OKC Thunder: Are Lu Dort's FIBA Struggles Reason For Concern?
Canada continues to impress at the FIBA World Cup, but Luguentz Dort has had a rough stretch.
Dort came into the World Cup with an opportunity to take his game to the next level while playing in meaningful, intense games. While the Oklahoma City Thunder wing has been his usual self defensively, his offense has left much to be desired.
Although Dort has never been a superb offensive player, he has shown glimpses of being a reliable option. But for Canada, his already turbulent offensive game has not translated.
In Dort’s four games, he has played mainly beyond the arc, with more than half of his shot attempts coming on 3-pointers. While the volume is there, the efficiency is not, as he is only 7-of-21 from that range.
Making just one-third of his 3-pointers is not great, but Dort is heading in the right direction. After shooting 1-of-7 from deep in the first group stage game against France, Dort has converted nearly 43% of his 3-point shots. For reference, he hit a career-worst 29.7% of his shots from deep with the Thunder last season.
The FIBA 3-point line is just over 19 inches closer than the NBA’s, so any success from the World Cup may not translate. However, the free-throw line does not have any dramatic change in distance.
Dort has struggled to find consistency at the stripe, shooting 57% on his free throws. He has only seven attempts in the World Cup, but nearly failing to make half of those shots is still a troubling sign.
With underwhelming numbers across the board, Dort failed to make up for his struggles at the foul line and beyond the arc. In the World Cup, Dort has shot just 45.5% on 2-point shots. He has only five makes from inside the arc, matching his turnover total in these games.
Perhaps the shorter 3-point line has inflated Dort’s confidence from that range and led to a decreased desire to attack the basket. If he continues attempting over half of his shots from deep, that could be a problem for the Thunder.
Although Dort is not a great finisher, attacking the basket will lead to far more quality possessions for the Thunder’s offense. Ultimately, the Thunder need Dort to prioritize making good decisions.
If he can improve his shot selection and allow the offense to come to him naturally, Dort’s FIBA struggles may not matter. But those issues are unlikely to be resolved immediately, so it could take some time for Dort to make these needed changes.
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