Selfless Thunder Piling up Wins

If there is one word that describes the Thunder, it's selfless. It's not just a word that comes up in every media scrum; there are numbers to back up what the Thunder are saying.

This season Oklahoma City is 10h in the NBA in team assist. That's up from 22nd last season and 28th in 2017-2018. No, your eyes aren't deceiving you; the ball moves more than it has in the past. Those numbers are helped because of the uptick in shooting percentage. As a team, the Thunder are 6th in shooting, getting 47 percent from the field. The two previous seasons Oklahoma City was 18th shooting 45 percent from the floor.

The numbers only tell part of the story. The real improvement comes in how much these guys genuinely enjoy playing together. Center Nerlens Noel says, " Simply, it's a lot of good guys in the locker room."..."Everybody cares about each other's success."..."When you have guys like Diallo (Hamidou), CP (Chris Paul), and the veterans we have in the locker room, it just makes it that much easier."

.@shaiglalex with @nickgallo22 after tonight's close win.#ThunderUp pic.twitter.com/9LI1y7Qh70
— Bally Sports Oklahoma (@BallySportsOK) February 8, 2020

Noel should know how to spot a cohesive locker room. In his eight years of service, he's played for three different organizations with likes Rusell Westbrook, Dirk Nowitzki, Joel Embiid, and now Paul. Different types of players and an array of attitudes.

I asked Noel if there was a catalyst that brought the Thunder together. "I think everybody literally gives into this."... "I feel like it's such a pure type of team."..."Everything's just fluent and naturally going; nothing is forced when we're playing.".."Nothing's forced, and guys have fun, and when you're having fun, it makes it that much easier to be successful."

Oklahoma City is having a lot of fun. Since Thanksgiving, the Thunder has gone 26-9, which is the second-best record in the NBA over that stretch. Only the east leading Milwaukee Bucks are better.

Billy Donovan says his team enjoys being around one another on and off the floor. Even though it took them a while to get to know each other, they "they were more than willing to sacrifice for each other, and find a way to complement each other."

Team effort 💯#ThunderUp | 🔗https://t.co/5K8PKLoFsW pic.twitter.com/W7RQtw0t4s
— Bally Sports Oklahoma (@BallySportsOK) February 8, 2020

Those sacrifices come in the form of Paul and Danilo Gallinari, Dennis Schroder buying into the team concept and playing for the guys around them. Dovoan says his players are professionals and understand how business is conducted. Still, you only have to look at Andre Iguodala and how he's sat out this entire year to avoid playing with the Grizzles before they shipped him to Miami.

Paul, who didn't want to leave Houston, Gallinari, who is a pice that could put a championship contender over the top and Schroder who could have been starting for the Lakers had that trade gown down could have made life unbearable for Sam Presti. But they didn't; instead, they have cultivated a culture that will be in Oklahoma City long after they leave.

Thunder/Celtics Sunday at 2:30 on NBATV and Fox Sports Oklahoma.