Following a much-needed victory against the Portland Trail Blazers, the OKC Thunder are now amid a four-day gap before hitting the road to take on the Sacramento Kings on Monday, November 25.
There are several things Oklahoma City needs to focus on during this break, along with some other things that must be planned for going into a two-game road tilt.
With this in mind, here are three key areas the Thunder must address during this long break.
Thunder must hone in on a few key areas during four-day break
Getting the team as healthy as possible
Injuries have plagued the Thunder since the start of the season, with key contributors like Isaiah Hartenstein having to miss the first 15 games due to injury.
Now the big man is back in action, putting forth a truly remarkable debut on Wednesday against the Blazers. Of course, even though he's back, there are still more injuries the team needs to address.
Alex Caruso left the Portland game in the third quarter due to an injury, where he seemingly tweaked his nagging hip injury.
Another key player who is injured is Isaiah Joe, as he's currently nursing a reeling calf. The injury has not been discussed in length or greater detail, but it seems the team is playing it safe. Fortunately, however, Joe is listed as day-to-day, which is a good sign.
The final player who needs this rest is Jaylin Williams. Getting him back would be a lifesaver for this squad, giving them another center and rebounder and, in turn, not forcing Hartenstein to do all the heavy lifting in these games.
Find the three-point shot
Oklahoma City's long-range game has been quite underwhelming this season, with guys like Cason Wallace, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Alex Caruso all shooting at a sub-35 percent clip. This break could serve as the perfect opportunity for the Thunder to sharpen this skill set.
Wallace had a good shooting game against San Antonio, going 3-of-5 from deep, but on the season it has been a struggle. This year, the sophomore guard has shot 27.1% from deep, which is a significant drop-off compared to his rookie season mark of 41.9 percent.
Another player who has struggled with his shot the past few games is Lu Dort, who has had two back-to-back horrific games, going 2-of-12 from the field against the Spurs and then a putrid 0-of-7 against the Blazers.
Some other players have started picking up and improving their shooting, but there could still be improvement and this long break could be the most vital time for these struggling guards.
Getting used to Isaiah Hartenstein
To say Hartenstein is the most impactful player for Oklahoma City right now is not that far-fetched, as he was the sole reason the team snapped their two-game losing streak.
He brings so much to the table that the club has been missing these past six games. He brings rebounding, rim protection, and more overall size to a small squad.
The only problem is that the team is not yet acclimated to the playmaking skills he brings.
There were moments in his debut where he would make beautiful passes, but the targets were not ready or expecting. These four days off can be used for Hartenstein's teammates to get used to his style of play, which can fit right in with Oklahoma City.
The key use for this break is to sharpen what the team is already excelling at, which is winning.
Now that they have reinforcements, it will just take time to look like a polished squad, and this break and forthcoming road trip may be what it takes to become one unstoppable force.