Last season, OKC made history by becoming the youngest team to ever top the Western Conference. They also advanced to the Western Conference Semifinals, setting another record as the youngest team to win a playoff series. Despite these achievements, the NBA seems to overlook the team’s success, as the Thunder are ranked 11th in the number of nationally televised games.
Considering their impressive performance, along with having an MVP candidate in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and rising stars like Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, one would expect the Thunder to be ranked higher than many of their competitors.
Thunder fans are all too familiar with this treatment, as the team was not only excluded from the Christmas Day slate of games but also from Opening Night. While it’s understandable that some teams are prioritized over the Thunder, there’s a strong case to be made for why they deserve more recognition.
The Bucks, Timberwolves, Sixers, and Suns all finished below the Thunder last season, yet they are ranked higher in terms of nationally televised games. Additionally, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has proven that he is on par with, if not better than, the stars of those franchises.
This situation highlights the NBA’s apparent favoritism towards certain players, teams, and markets, with the Thunder seemingly left out of that exclusive circle. It appears that the Thunder might need to hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy to finally earn the respect they deserve.
GET MORE NEWS HERE
Leave a Reply