Oklahoma City’s Defensive Specialist Led the Team in 3-Point Makes

Lu Dort found his role and perfected it with the Thunder this season.

Oklahoma City’s special season took a perfect turn of events.

Last season’s efficiency, hustle, and team effort needed to carry over to this season while adding a big piece in the middle to both ends of the floor. It can be hard integrating a center into a lineup that excelled playing small ball, but the Thunder had no problem making Chet Holmgren feel right at home.

In addition to adding a big piece to the lineup, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander needed to play MVP-caliber basketball again, and Jalen Williams had to maintain his impossible post All-Star break run from his rookie season. Both got even better, somehow, over the course of the offseason.

An underrated factor in Oklahoma City’s success though, outside of Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams and Holmgren, was Lu Dort. The Thunder’s lockdown defender had to find his role within the new system and perfect it.

Over the tanking seasons, Dort had played in a handful of roles with Oklahoma City. He’d been a volume shot taker, a ball-handler, and anything Oklahoma City needed him to be. With the team in contention though, his role had to become very specific: a 3-and-D player who embodies the Thunder’s culture of toughness.

Dort did exactly that, and enjoyed his most efficient season yet. He deserves a lot of credit for the Thunder’s success and has molded his game into what Oklahoma City needed most.

Oklahoma City was top-three in the NBA in 3-point percentage this season and was one of the league’s best outside shooting teams. Surprisingly enough, it was Dort who led the charge. He led the team in 3-point makes at 156 total triples and converted at 39.4%. His previous career-high was 34.3% from deep, and last season he shot just 33%. It was an unbelievable season for Dort, and Oklahoma City needed his two-way talents to snatch the No. 1 seed.

If he can continue to knock down triples at a high rate in the playoffs, Oklahoma City will be in a good spot.

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