Three strategies OKC Thunder can use to fix shooting issues
Winners of nine of their last 10 games, the OKC Thunder have found their footing in the NBA race. However with spacing continuing to be a major issue, what can OKC do to correct this?
After recovering from the worst start in franchise history, the OKC Thunder have ascended from the bottom of the Western Conference to sixth with a 9-5 record. Notably, the fourth and fifth place squads (Grizzlies, Clippers) also have a 9-5 record. Memphis sits fourth by virtue of leading the Southwest Division and the Clippers ahead of OKC because they won the first meeting between the squads.
Piggybacking off a kind schedule, Oklahoma City is accounting for bad teams even in the absence of superstar Russell Westbrook. Yes OKC is winning and they’re doing it without outside shooting but how long will it last?
At the minute, Oklahoma City is deploying a grit and grind approach to basketball using suffocating defense, effort, anticipation and solid rotations to stunt opposing offenses. Despite missing the presence of defensive stalwart Andre Roberson, the Thunder have clawed their way to the second-best defensive rating in the NBA (103.3). When ARob returns, the Oklahoma City’s wing rotation will be one of the leagues best with the team destined to occupy the top spot defensively.
However, OKC won’t go far with a 108.2 offensive rating (11th, but this was amassed without facing top defenses) centered around an anemic perimeter attack.
Oklahoma City average 111.0 points per game (Tied – 13th) on 45.0 percent shooting (18th) from the field and 31.5 percent from three (29th). The Thunder are the second worst 3-point shooting team with the Detroit Pistons and New York Knicks sandwiching them in 30th and 28th respectively. Yet, it’s not that the Thunder are missing shots, it’s how wide-open shooters are when they brick them.
Above stats updated to reflect games through Friday, November 16th.
Losing bearings on wide-open jumpers
OKC is terrible connecting on wide open shots (no defender within six feet or more) from anywhere on the floor. The Thunder convert 40 percent of its 1.9 wide-open twos (23rd) and connect on a lowly 27.9 percent (30th) of its 16.9 wide-open attempts (11th) from distance. Paul George is the only Thunder player whose connecting above league average on wide-open shots, sporting a 36.6 percent conversion rate on 3.1 attempts.
Confusingly, OKC’s best 3-point shooter Patrick Patterson (season 38.5 percent) is connecting on just 27.6 percent of his wide-open jumpers but scorching teams when defenses are within four to six feet. The 29-year old is converting on a whopping 63.6 percent of his shots and appears to be the teams most reliable source of outside jumpers.
Alex Abrines has been decidedly average on both fronts, converting on 36.4 percent of his open jumpers and just 32.4 percent of his wide-open shots. Everyone else is in a different area code building houses for the needy.
The Thunder cannot lean on its defense all season long and reach the playoffs without a consistent offense. So what should OKC do?