Is this the perfect modern defense?

[@taptiotrevizo9415]

The only way to describe this defense as it currently is basically "they are literally faster than the basketball".

[@Djsvlogs23]

And they always said that the basketball is faster than the player😭

[@nicolmanninc3578]

​@@Djsvlogs23turns out you just need 4+ athletic lengthy and high defensive IQ wings to be faster than the ball ig😂

[@maartenvz]

I like to call this type of defence wolfpack as it feels they are collectively hunting the ballhandler/ball.

[@mrlee9213]

@@Djsvlogs23the ball s always faster than the man

[@husneiniqbal228]

7"2 wingspan for a 6´6 dude is insane. 6´11 for shai is insane too

[@geordiejones5618]

If they can keep this core they'll be a defensive nightmare for the rest of the decade. Team defense is king and I've wanted to see a defensive multi year contender.

[@draspen]

Height is overrated when you're ignoring their wingspan.

[@Ans3ra]

​@geordiejones5618 The league's rules won't allow for it, without multiple players taking a sizeable pay cut or ownership paying A LOT. They're just too good, too young.

[@dakari2027]

Donovan Mitchell got like a 6’10” wingspan at 6’1” lmao. Im jealous tbh

[@draspen]

Correction: JDub is 6"4½, with 7"2 wingspan which is the 3rd longest length in history if you factor their height and wingspan. Only 2 guys have longer length than him, Horton-tucker is 6"2½ with a 7"1 wingspan and Mo Bamba 6"11 with 7"10 wingspan

[@taptiotrevizo9415]

This offseason deserves a defensive legends series if the Thunder win the NBA championship.

[@matthias-christianbender1178]

Maybe yes. But not against Dallas.

[@cwj_721]

@@matthias-christianbender1178 same with denver and minnesota. For some reason these two pairs have become an incredible mismatch

[@tiltmaster69]

@@cwj_721 Mavs Lakers and Celtics is scissors paper rock Mavs > LA > Celtics > Mavs

[@geordiejones5618]

Lakers giving up Caruso was such a crazy mistake. His energy is infectious. The obvious downside to this playstyle is that they're gonna be exhausted if they make it to May. Season is a marathon and the playoffs are a sprint. If you've given it everything and more for 82 games it's hard to line up for the gun and go. If they win it all they're maybe the greatest defense ever, but I think the extra effort has been partially to make up for not having Chet. Same thing happened with the young 2018 Celtics. They'll run into a team more fresh/healthy and who wants it just as much.

[@rjcarless]

Maybe, but that's the benefit of playing so many young guys. Caruso and Kenrich Williams are the old guys at 30 and they are both bench guys. The rest of the rotation are all guys in their mid/early twenties, and it's a pretty deep roster, too, even without the injured guys coming back.

[@logankandel846]

I think they're deep enough and young enough to overcome any extra fatigue they might have compared to other playoff teams. Plus, Chet coming back is gonna make everyone on that roster's job a lot easier

[@chrisdawson9892]

The thunder should have the number 1 seed locked up a few weeks before the season ends, they have the 4th youngest roster by weighted age. Plenty of time to rest some tired legs and get healthy before the playoffs. Meanwhile, the rest of the Western conference is a bloodbath, teams are going to exhaust themselves just trying to stay out of the play-in.

[@Slapshot544]

Yup as a Laker fan that shit still makes me mad till this day. Hes exactly the kind of guard we need right now

[@charlesfranczyk3458]

​@Slapshot544 I'm a certified lakers hater, and that shit made me mad for yall. FO wiped so much good young talent off that team for no reason.

[@anirudh_s17]

This is why I think anyone who says "They don't play defense in the NBA anymore" haven't watched the Thunder

[@dearmas9068]

Those people haven't been watching ball at all

[@lamarpalmer25]

To be good at defense in this age required genetics freaks at every position It’s that hard.

[@zstrikerlol]

What they mean is they dont assult anybody who enters the paint anymore lol

[@conduitofthegospeldarrellb9154]

They do not play consistent defense in the NBA. You’re a kid.

[@lamarpalmer25]

@ oh cant with the talent they have unless your a freak yourself like the Thompson twins

[@nathanharrell7485]

It's been in the back of my mind since the Thunder added Caruso and iHart during the offseason; where will this rank among ALL-TIME defenses... Leave it to the brilliant basketball brain of Ben Taylor and staff to put the numbers and film together and I don't remember the last time I got so hype for a video! And I just wanna say, shout out Thunder coach Mark D! Took over the team in 2020, guided this same team through TWO sub 30-win seasons, and they came out on the other side of the tank looking like dang world beaters. One of the core reasons this team is where it is now, is because even through the lean years when Theo Maledon and Darius Bazely were getting 25 minutes a night, if you wanted to get on an nba floor and play nba minutes under nba coach Mark Daignauelt, you played defense. You gave effort and you were attentive, or you were on the bench and some other g-leaguer was replacing you. Now look at the fruits that it is bearing!! Culture - its harped about in sports like almost nothing else is, but I tell ya, in OKC, culture is king. And they have a culture of playing hard and playing smart. and to my eyes, that starts with the coach, and luckily for fans of this organization, that culture of excellence also seems to seep through to the front office as well. What a year OKC is having right now man, and what a future they're set up for.

[@EHeroClayman]

One thing I noticed about the Thunder's defense is how the ball logically goes to the person who the Thunder wants it to go towards. The hyperactive energy OKC has will put some teams with lesser actions in knots. I'm curious to see in a 7 game series some of the counters some coaches could attempt.

[@joeschmoe2011]

An old saying in basketball: speed equals verticality. OKC can be so aggressive because they have the ability to recover. One reason there are so many teams with deflections is they are able to predict the first thing an offensive player does on the perimeter every time they catch a ball and land. Pretty much every right handed NBA player catches and lands with a left foot pivot. The prevalence of this has been very high for a few years. That helps the defense more than people realize. The pivot game is the next big change for the NBA as that opens up a lot more offensive possibilities.

[@lordtraxx4217]

Yeah after watching this I’ve gained tremendous respect for coach Mark Daignault! What a MONSTER defense he has developed in OKCZ

[@tbsbloodheist8986]

I hope they win it all this year. I have huge respect to a team focusing on defense in this era where offense is given more advantage.

[@seanduckman]

Having their superstar offensive players completely bought in to working hard on the defensive end makes such a big difference. There's not a single person they put on the floor who isn't an aggressive and engaged defender.

[@David-iv6je]

THIS. Of course Shai is young, but top to bottom buy in for great D will give you a successful season plus position you optimally to contend no matter what. Even teams without an MVP candidate or other offensive superstars can have good seasons if everyone is willing to work hard on D.

[@tlxxlt4745]

⁠ DEFENSE is evolving with offense. The “soft” and no defense narratives are horrible. For every defense, there’s a counter on offense. The offense decides what the defense has to do, and shooting an open 3 and driving when your closed out on is good basketball. In the bad old days, it was just isolation and post ups in a clogged paint. Players today are much more skilled and smarter. Spread pick and roll is basically unstoppable when you have a 5 that can shoot. Combine that with the positional size you have nowadays (6’9, 6’10 wings, 6’5, 6’6 PGs) and you have an NBA that is much more advanced. Defense is still good, but the offense is better right now. However, defensive guys are still great. Switching, recovering, pick and roll D. Guys like Dyson Daniels are elite defenders. Mfs keep saying bring defense back, it’s still here. The intensity when you watch the full game is a lot different than a cherry-picked clip. The greats be hating sometimes. Go watch an NBA game in person and compare that to what the internet says. Everyone on the floor can pass, dribble, and shoot. SMH. Defense is still being played.

[@21Kolb]

I like the way modern defense works. You have to work extra hard to guard some of these players. There are a lot of actions going on at once. So, when i see a team like OKC being great defending with a supposed "height disadvantage" it's wonderful to see.

[@cracknigr6065]

thank you. Exactly my thoughts whenever I talk about it with friends. One thing though: Rule changes have made it much harder to play good defense compared to 2 or 3 decades ago. Less body contact allowed in general.

[@primetimesports7901]

Weak talking points have ruined basketball discourse

[@mrrvo]

Well said, like we want to go back to a time when not as many players on a roster were skilled? Like I don’t want to watch people with horrible efficiency or they try to back down for 20 seconds

[@baxoutthebox5682]

@@primetimesports7901 all online discourse*

[@jacobcrofford3801]

This team is so insanely cracked. It’s at the point that I’m sad Chet will be taking Cason’s minutes. But Chet just makes the offense and defense even scarier. Playoffs gonna be insane.

[@tobiadebiyi7490]

Insane that they could potentially have 4 players on the All Defense team, even without Chet

[@luboya48]

They already have 3 players in the top 5 of steals category. It’s insane & scary.

[@nolanrussell6326]

You could make a legitimate argument for Caruso, Dort, Hartenstein, Chet, Wallace, JDub, and SGA. Obviously they'd never have all those guys on it with so many other worthy candidates in the league but still insane that they have 7 guys that at least deserve consideration

[@verward]

What I'm wondering is who you should pick. I'm gonna rule out Caruso for availability and minutes played, I don't think you could seriously considerd Hartenstein. Then there is still 4 guys left. I really don't know where to place J-dub, his defensive ceiling is kawhi/draymond level, but he is still can improve a lot. IMO Cason Wallace is great, but less productive than SGA, they're at a similar level, but SGA is playing more minutes, so he does more. So to me the answer is Dort and SGA should make it.

[@tobiadebiyi7490]

@@nolanrussell6326my pick is JDub and Dort for the 1st team and SGA and Wallace for the 2nd

[@tobiadebiyi7490]

@@verwardJalen Williams was guarding the 5 when Chet got injured before Hartenstein made his debut. Dub has to be at least 1st or 2nd team - cause to me he’s their most versatile (sneakily the best) defender, only one that can guard 1-5

[@ny3793]

Craziest part is Chet wasn’t even mentioned in this video and he’s a top 4 defender in the nba.

[@Jabbersac]

well, he's injured so he only played in 10 games so far this season. That means that he only played a minor role in this defensive success. Also, Chet gets mentioned at 9:49

[@bmk2561]

yeah all they need is a rim protector who wont be a liability in the "speed" defense system. crazy part is they got chet already. without chet teams like mavericks could capitalize on this weakness. with chet i dont see any team beating them

[@fringe_minority]

​@@bmk2561Mavericks literally capitalized last season 😂 same teams, Mavericks even got more firepower now.

[@israeldavila5073]

​@@fringe_minoritythe only thing they had was size if chet stays heathy OKC clears them

[@bmk2561]

@ so does the thunder. their backup guards could literally be the best defender on another team it would be hell for the mavs backcourt. i always have the utmost respect for pj washington and gafford for stepping up everytime both teams play but they wont be able to pick on jaylin williams anymore lol

[@DavidJimenez-he1tv]

Not related to this video but its very interesting how Kobe's finals losses came against two of the best defenses of all time. 0:26

[@CadChamberlain]

Ironically, this type of defense becoming the norm is exactly what will bring back the dominant post players. Teams went with size on defense in the 80s to stop the low block. Now there are more opportunities for a mid-range shot creator to attack size mismatches as speed is less of a priority at that range.

[@beauandmarion2630]

I don’t think this defense is easily recreated, and I don’t think there’s an answer to it beyond just hoping and praying you shoot 50% from three. Jokic is the best post up player in the league by a wide margin, and he really struggles with this defense- Chet Holmgren in particular. He has to rush his shots due to the active hands and speed, and can’t really carve out the space he normally gets.

[@CadChamberlain]

I cant wait for the Lu Dort biopic in 15 years. From complete unknown to exploding onto the scene by having an all time heavyweight bout with James Harden as a rookie into a premier 3 and D player.

[@MerkhVision]

Don't forget when he punched Daniel Gafford in the nuts last week smh. At least he got a flagrant 2 and got ejected for it lol.

[@sebastiancook9790]

when the playoff officiating allows a dialing up of bruising physicaliity and the game generally slows down, I'd be fascinated to see how this lot can deal with teams who can emphasise vertical spacing (especially the lakers, mavs, denver)

[@mohamed6226]

Chet and iHart helps considerably. Yes there isn't a soul on this Earth ever who could stop Jokic from getting what he wants offensively, but they'll collapse in on him with several players which is the best way to guard him with the double bigs (iHart on him with Chet roaming)

[@cd6xc]

I would be more concerned about the glass. In the end, that's what killed them in the Mavs series. If the game slows down and teams protect the ball better, those extra possessions given up can be crucial. iHart will be crucial for them if it comes to a grinding, ugly series against Memphis, Dallas or Denver.

[@waynesulak1488]

The selective Dallas clips shown are fun but Dallas won 3 of 4 this year vs OKC with two games scoring over 120. OKC most likely does not want to see Dallas in the playoffs

[@ashleydenneman7111]

In all 3 of those loses. OKC played without a centre. The one game they had Ihart they won, sure Dallas match up well but I don't think it's as scary as what people think when compared to last year ​@waynesulak1488

[@aricrudd6579]

@@waynesulak1488Didn’t the Suns sweep the Timberwolves in the regular season before getting swept BY them in the playoffs last year?

[@jermh]

That travel by Any right in front of the ref at 6:00 is insane.

[@jacobmartin5745]

You missed the most important reason for the Thunder's success. The savior of basketball himself, Aaron Wiggins

[@willc3155]

Why are so many of the deflection leaders from 2025? (5:29) Are they recording it differently this year? Feels too late in the season to wave it off as small sample size

[@geechiedan68]

Yeah I was thinking the same thing...7 out of the top 10 are from this year

[@toteispoe4]

Passing around for the three ball means more opportunities for deflections.

[@ty15533]

That ignore on rudy gobert was lowkey funny af

[@lilbozo5459]

I saw that and I was wondering why Lu was running to the paint, then saw who was open on the perimeter

[@kevindevlieger300]

I believe it's this same defence stimulates SGA's offence in training. He's used to these tough defenders which makes it easier ingame against weaker defenders.

[@josec.5517]

Sort of making practice harder than an actual game lol for SGA

[@beauandmarion2630]

There was an interview in training camp where J-Dub said he didn’t envy Shai for scrimmaging against the team with Dort, Wallace, and Caruso all on it. Just imagine trying to navigate a ball screen with those three on you.

[@kevindevlieger300]

@beauandmarion2630 it's a young core that keeps improving eachother. Better defence creates better offence and vice versa. They all benefit from it, not only Shai. The sky is the limit for this team. And Chet still has to return from injury.

[@beauandmarion2630]

@@kevindevlieger300 An underrated part of this whole thing is just the culture. Every player on the roster, from SGA to Branden Carlson buys into the culture and puts ego aside. There’s no better example than Cason Wallace. Cason Wallace was the #10 pick and was a top five player in his high school class, and yet he’s fully bought into his role as a 3&D guy, and takes pride in it. That’s so damn rare.

[@kevindevlieger300]

@@beauandmarion2630 I think its all about trust. They are very aware of what each of them is capable of based of their training. And when they play they only care about winning. There's no place for ego.

[@Deondre_Clark]

I don't understand why everyone isn't talking about this team. They play defense. They pass. They (SGA) take a lot of mid range shots. They clearly love playing together. They're so fun to watch

[@gabrielsigler30]

A couple of years ago you made a video on the Rockets "Microball" defense. This is really similar, although OKC got an even better personnel than those Rockets ever had in that time. Great video as always, Ben!

[@gizmo111]

On the "Opponent turnover percentages" stat, there are two teams, Chicago and OKC, the common denominator between both of those teams is Alex Caruso.

[@JakeJohanson12]

Great Video, side note though... How is this not called for a travel? LOL 5:57

[@waynesulak1488]

It is new face of the league - ANT therefore no travel. Refs don't really favor teams but they do favor/disfavor players and for the fans there is not much difference in those two things.

[@urtypus]

Thx for creating & sharing this !

[@dominicklee6280]

This is what golden state wishes to be.

[@deathitself6985]

GSW has nothing to prove unlike okc

[@freddywhite]

A truly claustrophobic watch... What an incredible team they've assembled.

[@alexsmith6322]

I absolutely love how insanely complex yet intuitively simple Basketball is. Want to be a good defense? Do XYZ etc., etc. or, just keep people out of the paint!

[@godwynobriendrums]

The thing that makes this team so good defensively is their team work. They cover so well for each other, this allows them to be aggressive on defense and play passing lanes, "gamble" for steals etc. because they know if they get beat there will be help. Such a fun team to watch!!

[@Whois0916]

people see all the goofy post game interviews and don’t understand how dangerous this team really is and is gonna be for the foreseeable future

[@Sui432]

Subtle backcourt 3:12

[@rumplelitskin]

And the ref was right there to see it

[@cd6xc]

It's crazy to say this, but their synchrony and movement, toggling between man and space, looks like a football (soccer, for americans) zone. They press like Liverpool and protect the box like Atletico. It's so impressive.

[@taptiotrevizo9415]

This defense if like Bill Russel split his soul into five players across the courct to prevent any defensive weaknesses.

[@JohnDoe-sl8ip]

The "best defense in NBA history" based on the difference in defensive rating from NBA average is a bit disingenuous: you should also determine the proportion of scoring potential that difference accounts for based on league-average points per 100 possessions to be more accurate. For example, -8.8 points in 2004 (Spurs defensive rating relative to league) accounts for ~8.6% of league-average points per 100 possessions, whereas -9.0 points in 2025 (Thunder defensive rating relative to league) accounts for ~7.9%. Still really good, but not the best.

[@anthonyshoop575]

It’s just good fundamental defense on and off the ball. They aren’t really reinventing the wheel. It’s clear they bought in to defense being a priority. What’s sad is that this is so rare in today’s nba.

[@augustosarmentodeoliveira3023]

best defense in the history of the NBA in the pace and space era without their best rim protector. that's it.

[@ThanosDidTheRightThing]

But Paul Pierce would average 40 on this team

[@augustosarmentodeoliveira3023]

@@ThanosDidTheRightThing tf that has to do with anything. he wasn't playing tennis

[@ThanosDidTheRightThing]

@@augustosarmentodeoliveira3023 I’m in a trolling mood

[@raquechscott]

Wake up babe, Thinking Basketball just dropped.

[@21Kolb]

i am in the train that says, "the old days were better" but I don't think we have seen a team like OKC defend the way they do. They have lineups that don't exceed over 6'6 and they are guarding the paint area with precision. Obviously guys with brute strength will get theirs but they use their hands very well.

[@DannyPhantom-17]

Regardless of whether the Thunder win a championship this year. They are steadily paving the way for them be a major dynasty. Either way this team will change the way the NBA is played.

[@ShareefusMaximus]

The 2004 Pistons helped off of the ballside corner. A modern offense would FEAST on those shots.

[@shikataganai824]

Nice breakdown, no mention how they're doing all this excellent unselfish team D out of a 2-3... with no defensive 3 seconds they'd probably be putting up crazier defensive stat lines.

[@thehaze17]

I was screaming at this Boston home game, was really awesome to watch

[@nomcred]

this defense would have been a nightmare against the championship warriors

[@chunky9791]

4:25 Hartenstein has them all beat I mean using your chin to your wingspan

[@ryanandrewbaker]

Insane roster, and they STILL have crazy draft pick capital in the bank. That roster is why I think Shai can't hold a candle to Joker in the MVP race though. They are not playing with the same cards even remotely.

[@deathitself6985]

Sadly thats not how MVP works team success plays a part and Shai is averaging MVP numbers that translate to wins. Alot of other things also come to play when you win multiple MVPs. As much as people say its a regular season award and that Jokic is clearly the best player in the world Others before Jokic were clearly the best player in the league dominating for more seasons than they have MVPs to show for. Luka averaged 34/9/9 but didn't even come anywhere near winning because his team was 5th seed despite having 50wins.

[@charliebrackenbury6115]

In fairness though the thunder might be unbeatable defensively but without Shai their offence is pretty bad, he really is carrying them on that side of the ball

[@bdeezy1794]

Lou Dort man, a guy every team in the league would want. One more thing that makes him such a great stopper is because he is very strong to go along with his length and reach. He doesn't mind getting bumped and mixing it up, strong upper body, and very strong hands. The Ultimate 3 & D guy. Look at his stats this year. 145-350 41.4% overall 99-239 41.4% 3 point Hes shooting the same percentage from 3 as his overall and look how many of his attempts are from 3.

[@tlxxlt4745]

And they say defense isn’t being played.

[@cwestrephx]

The question I'm left with after watching this is how much of this just boils down to the fact that length should've always been the thing we were looking at for basketball players, not height? Sure, the Thunder may be playing small ball in terms of their height, but with so many of their players being so long, how far behind the average lineup are they in terms of wingspan?

[@javigar133]

They are like a pack of wolves! LOVE it

[@zacharyboissinot7210]

In hockey it's called a defensive hybrid system, which mean mixing men to men and zone defense, but each player apply it. Also most of the last NHL champions team played that's system, feels like it's working great for okc

[@BigDaddyJay33]

They are all always on a string. So well connected and well coached. I can’t wait for Chet to get back. Future dynasty ‼️

[@MarcusSmith-g1l]

It's so nice to see Caruso and Dort getting so much limelight for defending.

[@ragzy02]

Being 43 y/o, I saw so many all time great defensive teams such as the 88 & 04 Pistons, the 96-98 Bulls, the 05 Spurs, 93-94 Knicks, etc. but when watching games from those eras, it is IMMEDIATELY noticeable how much EASIER it was to defend. Offenses were completely ignorant to the value of the 3PT shot (e.g. Chauncey Billups, career 38.7%, attempted 4 threes per game) but teams just clogged the lane without concern for shooters. A great example is the 05 NBA Finals where the Spurs, considered an all time elite defensive team, left Chauncey & Tayshaun wide open off-ball, one pass away, for the entire game! The “defense” in prior eras involved sagging off your player, even when on-ball, 3 to 5 feet back with no concern whatsoever for the 3PT shot. So we never actually saw any of the great defensive teams of past eras put to the test or be forced to play the type of defense required to be a top team now. I don’t understand why it’s so hard for people to just admit how much more difficult it is for defenses today when they have to defend an opponent shooting 39% 3PT% as a TEAM (Cavs) who is spreading the floor with multiple shooters & attempting 41 3PT shots per game while ALSO averaging 50 points IN THE PAINT per game. It’s really basic physics when it comes down to it because you just can’t have a Charles Oakley or Anthony Mason out on the floor now because they can’t shoot and most of all, they don’t have the foot speed to defend the perimeter or lateral quickness for on-ball defense. “Small ball” has defeated the age-old myth that size reigns supreme. Teams aren’t just lazily being “copy cats” of the 2014-15 Warriors. Instead, teams are being FORCED to adapt because if you want to WIN, you HAVE to play this way so we’re seeing every team embrace this philosophy because it is, simply put, BETTER.

[@JamanWashington]

Don’t want to hear again guys in this league don’t play defense at all. There are great defensive teams in this era and great individuals as well. It’s harder to anticipate in this era because you can’t hand check which causes no lateral movement. You actually have to use to use skill of movement instead of being 100 percent physical.

[@wymanlin1510]

I fucking choked when I saw BIG ASS "Ignore" on Gobert's head lmfaoooo

[@hn-ca24]

I love defensive videos! Ty Ben.

[@yunan9610]

The counter I could think of, would actually be how they play back in the 2000s, big centers like shaq to overpower with size, tough shot makers like Allen Iverson and Kobe. And even then it'd be pretty hard to score on them

[@DensDaPens]

The 2025 Thunder are the perfect defense for today's offense. You put a 90s-2000s good team against them, and they'd be BBQ Chicken though. A team with an elite big will chew them up I think. Think Shaq, Hakeem, or Tim Duncan. That same 90s team will struggle defensively against them too though.

[@mohamed6226]

We've not seen them play the double bigs yet. Obviously no one can guard those guys 1 on 1 but they'd do the best possible to make them suffer offensively. I don't understand how oldheads say offense is piss easier now cus defense apparently isn't allowed yet downplay OKC's defense in the same vain?

[@lamarpalmer25]

If those 90s-2000s team can’t shoot it doesn’t matter lmao We’ve watched dominate bigs get doubled and kick it out to people who can’t shoot and lose Mind you, the others on those old teams aren’t nearly as good as the others in modern teams

[@jonjuko8859]

They give up the fewest paint points in the league. It’s a nightmare to get the ball at the rim against them

[@CoryWillis]

Not to mention they have a 7'1 agile, top tier shot blocker itching to get back on the court.

[@ruloez5587]

Fans will see this and still say there's no defence in the NBA in the modern day 😭😭

[@MeannMugginn]

the defense is absolutely elite but it's the rebounding that will be the achilles heel of this team if they don't get their centers back

[@artLopez24]

Yet casual fans say the modern nba dosen’t play defense…this is the hardest era to guard due to all the spacing but the Thunder do it extremely well

[@ThanosDidTheRightThing]

But Paul Pierce would average 40 on that defense

[@TheTEN24]

Having 5 of the top 16 defenders in the league is insane. The thunder are a problem this season.

[@brandonbeglin2379]

Kenrich Williams baby

[@boringbone]

toronto tried to do a similar thing, but they focused more on strength and length than speed and length. You can even see them 9th and 10th in the all time deflections graphic in the video lol

[@TolbertOwusu-w5v]

Great detailed analysis on the thunder defense . Thinking basketball is the goat 🐐

[@migueldiazcuervo8669]

....and then they have iHart and Chet 💀

[@maxlin7208]

Two Canadians on the team. I consider the Thunder a second Raptor team lol. Go Thunder go!

[@lawbinson]

OKC vs. Houston will be so fun

[@dr.wongburger2947]

I would like to see a similar video on the Rockets defense, they are historically good as well this season.

[@bestsnowboarderuknow]

I bet their defensive coach (do NBA teams have those?) will be a head coach soon

[@beauandmarion2630]

Sort of. His name is Dave Bliss and I’d be shocked if he’s not interviewing for jobs this off-season.

[@juwaneverett3456]

Idk why but I’m just picturing Julius Randle on OKC and completely dismantling everything they got going lol

[@victorminkov5183]

This is probably the shift where teams go. Only having 1 “big” purely for defense any maybe some shooting with long range defenders.

[@gioforeal]

You brought the 🔥 today, Steve.

[@noconsent]

Hard to play basketball at this level too. You need all five guys working in sync, or else this starts falling apart fast.

[@pesky19]

the dorture chamber!

[@beauandmarion2630]

I really think Denver is the only team that poses a threat to a healthy OKC, and that’s if they can sustain efficient shooting from three ON VOLUME. They would need Christian Braun or Aaron Gordon to have a PJ Washington level of series for it to go past five. People will say Dallas since they won the season series 3-1, but OKC had more impactful injuries than Dallas did, even with Luka out.

[@deathitself6985]

Bruh Dallas literally had g league dudes in the starting lineup and rotation hell one of the Morris brothers playing last time they had 3/5 starters out I get that they were at a big disadvantage on the boards but OKC has had alot of success despite their injuries Lets see what happens they have a great but to me thats kind of a wild take. They will have major issues with a healthy Mavs team if they matchup and i would not be shocked if they get eliminated in easier fashion

[@beauandmarion2630]

@ OKC is incredibly banged up, too. Braden Carlson plays real minutes for them.

[@crablord7934]

Just imagining if this defense had a Thompson twin

[@leanhngo2944]

Might be best defense ever for the next 10-15 years. A Thompson can solve their rebounding issue without sacrificing the speed and length strengths of their 5-guard lineup

[@thelastbonarek]

They'd have to give up *a lot* to get one. Pistons & Rockets know what they have

[@t4d0W]

Which is why Presti ended up with the roster of young wings he has now. Pistons and Rockets can have one of the twins but OKC should just rename their team to Wingstop. OKC is like 8~10 deep down the roster is a wing who can play 1~5 and still be positionally sound. Hell even bad teams can't afford 2-3 defensive wings let alone filling their whole roster with them.

[@emmanuelc316]

I really can't wait to see how the def looks when Chet and I.Hart r both healthy

[@CarJaco]

Jay W and Dort just don't get enough credit!! As a Chicago-land native, I have to watch other city's team for good basketball...... This Thunder team is one of my favorite teams to watch ever!!

[@jac6548]

speed over size is the new meta? excellent. now is my time to shine

[@VVooshbait]

❤️‍🩹

[@jakefeingold1126]

For the first chart, i feel like the relative defensive rating should be normalized to the scoring avg of the season, but could see a case for either.

[@mattnoonan6519]

Isaiah Joe is sneaky good on defense. I really believe he’s one of the most underrated players in the league.

[@DeanBecker-i3c]

Would love to see a video about the Clippers' defense as well -- they have been studs this year

[@xavier-u9l]

This is the defensive answer to lack of post players

[@beauandmarion2630]

Yep, the same way that the two high safety look in the NFL countered the air raid. Jokic is the only one who can push this defense in a series I feel like, but you can’t feel good about your season being dependent on Christian Braun having to shoot 40% from three.

[@cuncunz14]

as long as we still need to dribble, at some point the ball will come down and short player can have great defensive impact

[@therocklau]

If this is the perfect offense model, then basketball is dead.

[@SelfmadeSaluteMe]

Love this channel man.....

[@FencingGold]

This is pretty incredible given that they don't even have Chet this season. They're missing his length and shot blocking but are wrecking teams anyway.

[@FencingGold]

I agree. they're also out THINKING basketball. They're a step ahead. I've never seen a team recover the way they do. They arrive to contest the shot as it hits the players hands so there is no advantage

[@deliberatingtruth]

Impressive analysis, and OKC seems to be doing a lot with a little line up. But I wonder how much of these stats are due to surveillance or detection bias? For example, ranked list at 5:20 lists the 2020 Bulls above OKC and the ranked list at 5:30 lists a whole lot of 2025 teams...

[@yoofij4724]

"No OnE pLaYs DeFeNsE aNyMoRe."

[@jmt3116]

Dort is so demonic dude.

[@nilllx]

mark daigneault is one of the greatest defensive coaches ive ever seen

[@schoolworklinkswrussell7195]

Scary defense to see your team match up against. At least they don’t have a defensively elite stretch-5 coming back from injury soon!

[@florianpoulin7108]

Quite interesting video ! Thanks to help enlighting elements that could define the Thunder's identity this year. But something comes to my mind, if their small ball defensive strategy is a key to play against stretching teams, could this also be canceled by overloading the paint with big mens, and then leads back to early hours of the NBA ?

[@brendonwallace6640]

Aye bro this is the meta uff OKC Boston and Denver we're already doing this one guard 3 wings one big