The Oklahoma City Thunder have started the season at a historical pace, then lost three of their last five games, standing at 26-4. The Thunder possesses a few areas that need improvement.
Oklahoma City Thunder Have Hit a Bump in the Road
Half Court Offense
The Thunder’s deficiencies in the half-court have really shown in their two losses against the San Antonio Spurs, as their reliance on creating turnovers and scoring in transition is evident. However, when teams limit their turnovers and force them to play in a half-court setting, the Thunder’s efficiency dips as their half-court offense ranks 16th.
Despite being the 5th best overall offensive rating at 120.4, the Thunder’s offense is heavily dependent on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to generate consistent offense against a set defense in set possessions.
While SGA is an offensive engine, the offense can devolve into “iso ball” rather than maintaining constant offensive movement. This directly reflects the Thunder’s inability to generate consistent offense without him against set defenses.
Outside of SGA, the Thunder needs more consistency from their co-stars, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, and the continued emergence of Ajay Mitchell as a creator is necessary to ensure sustainability.
Perimeter Shooting
As many may remember, a big reason the Thunder lost to the Dallas Mavericks in the second round of the playoffs in 2024 was their poor shooting from beyond the arc (a playoff series-worst 33.5% in round two).
Despite their championship run last postseason, the Thunder shot poorly from beyond the arc, 33.8% (13th out of 16).
This season, the Thunder are currently 5th in three-point percentage at 37.3%. Thunder players by 3PT% this year:
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — 43.5% (5.1 3PA)
Isaiah Joe — 42.6% (6.5 3PA)
Aaron Wiggins — 41.4% (5.1 3PA)
Kenrich Williams — 40% (0.8 3PA)
Chet Holmgren — 39.4% (3.8 3PA)
Cason Wallace — 35% (4.0 3PA)
Ajay Mitchell — 34.4% (3.1 3PA)
Jalen Williams — 34.3% (3.2 3PA)
Lu Dort — 33.1% (5.6 3PA)
Alex Caruso — 32.3% (3.1 3PA)
Jaylin Williams — 29.4% (4.1 3PA)
Considering the Thunder finished first and sixth in this category in the regular season over the last two seasons. Looking at their current personnel, Isaiah Joe is the only knockdown shooter, while the rest are inconsistent shooters.
Defending Bigger Forwards
The Thunder went on to address their biggest previous flaw with the addition of Isaiah Hartenstein.
However, as things currently stand, the lack of actual size in the forward positions has made them vulnerable and exploitable to teams with size and physicality.
The Thunder’s defensive philosophy — which relies on its versatility and speed — has historically struggled against bigger physical forwards. While their current defensive scheme has made them a historically defensive team, as the Thunder know, championship runs often depend on the ability to adapt against multiple styles, and improving and being better equipped to defend physical forwards will be crucial for the Thunder to sustain success.
Main Image: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
