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    OKC Thunder plays elite defense while offense catches up to inaugural season
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    OKC Thunder plays elite defense while offense catches up to inaugural season

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    2 minutes, 46 seconds Read

    The Thunder's 3-0 start was troubling. At least for the rest of the NBA.

    Because here's the scary truth: Oklahoma City, which is outscoring its opponents by an average of 19.3 points per game, isn't playing its best basketball. Not even close.

    What will happen when the thunder starts shooting? With prized free agent Isaiah Hartenstein and potential rotation players Jaylin Williams and Kenrich Williams back? If the Thunder form a top-five offense with this Lockjaw defense?

    It's likely to be shaking everywhere in the Western Conference.

    Before games began on Monday, the Thunder ranked 18th in offensive rating, scoring 109.2 points per 100 possessions. That put OKC between Brooklyn and San Antonio. Behind teams like Detroit and Charlotte.

    A small sample, of course, but notable because it says something about the Thunder's defense. How does a team with a bottom-half offense finish second in the West in point differential?

    By having the best defense in the NBA. The best to a frightening extent.

    More: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC Thunder roars past the Atlanta Hawks in their home opener

    OKC is allowing 90.8 points per 100 possessions. Second is Golden State, allowing 95.9 points per 100 possessions. These are the only two teams with a defensive rating above 100 – which no team has finished a season with since the Spurs in 2015-16.

    It's an untenable statement in the modern NBA. The Thunder's defensive rating will decrease.

    But even if OKC's shots don't fall – which they will at some point – the Thunder have proven that their defensive baseline will keep them in games and even win games.

    “The shooting variance of a single game can be very loud on both ends of the court, but the things that can be consistent are your competitive level and your collective level,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “We talk all the time about competing as a team and who you are. You can bring this every night.”

    OKC exploded for 39 points in the fourth quarter against Atlanta on Sunday night. It was a 12-minute look at how overwhelming OKC's offense, which ranked third in the NBA last season, can be.

    The Thunder led the league in 3-point percentage last season (38.9%). After three games, OKC ranks 28th in 3-point percentage (27.6%).

    OKC ranked third in field goal percentage last season. Tied for 17th place so far this season.

    And yet no team has played within 10 points of the Thunder.

    “Obviously you take every shot to make it… Sometimes they just don't go in,” said Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who shot under 50% in each of his first three games. “It’s the game.

    “But the things you can control are your defensive effort, your hustle, your communication – those are the things we like to control every game.” Because of that mentality, we were able to start the season 3-0 and give ourselves a chance in those games .”

    Just wait for the shots to fire.

    More: How Alex Caruso lives up to his reputation with OKC Thunder: “His fingerprints are on everything”

    Joe Mussatto is a sports columnist for The Oklahoman. Do you have an idea for a story for Joe? Email him at [email protected]. Support Joe's work and that of other Oklahoma journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.

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