Oklahoma City Thunder finding success with small ball style

Being a profitable group within the NBA could be executed in many alternative methods, however nearly all of them have a giant man down low to regular the ship. This isn’t the case for the Thunder.

Oklahoma Metropolis anticipated rookie Chet Holmgren to be the person within the center making issues troublesome on opponents and offering that stability, however after his damage, the Thunder have tailored and have been capable of see success with a distinct fashion of play.

The Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder are having success and not using a true middle on the roster, however how?

Let’s begin by trying on the Thunder’s defensive id and the way they’ve been capable of get stops. On condition that OKC is the third youngest group within the league, it might appear possible that there can be many defensive errors and a common lack of maturity.

As a substitute, Oklahoma Metropolis makes use of its youth as a bonus. By utilizing athleticism and size, the Thunder can catch groups sleeping as they roll into what they assume needs to be a straightforward sport.

Darius Bazley and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl are sometimes requested to play larger than they might in a standard lineup and use their talent units to their benefit down low. For instance, Bazley leads the group in blocks at 1.5 per sport whereas chipping in seven factors and 5 rebounds.

By means of six video games, the Thunder boast the league’s fifth-best defensive score and maintain a .500 file. Whereas most groups within the NBA would attribute that to some defensive anchor defending the paint or grabbing rebounds, OKC’s anchor is on the perimeter and is usually tasked with the hardest matchup.

In his fourth season, Lu Dort has discovered his spot as a lockdown defender and a pacesetter for the Thunder on that finish of the ground. Main by instance has been Dort’s calling card, whether or not or not it’s by relentlessly combating by screens or utilizing his energy to get an edge on the opposing group’s star participant. The vitality of Dort is contagious and units the tone defensively, but it surely additionally carries over to the offensive facet.

The Thunder’s halfcourt offense has some work to do, so getting out in transition after stops is essential. Fortunately, the Thunder are among the finest in that space. By means of six video games, OKC is second within the NBA with 22 factors off turnovers per sport and prime ten in quick break factors with 17 per sport.

As for the offense as an entire, the Thunder rank close to the underside of the NBA, however the Thunder fight that by being the eighth-fastest group within the league, which could be credited to taking part in small.

After all, to inform the story of the offense, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander needs to be entrance and middle. Averaging 31 factors and 7 assists, Gilgeous-Alexander’s impression on the offensive finish is huge to the Thunder’s success.

Whereas Gilgeous-Alexander doesn’t have the luxurious of taking part in with a rock-solid display setter or excellent roll man, he can play with spacing. Regardless of the Thunder capturing underneath 30% as a group from deep this season, driving lanes are nonetheless open for OKC’s star to attain and create for others.

Because the season goes alongside, capturing percentages will possible enhance as younger gamers like Tre Mann and Josh Giddey discover their spots and get their teammates attractiveness. Even with out nice long-range capturing, the Thunder have nonetheless managed to get inside and rating among the many finest within the league within the paint.

Competing with their size and athleticism to create transition alternatives has given the Thunder confidence defensively. By spacing the ground and driving inside, OKC has made essentially the most of its personnel offensively. Placing all these parts collectively has allowed OKC to see success early within the season, even when there is no such thing as a massive man within the image.