Quick look at changes the OKC Thunder made that led to team success
By Brayden Koch
It’s no secret that the OKC Thunder are a much better team than last year, but what changes were made that led to their success?
As we reach the midpoint of the season, the OKC Thunder are surging and one of the teams atop the west. The only question is, what changes from last year led to OKC’s success? TI breaks down the key events that led to the strong Thunder team that we are watching this season.
The big ones
The most obvious change came with the departure of Carmelo Anthony. Being able to swap him for a backup point guard in Dennis Schröder paid dividends. Schröder has shown his ability to score and spread the court on a nightly basis.
You can’t disregard the other roster changes made during this offseason. Within their main rotation, OKC parted ways with Josh Huestis and Corey Brewer. Two players who brought intensity on the defensive end but failed to capitalize on offense at an efficient rate. OKC was able to replace them with Hamidou Diallo and Abdul Nader, two young players eager for quality minutes.
The Thunder were also able to upgrade their backup center with the addition of Nerleans Noel. Noel has been exceptional this season, supplying us with not only his superb rim protection but his ability to score above the rim at a productive rate.
The intangibles
While roster changes have obviously led to team success, there are other reasons why OKC is a
More from Thunder News
- Stealing one player from every Southwest Division team for the OKC Thunder
- Should the OKC Thunder chase after a disgruntled hometown hero?
- 3 OKC Thunder players who can step up in Aleksej Pokusevski’s absence
- Aleksej Pokusevski sidelined approximately 6 weeks with ankle injury
- Damian Lillard does not fit with the OKC Thunder
top tier team right now. When Paul George resigned with the Thunder this summer, everyone knew there was something special brewing in OKC.
Russell Westbrook finally found his go-to since the departure of Kevin Durant. Westbrook and PG seem to be connecting on an elite level this season translating to team success.
To help the cause, the evolution of Steven Adams and Jerami Grant has been as close to perfect as we could ask for. Both are setting career highs in the scoring and rebounding categories.
Closing thoughts
After a disappointing season, Thunder coach, Billy Donovan deserves some praise for how he was able to bounce back this year. He has taken a much more active role in coaching and has relied more on team success instead of individual success.
Next. OKC Thunder: Victor Oladipo injury showcases how quickly tides can change. dark
Don’t look now, but this may be the best Thunder team we have seen since the Durant-era, and I’m here for all of it.