Stiles Points: OKC Thunder Catching Fire From Beyond the Arc

The Oklahoma City Thunder are catching fire from Beyond the Arc and that is helping lift the team's offense.

Feb 7, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso (9) high fives guard Aaron Wiggins (21) after a play against the Toronto Raptors during the second quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

The Oklahoma City Thunder were the best 3-point shooting team in the NBA a year ago, by percentage. However, it came on low volume and was also partly a byproduct of the drive-and-kick gravity from superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

In the playoffs, as defensive intensity picked up, the stationary catch-and-shoot looks faded and the team's 3-point success tanked.

This season, the Oklahoma City Thunder set out on a mission to up the volume of 3-point looks while changing the caliber of 3-point hoists with more screens, DHOs and overall movement shooting.

From head coach Mark Daigneault on down to the players, everyone admitted it would likely result in a step back from its lofty 38.9 mark a year ago from downtown. That bared out this year, as the Thunder are shooting at a 36 percent clip this season, good enough for the 15th-best mark thanks to its recent success.

However, in the last five games, that number jumps to 38.9 percent from beyond the arc, which represents the seventh-best mark in the NBA during that span.

This is on the backs of players such as Alex Caruso and Isaiah Joe turning the tide of their early season struggles.

Caruso and Joe each started on blistering cold streaks, with the Arkansas product admitting he was uncomfortable in the new looks Oklahoma City was generating. Now, each of them are on a hot streak.

Against the New Orleans Pelicans, the Thunder shot 49 percent from deep with Caruso turning in a 4-for-7 effort to add to his three-game stint of shooting 53 percent from distance on five attempts per game. This brings his season mark to 32.1 percent, closing in on his career average of 37 percent from distance.

“In my mind, that’s the shooter I am...Thankfully my teammates trust me...I’ve been healthy and playing the guard position and not the 5.. that helps a little,” Caruso said with a laugh when asked about his current hot streak.

Joe is in the same boat, surging at the right time for Oklahoma City as he turned in 48 percent mark from 3-point land (58 attempts) and 46 percent from 3-point land (10 attempts) in the last two months. This boosts his overall percentage to 40.1 percent on the year.

Then, mix in Cason Wallace's 43 percent clip in January and Aaron Wiggins' 48 percent shooting from distance in six games this month and it is easy to see how Oklahoma City has turned around a poor shooting season.

The 3-point shot will be the X factor come playoff time and this trend must continue for the Thunder to reach its high expectations, but the recent trend is encouraging.

The beat down of the Bourbon Street Ballers was just the latest example of the Thunder hitting its stride from deep, tossing in a franchise-best 27 triples in its 137-101 win.

"We want to be a team that takes what the defense gives and tries to find the best shot. If the threes go down on that night like tonight, that's a luxury. If they don't, then we've got to find other ways to score," Head Coach Mark Daigneault said.

Stiles Points

• The Oklahoma City Thunder will send Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams to the All-Star game and see the duo face-off with each other in the first game of the new tournament bracket.
• Oklahoma City has seen Aaron Wiggins post a hot scoring streak, but is it sustainable?
• OKC flexed its depth in a lopsided win over New Orleans.
• Chet Holmgren will not play on the front end of a back-to-back against the Miami Heat due to rest.

Song of the Day: We Didn't Start the Fire by Billy Joel.

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