When the Dallas Mavericks eliminated the Oklahoma City Thunder from the playoffs last year, Kevin Durant and company knew that 2012 will be a special year. Though the NBA lockout has the team waiting for the season to start, players like Durant are definitely not letting time go by. There are a few YouTube clips of the superstar scoring up to 66 points in various charity games against the likes of Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James. What exactly do Oklahoma fans have to look forward to? After three seasons in Oklahoma, they just might have themselves a title contender.
Key Players To Drive The Team
It is definitely obvious the Kevin Durant is the team captain of the team and can literally score anytime that he wants but there are several key players that will have to step up in order for them to get back into the playoffs.
Serge Ibaka and Nick Collison will have to play very big in order to play against the premier big men in the league. Serge has developed to become one of the most athletic centers in the league and can be compared to Dwight Howard. If the Thunder want to truly excel in the West, these two players will have to play the center position perfectly.
As one of the most underrated players in the league, James Harden will be the main role player on the team. He is a terrific shooter and has actually shown that he is more athletic compared to what many scouts thought. If James Harden is able to have the best year of his career, the Thunder will definitely find their way to the playoffs again.
If the Thunder get to the playoffs, it will be up to Russell Westbrook and Nate Robinson to lead the way as their two point guards. A team will only get as far as their point guards will take them and in today’s league, the point guard spot is the most important. Many will say that the reason the Thunder lost last year to the Lakers was because of Russell Westbrook and how he was not able to perform under pressure. If Russell can mature and learn from his mistakes, the Thunder will easily be one of the favorites to come out of the west.
2010 coach of the year Scott Brooks will be the brain behind the 2012 season. If Brooks’ system can prove to work under pressure, the West will have a tough time taming the Thunder.
The Thunder drafter 6’3 Reggie Jackson out of Boston College and scouts are expecting this kid to definitely grow with the current bunch. The organization is hoping that he will soon blossom and help play the guard spot for Oklahoma.
When the 2012 season finally starts, it will be fun to see whether this team will be able to rekindle the magic that they were able to spark last year. With Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, the Oklahoma City Thunder fans have a lot to look forward to in 2012.
