Ranking NBA Play-In Teams As OKC Thunder Matchups

in a blink, the regular season is over. Time has flown by as the NBA put a bow on its 82-game slate. The Oklahoma City Thunder, just as they were a year ago, take home the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.

Unlike a year ago, the Thunder left no doubt. In 2024, OKC was the top seed by a tie-breaking technicality, thanks to a late season Spurs Hail Mary. This season? The Thunder went out and took the top seed through adversity.

Hurdles that didn't hinder the Thunder from clinching the best record in the NBA, racking up 68 wins total en route to this feat.

Oklahoma City's season has been nothing short of historic, but now all the Thunder can do is hurry up and wait.

OKC will not know its first-round matchup until Friday night as the NBA Play-In Tournament comes to a close. For now, the list of possible matchups sits at four: The Golden State Wariors, Memphis Grizzlies, Sacramento Kings and Dallas Mavericks.

Let's rank these teams as it relates to who can give the Thunder the toughest test in the NBA Playoffs opening round.

Ranking the NBA Play-In Tournament Teams

1) Golden State Warriors

The Golden State Warriors are undoubtedly the best team in this field. Not only do they hold the best record (Tied with Memphis), but its post All-Star numbers are gaudy.

The Warriors are top ten in net rating (5.8) over the court of the last 15 games and ninth in defensive rating over that same span. If you shrink that sample size to its last ten games, the Warriors own the No. 4 best Net Rating, No. 4 best Defensive Rating, and No. 8 offensive rating in that stretch.

With Steph Curry's ability to flip a game by himself, the lore that Jimmy Butler carries around and the shenanigans and defensive prowess that Draymond Green will deploy, the Warriors are a tough out. So much so, they would be the best No. 8 seed in NBA history for this scribe's money.

2) Memphis Grizzlies

The Memphis Grizzlies are in disarray; a popular pick to bounce back this season has turned into a play-in run that led to its head coach being canned and its star player facing questions about his long-term future with the franchise from the outside.

Facing Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, Jaren Jackson Jr. and the interesting puzzle piece of Zach Edey is no walk in the park, which is why they still check in at No. 2. However, unlike the Warriors, the Grizzlies do not have the fire power to even push the Thunder in a playoff series, much less win one.

Memphis has been on the wrong end of lopsided losses to Oklahoma City four times this season. Should the Beale Street Ballers become the rightful No. 8 seed, there is no reason to believe this team could beat OKC in a seven-game series.

3) Dallas Mavericks

Dallas is the No. 10 seed but gets to shuffle up to the third of four teams ranked on this list. The only reason? At least they have Anthony Davis and confidence, which is more than this scribe can say about the Kings.

P.J. Washington walks into the Paycom Center and feels more at home. A hostile environment is a family get-together for Washington as he splashes triples every other possession. Klay Thompson is no stranger to big playoff shots and the Maverick's size would present an interesting obstacle for Oklahoma City to clear.

The biggest reason the Mavericks are so low? Who is quarterbacking this team? Jaden Hardy? Good luck against the Thunder's physical and historic defense. If their table setter is turning the ball over, the secondary players never get the chance to kill Oklahoma City. If Davis is getting the ball at the top of the key and driving into a clogged lane, there is only so much he can do against range-y and athletic wings.

What made Dallas the toughest challenge for Oklahoma City was Luka Doncic, who now plays for the Los Angeles Lakers and has made the Purple and Gold title contenders.

The Mavericks lack Doncic and Kyrie Irving, putting their role players in a position to succeed, which was the key difference in last season's tightly contested series.

4) Sacramento Kings

The Kings might be able to keep a single game close and be a bounce within winning said game and being gentlemen swept in the first round. Just as the Pelicans a year ago, who ended up getting ran out in four games, they nearly won Game 1, which was all New Orleans had to cling to when the party ended.

The Kings have players that pop on paper but go flat on the hardwood. If you squint, Sacramento could get a game from Oklahoma City in their old barn that is one of the best crowds this league has ever seen on a night where Sabonis, LaVine, DeRozan and Muray put it all together.

Jonas Valanciunas was played off the floor last year against the Thunder in the playoffs, the lack of Malik Monk is tough to overcome the team lacks a true table setter in a half court playoff environment.

Sacramento can be summed up as it has been for most of its franchise history: Uninspiring.