OKC Thunder at the break: The good, the bad, and the ugly

The Relentless Defense

Thanks to some extra commitment and roster upgrades, the Thunder have one of, if not the best defense in the NBA. As previously mentioned, they are 4th, in defensive rating, as well as 4th in adjusted defensive rating, which adjusts for the strength of an opponent’s offense.

The Thunder thrives at causing havoc. Teams turn the ball over 17.5 points a game against the Thunder, the most in the league. In addition, the Thunder league the league in steals per game (10.2), and deflections per game (16.1), while recovering 5.5 defensive loose balls per contest, the second most in the NBA.

The Thunder defense has been more than just causing turnovers. They are excellent at switching, recovering, and understanding where they need to be. Going back to the roster upgrades, players like Dennis Schröder and Nerlens Noel make it so much easier for this team to defend at a high level. In the video below, look at how quickly everyone flies to the ball. Even Abdel Nader, a below-average defender is on point with his rotation and coverage.

Here’s another excellent example below of how the OKC Thunder’s athletic roster, combined with great defensive instincts and discipline leads to a Nerlens Noel block.

You know the saying “you’re only as strong as your weakest link”? This certainly applies to team defense in the NBA. What makes this year’s defense is there aren’t any weak links or easy attack points. Everyone in the Thunder rotation at this point is capable of playing above-average to elite defense.

This is where having a strong culture and organizational stability is extremely beneficial. Sam Presti and Billy Donovan are on the exact same page of how this team wants to play. Presti knows the type of players to bring in, while Donovan has the scheme to maximize their defensive potential.

The Thunder defense has slipped a bit as of late. They spent a majority of the season being ranked either first or second in defensive rating. Going from second to fourth isn’t terrible, but there have been way more defensive lapses recently. The Thunder has allowed at least 110 points in 16 of their last 19 games. In the team’s first 38 games, they allowed that many points just 14 times. To be fair, it’s hard to play highly-engaged defense for 82 games a year. The non-stop grind of playing professional basketball results in even the best teams slipping up, especially as the season progresses.

The great news, however, is come playoff time, the OKC Thunder has an elite defense it can rely on, especially when they struggle to score.