points, 8.2 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game.
Russell Westbrook – Westbrook posted 23.5 points, 10.4 assists and 7.8 rebounds per game.
Serge Ibaka– Ibaka had 12.6 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game.
Andre Roberson – Roberson had 4.8 point and 3.6 rebounds in 22 minutes per game. He started all 70 games he appeared in.
Steven Adams – The 22-year-old center averaged 8 points and 6.7 rebounds in 25 minutes per game as a third-year player, starting all 80 he appeared in.
Dion Waiters – In Waiters’ only full season with Oklahoma City, he averaged 9.8 points primarily off the bench.
Enes Kanter – Kanter posted 12.7 points and 8.1 rebounds – 3.0 of which we offensive – in just 21 minutes per game.
Randy Foye: Foye joined the Thunder midseason and averaged 5.6 points for Oklahoma City.
12 seed: 2019-20
Regular season record: 40-24 (postponed)
Playoff result: Fifth seed as of March 11
Hopefully this year’s Thunder team will get more games, because they were one of the biggest pleasant surprises of the league. Despite trading Westbrook and Paul George, Oklahoma City was in the thick of the playoff race.
Key players:
Chris Paul – Statistically the best player during crunch time this season, Paul has averaged 17.7 points, 6.8 assists, 4.9 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – The key player return from the George trade, the second-year player is posting a team-high 19.3 points with 6.1 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game.
Danilo Gallinari – Gallinari, one of the best stretch-fours in the league, is posting 19.2 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists while shooting above 40% from 3.
Dennis Schroder – Schroder has been an elite sixth man this season, averaging 19 points with 4.1 assists and 3.7 rebounds and often closing out games as part of the three-guard lineup.
Steven Adams – Adams is averaging 10.9 points and 9.4 rebounds per game to go with about a block and steal apiece in 27 minutes per game.
Luguentz Dort – Dort played himself into a key piece of the rotation with fierce defense. He averages 6.2 points and 1.9 rebounds per game.
Nerlens Noel – In 18 minutes per game, Noel is averaging 7.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, one steal and 1.5 blocks per game.
Terrance Ferguson – Ferguson has started 37 games this year, and in 23 minutes per, he is averaging 4.2 points and 1.5 rebounds.
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