NBA Standings 2017: Thunder, Lakers, Knicks Out Of Playoff Picture

The 2017-2018 NBA season is in full swing with just about every team having played at least 20 games. While the standings could certainly look a lot different by the time the playoffs start, it isn’t getting any earlier for teams that are struggling.

For teams like the Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks, being just outside of the playoff race means they are exceeding expectations. That’s not the perception around the Oklahoma City Thunder, who have been the league’s most disappointing team through the first quarter of the season.

Wednesday was another discouraging night for the team that has championship aspirations. Oklahoma City lost 121-108 to the Orlando Magic, who had been on a nine-game losing streak. Russell Westbrook, Paul George and Carmelo Anthony combined to score 75 points, but it wasn’t enough to prevent the Thunder from falling to 8-12.

“It’s just starting with a sense of urgency,” Westbrook told reporters after Wednesday’s loss. “It starts with me, man. It’s my responsibility to be able to make sure that we’re ready to play on both sides of the ball to get us out of this funk. We’ve got to lock in, and that starts with me. I’ll take ownership of everything that’s going on because I’ve been here. I know the standards we set here in Oklahoma City, and I have to set an example. It starts with me, and we’re going to turn this thing around.”

After adding George and Anthony to a roster that included the 2017 NBA MVP, Oklahoma City was considered by some to be the biggest threat to Golden State. Instead, the Thunder are currently out of the postseason as the No.10 seed in the Western Conference.

Oklahoma City is a half-game behind the Los Angeles Clippers, who traded Chris Paul in the offseason, and a half-game ahead of the Lakers, who start four players that are younger than 25 years old.

The three stars have been able to put up impressive numbers while playing on the same team. All of them are averaging at least 19.7 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. Westbrook is just 0.8 rebounds and 0.5 assists per game away from averaging a triple-double.

Those stats haven’t meant much in the way of overall team success. The Thunder are 22nd in offensive efficiency after ranking 17th in that category a year ago.

There is reason to believe Oklahoma City will turn things around. They are third in defensive efficiency, ranking behind only the Boston Celtics and Portland Trail Blazers. With a roster that features three players who are used to being the first option, it might just take more time for the Thunder offense to catch up to the defense.

The Miami Heat had similar struggles when LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh first teamed up in 2010. They started that season 9-8 before getting on track and making the first of four straight NBA Finals appearances.

But Westbrook isn’t James, and George isn’t Wade. Anthony isn’t even as good as Bosh was seven years ago, and he probably hasn’t taken enough of a backseat to Oklahoma City’s top two scorers.

Oklahoma City is running out of time before matching last year’s total of 47 wins becomes seemingly out of reach.

The Thunder are 1.5 games behind the Utah Jazz for the final playoff seed in the West. They are 4.5 games behind Portland for a top-four seed.