OKC Thunder’s Defense is Leading the Way Once Again

In the NBA, a lot can change in a year. Rosters, contenders, the entire landscape — there’s turnover everywhere and it’s a league that never stops changing. In an era where change is so common, Oklahoma City is defying the odds by remaining the same. The same championship level roster, and the same historically good defense to be specific.

Oklahoma City is off to another dominating start, and is looking like the NBA’s best team once again. At 10-1, the Thunder have the best record in the league, and they haven’t even been close to full strength yet all season. If there’s one thing we learned about this Thunder team over the course of the rebuild, and under Mark Daigneault, though, it’s that talented players don’t make his defensive scheme — they just enhance it.

Even when Oklahoma City was picking in the lottery and without a true center, they always found a way to force turnovers and be a scrappy defensive team. No matter the talent on the roster or All-Defense individual members, the Thunder’s scheme reigned supreme.

Once the talent came in and joined Lu Dort — players like Jalen Williams, Cason Wallace, Alex Caruso, Chet Holmgren — the historical output took place. But with those players in and out of the lineup with injuries to start the season, this team hasn’t missed a beat. It’s a next man up mentality in Daigneault’s scheme, and everyone’s a good defender now.

Now 11 games in, the Thunder’s defense is once again head and shoulders above the pack despite being shorthanded. Oklahoma City’s defense ranks No. 1 overall in defensive rating at 104.5. The next closest team is Denver at 108.1 — well behind the Thunder. The team averages the second most steals per game in the NBA, too, at 10.5 per night.

While Oklahoma City ranks ninth in blocks, it doesn’t tell the full story for just how dominant the paint defense has been. Per Nick Gallo of the Thunder, opposing teams are shooting just 48% in the paint overall on the season against the Thunder, which would be the lowest allowed by any NBA defense in the last 10 years. Oklahoma City is allowing just 37.3 points in the paint this season, another NBA best by a wide margin.

The Oklahoma City Thunder's defense has held opponents to 50% or worse shooting in the paint in 9-straight games.

Opponents are shooting 48% in the paint overall for the season against the Thunder, which would be the lowest allowed by any defense in the last 10 years.
— Nick Gallo (@NickAGallo) November 11, 2025

There are plenty of examples to point to when speaking about how dominant Oklahoma City has been for going on two years now. But the team’s defense is obviously the most clear cut.

Even without Dort and Williams, Caruso and Holmgren for a few games, Oklahoma City has guys ready to step up and who are eager to play defense. The unit will only improve with everyone else back in the fold, but so far this season, it has been downright impressive. This is shaping up to be another historical defensive season.