2016 NBA Predictions: A look at each team in the league
By Keith Rivas
Oklahoma City Thunder
No Kevin Durant? No problem.
Russell Westbrook understands that the road ahead won’t be easy, but he made it clear that loyalty means a lot to him and that he is going to stick around for the long haul.
Steven Adams is the second biggest name on the roster, while Victor Oladipo is bound to make some noise after being acquired from Orlando.
Oklahoma City knows what it will expect from Westbrook, but what about the rest of the starters?
Andre Roberson will be the starting shooting guard and has just three years of experience.
Roberson averaged five points and four rebounds per contest in a season that ended with a blown series lead in the conference finals and the eventual loss of half of the team’s dynamic duo.
Kyle Singler averages just three points per game and now he’ll be the starting small forward on the Thunder.
This team is going to be fully dependent on Westbrook — and if he doesn’t produce, it all falls apart.
The reason that the rest of the league needs to keep an eye on the Thunder is because of the raw emotion Westbrook will be playing with.
Durant left him hanging, and those kind of things never go well.
Westbrook is here to write a different kind of story, and he’ll lead his team to the top of the Western Conference in the process.
Season Prediction: (56-26), 1st in Northwest