Different verse, same as the first for the Oklahoma City Thunder. After becoming the No. Oklahoma City owns a two and a half game lead over the Houston Rockets in second place. This season has had no shortage of adversity. Chet Holmgren is shelved for the majority of the regular season with a hip injury. Jaylin Williams still has not made his debut. Still, the Bricktown ballers have done enough to be one of the best teams in the association, in large part due to these eye-popping stats.
It is no secret that the Thunder butter its bread on the defensive end. Owning the best defensive rating However, the way they have suffocated opponents has truly been historic. The Thunder led thet NBA in steals and rank third in blocks while even playing a segement of this season with Jalen Williams moonlighting as a center. The Thunder have been able to spark their offense through transition attempts created, forcing matchups into a league-best This gets even more impressive when you factor in the Thunder have only turned it over times as a team against its steals netted on defense.
While that stat is impressive enough, it is also historic. No team has seen this large of a disparity between steals and turnovers in league history. It can be come a water drinking game. Take a swig every time someone in Oklahoma City mentions free throws, but it is true. The Thunder are not just taking only The lack of attempts is jarring for a team that leads the NBA in drives two seasons running.
The Thunder never earned an extremely favorable whistle and are not asking for more - just not the worst in the sport for a team that went to the charity stripe 17th most a year ago.
The different in the basement and the near league-average is massive for an offense - especially one with the best free-throw percentage in the association once they do get the calls. Despite their success a year ago and making it to the otherside of a rebuild, the Thunder are still the youngest team in the NBA.
