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| Russell Westbrook returns for the OKC Thunder. Photo credit: NBA |
The answer is Yes.
Anything can happen in the National Basketball Association. Although this will be a new task for the young team, the Thunder have enough offensive firepower to climb the ladder in the Western Conference.
(I, like most I suppose, was shocked when the phone message popped up that Russell Westbrook would return last night.)
Russell Westbrook returned from a fractured hand last night to lead OKC to first back-to-back win since May defeating the New York Knicks coached by their old teammate Derek Fisher. Thirty-two points in 23 minutes is good sign for both the player and squad. Kevin Durant, still sidelined with a fractured foot has returned to limited practice and is expected to return to game action before Christmas.
The Thunder are currently only five games back from the 8th playoff spot currently held by Phoenix (10-7).
People need to first realize that the Thunder are not chasing the #1 seed. They just need to pass teams like New Orleans, Phoenix, Sacramento, Utah, and Denver. If you think that those teams are better than OKC than I can't help you...
The playoff cut will start at 48 wins this season. That means OKC will need to win 64% of their remaining games to make it. Not easy, but a motivated team looking to prove people wrong has the best chance to do it.
For both Durant and Westbrook, just making the playoffs is not their goal. They both believe they can become the first low seed to win it all since the Spurs did it years ago. Durant's injury will not be as easy to overcome as his teammate. Most foot fracture tend to linger longer and have ended some careers due to coming back too early. See Rodrique Beaubois and Yao Ming for examples.
For the boys in OKC the clock is ticking for them to get fully healthy and start winning.
