That said, the Thunder should prefer the Clippers to move on to Round 2. Leonard and Harden are a scary duo to face, but OKC is equipped with the right perimeter defenders to slow them down. Zubac has had a career season, but Hartenstein is the perfect counterpart against him on the boards and inside the paint.

The OKC Thunder will face either the Denver Nuggets or the Los Angeles Clippers in the second round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs.

Oklahoma City completed a first-round sweep, but it still needs to find its outside shooting touch. On Saturday, the Thunder held on to beat the Memphis Grizzlies 117-115 to earn a 4-0 series win and advance to the second round.