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Despite four losses in the last five games, FiveThirtyEight.com has predicted the Thunder to finish as the four seed in the Western Conference.
The latest projections on Nate Silver’s site have OKC, San Antonio, and Utah finishing at 47-35. If that were the case, the Thunder would win the tiebreaker and finish in fourth place.
Here is how Berry Tramel explains it:
The website projects the Thunder, Spurs and Jazz to each finish 47-35, with the Timberwolves and Pelicans tying for seventh at 46-36.
If the Thunder ties San Antonio and Utah, Oklahoma City wins the tiebreaker. Head-to-head is the first tiebreak. OKC went 3-1 vs. Utah and 2-2 vs. San Antonio. The Jazz went 3-1 vs. the Spurs. That means the Thunder is 5-3 in that triangle, Utah is 4-4 and San Antonio is 3-5.
That would make the Thunder fourth, the Spurs fifth and the Jazz sixth. Minnesota wins the tiebreaker over New Orleans, so the Timberwolves would be seventh and the Pelicans eighth.
Things might seem bad right now, but these projections take a more positive outlook on the Thunder’s playoff hopes. OKC’s magic number to clinch a playoff spot is now two. If the Nuggets win out and the Thunder get two wins, they both finish at 47-35. Denver would own the tiebreaker in that scenario.
FiveThirtyEight has Houston, Golden State, and Portland taking the top three seeds, respectively.
NewsOK has more on the upcoming playoff scenarios here: http://newsok.com/article/5589602
Poll
Where do the Thunder finish?
This poll is closed
-
30%
4th seed
(207 votes) -
17%
5th seed
(118 votes) -
13%
6th seed
(91 votes) -
15%
7th seed
(101 votes) -
3%
8th seed
(24 votes) -
19%
out of playoffs
(128 votes)
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