OKC Thunder: 5 Keys To Stepping Up As Title Contenders

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March 2, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Wesley Johnson (33) moves to the basket against Oklahoma City Thunder forward Serge Ibaka (9) and forward Kevin Durant (35) during the second half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /

2. Commit To The Defensive End

This has been a recurring theme with the Thunder’s season, and really the season of every NBA contender since the beginning of time: When they play defense, they’re capable of beating anybody. When they don’t, they’re awfully vulnerable.

For the Thunder, the triple-digit mark has often been a dividing line between overwhelming success and mediocrity. In the 26 games where OKC has held its opponent under 100 points, they’ve posted an incredibly impressive 24-2 record. But in the 37 games where their opponent has reached triple digits, the Thunder are only 19-18.

Expecting any team to hold its opponent under 100 points on a nightly basis is outlandish, especially as the league transitions further into the pace-and-space era that’s geared toward high octane offense and three-point shooting.

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But OKC’s defensive rating (opponent points per 100 possessions) isn’t great either, with the Thunder surrendering 102.9 points per 100 possessions on the season (14th in the NBA). That number has plummeted to 110.7 since the All-Star Break, which ranks 26th in the league over that span.

Other than the 2005-06 Miami Heat, no NBA champion in the last decade has posted a defensive rating outside the top 10. It’s no surprise, then, that the Golden State Warriors, San Antonio Spurs and Cleveland Cavaliers — three teams all ahead of OKC in the title contender category — all sport defenses in the top 10 this season, while the Thunder are just outside that bubble.

It’s not that the Thunder lack the personnel to play great defense either. Durant’s wingspan could swallow galaxies; Westbrook is a smart ballhawk who ranks second in the NBA in steals per game; defense is really all Andre Roberson brings to the table; Serge Ibaka remains one of the league’s best shot-blockers and most versatile frontcourt defenders; Steven Adams is a physical enforcer; and even Enes Kanter’s poor defense has been mitigated by his controlled minutes off the bench.

Defense is a matter of effort and energy, and sometimes the Thunder simply choose to expend all of it on the offensive end. Westbrook gambles too often and leaves teammates hanging, Durant can be taken advantage of in small-ball lineups and Roberson’s inability to knock down open triples makes it hard for Donovan to keep him in there as often as he could.

But make no mistake about it: Until the Oklahoma City Thunder commit to the defensive end, they’ll remain the fun-to-watch offense that burns bright in the regular season before flickering out in the playoffs.

Next: No. 1

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