Can the Oklahoma City Thunder win 77 games this season?
Yahoo Sports NBA contributing writer Tom Haberstroh and senior NBA writer Dan Devine discuss how the Oklahoma City Thunder are on pace to win 77 games and explain why the team has seen so much success this season. Hear the full conversation on “The Big Number” and subscribe on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , YouTube or wherever you listen.
Video Transcript
I think we got to spend time on the 17 and 1 Oklahoma City Thunder squad that's doing This is without Jalen Williams.
And they're flying a bit under the radar.
Somehow at seventeen and one.
But Dan, I feel like the way they play Basketball: the selfless sport.
Team defense.
Dan, what is left to say about this Oklahoma City Thunder team that remains short-handed And doing this to teams on a routine basis?
I think let's not overlook the fact that we are watching history in real time.
Right?
Like, they are on a 77-win pace, and that's, I think we can safely say they're likely to lose more than five games this season of the season.
77 is an awfully lofty pace.
Nobody wins 95% of their games.
Their best guys are all doing better now.
Shay Gilges Alexander won MVP last season, Won Finals MVP last season.
He's better this year.
Like his shooting efficiency is up, the assists rate is up.
The turnover rate, which is already microscopic, is down while continuing to play excellently Defense.
Defense on the ball and in their scheme.
Their bugs are better.
Chet Holmgren's shooting efficiency is up.
Isaiah Hartstein, I think, is shooting like 70% on two-pointers.
They're both protecting the rim at an elite level.
AJ Mitchell, as if you were a second-round pick, last year.
You barely played for us, and now you're one of the most improved players in the league.
Like Sixth Man candidate, and the defense is better.
This sounds ridiculous.
According to Cleaning The Glass, Their numbers strip out garbage-time data.
The Thunder allow 103.1 points per 100 Possessions outside of garbage time.
That is 7.4 points per 100 fewer than number two, Detroit.
So the gap between 1st and 2nd, 7.4 points per 100, is the same as the gap between 2nd Detroit and number 20 Milwaukee.
They are nearly a league ahead of number two in defense Efficiency this season.
They haven't had the second-best player on their team all season, They are on pace for 77 wins.
You can say that pace is obviously Unsustainable, and it will come back to earth.
Either way, What we are watching has been historic dominance.
I'm grateful that every time I do it, turn it, I turn on that team and tune into one of their games; I'm kind of aware that I'm getting to See something awfully special.
