The Oklahoma City Thunder kicked off their season with a blazing start, winning 24 of their first 25 games, making a return to the NBA Finals seem almost inevitable. Yet, despite maintaining the league's best record at 45-15, recent weeks have been a bit turbulent, especially with injuries sidelining key players like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams.
The Thunder are keen on defending their championship title, but NBA legend Dwyane Wade has a different prediction. On “The Zach Lowe Show,” Wade forecasted a Finals showdown between the San Antonio Spurs and the Detroit Pistons.
Wade shared his insights: “I’ve watched the Spurs closely. They might not be expected to peak for another few years, but they have moments where everything clicks.
With the right matchups, they’re a formidable opponent.” The Thunder have struggled against the Spurs, losing three out of four encounters this season, including a critical loss in the NBA Cup semifinals that ended OKC's impressive 16-game winning streak.
Turning to the Pistons, Wade, now an analyst for NBC and Prime, praised their depth. “I watched Detroit play in New York without Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart, and they didn’t skip a beat.
This team is deep. They understand their style and how to win.
That’s a powerful combination when a team doesn’t need to figure things out on the fly,” Wade explained.
The Thunder recently fell to the Pistons, missing several key players including Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams, Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein, and Ajay Mitchell. Up next, Oklahoma City faces another challenge against the Denver Nuggets on Friday.