Thunder's Clutch Time Efficiency Ranks First in the NBA

Oklahoma City's closing lineups have been lethal this season, helping the team close out games.

Even when Oklahoma City is down big, it always feels like the team is a few shots away from being back in the game. The Thunder has led several large comeback efforts, and if it can just get within striking distance in the fourth quarter, it's always possible.

When clutch time hits, Oklahoma City has been one of the best teams in the NBA. Whether it's mounting comebacks or finishing off good teams down the stretch, this team is finding ways to get it done. Between Jalen Williams and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City has developed a terrifying closing-time duo that excels with the game on the line.

In the clutch, Oklahoma City ranks No. 1 in the NBA in both offensive rating and net rating. The Thunder's clutch time offensive rating is 132.4, leading the second-place Jazz at 127.7. The gap between No. 1 and No. 2 is wider than the gap between No. 2 and No. 5, demonstrating just how dominant Oklahoma City has been late in the fourth quarter. The Thunder's net rating in the clutch is a plus-25.1, which is 2.0 points better than Milwaukee at No. 2.

Part of the success is due to the Thunder's philosophy as a team. Playing fast and getting out in transition helps the Thunder score points in a hurry and dominate tired teams at the end of the games. The other part can be attributed to Oklahoma City's elite isolation scorers late in the fourth quarter, which is where Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams both thrive.

Williams leads the NBA in field goal percentage in the clutch, knocking down a red-hot 81.3%. Gilgeous-Alexander isn't far behind, knocking down 61.5% of his clutch time attempts which is good for No. 10. Chet Holmgren is also in the top-30 at 53.6%.

Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams draw so much attention that it also allows for open kick-outs and backdoor cuts, which has opened up the floor tremendously for the Thunder.

Obviously, those numbers are sky high and regression to the mean is certainly possible. But having a lethal clutch time attack has powered Oklahoma City to a 29-13 record and has allowed this team to assert itself as one of the best in the league.

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