The Oklahoma City Thunder have started the season in blistering form. They have raced out to a 15-5 start and are currently top of the Western Conference. A major reason for this dominance is their elite defensive play.
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Many believe that the Thunder are the best defensive team in the League. Results have surely highlighted this fact, but let’s have a deeper look at their elite effort on the defensive end. The statistics will allow us to judge just how well they have clamped up opponents.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are the best defensive team
The Thunder lead the League in Defensive rating at 103.6. Although the Houston Rockets and Orlando Magic have put up a fight, they are behind them with 104.3 and 104.5 respectively. This statistic signifies that the Thunder is the best defensive team overall.
They also rank second in Opposition points per game, being able to restrict opposing teams to just 104 ppg. The Orlando Magic lead the way in this statistic, with a 1.7ppg difference between the two teams. Although the Oklahoma team is behind now, the gap could be bridged in coming games.
Leading the League in Opposition Field Goal%, OKC has stifled opposing teams’ offense. They limit opponents to just 42.2% on field goal attempts so far this season. This is the mark of a well-rounded defensive unit that works hard on every play. Teams will find it tough to match their defensive intensity.
The Thunder has some of the best defensive players
Jalen Williams ranks second in the league in steals this season so far. With 2.1 steals per game, he is only behind Dyson Daniels of the Atlanta Hawks at three steals per game. Alex Caruso has also marked his presence on the steals list, ranking 9th with 1.8 steals per game.
OKC is dominating the defensive win shares list. Isaiah Hartenstein tops it with .203 defensive win shares. He is followed by another OKC star, Chet Holmgren, with .202. The face of the franchise Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is sitting in the 4th position with .181. Jalen Williams is 9th with .156.
Four players from the Thunder team are ranked in the top-10. It showcases their elite defensive play and identity as a hard-working team. This is nothing short of an amazing run, and it’s not a fluke by any stretch of the imagination. This OKC team has worked a lot on their defense under Mark Daigneault.
Thunder defensive coaching
From the beginning of the season, it was clear that the OKC was going to dominate on defense. After three games into the new season, they were allowing 90.8 points every 100 possessions. The Warriors were second on the list, allowing 95.9 points per 100 possessions.
When coach Daigneault was asked about the contrast between his team’s offensive and defensive prowess, he said, “The shotmaking variance of an individual game can be very noisy on both ends of the floor, but the things that can be constant are your compete level and your together level. We talk all the time about competing together as a team and that being who you are. That, you can bring every night.”
The team is aligned with the coach’s vision for the franchise. SGA also shared his thoughts on the question in late October. He stated that it’s more difficult to attain absolute accuracy on offense than it is to do the same on defense.
He said, “Obviously you shoot every shot to make it … Sometimes they just don’t go in. It’s the game…But the things you can control is your defensive effort, your hustle, your communication — those things, we like to control every game. Because of that mentality, we’ve been able to start the season 3-0 and give ourselves a chance in these games.”
So far, the OKC has struggled with the offense. They are currently ranked 12th on the offensive rating list with 114.1. The chart is topped by the New York Knicks with 121.9. So, even though they might not be getting every shot in, the OKC is still dominating the conference with their defensive brilliance.
