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When people talk about the Thunder, they talk about Kevin Durant. About Russell Westbrook. About Serge Ibaka and Kevin Martin. About the efficiency, the explosiveness, the excitement, the dunks, the dominance that is on the offensive end of the floor.
The offense is averaging 110.1 points per 100 possessions, tops in the league. In fact, it’s the best mark since the Suns in 2009-10, who averaged 112.7 per 100. But that separates the Thunder from that Suns team, and most every other team, is that they’re able to pair a dominant offense with a suffocating defense.
As Ben Golliver of SI.com wrote today, the Thunder are doing incredible work not just offensively where they’re statistically the best in the league, but on both ends of the floor when you consider offense and defense in tandem.
The NBA’s No. 1 offense and No. 6 defense, the Thunder are leading the NBA in net rating, producing 9.8 points per 100 possessions more than they concede. The 29-9 Clippers, ranked No. 4 on offense and No. 3 on defense, are just behind them, producing 9.7 points per 100 possessions more than they concede. The 29-11 Spurs are third by this measure at +5.4 points per 100 possessions. From there, it’s a steep drop: the Heat are fourth at +5.2 points per 100 possessions and the Knicks are fifth at +5.2 per 100 possessions. To get a sense for the range involved, the 9-28 Bobcats currently rank dead last by this measure, conceding 8.9 more points per 100 possessions than they generate.
It takes zooming back to a decade worth of data to realize how impressive the Thunder — and the Clippers — have been so far this year.
Golliver put together the list of teams since 2003 with the top net ratings: The Thunder are currently third on it, behind the 2008 Celtics and 2009 Cavs.
The offense being great? No shock. The Thunder boast two of the most efficient players in the league (Durant and Martin) to go with the explosiveness of Westbrook and the extra dimension Ibaka’s mid-range game brings.
But the defense is where OKC has come along. Golliver broke down the progression of the Thunder’s overall net rating: 2008: -9.0; 2009: -6.5; 2010: +3.7; 2011: +4.0; 2012: +6.6; 2013: +9.8
The Thunder preach continual improvement. Where there it is, presented perfectly on paper. Scott Brooks often talks about the Thunder being a defensive team, and it’s kind of easy to scoff at it because the focus is always on the offensive firepower. Not much do people talk about the Thunder’s defense. And why would you? It’s a whole lot more fun to talk about dunks than good help rotation.
But the Thunder aren’t a one-way team as some assume. They genuinely are a strong defensive team. Durant has been stereotyped as an average defender because of his build, but he’s quietly progressed to be one of the better defenders in the league. It’s true. Ibaka is a shotblocker, but he’s improved mightily in his discipline, help defense and pick-and-roll coverage. Thabo Sefolosha is a premier wing defender, Westbrook is solid on the ball and Perk truly is a stout interior presence.
(Side note on KD’s defense: OKC allows 2.8 points per 100 fewer with Durant on the court, which is solid. Per Synergy, KD allows opponents to shoot 38.0 percent against him. And opposing small forward have a PER of just 8.0 per 48 minutes against him. Point is, Durant is a good defender. Get on board with it.)
What the Thunder do is pretty simple: They don’t allow points in the paint (39.4 a game, sixth overall), they don’t give up a ton of free throws (21.1, ninth), they cover the 3-point well (35.2 percent, 10th) and they hold teams to a low percentage overall (42.6, second).
How? Because the Thunder force more long 2s than any team in the league, and hold teams to the sixth lowest percentage on them. With the length and size the Thunder feature, jumpshots are mostly invited, because they can contest them so well. If you think back to most of the games the Thunder have lost, it’s come on nights that have felt like teams were really hot against them. Because they were. They were knocking down those contested jumpers, which happens.
Brooks is wrong though: The Thunder aren’t a defensive team. They are an extremely well-rounded team. Dominant offense, high-quality defense. Put it all together and you’ve got one damn fine overall team.
The Thunder have maintained this balance now over 38 games, almost half a season. Can they sustain it the whole way, and more importantly, will it carry to the postseason? Considering the fact the Thunder have a history of getting better at things each successive year, I’d think so.
Stats via NBA.com
"It’s a whole lot more fun to talk about dunks than good help rotation."
Our challenge to you, Royce: Write a fun article about the top 10 help rotations this season.
http://dailythunder.com/2013/01/maybe-scott-brooks-has-it-right-against-the-heat/
Darren Collison or Aaron Brooks? Collison might be just as easy to get as Brooks and he's probably a little more complete player than Brooks (although maybe not quite as dynamic offensively). Dallas doesn't seem to be overly excited about him (they tried to replace him with Derek Fisher). He's not expiring although he doesn't make that much to begin with. Maynor and their old 1st for Collison. Trade machine works.
@okcjim Wasnt Westbrook Collisons back up pg in college? Man that'd be fun locker talk between them two now
@ThunderTheFUp @okcjim Russ played SG instead of the point because of Collison's presence. I don't think he was a backup.
@Keith00 @okcjim Yeah i thought so. That locker room/practices would be intense. I do like the idea of him as the back to russ though lol
@ThunderTheFUp @Keith00 @okcjim No, you're right, he backed up Collison during Westbrook's freshman year. It was the next year that Russ became All Pac-10 and Pac-10 DPOY.
@Keith00 @okcjim Thought Russ came off the bench at UCLA I know Collison was the starter but could be wrong on Russ.
@okcjim If we absolutely can't stand Reggie as the backup, then I would love to get Collison. Brooks is the better shooter this year, but both are equally efficient scorers. Add in that Collison is the significantly better passer and more sound defender (he's small, but has better fundamentals), and I like him a lot more.
@Keith00 @okcjim Don't know if a backup point is really that pressing, but it is worth mentioning that Collison played with Russ at UCLA.
@okcjim none.
Is reggie not the backup? did I miss something? Don't we have other things to fix?
@<--A Benz can make me dance
Reggie doesn't shoot well and I don't think he's that great a ball handler to be completely honest. He's a below average PG. Backup PG is our weakest spot right now. We need another steady piece somewhere. We have 7 solid NBA players right now (KD, WB, Serge, Thabo, Martin, Collison and for the most part Perkins). That goes down to 6 when we play the Heat because Perkiins is useless against them. We need another guy that can give us good minutes. Not a guy that can not mess up, a guy that can be productive.
@thunder_mike @<--A Benz can make me dance
There just aren't as many cheap good 3/4's available. Plus I'd rather have an offensive PG playing with Thabo (elite defender and good spot up shooter), than have a solid offensive 3 playing with Jackson (who isn't that good at anything really). The PG has the ball in his hands a lot more.
@okcjim @<--A Benz can make me dance We need another player but I agree with most of the DT'ers and think it should be a 3/4 player. Having a stud PG makes our 2nd team very guard (shooting) reliant. A 3/4 would give us a balanced offense KMart, 3/4, and Nick. Nick's a good passer along the baseline, which isn't normally where you find a PG.
this is interesting http://nba.si.com/2013/01/16/james-harden-traveling/
Suns forward Michael Beasley, after missing two of his first free-throw attempts off the side of the rim, walked down the lane, stared up at the iron and shook his head. "I had to scare the gremlins away," he said. "Those gremlins are always messing with me."
@d21 And to think some DT'ers want him badly on our team.
@D-MC @d21 that dude cray cray
I love Daily Thunder.
Every new thread is like when you look at your phone and see that an attractive girl has texted you. Except with Daily Thunder, it actually happens.
Since DT likes broken big men...can we get/afford Andrea Bargnani?
Instead of trying to get Varejao (rebounding numbers are inflated due to being a center in a conference shoots terrible btw), why not get a center that would pull another big man out of the paint and allow for RW/KD/Ibaka to dunk more. Even if we get to the finals and the Heat play small, Shane gives up 4 inches on Bargnani. They'll have to decide if Bosh will guard him (pulling him out of the paint) or stick with Ibaka (who can also step back and shoot now).
Clearing out the paint rather than stuffing it seems to be a better angle. He's cheaper than Kevin Love.
@<--A Benz can make me dance Don't need him. Serge's mid-range has improved and he has good form on his three ball. Soon we'll have the most well-rounded stretch 4 in the league.
@sammasaaron I dont trust it...its new. It might disappear when it counts...like a certain bearded player that used to be on this team.
@Keith00 @senseandsenescence @sammasaaron @OBoy Jones III
well then...pass that dutch friend. I hope you're right, because I have a feeling that come crunch time, that jumper will solidify the "Bricktown" name.
@<--A Benz can make me dance @senseandsenescence @sammasaaron Is Ibaka playing on a different rim or something? he's better at shooting than Bargani, it's not really a debate.
@<--A Benz can make me dance @senseandsenescence @sammasaaron @OBoy Jones III Bargnani hits 44% eFG on his jumpers. Ibaka hits 47% eFG on his jumpers. So yeah, I would rather Ibaka took a shot than Bargnani. This stuff isn't hard to find and it's out there plain as day. Bargnani has a shooters reputation, but doesn't actually shoot well. There are no intangibles to that - he doesn't make shots.
@senseandsenescence @sammasaaron @OBoy Jones III So you guys are seriously saying head to head you You would rather Ibaka to take/make a jump shot vs bargnani?
Is weed legal in OKC? Because this is wild.
@sammasaaron @<--A Benz can make me dance @OBoy Jones III You would be correct.
http://www.hoopdata.com/player.aspx?name=Serge%20Ibaka
http://www.hoopdata.com/player.aspx?name=Andrea%20Bargnani
Serge's second year was the last year Bargs shot better than him from 16-23 and the last two years they have been about even from 3 (Ibaka wisely taking far fewer attempts).
@<--A Benz can make me dance @OBoy Jones III I don't have a Synergy account, but I'd put good money on Ibaka shooting better from midrange than Bargs. Ibaka is currently top-5 in the league in FG% and that's with all the extra 2s he takes. This might've made sense for the team before this season, but with the emergence of Ibaka's offensive game I'd rather convert Perk into a more athletic defending big like Asik.
@OBoy Jones III @sammasaaron I trust that they will not leave him alone....even if he's been shakey...they cant just leave him wide open.
I'd leave Ibaka alone though...they'll test out that 17 footer with the pressure on. Guarantee that.
@<--A Benz can make me dance @sammasaaron but you trust Bargani's shot?
@<--A Benz can make me dance Um, what. Pretty sure Serge had a perfect game from the field against the Spurs in the playoffs which included a number of 2s. And if you trust Bargs more than Serge, we're just not on the same wavelength here.
@<--A Benz can make me dance Ibaka at center and KD at the PF is basically the same thing but better.
@OBoy Jones III For the entire game?
What about second unit
@<--A Benz can make me dance @MJOKC Martin or Perkins would have to go if the team wanted Bargnani, so don't really have extra cash/cap space.
@MJOKC @cemitten Yo I think nothing is wrong with the team...
But dont we have an extra spot and some cash and picks?
#whynot
@cemitten They seem unaffected?
LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL... they are. Russ gets hit 1000 times driving into the paint. OKC need to spread the floor. If he's not going to get the call, then pull the big men out and stop the abuse lol
@<--A Benz can make me dance KD and Russ seem unaffected when trying to get in the paint. This is an issue for teams lacking two of the most phenomenal offensive threats in the league.
@lmp5336 He's purpose is too unclog the paint. He can shoot. Bottom line. Points are easier if we can get into the paint and ...DUNK. Its strategy. He's 9 million. Can we afford him or not. Thats the question...
Andrea is shooting just 1 percent better than Serge from three. And he's shooting much worse from the field. Considering the defensive/rebounding woes he would bring, I'd say pass.
@<--A Benz can make me dance Sure we could find someone to play in the 2nd unit with the 10 million dollars we would be paying Bargani.
@<--A Benz can make me dance For all your hating on the east, weren't you touting how good the Knicks were just a while ago?
@cemitten Oh the Knicks would match up poor on him too. Who they going to send out to guard him? Maybe Camby? LOLOLOL.... that it.
@Steve H Yes.
@justin_mia @<--A Benz can make me dance @MJOKC @senseandsenescence @cemitten why are you guys arguing with the guy that wants to add Bargnani to our team? If somebody recommended putting your baby in a microwave oven- would you take the time to explain why that is a bad idea?
@<--A Benz can make me dance @MJOKC @senseandsenescence @cemitten He's a shooter who shoots BAD. 30% from three the last two seasons. That's why it's a bad idea. Points mean nothing without context. Without that, how can you even tell the difference between, say, Allen Iverson and Kevin Durant? They both score 30 points a game, right?
@<--A Benz can make me dance @MJOKC @justin_mia @senseandsenescence @cemitten 16 points on 15 shots are his averages this year. He wouldn't get that many shots here.
@MJOKC @justin_mia @senseandsenescence @cemitten
Yup absolutely nothing. 16 ppg ...but absolutely nothing. Sometimes you just need a threat/specialist.
Look unlike a lot of folk. I don't just throw names out without thinking about it. I take video very serious.. He's a shooter...OKC is a team that like to shoot....Heat seems to be whom everyone is getting ready for, they need to bring someone that can threaten him to guard him. They only have Bosh. That means free points with great passing. Why is this a terrible idea.
@justin_mia @senseandsenescence @cemitten the IGNORE.
You cant get all of basketball through a boxscore. Sorry.
@<--A Benz can make me dance @senseandsenescence @cemitten Nick Collison is the kind of player you have to watch to appreciate how he's good. Not Bargnani.
@<--A Benz can make me dance @senseandsenescence @cemitten I don't have to watch Raptors games to know Andrea Bargnani is not good the same way I don't have to watch Celtics games to know that Jeff Green is not good. Bargnani is not a no-stats All Star who is doing things on the court that make up for his terrible shooting.
@cemitten @justin_mia @senseandsenescence im coding it right now....
stay tuned.
@<--A Benz can make me dance @justin_mia @senseandsenescence THERE"S AN IGNORE BUTTON???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
@justin_mia @senseandsenescence @cemitten You watch their games?
If you dont -- i'll hit the ignore button right now.
::I know you dont::
@<--A Benz can make me dance @senseandsenescence @cemitten There has to be another Andrea Bargnani in the NBA or something who I don't know about. He's terrible.
@senseandsenescence @cemitten MAYYYYBE...but he cant play as long as Andrea can....
not that he'll get a ton of minutes though. If they Knicks come out of the East, we have other ways to destroy him.
Bargnani would be good for the Heat matchup
@<--A Benz can make me dance @cemitten SHEED
@<--A Benz can make me dance *rereads Royce's post*
Can he play D? Not really.
Can he rebound? No. Liggins currently has a better DRB% (which admittedly will fall) than Bargnani has ever posted in his career.
@senseandsenescence We already good at defense according to Royce so why does it matter.
@senseandsenescence @justin_mia you sound like the Raptors Republic.
I watch a lot of the games because I'm a Jose Calderon lover. Their whole offense seems confused. I dont think its him. You ever go to the park and play pick up with ppl you dont know?
Thats what it looks like lOL
@<--A Benz can make me dance @justin_mia *lucky
He also was injured/not good last year. I don't think he's at the point where he will seriously turn his career around
@justin_mia @senseandsenescence Well if Bosh is away from the paint (where he would be guarding Ibaka/Perk/Collison) wouldnt that increase the amount of rebounds we pull in.
I'll take Udonis against Ibaka any day.
@<--A Benz can make me dance @justin_mia not when it comes on 15 shots. He'll be luck to get half that here.
@senseandsenescence @justin_mia yes...
I wont deny he's had a bad start to the year. But he's been injured for weeks....
16ppg is a good terrible
@<--A Benz can make me dance @senseandsenescence Doesn't he make our defense worse against Miami? How does he help on offense? What big man is he 'bringing out'. Wouldn't Bosh be more comfortable defending him? I don't get it...
@<--A Benz can make me dance @justin_mia Lately he's also been a misser.
@justin_mia @senseandsenescence He pulls the big man out. They cant guard him with someone 4 inches smaller. He's a shooter.
@<--A Benz can make me dance @senseandsenescence Andrea Bargnani causes a matchup problem for who?
@senseandsenescence What are you talking about right now?
You are acting like all 5 of are starters are defensive warriors. We clearly depend on Thabo.
My suggestion is a strategy to cause a matchup problem for a team that eats our lunch every time we play.
...come again
@<--A Benz can make me dance Probably because defense requires 5 players 99% of the time while offense can rely on 2-4 players 90% of the time.