Explaining OKC Thunder Double Big Lineup Diet

The Oklahoma City Thunder know what they have with its single big lineups and no big lineups, but they still must learn what it looks like to have Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein share the floor together, even if it costs them in the regular season.

Feb 7, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein (55) high fives forward Chet Holmgren (7) during introductions before the start of a game against the Toronto Raptors during the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Being uncomfortable is sometimes a good thing, it often breeds to success. The Oklahoma City Thunder are spending the home stretch of the regular season getting uncomfortable and for good reason.

As Mark Daigneault rolling out a starting lineup that features two centers for the first time in his Thunder tenure, Oklahoma City has experienced clunky basketball at times with Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein sharing the floor.

While the offense has began to find success when it comes to spacing and generating clean looks with both on the floor, the defensive end remains a far cry from the identity that has made the Thunder a historically great unit on that end of the floor.

Though, it is all by design. A short-term step back, which they have navigated through, for a long-term gain to push the Thunder closer to its Championship goals.

"We are obviously not a finished product. We are still working through it. The double bigs specifically is in the infant stages. In terms of, the guys understand how that impacts and feels on the floor. Understanding in terms of our understanding of what we need to work on, what we need to emphasize and what the trade offs are. We are just not far along with that at all. We have to continue to invest in that and see what the returns tell us," Mark Daigneault said pregame on Monday "It is something that is a weapon, but we have other weapons. We know what Chet [Holmgren] at the five and what that can do with us on both ends. We know [Isaiah] Hartenstein without another big out there what that does, we know what small does for us...We are just going to continue to rotate through that stuff and invest in all that stuff, because we want to have the full menu available as we come out of the regular season."

On Wednesday against Brooklyn, the Thunder got off to a slow start. Oklahoma City dug an 18-point hole, in large part due to its defense, which was a step slow, not as athletic or switchable as it has been for the bulk of the season and at a disadvantage due to having a pair of seven-footers share the floor.

The game flipped when the Thunder went back to its bread and butter, single big lineups that were highlighted by a brilliant fourth quarter by Holmgren, posting nine points, eight rebounds, an assist and a block while being a +17 in the period.

Oklahoma City can always turn to old reliable. The Thunder understands better than anyone how good they are with just one big man on the floor. The trade-off, though, of leaning on that comfortable crutch doesn't get the team any closer in its chase of a championship. That is why the Bricktown ballers must stick with the loaded frontcourt lineups during the regular season marathon despite not creating a matchup advantage at times.

"Irrelevant right now, to be honest with you. Maybe in the second half of games [matchups become important]. ... those two guys are two of our best players. Part of my job is to get our best players on court. We're in the early stages of understanding that. Has it been perfect? No. Maybe some of the personnel we're facing has challenged it, but I think that's good for us. ... it would be irresponsible of us to not know everything there is to know about every part of our team, and [double bigs] is part of our team that we don't know a lot about and We have to get better at...we need to work on it, we need to understand it," Daigneault said following the Thunder's comeback win over the Nets.

So, expect the OKC Thunder to still trot out its double big duo, at least in the regular season. However, in the playoffs, it should - and likely will - be used as a slider rather than a fastball in Daigneault's lineup arsenal.

---

Want to join the discussion? Like Thunder on SI on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Thunder news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.