3 Eye-Popping Stats For This OKC Thunder Season

The Oklahoma City Thunder have been dominant this season. There are three eye-popping stats for the Thunder's this season.

Dec 5, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) dribbles the ball against the Toronto Raptors during the second half at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images / John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Different verse, same as the first for the Oklahoma City Thunder. After becoming the No. 1 seed last season, the Thunder have rattled off 16 wins against just five losses, placing them back at the top of the Western Conference.

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 2024-25 debut. The Thunder saw Alex Caruso, Kenrich Williams, Isaiah Hartenstein and Isaiah Joe miss time to varying degrees in this young season.

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.

1) The OKC Thunder Have More Steals than Turnovers

It is no secret that the Thunder butter its bread on the defensive end. Owning the best defensive rating (121.6) in the NBA. However, the way they have suffocated opponents has truly been historic. The Thunder led thet NBA in steals (265) and rank third in blocks (159) 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 19.3 turnovers per game.

This gets even more impressive when you factor in the Thunder have only turned it over 249 times as a team against its 265 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.

2) The Thunder Have an All-Time Bad Free Throw Rate

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 19.5 freebies a game, but their free throw rate is among the lowest in NBA historiy - much less franchise history, dating back to Seattle as head coach Mark Daigneault quipped a few games ago.

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.

3) The Thunder are Still the Youngest Team in the NBA

The Oklahoma City Thunder are the new Jayson Tatum. 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. While I know many are tired of hearing about its inexperience and youth, the facts are the facts.

A season ago, the Thunder made league-history as the youngest team to ever clinch the No. 1 seed and win a playoff series - their first series win since 2016 and just second sweep in team history.

While it feels like the OKC Thunder are the NBA's Benjamin Button, it is still impressive for a young team to come together and win at this rate. Their youth has stepped up in a big way such as rookie Ajay Mitchell. Though, Sam Presti did make moves to age the roster, inking Isaiah Hartenstein to the largest free agent contract in club history and trading for Alex Caruso.

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