Oklahoma City Thunder: More Post-Ups A Welcome Addition On Offense

By Andrew Kennedy | Oct 10, 2015

Apr 15, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) dribbles the ball in the second quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports /

A moment that stood out in the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 30-plus point win over Fenerbahce Friday night: Russell Westbrook scored on a post-up and then after Billy Donovan called for him to go back to the block, he did so again on the next two possessions.

Post-ups, particularly from Westbrook, will be a much welcome addition for the Thunder offense this season, and maybe something that Donovan will stress more.

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Now, Friday night’s moment is just one little example and Donovan calling for Russ to get in the post isn’t something revolutionary. Westbrook has increased his post-ups as his career has progressed and Scott Brooks at times would call for him to go down there. But it just never felt like it happened enough, and not just for Westbrook but the Thunder offense in general.

Russell Westbrook scores off a post up, Donovan tells him to keep doing it, Westbrook scores off post on next possession...and the next.
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) October 10, 2015

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Westbrook was second behind only Steven Adams in total post-ups last season, and he nearly doubled Serge Ibaka’s post-ups. Only 5.2 percent of his offense came from the post but he was pretty efficient, scoring 0.87 points per possession. He only shot 43.4 percent from the post but got to the line a lot as he was fouled 21.5 percent of the time.

Westbrook almost always has an advantage on the block and he’s become pretty good from the left side using the glass. And on misses, he can also be a weapon attacking the glass.

In a smaller sample size, Kevin Durant had similar success from the post. He scored 0.85 points per possession, shot 43.9 percent but was only fouled on 8.3 percent of post-ups.

Durant has never been the best at working to get in good position off the ball, and that includes on plays designed for him to get into the post. We all remember the one play Brooks would call for, usually early in games, to get Durant a post look.

He’d come across the entire lane and teams like the Grizzlies were more than prepared to deny Durant the entry pass and before you knew it, the shot clock was down to single digits. It will take more creativity to get Durant more efficient from the block, but any touch is a good one with KD always able to shoot over any defender.

Ibaka was actually the most efficient of the three, shooting 51.0 percent and scoring 0.94 points per possession. A lot of Ibaka’s post-ups became face-and-shoots. He’s gotten so good from midrange that that has become a really efficient shot. Ibaka’s counter from that will either be a pump fake or just a straight drive to his right.

Good defense can make it a tough shot without fouling but Ibaka is such a good athlete and that is why he was so efficient on post-ups last season.

Those three weren’t exactly dominant from the post, but good enough that it would make sense to go down there more often. Doing so would be more beneficial for the offense elsewhere too.

That’s really what’s been missing for the Thunder in the Brooks era and it’s part of what made the offense seem so one-dimensional. Wherever the shots came from, the ball started in the same place and that’s on the perimeter. That’s what the shot charts don’t track. It’s not just about where you end up but how you get there and how tough it is for the defense to defend.

Post-ups aren’t just good plays because the ball is closer to the basket. It forces the defense to defend another part of the floor. Just like how corner threes aren’t just great shots because they’re from a shorter distance. It’s also that the defense has to shift over and turn it’s focus to a corner of the floor, a location that is tougher to defend.

The Thunder offense was in plain sight under Brooks. Donovan, if nothing else, is providing a fresh perspective. There will be a lot of the same, Westbrook and Durant operating in pick-and-rolls with Ibaka, but also some new stuff sprinkled in. And the post-ups may be some of the most important new stuff incorporated.

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