OKC Thunder: 3 takeaways from sloppy loss to Mavericks
By Ryan Lewis
OKC Thunder takeaway No. 2) Defense is exceeding expectations
It’s hard to imagine any scenario in which the OKC Thunder don’t field a strong defense each game. Still, with a shakeup like what took place in Oklahoma City, there was expected to be some dropoff in defensive production.
But the Thunder have a pretty stellar defense, anchored by Luguentz Dort, who is quickly becoming one of the league’s best perimeter defenders. However, Dort isn’t the only player on the roster shutting down opposing offenses. He’s one man, and defense is a team effort.
Over the last 10 games, the OKC Thunder rank sixth in perimeter defense, holding offenses to 34.6 percent shooting from deep. Even higher on the list is in opponent points per game, where the Thunder currently rank fourth, holding opposing offenses to 107.4 points per game.
The Mavericks were one of the league’s hottest 3-point shooting teams in February, ranking eighth at 39.3 percent shooting from deep. The OKC Thunder held the Mavericks to 20 percent shooting from beyond the arc on Wednesday night, keeping them sharpshooting Mavericks from ever getting comfortable enough to make the Thunder pay.
The Thunder have been playing impressive defense for most of the season, but lately, they’ve been taking it to new heights.