The Oklahoma City Thunder sit atop the ultra-competitive Western Conference.
So far, it has been a dominant year for one of the league’s youngest teams. The Thunder’s future looks bright, but there is still plenty of room for improvement.
Rebounding Struggles
The Thunder have allowed the fourth-most opponent rebounds per game this season, trailing only the Pelicans, Bulls, and Wizards.
The team has struggled with injuries to their big men all season. 7-foot-1 center Chet Holmgren has appeared in just 16 games, while seven-footer Isaiah Hartenstein has played in only 38 of the team’s 58 contests.
While these two have missed time, the team hasn’t picked up the slack. Jaylin Williams, the third leading rebounder on the team, is only averaging 5.6 boards per game.
The Thunder also have the fifth-worst rebound rate in the NBA at 48.6%. This means that 51.4% of the time there is a rebound, OKC is not grabbing it.
Many players this season have notched career-highs in rebounds against the Thunder. The Timberwolves’ Terrence Shannon Jr. grabbed 10 on Feb. 24. On Jan. 24, the Mavericks’ P.J Washington notched his rebounding career high against OKC with 19.
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Rebounding has been a problem with the Thunder for a few seasons now. If they want to make a deep playoff run, rebounding must be emphasized. Oklahoma City will find it hard to win close games when getting outrebounded.
Reliable Scoring
It’s no secret that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is having his best season this year. Leading the league with 32.4 points per game, he has been the Thunder’s go-to option for a bucket.
The issue arises when Shai is having an off night or is constantly getting doubled. Who is going to step up? It has been a debate for several seasons now: Who is OKC’s second option? Some nights, it’s Chet, and others, it’s Jalen Williams.
The team’s three-point percentage of 35.8% ranks 16th in the league. This is not bad, but it is a significant drop from last year’s 38.9%, which led the league.
Three-point shooting is a very valuable asset in today’s NBA. If you can’t knock down shots from deep, it becomes increasingly challenging to win games.
The team needs to step it up when SGA is struggling. Other members of the Thunder need to be more reliable when it comes to scoring. Championships aren’t won because of one player’s excellence— they are won when a team can outplay the other.
Examining Bad Losses
The Thunder have only lost 11 (12) games this season, which is outstanding. However, the few losses they do have really show the team’s weaknesses.
NBA Cup Final
On Dec. 17, OKC took on the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA Cup Final.
In this game, OKC shot a discouraging 15.6% from the three-point line. It is nearly impossible to win in today’s NBA if you only make five three-point shots in a game.
This was a game in which SGA struggled, and nobody else stepped up. While this loss doesn’t end up on their record, it is definitely one that should stick with the team through the remainder of the season.
SGA’s 52 isn’t enough
On Jan. 29, the Thunder visited the Chase Center to take on the Golden State Warriors. SGA unleashed 52 points on 55% shooting, but it wasn’t enough to secure the win on the road.
While Gilgeous-Alexander shot an impressive 16-of-29 from the field, the rest of the team shot just 34.3%. This is a prime example of how basketball is a team game. One player can have an outstanding night but if the rest of the team can’t show up, a win simply isn’t possible.
Fourth-Quarter Meltdown in OKC
Just this week, OKC took on the Timberwolves at home on the second night of a back-to-back series against Minnesota. The game seemed to be over with the Thunder leading by 24 in the fourth quarter.
Thanks to Minnesota’s bench, they overcame the deficit, outscoring Oklahoma City 41-to-nine in the fourth quarter. This eventually pushed the game into overtime, where the Wolves secured a 131-128 victory.
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The Thunder couldn’t score when it mattered in a game that was nearly over at the start of the fourth quarter. This led to the team being heavily criticized the next day by many former players and media outlets.
An end to the year in the first or second round would be a disappointment for the team and its fans. After last season’s finish to the Western Conference Champion Dallas Mavericks in the second round, the team needs to make the necessary improvements to push deeper into the playoffs.
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