Panic Meter: Thunder are on the radar

The Oklahoma City Thunder sit exactly 3.5 games up on the Phoenix Suns for the 8th spot in the west. OKC has 10 games left to put their stamp on the 2014-2015 season and everything will be at a close. When thinking though these last 10 games all vary in importance and so the conversation came up, which games can you not afford to lose?

Thus the Panic Meter was born. We are going to break down each individual game left on the Thunder's schedule and give you a panic rating of 1-10 if the Thunder lost. 1 being all is well its just another game and 10 being we need to throw water on the Peake and get Scott Brooks a safe house. Lets start with the next game up on the Thunder's schedule.

March 28th 

@ Utah Jazz

Panic Meter: 5

The coming home party of sort for Enes Kanter will be a game the Thunder should close out in style. The Utah Jazz at this point are playing for nothing more than pride and the contracts that may be for certain players at the end of the year. They have been really hot lately, especially at home. Utah is also the #1 team in the NBA in defense. For the Thunder losing this game would not be an end of the world experience contrary to what you may think. Losing to a team that has 'nothing to lose' happens in the NBA more than most think. Yes, a loss to a non playoff team wouldn't look good but there is a chance that in a game like this Kanter, Westbrook, and Waiters see less minutes. The worst case scenario would be to lose a close game. If you lose to Utah lets hope its because Russell played 23 minutes and they blew us out. If they simply out execute us down the stretch and Russell played his full 36 we may have a red flag.

March 29th
@ Phoenix Suns
Panic Meter: 10

Do we really need to spell this one out for you? With Thunder still not locked into that 8th spot in the west a game like this could be huge. If the Thunder drop this game it would bring the Phoenix Suns an entire game closer in the standings to taking over that 8th spot. Be alarmed OKC, those last minute trades the Phoenix Suns pulled off actually seem to be working right now. Phoenix is still a no joke team and shouldn't be taken lightly. Dropping a game here could cost the Thunder a playoff birth and buy them a spot in the lottery.

April 1st

Dallas Mavericks

Panic Meter: 7

We all remember that confusing lost in Dallas just a few weeks ago. This is when the Thunder can prove they are a better team than the Dallas Mavericks and even take a step to getting the 7th seed. Thunder only 3 games back from Dallas and a win here would put them 2 games back. With a wish on a star and some luck you think you could find a great chance to being the 7th seed and taking all this drama out all together of making the playoffs. Making a statement though that a team has to play you every night and 1 win doesn't speak volumes about a team over another.

April 3rd

@ Memphis Grizzlies

Panic Meter: 3

We all expect to see our best effort against the Grizzlies but we know that we really might expect a

loss here. It wouldn't be the end of the world and win would go a long way for a team's confidence. We however wouldn't be surprised to see us lose in the grind house. There would be no need for alarm because we can assume with Ibaka out and Durant out we may be lacking a scoring punch and buckets against the Grizz are already impossible to come across. Just chalking this one up to injuries and bad match up wouldn't be surprising and wouldn't cause much need for alarm. Memphis is just good.


April 5th
Houston Rockets
Panic Meter: 8

Why yes you could use the same argument I used above for the Houston Rockets. They are a better team and yes they have less injuries. They fully should win. I however think down the stretch teams fighting for a playoff spot should have extra emotion and want to win a rivalry game. And to be clear this is a rivalry game. When it comes to every game counting so much in the last stretch of games you have to also hope that your team can close out every game at home. Playoff basketball as we all know is a completely different animal and home games should be something that we hold as vital as Thunder fans. OKC finishes 4 of their last 6 at home and against some good opponents but we should still expect to see good plays and constant wins. Rivalry game, home court, and playoff lives should allllllll equal a Thunder hard fought victory, anything less than that should have people up in arms at this point in the year.

April 7th

San Antonio Spurs

Panic Meter: 6

When it comes to the Spurs you honestly never know what to expect. Hopefully at this point with 5
games left the Thunder have locked up the 8th seed or put themselves in competition for the 7th seed. This could be a huge game for them closing out the year if they want the 7 seed. However, if we lost to the Spurs who may be fighting for the 6th seed or 5th seed who would really shocked by that? I mean 39 point loss again might make some people call for Scott Brook's job. I don't think we will see that again but by no means is this going to be a make or break game for the Thunder as long as they handle the first part of this set of games.

April 10th
Sacramento Kings
Panic Meter: 9

When you get a give me game like this at home. You have to take it. Now with the Boogie Cousins you have to be ready to earn it but the Kings haven't played defense all year. The Thunder should be able to handle teams like the Kings and rack this one up as win to close out the season. It is safe to say at this point the Thunder won't have the 8th seed locked up yet so there is no need to think that anyone will be sitting for rest. They will need this game as an easy win to take them over the hump in finally putting the Suns/Pelicans to bed. These games at home against a bad team should always be wins.



April 12th
@ Indiana Pacers
Panic Meter: 4

Now, I am a firm believer that the Thunder  at this point will be 6-1 in this final stretch (1 loss @ Memphis). If my prediction is true then you can assume that the Thunder have finally locked up the 8th seed with their win over the Kings. They will put all their key players on a minute restriction and at this point the Pacers will be on a final playoff push. This game will mean FAR more for the Pacers than they Thunder. I actually think the Thunder move to 7-1 on this game even with their lack of Westbrook minutes. The Pacers are struggling to score and aren't good on the defensive end. The Thunder with their loaded bench should be able to handle the Pacers best shot in a game in Indiana.

April 13th

Portland Trailblazers

Panic Meter: 2

Portland is a good team and will be trying to ensure that they get into the 3rd seed in the playoffs.
They WANT Dallas in the first round (Dallas may be the 5th seed with the easiest remaining schedule) and will be doing their best to pass Houston to get their match up they think suits them best in the first round. Again, I think the 7th seed is too far out of reach but the 8th is all locked up. This game will almost mean nothing to the OKC Thunder. Talking about match ups though I think the Thunder will do their best to remain in the 8th because the Warriors is FAR better of a match up than Memphis. This loss might be the best thing for OKC this year. However if the Thunder have dropped a few more games than I expect then this game could be for their playoff life. That would bump this game up all the way to a 10 pretty quickly.

Apri 15th

@Minnesoda Timberwolves

Panic Meter: 10

Before you call me a hypocrite about making all the previous games so low on the panic scale because of making the argument that we will have the playoff spot all locked up but the labeling this

a 10 hear me out.

YOU DON'T LOSE TO THE TIMBERWOLVES. PERIOD.

I shouldn't have to explain this one.