SDH Presents the NBA's Worst to First for December: 2. Oklahoma City Thunder

Oklahoma City Thunder Overall Win/Loss Record (as of December 31st): 24-6,  first place Northwest Division	Last Month: 2	This Month: 2
Team Statistics and League Rank (as of December 31st): Points Scored: 105.9 (1st) Points Allowed: 96.7 (13th) Team FG%: .478 (3rd) Opponent’s FG%: .427 (2nd) Rebounds per game: 43.4 (23rd) Opponents rebounds per game: 43.6 (7th) Turnovers per game: 14.6 (11th) Opponents turnovers per game: 15.6 (28th)	Individual Statistical Leaders (as of December 31st): Scoring (ppg): Kevin Durant (28.5) Rebounds per game:  Serge Ibaka (8.5) Minutes per game:  Kevin Durant (39.6) Assists per game: Russell Westbrook (8.7) Field Goal Percentage:  Serge Ibaka (.565) Steals per game:  Russell Westbrook (2.1) Blocked Shots per game:  Serge Ibaka (3.0)
Worst Player of the Month: Eric Maynor Two years ago, Eric Maynor was tabbed as not only the primary backup to star Russell Westbrook, he also played the added role of being being the perfect complement to Russell as well.  When Russell barreled down the lane and forced up shots which later resulted in him turning over the ball, Maynor would protect the ball, while getting his teammates invovled in the offense as well.  If had not been lost to injury the following season, Maynor would have probably started alongside Westbrook allowing him to focus on his strengths of being a scorer while Maynor would blend in the background covering for Russel's mistakes.  Unfortunately, that has not happened as Maynor has found himself buried under the bench as second year point man Reggie Jackson have been given the nod to beprimary backup and has been little if any factor for the Thunder this season.  In addition to having his minutes dropped, Maynor has also struggled offensively averaging under three points per game while shooting a woeful .313 from the field making him all but expendable to the Thunder.	First Player of the Month: Serge Ibaka He would have been named as the First of the Month in November; however, it was considered as more prudent to wait another month to see that his spike in production was not just a fluke.  Now after two months, have passed,  Serge Ibaka has proven that he was not just a temporary spark as he has maintained his career high production in scoring (14.2), rebounds (8.6), and field goal percentage (.586).  Along with his surge in offensive production, Ibaka still remains a defensive stalwart in the paint leading his team and the league in blocked shots per game as well.  Once considered as a mere cleanup player who blocked shot and little if nothing else, Serge Ibaka has shown to have quite a diverese offensive repitoire and has been on of the key reasons why the Thunder has been such a dominant team in the regular season thus far. If he continues to keep up his phenomenal play, Serge will certainly will be considered a prime candidate for the Most Improved Player Award once the regular season ends.
Analysis: The Oklahoma City Thunder have continued their rampage as they have left nothing but carnage and debris as they stormed through 2012 winning all but two games in November.  In December, the Thunder were all but unstoppable on the offensive end as they scorched their opponents outscoring them 106.2 to 97.2 while at the same time crushing their souls on the defensive end shooting .471 from the field.  Only two teams managed to beat the Thunder--the Minnesota Timberwolves (12/20/2012) and the Miami Heat (12/25/2012)--as they were just two of three teams, the third being the New Orleans Hornets (12/12/2012), to hold the Thunder from reaching the 100 point mark; however, they were barely able to defeat the Thunder.  One can go as far to say that they both had been able to survive the Thunder rather than surpass them as they both beat them by rather minuscule margins--six points to be exact.  The Hornets, however, were not as lucky as the Thunder manage to squeak by four points despite being held to scoring just 92 points.      The rest of the teams who allowed the Thunder to crack the century mark were not as lucky as they would get mercilessly pounded and ground into dust.  They were a few valiant heroes that tried to match the Thunder's scintillating scoring and managed to hang on to the very end; however, they simply could not survive Oklahoma City's offensive onslaught.  Both the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers put up rather impressive showing scoring 111 (12/4/2012) and 108 points (12/7/2012), respectively, but still could not outpace the Juggernaut that is the Oklahoma Thunder from scoring 231 points against them altogether.  Only Dallas had the closest chance of beating the Thunder despite allowing them to reach the 100 point mark, even bringing the game to overtime (12/27/2012); however, the Mavericks simply could not hold back the Thunder as they would narrowly lose 111 to 106.  So, throughout December, the Thunder simply could not be contained and for the two teams that were fortunate enough to have beaten them, they were left with a lasting scar as a reminder. With such an impressive showing, it is certainly not a stretch to say that the Oklahoma City Thunder are not only the team to beat in the regular season, but also an almost shoe-in to return to the NBA Finals.  While there have been teams that have surpassed them in the Western Conference standings, neither team can be considered a viable threat to knock them out of the Conference Finals.  Last month, the Memphis Grizzlies shocked the world finishing November with the most wins in the league; however, that time up at the summit was short lived as they were knocked off as quickly as they climbed up to get there.  Now, it is the Clippers'  turn to have the spotlight shine on them as they finished 2012 owning the best record in the league; however, it is only a matter of time until Los Angeles slips yet again from the top.  Yet despite the fluctuations Oklahoma City has still remained a steadfast force in the league as they remain nipping at the heels at anyone who has the good fortune to temporarily surpass them. Once the post season arrives, it will be next to impossible for those who have the rotten luck to face the Thunder to hold that team down defensively.  Oklahoma City simply has too much fire power and with the way the Thunder have been sharing the ball this season, they are even more dangerous than ever.  Before, opponents would have to worry about mainly Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook on defense; however, now it is not only just Durant and Westbrook as there are now four offensive option capable of coming up big giving other NBA teams even more headaches when facing them.  If their defenses single out Durant, the Thunder can simply move on to Westbrook to not only shoulder the load offensive scoring 25 to thirty points, but also involve two or three more teammates to score 15 more points each per game.  Kevin Martin has provided the Thunder with a potent offensive punch off the bench averaging in the area of 15 or 16 points per game while Serge Ibaka has had his coming out party posting the best offensive numbers in his career.  And it is not just them either as other Thunder players who have been shut out of the offense in previous seasons, have come to have rather impressive seasons such as Thabo Sefolosha, who is posting his best numbers as a Oklahoma City Thunder averaging close to eight points per game while shooting close to .490 from the field and .414 from beyond the arc. What was once considered as one of the most predictable teams in the league has completely flipped the script this season with a more diversified and efficient offense to go along with their non stop stifling defense making the Oklahoma City Thunder the most dangerous team in the NBA.  Even the Miami Heat cannot sleep on this team despite humiliating them in the Finals as this Oklahoma Thunder team is a far improved version of itself and unlike other teams, the transformation was more internal that anything else.  Save for the mega trade that sent James Harden to the Houston Rockets, there has not been any other roster moves as the core of the team has essentially remained intact for the most part.  It was all internal starting with Russell Westbrook's epiphany and realization that the Thunder will not be able to win a championship if he continues to hog the ball on offense.  Once he returned with an improved point of view, it was just a matter of time until the Oklahoma City Thunder's potential would be fully utilized and become the unstoppable force that they have been thus far this season.