OKC Thunder Makes SMART MOVE vs. Denver | RANKING Play-In Teams | NBA Award Season

The Locked On Thunder podcast dissects the Oklahoma City Thunder's decision to rest their core players for their final regular-season game against the Denver Nuggets, framing it as a strategic move to preserve health and optimize playoff positioning. With the Thunder already securing the top seed in the Western Conference, the hosts argue that losing to Denver actually benefits them by helping Denver secure a higher seed and keeping stronger threats like the Lakers and Rockets on the opposite side of the bracket. The discussion highlights the value of giving minutes to role players like Aaron Wiggins, Jared McCain, and Nikola Topic, who need to stay sharp for postseason depth. The team then ranks the potential play-in opponents—Golden State, Portland, Phoenix, and the Clippers—favoring the Warriors and Blazers as the easiest matchups, with Phoenix posing the toughest challenge due to their physicality and defensive intensity. The episode concludes with a deep dive into award season, where the hosts predict Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will win MVP and All-NBA honors, Chet Holmgren is a near-lock for All-NBA Third Team and Defensive Player of the Year contention, and Jaylen Brown is a strong candidate for Coach of the Year, though Mark Daigneault is seen as a top-three contender despite likely falling short of the award.