To face the Thunder is to open a window to hell. With a workforce made up of monstrous defenders, from pests on the back lines to goalkeepers who protect the basket, Oklahoma City has built the best defense in the NBA and puts its opponents through torture.
This is what allows the group to Mark Daigneaultfirst in the Western Conference, to establish themselves as one of the best teams in the NBA this season. With the second best differential in the league (+11 per 100 possessions), he is hot on the heels of the almost invincible Cavaliers (+11.8). Yet the two franchises have taken diametrically opposed approaches.
While their Eastern counterparts shine with their electrifying offense, Oklahoma City stands out for its unbreathable defense. With an ultra-aggressive style, they relentlessly track every ball, stifle their opponents and turn the slightest opportunity into a counter-attack.
“We want to be the kind of defense that destabilizes the opposing offense”Daigneault announced on October 30, after a victory against the Spurs (103-93) where the Thunder made 18 interceptions, a record this season. “We want it to be difficult to play against us. » And that’s exactly what defines his collective this year.
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Breaking opposing attacks, the Thunder’s specialty
Despite the injuries ofIsaiah Hartenstein at the start of the season and Chet Holmgrenthe Thunder is the most efficient defense in the NBA. The team is allowing just 103.2 points per 100 possessions — 11 fewer than the league average. But beyond the statistics, this domination is obvious as they sow chaos in the enemy ranks.
With specialists like Luguentz there, Alex Caruso et Cason WallaceOklahoma City has implemented one of the most aggressive defenses on the back lines. They are constantly looking to rip the ball out of their opponents’ hands and cut off passing lanes. This disruptive approach is proving terribly effective: they generate 12 interceptions per 100 possessions, by far the best average in the league.
Faced with these ringworms, no relaxation is allowed. The slightest mistake is immediately paid for. In pick-and-roll, for example, the ball carrier loses possession one in four times (24%) according to Basketball Index. A real purgatory.
This ability to break opposing attacks directly feeds their own attack. Indeed, they play 17.8% of their possessions in transition, the third best average in the league, including two thirds after an interception, according to Cleaning the Glass. In these fast-playing situations, they display remarkable efficiency (116.5 points/100 possessions). It is in the tumult that they thrive.
“A lot of our offense flows directly from our defense”analyzed Jalen Williams after the Thunder’s defeat against the Spurs on November 19 (104-110). “Our attack is clearly better when we are more invested defensively […] It’s our aggressiveness in defense that allows us to get stops and go in transition. That’s where we can really unfold our game.”
Elite and interchangeable defenders
Even when the offense manages to keep the ball, you still have to put it in the basket. Obvious on paper, but a real headache on the ground faced with this extremely mobile workforce, capable of switching to all screens without offering any real mismatch.
Jalen Williams has a rare versatility that allows him to defend all positions, including the pivots, which he regularly takes care of. Luguentz Dort has the physique to contain any player in the league, while Chet Holmgren’s mobility allows him to adapt to any situation. The list doesn’t end there. Both in the major five and on the bench, this interchangeability constitutes the cornerstone of the Oklahoma City defensive system.
Since the start of the season, the franchise has been experimenting with lineups small ball which proved particularly formidable. Few teams – perhaps even none – can field five outside players as versatile and efficient as they are, capable of switching against any opponent while maintaining constant pressure on the ball.
Opposing attacks sometimes find themselves targeting Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who generally has a physical advantage over his opponent and remains a very solid defender. A choice that says a lot about the defensive talent of his teammates.
Unmatched versatility in the NBA
But the Thunder does not persist in switching systematically. He adapts. He has a wide variety of defenders in his squad, and Mark Daigneault, undoubtedly among the best coaches in the league, knows how to get the most out of each profile. His group can pass over screens as well as guard a circle protector in drop coverage or defend in zone. They can pretty much do anything, and adjust their approach depending on the opponent and the situation.
And even without Chet Holmgren, one of the best interior defenders in the league and a serious DPOY candidate, the team remains elite in terms of rim protection thanks to its creativity. Their wingers manage to camouflage the lack in the racket, while waiting for the base of their defense to return.
Jalen Williams defends pivots 25% of the time, and Alex Caruso 22%. We have also seen players like Dillon Jones or Frenchman Ousmane Dieng in this role. They always apply the same pressure on the ball, sometimes going as far as two or three holds when a player receives the ball in the racket.
Despite their very exterior-oriented style, Oklahoma City leaves nothing behind on the interior. They are the second team that contests the most shots near the rim (6.31 per 75 possessions, or 42.11% of shots, a few tenths off first place in the NBA). They are thus among the teams which have most affected the success percentage of their opponents inside since the start of the season. An anomaly, given their aggressiveness.
The Thunder wall doesn’t really have any flaws. Boasting versatility and a talent level unmatched in the NBA, the team has built one of the best defenses in recent years. And as the franchise project matures, it ultimately wouldn’t be surprising if it becomes one of the best defenses in history.
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