The OKC Thunder best self is an aggressive defensively driven squad. The proof is in the proverbial pudding as their multiple personality defect and associated success or failure is directly tied to it.
OKC came out of the break with an impressive double-overtime victory over the Jazz but skidded through the next six games. Sure they collected another win, however, it was against the Memphis Grizzlies who are actively trying to tank to increase their lottery ranking.
OKC simply wasn’t playing to their standards and did not look like the team Thunder Nation had grown accustomed to watching through the majority of this season.
Although not completely back, the performance in Portland hinted of a return to the team’s fundamental defensive identity. This morning I was diving into the game film seeking substance to bolster takeaways from the victory. And, this thought kept creeping into my consciousness that the Thunder defense this season is like a multiple personality defect. That led me to examine each month with a focus on how the team’s offense and defense shifted by month and how that reflected in their win percentage.
Specifically, the Thunder monthly defensive performance and how it has seemingly been a harbinger of how successful the team was.
Prior to diving into each month let’s look at the cumulative seasonal numbers and rankings of the team in comparison to their peers.
2018-19 record to date: 40-25
Offensive rating – 13th (110.2)
Defensive rating – 5th (106.1)
Net rating – 7th (positive +4.1)
Opponent points per game: 15th (111.4)
Rebounding – 2nd (48.1 average per game)
Offensive rebound percent – 5th (29.5%)
Defensive rebound percent – 13th (73.2%)
Combined rebound percent – tied 9th (50.7%)
In truth, the regression of the Thunder defense began in earnest back in December. Diving into the monthly rating pinpoints precisely when the shift occurred. To that end, here are the monthly tallies.