Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s MVP-level of play, Jalen Williams’ elite prowess on both ends and a core of explosive and dynamic defensive machines have made the OKC Thunder a league-wide force in the last two years. Despite the abundance of talent and athleticism in this young and gritty roster, still they’re not without weaknesses. Here are five major limitations that could hold them back next season.
5. DEFENDING WITHOUT FOULING
The Thunder are known as one of the league’s most aggressive defensive teams, finishing 1st in steals and 2nd in blocks this season. However, that intensity came with a downside, they also ranked 6th in most fouls committed during the regular season and 3rd in the playoffs. The problem was clear in the postseason. They averaged 21.7 fouls per game and gave up nearly 30 free-throw attempts in the finals. It was much worse against the Nuggets, where they averaged 23 fouls and surrendered almost 40 free-throws per game. For a team like OKC, which relies heavily on a tight rotation, this foul-prone defense can become a major liability in crucial games.
4. LIMITED BALL HANDLERS/PLAYMAKER
In the season, the Thunder averaged 26.9 assists per game, ranking just 12th in the league. With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on the floor, they put up 19 assists per game, but that number plummeted to only 9.3 when he was on the bench. In the playoffs, OKC often ran a six-guard rotation, but outside of SGA and Jalen Williams, ball movement was lacking. The duo combined for 11 assists per game, while the other five guards managed just 6.8 assists and also averaged 4 turnovers. The issue was most obvious in the Finals against Indiana. The Pacers not only held a +36 advantage in total assists, but they also troubled OKC’s offense with 12.3 steals per game in the last six games. Their defensive pressure also hit Shai especially hard—he averaged just 3 assists with 5.3 turnovers in OKC’s losses, and in Game 4 he finished with 0 assists.
3. INCONSISTENT THREE-POINT SHOOTING
Last season, no Thunder player cracked the league’s top 40 in three-point percentage, with Dort and Isaiah Joe finishing just outside at 41st and 42nd. Their outside shooting struggles became more obvious in the playoffs. They finished fourth in the bottom in three-point percentage at just 33.8%; the other three teams were all eliminated in the first round. The struggles carried over to their stars as well. SGA shot only 28.3%, J-Dub hit 30.4%, and Chet managed 29.7% on just 1.2 makes per game. Dort was the team’s most productive shooter, averaging 2.1 triples per game on 34.3% accuracy, but he also led the team in attempts with six per contest. The issue was even more glaring in the finals, where SGA shot 8-for-33, Williams was slightly better going 8-for-30. Holmgren struggled the most, making just 3 three-pointers across the entire series. That said, the zone defense will likely continue to pose problems for the team next season.
2. LACK OF SIZE AND INTERIOR PRESENCE
The Thunder’s lack of size remains a critical and exploitable weakness. Throughout the 24-25 season, OKC were one of the league’s smallest teams, ranking 20th with an average height of just 6 feet 5.82 inches (vegasinsider.com). This issue was most apparent in their frontcourt as the team played only five players who are at least 6 ‘7” in the playoffs. Three of whom combined for a mere 20 minutes per game. To compensate, OKC heavily relied on small-ball lineups, often featuring four guards on the floor simultaneously. Williams was often assigned to guard the opposing teams big men, which he also did in mid November, filling in for the injured Holmgren and leading the team to a 4-3 record.
While this strategy had its advantages, most notably making the Thunder one of the league’s best teams in forcing turnovers and converting in fastbreak, it came at a significant cost to their inside game. The playoffs exposed this trade-off. Oklahoma City consistently ranked at the bottom of the teams in total rebounds and defensive rebounds allowed. In the finals, they also allowed the Pacers to shoot 51% from inside the arc. Their playoff series against the Mavs in 23-24 also served as a clear example, as Dallas overwhelmed them with their length and physicality, finishing with a +28 rebounding edge. The Mavs also took full advantage of their second chance opportunities, collecting 12.2 offensive rebounds per game in the series.
1. LACK OF CONSISTENT SCORING OPTIONS OUTSIDE SHAI
Last season, the Thunder’s bench ranked just 18th in points per game with 35.1, despite the whole team finishing fourth. Throughout the year, OKC often found itself among the league leaders in offensive rating, but those numbers dropped sharply whenever Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was off the floor. The Thunder have been overly reliant on SGA, who finished the season ranked first in the league in usage percentage at 32.2. That means he handled nearly a third of OKC’s total offensive possessions, making him the most ball-dominant player in the NBA. In fact, the Thunder have a very potent offense when SGA is on the court, putting up 88.8 points with 32 made field goals but this number dropped significantly to 38.2 points with only 14.3 made field goals when he goes to the bench.
In the playoffs, SGA and Jalen Williams combined for 50 of the team’s 114 points. Chet averaged 15, but no other player reached double digits in scoring. Holmgren had his share of big moments, topping 20 points six times, but he also had games where he barely made an impact offensively. This was especially evident in the Finals, where he averaged just 12.3 points across seven games and scored less than 10 points thrice. Meanwhile, Dort’s shooting was notably up-and-down. He knocked down a total of 48 three-pointers during the playoffs, but also shot under 30%, or even worse, in 11 different games.
