The Oklahoma City Thunder were among the most efficient teams in the NBA last season. Earning the #1 seed in the Western Conference and winning a playoff series proved that the young and inexperienced squad will have a bright future. Thanks to a talented offense and arguably the best defense in the league, a championship might find itself in Oklahoma City.
Here is a closer look at the defensive dominance the team portrayed last year and the potential they will have in the 2024-2025 season.
2023-2024 Defensive Highlights
After finishing as the youngest team to be crowned as the #1 seed in the Western Conference, the Thunder have one of the fastest and most explosive teams in the NBA. Thanks to their guards’ and bigs’ consistent defensive presence, Oklahoma City has been a dreadful matchup for opposing offenses. Lu Dort, arguably the Thunder’s best perimeter and overall defensive player, greatly impacted the production of opposing superstars. Holding stars like Luka Doncic and Paul George to some of the worst averages of their careers, Dort leads a highly talented Oklahoma City defensive backcourt.
In the frontcourt, Chet Holmgren served as the Thunder’s biggest weapon. After nearly bringing home the ROTY and finishing Top 5 for Defensive Player of the Year, Holmgren is one of the brightest young stars in the league. The team’s lack of a true center and physical force in the paint, however, was exposed in the Western Conference Semifinals against the Dallas Mavericks where they were eliminated in six games. Holmgren is expected to move to the power forward position in the 2024-2025 season after making free agency moves to ensure that they do not get exposed again.
2024-2025 Defensive Expectations
Following a devastating elimination, Oklahoma City made multiple offseason upgrades. In the backcourt, the Thunder moved on from Josh Giddey and added Alex Caruso. Caruso is one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA and will make an immediate impact on the team. In the frontcourt, the Thunder found their true center in Isaiah Hartenstein. Hartenstein previously played for the New York Knicks and is expected to be the missing piece that the team was without last season.
With the new additions and the already stacked roster, the team is set to be one of the best defensive units in the NBA. Shai Gilgeous Alexander and Jalen Williams, two of the team’s biggest stars, will also contribute to the defensive efforts as well as dominating offensively. Though it is unclear how far the team will go, a deep playoff run will be the expectation in Oklahoma City for years to come. While their offense is also among the best in the league, their defense is what will get them over the hump come playoff time.
Final Thoughts
The Oklahoma City Thunder will have arguably one of its best chances in franchise history at a championship. After coming up just short last season, the team proved that they are worthy of consistently being in the conversation. With multiple upgrades and the team gaining more and more experience, Oklahoma City has one of the brightest futures in the NBA. Though offense has become the vocal point of the game of basketball, the Thunder’s defense may be what ultimately earns them a championship.
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