The Oklahoma City Thunder claimed the Western Conference’s top seed last season and have done so again this year, as the expectation for them this season will be to make the conference finals. Led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is the frontrunner to win MVP, talk about this team will only continue going into the playoffs.
If the Thunder want to go all the way, they won’t only have to get through the Western Conference but potentially face the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals as they seek a repeat. Still, with so much room to grow on this team, Los Angeles Lakers and NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal drew a surprising comparison between the current Thunder and a legendary dynasty.
“They remind me of the old-school Spurs. They just love each other…,” O’Neal said according to Thunder beat writer Brandon Rahbar. “This guy right here [SGA] should be unanimous MVP.”
The old-school San Antonio Spurs that Shaq refers to won five titles in the Tim Duncan-Gregg Popovich dynasty. Built around Duncan and a core of Tony Parker and Manu Ginóbili, they’ve gone down as one of the most successful dynasties in NBA history. Even though Shaq sees a comparison, there’s a lot of success needed for OKC to compare.
The Thunder are currently the odds-on favorite to win the NBA title this year, but it will require more than just a standout playoff run from Gilgeous-Alexander. The Thunder have not won an NBA Finals since moving to Oklahoma City, and this year could be what changes it.