OKC Thunder’s Continuity Paying Dividends

Heading into the second round, Oklahoma City has a leg up on the competition for a multitude of reasons. The obvious talking point right now, and for good reason, is rest. This Thunder team has been nursing its bumps and bruises, preparing for a physical second round for over a full week now. Denver, on the other hand, will enjoy 24 hours of rest before taking on a historically talented Thunder team.

The other talking point that seems to be flying under the radar, though, is the continuity on this Thunder team from top to bottom. From management, to coaching, and extending to the roster, this Thunder team is extremely familiar with one another. This group has grown together and gone through unique experiences together that has built a really tight bond.

After playing the Grizzlies in round one, and now drawing the Denver Nuggets, Oklahoma City will face back-to-back squads that parted with their head coach late in the season. It’s rare to see playoff teams part with a bench boss before the postseason, but that’s exactly what both Memphis and Denver did. It could’ve been for the best — only time will tell. But for now, it puts each team at a significant disadvantage against the ever-cohesive Thunder group.

The way this roster was patched together was intentional at every stage of the rebuild. This group has players that have been here from the beginning, stars and role players that have joined along the way, and outside targets that have tied everything together. And perhaps the most important part, is Oklahoma City has had the same head coach and general manager duo that started the entire rebuild.

Mark Daigneault has been able to implement his full system, culture and all, and Sam Presti has provided him with an arguably flawless rotation. The trust from top to bottom, from the players all the way up, is evident in Oklahoma City.

The Thunder's success has always exemplified perfect team chemistry, and continuity throughout the organization certainly contributes to that. Playing two teams in the postseason dealing with such massive changes on the fly gives the Thunder an advantage.