2. Buy Into Team Defense

Oklahoma City is a team with several good (and in some cases great) defenders, and as a team, they’ve been solid. Compared to the rest of the league, the Thunder were 10th in defensive rating, 12th in opponent field goal percentage, and 10th in opponent points per game. For teams with aspirations of winning a title, it’s often said that there’s a next gear they need to reach in order to truly become elite. For the Thunder, that next gear needs to come on the defensive side of the ball.

The Thunder have players at every position that are capable of strong defensive output. Russell Westbrook’s athleticism and intensity give him the potential to be one of the best defenders in the league at the point guard position, even if he hasn’t lived up to that standard yet.

Andre Roberson and Paul George are both former All-Defense team members, and both can more than hold their own against any wing player in the league. Steven Adams and Nerlens Noel defend in different ways, but both are very capable as big men. Adams is a bruising presence, unwavering and hard to move past. Noel’s athleticism makes him one of the better shot blocking centers in the NBA.

Because of the Thunder’s potential, and because of the wealth of athletic and lengthy players at his disposal, coach Billy Donovan would benefit from making team defense a priority. The league’s elite teams, the Celtics and Warriors, both have elite defenses to go along with high-powered offenses.

Carmelo Anthony, a noted lackluster defender, is no longer on the team – and no longer demanding a large portion of minutes. That means more time for a player like Roberson, who is a defensive specialist. If he can return from injury with the same defensive ability as he showed in previous years, the Thunder could be poised to make that leap into the NBA’s upper echelon.

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