Monday marked a sweep for the Oklahoma City Thunder, taking care of the Los Angeles Lakers in short order in a series that saw just one game decided by fewer than 18 points. It was Game 4's back-and-forth affair, where the Thunder actually trailed with 40 seconds to go in the fourth frame. The Bricktown Ballers executed down the stretch to the tune of a 115-110 win to salt away the series.
This represents the first time in team history that the OKC Thunder have started a playoff 8-0. Monday's finishing touches on the four-game sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers was the first time in team history that the Thunder earned a sweep of an NBA Playoffs series past the first round of the NBA Postseason.
With this win over the Lakers, the Thunder have advanced to their second straight Western Conference Finals. Oklahoma City has now played in six Western Conference Finals. Meaning a third of its seasons (18) have been spent in the final four of the NBA Playoffs. An impressive feat, no matter what franchise is being discussed, but especially one that plays in one of the smallest markets the NBA has to offer, established in Bricktown in 2008.
While the NBA is in the midst of a rare parity era in basketball, arguably the first one in league history, the Oklahoma City Thunder became the first team since the 2018 Golden State Warriors to advance past the second round of the NBA Playoffs the year following a championship. The Thunder still have the ability to be the first team since those 2018 Warriors to repeat as NBA Champions if they can get past the San Antonio Spurs or Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference Finals and knock off whoever emerges from the Eastern Conference.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are not even a year removed from their first-ever NBA Championship, and before getting to the anniversary of their first, they may have another. This is the golden age for basketball in Bricktown, with not only the best team in the NBA but the projected sustainability of a roster that has most of its main pieces locked up long term with plenty of NBA Draft picks coming down the pipe.
Now that the Thunder have taken care of business in this easy path to the Western Conference Finals, the real playoffs begin. Oklahoma City, via their second straight sweep, have yet another long layoff standing before them prior to welcoming in their Western Conference Finals foes.
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