Thunder team on the rise?

      ESPN ranks the Thunder second as the NBA team most likely to have a dramatic upswing.  Of 55 ESPN writers that voted in the poll, 11 selected Oklahoma City as ”Team Turnaround” this season.

      ESPN wrote: “In Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, Russell Westbrook and James Harden, the Thunder have arguably the best young squad in the NBA. Buf it the Thunder are to be Team Turnaround, it begins and ends with Duran’ts continuing ascension to superstardom. If he makes the leap, the Thunder very well could jump up in the standings.

      The Thunder won 23 games last season, only a three-game improvement from the team’s final season in Seattle. But following a disastrous 3-29 start Oklahoma City was 20-30 over its final 50 games, including two wins over the Spurs and other wins over playoff teams like Utah, Portland, Dallas, Chicago and Detroit.  

      The Washington Wizards (23 votes) were the overwhelming leader. Blake Griffin and the Los Angeles Clippers (8) were third. No other team received more than three votes.