Dort’s Early Struggles Reminiscent of 2021-22 Season

Lu Dort got paid in the offseason, but through four games this season he’s not found his groove.

Dort is averaging just 11.8 points per game, including a 1-of-11 and four point performance on Tuesday against the LA Clippers. Overall, Dort has struggled massively in each of the Thunder’s four games after a nice showing in the preseason.

Dort is shooting a measly 25.5% from the field and 15.4% from 3-point range. His other numbers outside of the shooting numbers are sitting well among the whole roster. He’s averaging 4.5 rebounds, which is higher than his career average, and he’s marked two assists per game to begin the 2022-23 campaign.

However, the worry shouldn’t set in quite yet for the Thunder, Dort also got off to a slow start to begin the 2021-22 season last year. October — much like this year — was not kind to him last season.

Dort had just one game where he scored more than 15 points in the Thunder’s six October games. He averaged 11.7 points per game while shooting 35.4% from the field and 22.6% from beyond the arc. Dort then followed that bleak October, with an impressive November where he averaged 19.2 points per game, improved his shooting percentage to 45.1% and his 3-point shooting jumped to 34%. The November stretch also included a stretch of five 20+ point games from him including a 34 point performance.

He finished last season with better offensive marks than he began with. Dort averaged 17.2 points per game, a career high, and shot 40.4% from the field.

The beginning of the season has not been easy for Dort, and he’s not lived up to the expectations for him to begin the year, there’s still plenty of time for him to turn his struggles into his success.

Dort found himself in the same situation last season, and he bounced back, the same could happen this season.

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