by Team Del Genio
Thursday, Nov 30, 2023The Oklahoma City Thunder are making an early case that the future is now for this team who surprised the league last year by making the Play-In Tournament.
Chet Holmgren has been just what this team has needed with his shot-blocking on defense and his 3-point shooting. The former Gonzaga star missed last season after a lisfranc injury so the Thunder were not sure what to expect from the second pick in the 2022 draft. He is averaging 17.9 points per game and pulling down 8.0 rebounds per game. He is hitting 43.1% of his shots from 3-point land. He is averaging 2.2 blocked shots per game.
Lu Dort is hitting 3-pointers as well. After never making more than 34.2% of his 3-pointers in his previous four seasons, the former Arizona State Sun Devil is making 42.9% of his 3-pointers. The Thunder went into the last day of November leading the NBA with a 40.9% shooting mark from 3-point range.
Head coach Mark Daigneault is getting great play from his bench from players like Isaiah Joe and rookie Cason Wallace. During their recent six-game winning streak, Joe made 50% or more of his shots from 3-point land. For the season, the former Arkansas star is coming off the bench to score 10.9 points per game on 46.1% shooting and a 47.1% clip from 3-point range. Wallace is averaging 6.9 points per game off the bench while making 61.6% of his shots and 58.6% of his 3-pointers. Daigneault turned to the former Kentucky Wildcat who they selected tenth in the NBA draft as his fifth starter when Jalen Williams was out with an injury.
Finally, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has taken another step in his game and is an early candidate for Most Valuable Player in the NBA. Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 30.6 points per game on 54.1% shooting. He is adding 6.1 assists per game and 5.9 rebounds per game.
Oklahoma City is playing outstanding defense as they rank fifth in the league by allowing 109.4 points per 100 possessions. They rank in the top ten in the NBA by holding their opponents to a 63.9% shooting percentage at the rim. They rank second in the NBA in transition defense. The Thunder had covered the point spread in six of their last eight games when the oddsmakers installed them as a favorite. They had covered the point spread in twenty-eight of their last forty-two games in November.
The Thunder ended the month in style with a 133-116 victory against the Los Angeles Lakers (The Team’s NBA Game of the Month). Oklahoma City only shot 33% (14 of 42) from the 3-point land yet still made 53% of their shots from the field. Gilgeous-Alexander led the way with 33 points. They held the Lakers to 44% shooting and just 33% from 3-point land. Going into December with a 12-6 record, the Thunder are making a strong claim that their young core of talent already has them as a team to be reckoned with in the Western Conference.
Good luck - TDG.
Chet Holmgren has been just what this team has needed with his shot-blocking on defense and his 3-point shooting. The former Gonzaga star missed last season after a lisfranc injury so the Thunder were not sure what to expect from the second pick in the 2022 draft. He is averaging 17.9 points per game and pulling down 8.0 rebounds per game. He is hitting 43.1% of his shots from 3-point land. He is averaging 2.2 blocked shots per game.
Lu Dort is hitting 3-pointers as well. After never making more than 34.2% of his 3-pointers in his previous four seasons, the former Arizona State Sun Devil is making 42.9% of his 3-pointers. The Thunder went into the last day of November leading the NBA with a 40.9% shooting mark from 3-point range.
Head coach Mark Daigneault is getting great play from his bench from players like Isaiah Joe and rookie Cason Wallace. During their recent six-game winning streak, Joe made 50% or more of his shots from 3-point land. For the season, the former Arkansas star is coming off the bench to score 10.9 points per game on 46.1% shooting and a 47.1% clip from 3-point range. Wallace is averaging 6.9 points per game off the bench while making 61.6% of his shots and 58.6% of his 3-pointers. Daigneault turned to the former Kentucky Wildcat who they selected tenth in the NBA draft as his fifth starter when Jalen Williams was out with an injury.
Finally, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has taken another step in his game and is an early candidate for Most Valuable Player in the NBA. Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 30.6 points per game on 54.1% shooting. He is adding 6.1 assists per game and 5.9 rebounds per game.
Oklahoma City is playing outstanding defense as they rank fifth in the league by allowing 109.4 points per 100 possessions. They rank in the top ten in the NBA by holding their opponents to a 63.9% shooting percentage at the rim. They rank second in the NBA in transition defense. The Thunder had covered the point spread in six of their last eight games when the oddsmakers installed them as a favorite. They had covered the point spread in twenty-eight of their last forty-two games in November.
The Thunder ended the month in style with a 133-116 victory against the Los Angeles Lakers (The Team’s NBA Game of the Month). Oklahoma City only shot 33% (14 of 42) from the 3-point land yet still made 53% of their shots from the field. Gilgeous-Alexander led the way with 33 points. They held the Lakers to 44% shooting and just 33% from 3-point land. Going into December with a 12-6 record, the Thunder are making a strong claim that their young core of talent already has them as a team to be reckoned with in the Western Conference.
Good luck - TDG.
