Hello, I’m Dan Gartland. It seems many are quite upset with the SEC’s recent performance in the playoff.
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The Oklahoma City Thunder may not top the NBA standings (that distinction belongs to the Cleveland Cavaliers), but they’re currently the league’s most formidable team.
With a recent victory over the Los Angeles Clippers, the Thunder secured their 13th consecutive win, marking the NBA’s second-longest streak this season after the Cavaliers’ 15-game unbeaten run. Now at a record of 28–5, they trail just one game behind the Cavs for the league’s best record and are significantly ahead of any other team in the Western Conference, with no other Western team having fewer than 11 losses.
To the more casual NBA fans, it might be surprising to hear of the Thunder’s success, especially since the last major news about them was their star Chet Holmgren’s sidelining due to a broken hip in November. This incident seemingly threatened to compromise their season. Last year, Holmgren was pivotal in the Thunder securing the Western Conference’s top record, tied with the Denver Nuggets, and their playoff berth after a four-year hiatus. He was second only to Victor Wembanyama for the Rookie of the Year title and was the first rookie since Karl-Anthony Towns in 2015–16 to start all 82 games.
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Despite Holmgren’s absence, the Thunder have not only managed to keep afloat but have excelled, largely thanks to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s outstanding performances. Before Holmgren’s injury, SGA was averaging 26.1 points per game from 18.9 shots. In the 23 games since, his average has surged to 33.4 points on 21.7 shots. More than just stepping up in Holmgren’s absence, Gilgeous-Alexander has improved his game across the board.
Taking on more of the offensive load hasn’t diminished Gilgeous-Alexander’s efficiency. In fact, he’s shooting better now than he was earlier in the season. His shooting percentage has risen from .487 to .543, and his three-point shooting has improved from .264 to .383. Additionally, he’s committing fewer turnovers and has increased his averages in steals and blocks from earlier in the season when Holmgren was active.
This season, Gilgeous-Alexander has emerged as the NBA’s most consistent scorer, surpassing even Giannis Antetokounmpo, who leads the league in points per game but has missed six games. SGA leads the league with 1,029 total points, over 100 points ahead of the next closest player (De’Aaron Fox has 910). He’s scored at least 20 points in 32 of his 33 games this season, with a season low of 18 points on Oct. 30. Since then, he’s scored 20 or more points in 29 consecutive games. Since his trade to the Thunder in 2019, there have been 10 such streaks by all NBA players, but he is the only one to have achieved this three times during that period. The only others with multiple 20+ point streaks of 29 games or more are Joel Embiid (both during his 2022–23 MVP season) and LeBron James.
Yet, the key to the Thunder’s success this season lies in their defense. They lead the NBA across several defensive metrics including points allowed per game, defensive efficiency, opponents’ field goal percentage, and turnovers forced. Gilgeous-Alexander also stands out defensively, topping the league in three advanced defensive metrics: defensive rating, defensive win shares, and defensive box plus/minus. When you have a player averaging over 30 points per game and also being the top defensive guard, you have an MVP candidate.
Of course, Gilgeous-Alexander isn’t the only Thunder player contributing significantly. Jalen Williams, who is second in the NBA in defensive win shares, is averaging a career-high 20.9 points per game after a standout sophomore season. Isaiah Hartenstein, a key offseason acquisition from the New York Knicks, has filled in admirably in the starting center role in Holmgren’s absence, averaging 12.2 rebounds per game, which would place him fifth in the league if he qualified for the leaderboards (Hartenstein missed the first 15 games of the season with a fractured hand). The focus on defense is evident as, along with Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams, Cason Wallace, Aaron Wiggins, Luguentz Dort, and Isaiah Joe all rank in the top 20 in defensive rating league-wide.
Holmgren is nearing his return to play. He was seen at Tuesday’s game without crutches for the first time since his injury, although coach Mark Daigneault remained tight-lipped on the specifics of his recovery. His return will bolster a Thunder defense already ranked as the most stringent in the league. With Holmgren back, pairing him with Gilgeous-Alexander could solidify the Thunder’s claim as the NBA’s top team.
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- Orr also features a detailed look at how Brian Flores has engineered this exceptional Vikings defense.
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- Indiana quarterback Kurtis Rourke reportedly competed the entire season with a torn ACL.
The top five …
… moments I witnessed last night:
5. Jonatan Berggren’s decisive goal for the Red Wings on a breakaway right after leaving the penalty box.
4. Alex Ovechkin’s 871st career goal.
3. Stephen Curry’s eighth three-pointer of the evening against the Sixers. He was flawless from beyond the arc, marking the most threes in a game without a miss in his career.
2. Jayden Harrison’s 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown at the start of the second half to extend Notre Dame
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