It's clear to everyone that the Oklahoma City Thunder is supposed to take this season as an off-year and an opportunity to tank for the first overall pick. However, they are just too good at playing basketball at the moment to even do that correctly.
They mounted an incredible comeback in the third quarter to triumph over the Memphis Grizzlies, 126-122. This is impressive enough by itself, but Bleacher Report reported that the incredible comeback is not the only eye-catching thing that has happened.
OKC becomes first team in last 20 seasons to overcome 24-point deficits in back-to-back games 😳 pic.twitter.com/HydYees0jO
— Bleacher Report NBA (@BR_NBA) December 19, 2019
The match the Thunder played prior to this one was against the Chicago Bulls. Things have become so dire in that game that Chicago even led by 25 points in the second quarter. However, Chris Paul had an incredible night to bring them back in, notching a solid stat line of 30 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists on 75% shooting.
Article Continues BelowHe was also effective against the Grizzlies, but the real star of the game was Dennis Schroder. The guard came off the bench and had an incredible night. He scored 31 points, grabbed three boards, and provided seven assists to his teammates.
These two games show just how much talent the Thunder have at their disposal. They have the right players who can make plays and can become key components for any championship-caliber team.
However, the Thunder are rebuilding, and winning is not in their best interests. It's more likely that they're playing Paul so they can increase his trade value before the trade deadline arrives. There are plenty of strong teams who could use a point guard, and Paul is definitely an upgrade on that end.
It's going to be interesting to see where the pieces will fall by the time March comes rolling in. Until then, Thunder fans will enjoy what they've got and celebrate every victory they get.