9 hours Ago By Prateek Singh
The Oklahoma City Thunder have been one of the top two teams in the league this season. With a 54-12 record, they are the top seed in the Western Conference and are second overall behind the Cavaliers. Despite such domination, there are rumors floating around that other teams don’t fear facing the OKC in the playoffs.
Lou Williams doesn’t take too kindly to that narrative.If the Thunder hold their position till the end of the regular season (they most likely will), this will be their second consecutive season as the table toppers in the West. Last season, they finished 57-25, tied with the Nuggets for the top spot.
However, the Thunder couldn’t move past the Dallas Mavericks in the Conference Semifinals.The playoffs haven’t been easy for the OKC in over a decade. They won their last conference title in 2012, after 16 years.
So, going by the numbers alone, they don’t pose a strong threat. However, a lot has changed over the last few years. So, it’d be foolish for teams to underestimate them.
Williams tried to explain the same on a recent episode of Run It Back.He said, “I think it’s cap,” rejecting the reports that teams won’t fear the OKC in the playoffs. “In my 17 years, I never had anybody interview me or ask me about which side of the bracket that I preferred to be on because.
..standings change by the day, they change by the week, they change by the scenario.
”Lou Williams calls on reports that the Thunder won't be feared in the NBA Playoffs:"In my 17 years, I never had anybody ask me which side of a bracket that I preferred to be on...
you shouldn't be worried about anybody as a competitor."@MichelleDBeadle | @ChandlerParsons |..
. pic.twitter.
com/JvCZNUV2tc— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) March 13, 2025Williams stated that since a team can’t find out about its opposition until the last week, it makes no sense why someone would go around asking for players’ opinions. As for the spirit of the competition, he believes a team should be ready for any opposition that might come their way.“Put an address on it, put a name on it, put a face on it.
Until then, I don’t respect it, I think it’s BS,” Williams concluded. The Run It Back crew was referring to the report by Brian Windhorst, who went on First Take to reveal details of his conversations with several athletes.He said, “I hear it implicitly from other people I talk to in the league.
I hear it implicitly from players out there who are like, ‘Yeah, yeah will be fine on the same side of the bracket as OKC.’ They just don’t respect them.”Historically, teams that are top 10 in both ORTG and DRTG are ones that are seen as true title contenders.
Shai and company blow this standard out the water as they are 1st in defensive rating with 106.2 and 4th across the league in offensive rating at 118.6.
OKC might be close to being a team that is perfectly built. Not fearing the best team in the West that also has the potential MVP of this season might be a huge mistake for squads.The post Lou Williams Calls ‘B.
S’ on Reports Indicating Players Won’t Fear OKC Thunder in the Playoffs appeared first on The SportsRush..
