Nuggets and Notes
The Oklahoma City Thunder owns the best record in the NBA at 10-1–a 75-win pace. I'm sure they can keep it up.
In the first half, it looked like the short-handed Grizzlies were going to give the Thunder some trouble. After a back-and-forth first quarter, Memphis really caught fire and built a 19-point lead with 5:55 to go in the second quarter.
At that point in the game, according to ESPN Analytics, Memphis had an 88% chance of winning.
It really was about poor shooting for the Thunder. In the first half, OKC shot just 39% from the floor, and a miserable 19% from deep. On the other hand, Memphis was dialing up threes, knocking down 46% in the first half.
While both teams were facing their share of injuries, this was a game that the Thunder would've regretted losing. But as this team does, it made a little run to get the game within striking distance before the half and then exerted its will in the third quarter.
OKC won the third 34-18. The Thunder still struggled from deep (33% in the quarter) but pressed the gas in the paint and on defense to hold Memphis to just 26% shooting.
Solid game from the twin towers. Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein combined for 39 points and 20 rebounds. While the block numbers were low, outside of decent shooting from beyond the arc, Memphis really had it difficult on the interior.
Hartenstein. Man, he's been so good so far this year.
Ajay Mitchell was a complete player last night–21 points (8-15 FG), 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals in 32 minutes.
Turns out, Isaiah Joe is human. He went 2-of-7 from three, as the Thunder finished just 10-of-43 from long range.
So, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is good. He scored 35 points on 11-22 shooting, adding 7 rebounds and 6 assists.
Ja Morant, on the other hand, was not good last night. He only notched 11 points and had the same number of made field goals as he did turnovers (3).
Looks like we know the answer to this question posed 3 years ago on reddit...
Is SGA at Ja Morant's level?
by u/JQn_ in nba
More Shai. How about that sequence when he made back-to-back threes, and then went down the court and completed a three-point play.
Back to the three-point shooting. How many NBA teams can miss 33 three pointers in one game and still win going away?
One Big Takeaway: Getting defensive
We're 11 games in, and some trends are starting to show. One big trend? The Thunder is a very good defensive team. So far:
#1 in defensive rating
#1 in fewest points allowed
#2 in steals
#1 in fewest second-chance points by opponents
#1 in fewest fast break points by opponents
#1 in fewest points in the paint by opponents
#1 in lowest opponent FG%
#3 in most turnovers forced
OKC's opponent averages 108.8 per game, the lowest scoring mark in the league. Which is amazing when you consider the Thunder started the season with two double OT games. Since then, only 1 opponent has scored more than 108 points against the defending champs–Portland put up 121 in OKC's lone loss.
And all this is without All-NBA Defender in Jalen Williams, along with Chet Holmgren, Lu Dort, and Alex Caruso each missing four games.
I think the schedule has been helpful, as the Thunder have benefited from maybe an easier schedule to start the season, but golly the defensive dominance of the reigning NBA champs should be terrifying.