The Thunder just got done playing the most games it ever has before December 1st. That total of 20 games in 36 nights, represents nearly a quarter of its season schedule in about a month’s time. It’s no shock that the team is now relishing a stretch of just two games in eight days, which started on Thursday with a day off and then a practice on Friday.
“Today was a very productive day,” Head Coach Billy Donovan said. “We had a chance to talk about defense and different situations that have been challenges for us and that we need to clean up. Guys came in here and did a good job and were focused. We got a lot of good work in.”
“It’s been good for us to get our feet under us and get some of these wounds and bumps and bruises healed and just to continue to have that mindset of being better and getting better,” guard Victor Oladipo echoed. “That mindset that we still have a lot of room to improve and never being satisfied.”
Thunder Talk: Victor Oladipo
The chief focus of the Thunder’s practice was the defensive end of the floor. Early in the season the team’s defensive numbers were strong, but Donovan and company are hoping to address the distribution of shots that the Thunder’s opponents are getting. Right now, the Thunder ranks in the middle of the pack in the NBA in terms of opponent shooting percentages and isn’t where it wants to be in shot attempts allowed in high efficiency areas. Limiting deep paint and corner three-point attempts was at the top of the agenda on Friday.
“(Preventing those shots) would be something I’d say we need to get better at. Those are some of the things we worked on today,” Donovan said. “Defensively, we want our pick and roll coverage to be on point, but what are you doing when it does get split or does get bent or does get broken down?”
“It’s your pick and roll coverages, it’s your one-on-one defense, it’s where you’re rotating from, where your help is coming from and what position you need to be in,” Donovan listed.
- On the other end of the floor, however, Donovan has been thrilled with the improvement his group has shown throughout the season. As a group the Thunder has kept its turnovers down and its shot distribution between corner threes and the deep paint has been good, meaning assists are way up. Since Nov. 15, the Thunder ranks fourth in assists per 48 minutes, second in field goal percentage and sixth in points per 48 minutes.
- “We’ve gotten better from the first ten games to the second ten games. Calling it like it is, Russell has a lot to do with it. When he’s in the middle of the floor he generates a lot of positive things for our team.”
Thunder Talk: Coach Donovan
- Against the Washington Wizards, Anthony Morrow registered four assists, and more frequently Thunder fans are seeing players like Andre Roberson, Semaj Christon, Domas Sabonis, Joffrey Lauvergne, Jerami Grant and Oladipo generating assists for other teammates’ buckets. When the Thunder moves the ball the way it wants to and shifts the defense, it generates opportunities for some different players to get two-on-one situations on the backside to create open shots for teammates. Often, it’s predicated on the Thunder’s forwards and centers moving the ball from side-to-side.
- “That’s when you start to see other players get more assists because when (the bigs) do get the ball in certain positions they’re making good decisions and getting it to the open man,” Donovan said.
- “If teams are going to commit two people to the ball on Russell and the ball gets thrown to Steven (Adams), Joffrey or whoever it may be in that pocket area, they have to make good decisions, whether it’s them shooting the ball, driving it or passing it,” Donovan continued.
- One of the biggest storylines coming out of the Thunder’s win over Washington on Wednesday was the way Jerami Grant stepped right in and played center for the Thunder down the stretch. It’s already been an adjustment for Grant, typically a small forward, to come in and learn both that position and the power forward spot on the fly. It’s been a credit to Grant’s basketball IQ, his understanding of the game and versatility that he’s been able to fit in on both the offensive and defensive sides of the floor.
- “I don’t think people understand how hard his transition coming here has been because he’s had to learn a position at the four, a position at the three and on defense,” Donovan said.
- “That’s hard, especially in pick and roll coverage. Sometimes he’s switching and sometimes he’s in normal coverage,” Donovan added. “His IQ has helped him with the adjustment.”