OKC Thunder Have Flipped Postseason Weakness Into Strength

Last summer was nerve racking, exhilarating and cathartic in Oklahoma City. The Thunder brought home their first NBA Championship, delievering a title to one of the league's smallest markets and surviving two seven game series en route.

The Bricktown Ballers were the best team in basketball from start to finish a year ago. Oklahoma City netted 68 regular season wins, a historic point differential and a defense that will be talked about until the end of time. They were led by a superstar, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the third such player to earn that tag for this young organization that didn't arrive in OKC until 2008. A handful of other franchises are still waiting for their first. First title, first superstar, first truly remarkable season.

After a short offense full of celebrating, reflecting and rowdy parades both in Bricktown and abroad as players brought the Larry O'Brien Trophy near and far, it was time to turn the page. The Thunder did just that racing out to a 24-1 start, which has carried them to own the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference and top record overall at 53-15. OKC holds a three and a half game edge over the No. 2 seeded San Antonio Spurs.

Throughout this season, even as the hot start cooled off in the dead of Winter, the Oklahoma City Thunder have transformed their team. The internal development of this squad largely still in tact from last year's title team has allowed OKC to turn post season weaknesses from a year ago, into a strength.

Last season, when things got dicey against the Denver Nuggets and Indiana Pacers –– after blowing by the Memphis Grizzlies and Minnesota Timberwolves only dropping one game in both those series combined –– you could point to largely the same problems at the final buzzer.

A staggnant half court offense for too long of stretches and woeful shooting from beyond the arc. The Thunder turned in the 13th best 3 point shooting postseason a year ago of the 16 team field. Their regular season half court offense, which ranked in the 93rd percentile at 1.042 points per possession, dipped to 0.979 points per possession in the playoffs.

When Gilgeous-Alexander was off the court, it put all the pressure on All-NBA swingman Jalen Williams with torn ligaments in his wrist to carry the team. To his credit, the Santa Clara product –– especially from Game 7 against Denver through hoisting the Larry O'Brien Trophy –– was stellar. He did enough to allow the Thunder to dance in the blue and orange confetti falling onto the hardwood at the final buzzer of that late June clash with the Pacers. Not to mention how pivotal he was with Gilgeous-Alexander on the floor.

Though in this league, you need to be in a constant state of evolving and improving. The Thunder have done just that.

Williams has only played in 26 games as he rehabbed from his surgically repaired wrist and is now sidelined with his second hamstring strain.

Still, Oklahoma City has looked improved in both areas that they struggled in a year ago. Some of which can be attributed to the health of Ajay Mitchell. Credit also has to go to the mid-season addition of 2024 first round pick Jared McCain. Then, the obvious, time. Isaiah Joe and Isaiah Hartenstien have developed a partnership together that can dominate secondary units. Chet Holmgren has taken a step as a play finisher. Even Cason Wallace went through a dominant stretch in Feburary on the offensive end.

Despite missing massive time from Williams, a significant stretch from Gilgeous-Alexander, Hartenstein, Joe, Alex Caruso, Mitchell, and not getting McCain until the NBA Trade Deadline, Oklahoma City is still in the 90th percentile of Half Court offense posting 1.032 points per possession.

The Thunder are shooting 36% from beyond the arc this season, a mark that leaps to 39% in the Month of February, the third best output in the league in that span.

Oklahoma City has the ability to flank Gilgeous-Alexander with sharpshooters Joe and McCain who have gravitational pull from the perimeter that only Bill Nye could explain. This opens the floor for the team's superstar or forces matchups to concede a wide open look from downtown to a pair of deadly downtown marksmen. When this trio shares the floor, the Thunder generate 126.7 points per 100 possessions with a +39.2 differential, each ranking in the 99th percentile and 100th percentile respectively.

That not only seems like a solution to the Thunder's shooting woes from last postseason but a boost to their half court offense to put matchups in a bind. Even when McCain and Joe share the floor without Gilgeous-Alexander, that duo posts 118.4 points per 100 possession ranking in the 74th percentile but with a 100th percentile differential at +18.9.

Those two largely find success without Gilgeous-Alexander on the floor thanks to the Thunder's playmaking big men of Hartenstein and Jaylin Williams. As high post playmaking hubs, those two bigs set up DHO of doom for defenses which is nearly an automatic high shot quality attempt for Oklahoma City which translates to their offensive success.

Add Mitchell into the mix, who is a walking paint touch able to finish at the rim, get to the line and spray the ball out to these red hot shooters and the half court offense concerns are not only iliviated but become a point of strength for this team. Something to look forward to, rather than dread. A point of hope as opposed to holding your breath until Gilgeous-Alexander is set to return to the floor.

The road will still be difficult. For the first time in league history, the NBA is in a parity era. Oklahoma City is attempting to be the first team since the 2018 Golden State Warriors to repeat as champions. Though, these improvements make the path a little bit clearer for the Thunder to once again be jubaliant in June.