Inside The Thunder

Data Shows OKC Thunder Boast NBA's Most 'Stable' Defensive Lineup

Oklahoma City may have had its struggles recently, but the team still has one of the best defensive units in the NBA.
Randall Sweet|
Jan 11, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center/forward Chet Holmgren (7) defends a drive by Miami Heat center/forward Bam Adebayo (13) during the first quarter at Paycom Center.
Jan 11, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center/forward Chet Holmgren (7) defends a drive by Miami Heat center/forward Bam Adebayo (13) during the first quarter at Paycom Center. | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

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Oklahoma City Thunder

There's no denying that the Oklahoma City Thunder haven't played their best basketball over the past month.

Despite some of the team's recent struggles, though, OKC still sits atop the NBA standings after a historic start to the season. Since then, the team has managed to stay afloat enough to remain the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.

A significant portion of the Thunder's struggles come from a cold streak on offense, which has included lackluster shooting from beyond the arc. While those issues have persisted, the team's defense has helped Mark Daigneault's group manage to land a few important wins through a rough stretch.

In a few of those contests, Oklahoma City's defense has performed below its standard, leading to a handful of losses. Despite a few subpar showings, the Thunder still boast the NBA's most "stable" defensive lineup according to BBall Index, a data and analytics website specializing in advanced NBA statistics.

Heading into OKC's Dec. 11 matchup against the Miami Heat, the Thunder's lineup of; Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Cason Wallace, Lu Dort and Chet Holmgren was the "best stable defensive lineup in the league," according to BBall Index's data.

With so many talented defenders on Oklahoma City's roster, its no surprise that the team has one of the best defensive lineups in the league. However, it is notable which combination of Thunder defenders make up BBall Index's most stable lineup.

Veterans Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein aren't among the list, but that could also be due to the duo's amount of games missed and minutes player. Caruso has appeared in 27 contests, averaging less than 19 minutes per game, while Hartenstein has played 24 games.

Ajay Mitchell has also been a solid defender for the Thunder this season, but isn't among the team's "most stable" lineup.

Instead, the team's best lineup consists of last year's MVP, a pair of All-Defense honorees from 2024-25 and the Western Conference's last two Defensive Player of the Month winners.

This lineup has performed well on defense, but has shown a few limitations on offense. Some of those struggles could be lessened as Williams continues to return to form after his wrist surgery, and if Dort is able to get back on track as a perimeter shooter.

Until then, however, the team will need strong efforts on offense from Gilgeous-Alexander, Holmgren and Mitchell. Additionally, getting Hartenstein back from injury will aid the team on both ends of the court.

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Randall Sweet
RANDALL SWEET

Randall Sweet is a 2022 Oklahoma University graduate who has formerly written for the Norman Transcript and OU Daily. Randall also serves as the Communications Coordinator at Visit OKC.

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