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NBA Power Rankings 2012: Thunder Ranks Third In The League

The Oklahoma City Thunder no longer have the best record in the Western Conference. That title belongs to the San Antonio Spurs, the team that leads the way in the latest NBA Power Rankings as framed by Tom Ziller of SB Nation.

The Thunder are ranked third in the league, behind the Spurs and Chicago Bulls. Oklahoma City is still the favorite to win the Western Conference, but as Ziller notes, the road to get there won't be a particularly smooth one.

"If the Thunder pull back ahead and claim the No. 1 seed, their likely second-round opponent would be the Clippers (who just beat them twice in two days) or the Grizzlies (who took them to what seemed like 17 games last spring). Neither poison looks particularly appetizing."

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