Could the OKC Thunder Defense be Amongst the NBA's Best?
Even with its youth, the Oklahoma City Thunder could potentially be one of the NBA's top defenses this season.
Coming off a 2022-23 campaign as the 13th best defense in the league – with a defensive rating of 113.2 –the Thunder should continue to build on that side of the game with the incoming rookie Chet Holmgren.
According to CBS, the Thunder are the sixth highest ranking defense coming into the season, ahead of the likes of the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers.
Since the departure of Steven Adams, Oklahoma City had gotten little success in finding a replacement franchise player at the center position until the 2022 NBA Draft.
The Thunder drafted Holmgren with the No. 2 pick in the draft, an exciting center prospect who impressed on both the defense and offense at Gonzaga. Injury struck before Holmgren could suit up for a game last season, but the rookie is ready to make a huge impact on the organization this season.
Holmgren demonstrated his remarkable shot-blocking ability during the preseason, including a three block performance against the Detroit Pistons. With his 7-foot-6 wingspan, the rookie can matchup against any player and use his frame to get a quality contest on their jumper or deny it altogether.
Holmgren's presence on the defensive end will make a large difference to an already above average defense, increasing the strength of Oklahoma City's interior defense.
The Thunder's strongest suit on defense is its ability to create turnovers, which it led the NBA last season with. With perimeter defenders such as Lu Dort and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City has the ability to be a very switchable team. Multiple defenders can handle the opposing offense's best scorers, giving it different options and defensive styles to throw at star players.
Fellow incoming rookie Cason Wallace has also made his defensive game known, who has the similar energy of Dort in regards to his hustle and intensity on that end. Wallace puts high pressure on his matchup, creating easy steals for himself.
If Oklahoma City can improve and further develop on defense, the possibility of being one of the NBA's elite defenses is high. The Thunder will need to improve on its defensive rebounding, as they finished at No. 28 last season. Holmgren should help with this issue, but it is an area that the Thunder should keep an eye on throughout the season.
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