What Must the OKC Thunder do to Bounce Back After Its First Loss?

Seeing the first loss on a record can be demoralizing. What must OKC do to respond after seeing the first defeat go down?

Nov 6, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Members of the Oklahoma City Thunder bench react in the second half against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Frustratingly for the OKC Thunder, it dropped its first game of the season to the Denver Nuggets, falling 124-122. OKC led for nearly three quarters, but the veteran presence of center Nikola Jokic and point guard Russell Westbrook pushed them over the edge.

The defensive pressure from Denver as a whole, as they were making its run in the third quarter, is what made OKC scramble. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was making mistakes he normally would not make and as a whole, the Thunder seemed uncomfortable.

This is the first time OKC has appeared this way in the season. Denver had them in a spot they had not been in and after Denver made its run, OKC did not respond. Led by Jalen Williams, they kept the game close for the fourth quarter, but again, its usual level of comfortability was simply not there. OKC was not going to go the entire season without a loss and this was inevitable, but still, may rattle the team's confidence. It's now on the shoulders of the Thunder roster to bounce back after the first loss.

OKC's first step must be to remain confident. In an 82-game season, teams lose games. Seeing the Thunder lose, especially to a team as good as OKC, was no surprise. Still, riding high with no losses and dropping the first one can be damaging to a teams overall confidence. When OKC shows up in Houston for the following game, a win will be vital for maintaining that confidence.

The level of defensive intensity also must remain for the Thunder. They've statistically been one of the best defensive teams in the NBA to start the season, thanks to the on-ball energy and general hustle from OKC's group of guards. Alex Caruso, Lu Dort and Cason Wallace have set the tone for how hard the five on the floor need to play on the defensive side of the ball, which can not stop now that they've lost.

OKC has not been perfect offensively, shooting only 39.5% from three and 45.7% from the field. Those stats put them in the middle of the pack for both, leaving room for improvement in both areas. They have plenty of scorers from top-to-bottom on the roster, but have yet to find that high-level of intensity they need.

Arguably, losing to Denver might be a weight off the shoulders of OKC. Riding with an undefeated and winning streak to start the season could be stressfull and losing might take the pressure off of them to maintain it.

The next game against the Houston Rockets will be crucial in showing the ability to respond. If OKC can come out on top against the Rockets, its confidence will remain high and they will be back on its winning track.

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