The OKC Thunder have maintained a commanding lead in the West despite numerous injuries and rough patches. In short, it's been all fans could ask for during the club's hunt for back-to-back titles.
Amidst the nightly dominance, however, there has been one underlying red flag that coach Mark Daigneault has refused to acknowledge.
Defensive guru Lu Dort has been playing his role as a defensive enforcer to perfection by terrorizing opposing scorers all season long. That said, with his prowess on the less glamorous side of the ball comes his shooting, which has been entirely different.
At 38.5 percent, Dort currently boasts the worst shooting percentage among all players who have attempted at least 500 shots.
He also ranks dead last in player impact estimate and has the seventh-worst true shooting percentage.
All that being said, Dort's overall performance has led to the uncomfortable question: If OKC wants to secure another title, can they do it with Dort in the starting five?
The veteran's shortcomings have especially been on full display during some of the Thunder's biggest games. In matchups against current one and two-playoff seeds, OKC is just 2-5 when he is in the lineup.
In those games, Dort has averaged a measly 7.2 points per game while shooting 38.4 percent.
Having such an offensive liability on the floor for north of 30 minutes per game could prove detrimental for the Thunder in the playoffs. Scoring juggernauts like the Nuggets and Spurs lie in their title path, and OKC will likely need to win its share of shootouts if they want to secure a best-of-seven series against these teams.
Thunder have countless other options waiting in the wings
While other players have seen substantial run in the starting rotation, Dort is a main staple when OKC is fully healthy.
He has started in all 65 games he has played in, and coach Daigneault doesn't appear the least bit concerned about his limitations on offense.
As much as the former Coach of the Year doesn't want to admit it, the defensive skillset Dort brings to the table might be replaceable.
Most notably, Cason Wallace has shown he can guard elite perimeter defenders and create turnovers at will. He also has an offensive game to pair with it.
Cason has shown a ceiling this season that many didn't know he had. When Thunder stars have been injured, he has registered games of 27 and 23 points. The Kentucky alum has also grabbed as many as eight rebounds in a game and recorded as many as 10 assists.
Having a player capable of taking over a game offensively while also being a reliable defender is a luxury few teams have and could prove to be a massive advantage come postseason.
Other elite shooters like Jared McCain and Isaiah Joe have made their cases for more minutes on the perimeter, yet Daigneault has elected to go with the offensive black hole in Lu Dort instead.
Time will tell if the decision to stick with Dort will pay off or not, but concerns over his ability to hold his own in the scoring department are growing more valid every game.
At the end of the day, one thing is certain: If he falters in crunch time, OKC will have no shortage of alternate options to choose from.