OKC Thunder's Lacking Shooting Efficiency a Dominant Factor in Recent Performance Slump

Oklahoma City hasn't been shooting at a high clip as we're accustomed to lately, and it's hampered them throughout the last 10 games.

Jan 17, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Aaron Wiggins (21) shoots the basketball against Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) during the second quarter at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Three-point shooting has been a rough topic for this year's rendition of the Oklahoma City Thunder up to this point in the season.

Facing the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday afternoon should look to be a turning point in that regard for this team, as the past 10 games the Thunder has competed in has seen Oklahoma CIty suffer in shooting efficiency.

At 35-8 on the season, you'd think this team would've refined its 3-point shooting ability even further to have amassed a record that is leading the entire NBA, but it's definitely regressed.

In the last 10 contests, the Thunder sit in the bottom five of the league in 3-point shooting percentage, just in front of the second-best team in the Western Conference in the San Antonio Spurs, funnily enough. Oklahoma City also sits in the dead middle of the league in field goal percentage throughout this span.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander shoots the bal — Jan 13, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) shoots and scores a basket as San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie (30) defends during the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

On the year as a whole, Oklahoma City holds the third-best percentage in the league from the field, as the team sits at 15th in 3-point percentage. A year ago, the Thunder placed seventh in field goal percentage and sixth from 3-point range.

It's been a major difference as the Thunder hasn't been able to hinge on its shooting expertise compared to as it once did last season. Of course, the banged up Jalen Williams—who is now sidelined again for Sunday's contest against the Cavaliers due to a hamstring injury—has been a major factor in this with his shooting wrist dropping his 3-point efficiency to 30% on the season.

Against Cleveland, the team with the fifth-best record in the East, Oklahoma City will look to bounce back from a recent loss to the Miami Heat which it lost by two. And after a decent shooting performance even in that loss to the Heat, they'll need that momentum as well on Monday afternoon in an NBA contest on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.