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NBA Fact or Fiction: Can the Thunder win it all without playoff scars?


Every era all over the 2023-24 NBA season, we will be able to rush a deeper dive into one of the league’s largest storylines in an effort to resolve whether or not the tendencies are based totally extra if truth be told or fantasy shifting ahead.

[Last week: Is Nuggets-Celtics the NBA Finals we deserve?]

This era’s subject: The Thunder don’t want playoff scars

There was once as soon as a recipe to the NBA name, one the Chicago Bulls adopted from the Nineteen Eighties right into a dynasty.

They drafted Michael Jordan in 1984, made their first playoff look with him a 12 months nearest, misplaced a couple of first-round form to the three-time champion Boston Celtics, reached the second one around in 1988, the place they misplaced the primary of 3 immediately form to the two-time champion Detroit Pistons, together with back-to-back convention finals, and destitute via in 1991, defeating the five-time champion Los Angeles Lakers within the NBA Finals.

It was once a gradual assemble. They impaired to name them playoff scars, and maximum each champion evolved them. It can be the participant empowerment while, however title-winners nonetheless apply this recipe, until they achieve LeBron James.

The Minneapolis Lakers received the 1948 NBL and 1949 BAA championships sooner than successful 4 of 5 titles to forming the NBA into the Fifties. The league’s nearest six first-time champions — the 1951 Rochester Royals, 1955 Syracuse Nationals, 1956 Philadelphia Warriors, 1957 Boston Celtics, 1958 St. Louis Hawks and 1967 Philadelphia 76ers — each and every misplaced to a championship staff sooner than beating some other to transform one.

(We’re defining “first-time champions” right here as a core’s first name in combination. Invoice Russell’s Celtics received for the primary pace in 1957. The Nineteen Seventies, Nineteen Eighties and 2008 Celtics have been other iterations, each and every with their very own first.)

Likewise, the New York Knicks misplaced to the eventual champion 3 immediately years sooner than successful in 1970, following Russell’s leaving from the Celtics. All however 5 of the NBA’s 33 first-time champions have misplaced to some other champion inside of 4 years of successful their very own — the 1977 Portland Trail Blazers, the 1981 Celtics, the 2004 Pistons, the 2008 Celtics and the 2020 Lakers. Every had an excellent reason behind this:

  • 1977 Blazers: Invoice Walton performed greater than 50 video games for the primary pace in his occupation, and the ABA-NBA merger talented his Blazers two starters, together with All-NBA ahead Maurice Lucas, within the 1976 offseason.

  • 1981 Celtics: They drafted Larry Chicken in 1979, reached the 1980 Japanese Convention finals, and nearest added each Robert Parish and Kevin McHale to their championship core in one draft-eve industry.

  • 2004 Pistons: They adopted the normal trail to a championship however didn’t lose to a former champ on their method up the ladder — from the 2000 first around to the 2002 2nd around and 2003 convention finals. (In addition they got four-time All-Big name Rasheed Wallace on the February 2004 industry closing date.)

  • 2008 Celtics: Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen arrived in the summertime of 2007.

  • 2020 Lakers: LeBron James and Anthony Davis joined in 2018 and 2019, respectively.

In case you don’t have the playoff scars, you’ve both wanted a once-in-a-lifetime merger or two fresh Corridor of Famers to transform a championship contender in a single day. So far as I do know, neither took place this season.

The Fifties Celtics misplaced 3 immediately form to the one-time champion Syracuse Nationals, added Russell, and nearest received a name in 1957, defeating the Nationals and the eventual champion St. Louis Hawks. Since nearest, first-time champions have performed a mean of 28 playoff video games within the 4 years previous to successful.

Toss off the merger Blazers and bubble Lakers — the one two groups to walk from 4 immediately playoff absences to a championship — and the common choice of playoff scars rises to 30. All however the ’08 Celtics received no less than one playoff form within the four-year window sooner than breaking via, despite the fact that Garnett, Allen and Paul Pierce had already mixed for 121 playoff appearances, each and every creating a shuttle to the convention finals.

The one staff no longer discussed already that gave the impression in fewer than 18 playoff video games within the 4 years previous to successful its first name was once the 1971 Milwaukee Bucks. They have been a variety staff in 1968, drafted Kareem Abdul-Jabbar a 12 months nearest, misplaced to the eventual champion Knicks within the 1970 Japanese Convention finals and defeated some other eventual champion, the Lakers, en path to the name in 1971. All they wanted was once one of the crucial 3 biggest gamers in NBA historical past to expedite the method, or even nearest they wanted revel in. See James’ 2012 Miami Heat and 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers, who required losses to the 2011 champion Dallas Mavericks and 2015 champion Yellowish Situation Warriors to assemble vital scars.

Era participant empowerment has not too long ago cast speedy contenders, maximum first-time champions nonetheless apply this recipe. In 4 seasons previous to successful in 2021, Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s Dollars performed 38 playoff video games, received 3 form and gave the impression within the 2019 Japanese Convention finals, dropping to the eventual champion Toronto Raptors. In a similar way, ultimate 12 months’s Denver Nuggets performed 48 playoff video games and received 4 form from 2019-22, dropping to the eventual champion Lakers within the 2020 Western Convention finals. Scars.

There’s a staff on the govern of the West, the Oklahoma City Thunder, who has no longer gave the impression within the playoffs since 2020, once they misplaced a first-round form to the Houston Rockets. Handiest Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Lu Dort and Mike Muscala stay from that roster. Gordon Hayward‘s 16 playoff begins are probably the most of someone in OKC’s playoff rotation. SGA, Dort and Isaiah Joe are the one others with a lick of playoff revel in.

The Thunder may win. SGA could be an all-timer. However a name run for OKC could be unparalleled. The similar might be stated of the Minnesota Timberwolves. And there’s negative humiliation in growing scars. Shedding to the reigning champion Nuggets this season may simply be the stepping stone they wish to win going forward.

Decision: Myth. The Thunder want playoff scars.

Oklahoma City Thunder trio Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander have played 11 playoff games between them. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)Oklahoma City Thunder trio Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander have played 11 playoff games between them. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

And, only for amusing, your four-year playoff scar leaders at the stretch run to this 12 months’s festivities …

(Playoff video games in parentheses. Playoff form wins in daring.)

Miami Warmth

  • 2020: EC1, ECS, ECF, NBAF (21)

  • 2021: EC1 (4)

  • 2022: EC1, ECS, ECF (18)

  • 2023: EC1, ECS, ECF, NBAF (23)

  • Overall: 66 playoff video games, 8 playoff form wins

Boston Celtics

  • 2020: EC1, ECS, ECF (17)

  • 2021: EC1 (5)

  • 2022: EC1, ECS, ECF, NBAF (24)

  • 2023: EC1, ECS, ECF (20)

  • Overall: 66 playoff video games, seven playoff form wins

Denver Nuggets

  • 2020: WC1, WCS, WCF (19)

  • 2021: WC1, WCS (10)

  • 2022: WC1 (5)

  • 2023: WC1, WCS, WCF, NBAF (20)

  • Overall: 54 playoff video games, six playoff form wins

Milwaukee Dollars

  • 2020: EC1, ECS (10)

  • 2021: EC1, ECS, ECF, NBAF (23)

  • 2022: EC1, ECS (12)

  • 2023: EC1 (5)

  • Overall: 50 playoff video games, six playoff form wins

  • 2020: (0)

  • 2021: WC1, WCS, WCF, NBAF (22)

  • 2022: WC1, WCS (13)

  • 2023: WC1, WCS (11)

  • Overall: 46 playoff video games, 5 playoff form wins

Los Angeles Lakers

  • 2020: WC1, WCS, WCF, NBAF (21)

  • 2021: WC1 (6)

  • 2022: (0)

  • 2023: WC1, WCS, WCF (16)

  • Overall: 43 playoff video games, six playoff form wins

Philadelphia 76ers

Yellowish Situation Warriors

  • 2020: (0)

  • 2021: (0)

  • 2022: WC1, WCS, WCF, NBAF (22)

  • 2023: WC1, WCS (13)

  • Overall: 35 playoff video games, 5 playoff form wins

Dallas Mavericks

Atlanta Hawks

Pristine York Knicks

Minnesota Timberwolves

  • 2020: (0)

  • 2021: (0)

  • 2022: WC1 (6)

  • 2023: WC1 (5)

  • Overall: 11 playoff video games

Sacramento Kings

Oklahoma Town Thunder

  • 2020: (0)

  • 2021: (0)

  • 2022: WC1 (6)

  • 2023: (0)

  • Overall: Six playoff video games

Cleveland Cavaliers

Chicago Bulls



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