Still, the Thunder sitting 11th in the West tells you how stiff will be the competition in the stronger conference. Two weeks into the NBA season, West teams are 16-9 vs. the East.
Some of the teams off to sputtering starts have been hampered by West-only schedules. Houston and Phoenix, one a powerhouse, the other a putz, each are 1-5 in part because neither has played an Eastern Conference foe.
Same with the 2-5 Lakers. And the 2-4 Thunder has played only mighty Boston from the East. All of which makes the Thunder’s two-game Eastern Conference road swing – Thursday night in Charlotte, Friday night in Washington – a chance to get well.