OKC Thunder Check-In at No. 12 in Latest NBA Power Rankings

Oklahoma City is sprinting towards the finish line and the national media is starting to take notice.

After two long seasons, Oklahoma City is back on the right side of the NBA’s power rankings. As the Thunder continues to push for the playoffs, the team now sits at No. 12 in the latest NBA.com update.

After losing five straight games shortly after the All Star break, and falling behind in the playoff race, Oklahoma City’s direction for the rest of the season was unknown. The past two seasons, management has shifted towards development and valued a chance at a high draft pick. Had the Thunder lost a game or two more, this could all be a different story.

The team played its way back into playoff contention, winning seven of the last nine games and beating other playoff teams in the process. Instead of shifting towards development, Oklahoma City has opted to play out the final stretch, and so far it’s paying off.

In NBA.com’s latest power rankings, Oklahoma City is slotted in at No. 12 behind the Heat and the Clippers — both teams expected to chase a championship before the season started. With a west coast road trip on deck featuring two games against the Clippers, a single game against both the Lakers and the Blazers, the Thunder have a chance to break through the .500 threshold. At 35-36, the schedule is wide open for the taking.

One of the main reasons for Oklahoma City’s improbable run is the team’s style of play and nightly offensive explosions. The Thunder’s pace of play ranks No. 2 in the league, scoring 114.2 points per game. With no real center on the floor most of the time, OKC is simply hard to guard.

The No. 12 ranking may only be the beginning of Oklahoma City's full ascension.

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