Inside the Numbers of OKC Thunder’s Historic Defense

Oklahoma City completed its quest for eternal glory by winning the franchise’s first ever championship ring this past season. They did it in old-school manner, too, without a super team or a 3-point shooting machine or even an extra large payroll. This Thunder team simply played rock solid team basketball and gritty old fashioned defense. The bench was deep, the team trusted each other, and the coaching staff was elite — all a recipe of success.

The emphasis to winning a championship was definitely put on the team’s defense — both collectively and individually. The Thunder committed to a defensive identity and stuck to it even through losses and hardships. And that same identity is the one that was evident at the start of the rebuild.

It’s rare to see a young coach and a young budding star make it through an entire rebuild from the days of picking in the lottery to the days of hoisting a trophy. Most organizations get impatient, and want to make a splash trade or experience instant success. But Mark Daigneault laid down the foundation when he arrived, and upheld the standard when Oklahoma City was on top. The defensive philosophy and scheme was implemented early on, and this past year, the Thunder had the talent across the board to perfect it.

Oklahoma City’s social media team took to X today to showcase the impressive defensive stats and break down the numbers.

Elite Thunder defense 📊 pic.twitter.com/UzQBZVuc93
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) August 7, 2025

Oklahoma City led the entire NBA in defensive rating, opponent field goal percentage, opponent turnovers, and steals per 100 possessions. All of those categories are key barometers to judging a defense in the league, and Oklahoma City certainly passed with flying colors.

Early on in the rebuild, the Thunder prided itself on being a gritty young team that gave all-out effort defensively. The hustle was off the charts, which created a special connection with the fans. The games that Oklahoma City won were because of effort and defense. That same mindset has carried over with elite talent on the roster and it shows.

Jalen Williams and Lu Dort were All-Defensive team members, and Alex Caruso and Chet Holmgren would’ve been, too, had they played enough games. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander turned himself into a rock solid defender, and Isaiah Hartenstein filled his role perfectly. If everything goes according to the plan, Cason Wallace will be joining Williams and Dort in a tier above, too — he’s that good.

All of the talented individuals on this Thunder team committed to playing great defense collectively and buying into the same hustle and effort that Oklahoma City was built on. Ultimately, it resulted in a championship.