The Oklahoma City Thunder are known and praised for having one of the deepest and most balanced rosters in the NBA. They send waves of top-tier defenders at opponents, have three dependable bigs, and even have a trio of All-Stars at the top of the rotation.
With unheralded sharpshooter Isaiah Joe catching fire at the perfect time of year, the Thunder's most overlooked strength is becoming an insurmountable mountain to overcome.
Joe has turned in yet another strong season in Oklahoma City. He's currently averaging 10.9 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.7 steals, and 2.5 three-point field goals made in just 21.2 minutes per game, shooting with obscene efficiency at a clip of .451/.420/.890.
Joe's already impressive numbers translate to marks of 18.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.2 steals, and 4.3 three-point field goals made per 36 minutes.
Joe has reached a different level over the past two months, turning efficiency into volume. He's produced seven of his 10 20-point games in 2025-26 since Feb. 1, and has finished the past three games with 20 points in 13 minutes, nine points in 14 minutes, and 18 points in 18 minutes.
With Joe going off in limited minutes, the Thunder have posed a question to the NBA: How exactly do you overcome the best defensive team in the Association when they erupt from three-point range?
Isaiah Joe gives Thunder sharpshooting that can make elite defense even more dangeorus
For as balanced as it may be, Oklahoma City isn't necessarily known for its three-point shooting. Though it ranks No. 9 in three-point field goal percentage, it's in the middle of the pack at No. 13 in three-point field goals made per game and No. 15 in attempts.
What Joe has proven over the past two months, however, is that the Thunder are as capable as any team known for its shooting of trusting their specialists to swing momentum in their favor.
That's a dangerous truth when one considers that Oklahoma City ranks No. 1 in the NBA in defensive rating at 105.8. It's even more overwhelming when one factors in that the No. 2 team, the San Antonio Spurs, is allowing 3.0 more points per 100 possessions at 108.8.
For perspective: 3.0 points per 100 possessions is almost identical to the 3.1-point difference between the No. 10 and No. 20 team in defensive rating.
With a defense that makes scoring more of a task than a goal opposing offensive players look forward to, the idea that the Thunder can erupt from three at any moment is terrifying. It's even scarier to consider that Joe has shot 41.0 percent or better from distance in each of the past two postseasons.
The Thunder are already setting the pace with the best record and net rating in the NBA, but suddenly explosive three-point shooting has them reaching an even higher tier of danger.