Los Angeles Lakers: How to stop the Oklahoma City Thunder offense

Let’s take a look at the offensive vulnerabilities of the Oklahoma City Thunder and how the Los Angeles Lakers can take advantage of these weaknesses.

The Oklahoma City Thunder are currently in line to be a potential second-round playoff opponent for the Los Angeles Lakers as they are sitting in the 4th seed. Oklahoma City appears to be a favorable matchup for the Lakers as they are 3-0 against the Thunder this season.

But how can the Lakers make sure that they carry their regular-season success against the Thunder into a playoff series? The Lakers must force Oklahoma City to take more spot-up field goal attempts.

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The team currently has the 18th-highest field goal percentage in the spot up department, shooting 38.2 percent from the field on 21 attempts per game. Their field goal percentage has been the driving force behind them, scoring 16th most spot-up points in the league, as they average 23.4 points per game in 24.3 possessions.

The spot up shooting struggles is related to how the front office constructed the roster. Oklahoma City currently has 7 players on their roster who shoot below 40 percent on spot-up field goal attempts in Hamidou Diallo, Mike Muscala, Abdel Nader, Nerlens Noel, Terrance Ferguson, Luguentz Dort, and Darius Bazley. 85.7 percent of those players are a part of the team’s rotation as they play at least 14 minutes per game.

Consequently, Lakers’ head coach Vogel can tell his defenders to leave those players open whenever they are on the floor. For example, Thunder head coach Billy Donovan currently has Dort in his starting lineup. Dort is shooting 31.3 percent for the field on 2.8 spot-up attempts per game. Consequently, Dort’s defender can afford to leave him open to provide help defense.

Dort’s defender can use his defensive possessions to help stop Oklahoma City’s pick and roll offense. The Thunder are 5th in pick and roll possessions averaging 25.1 per game. 60.6 percent of those possessions belong to Chris Paul and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as they are averaging 15.2 per game.

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Therefore, Dort’s defender should help double team Paul and Gilgeous-Alexander as they try to initiate a pick and roll. A double team would aim to encourage Paul/ Gilgeous-Alexander to pass the basketball to the free man, Dort.

If Paul/ Gilgeous-Alexander compiles with the Lakers’ strategy, it may result in a turnover as he isn’t comfortable passing the basketball. Furthermore, if Paul/ Gilgeous-Alexander successfully passes the ball to him, Dort struggles this season indicates it would be a low percentage shot.

However, if Paul/ Gilgeous-Alexander chooses to keep the basketball, he risks being stripped or having to take a heavily contested shot. Either scenario would be a step in the right direction towards accomplishing the Lakers’ goal of winning a playoff series against the Thunder.

The hypothetical game plan would be more effective when the second unit enters the game. Oklahoma City has two below-average spot-up shooters in Bazley and Ferguson. Bazley is shooting 31.8 percent for the field on 2.4 spot-up attempts per game. On the other hand, Ferguson is shooting 32.1 percent for the field on 2.1 spot-up attempts per game.

Consequently, their defenders can leave them wide open to double team the second unit ball handler Dennis Schröder. Schröder is second on the team in pick and roll possessions averaging 7.3 per game.

Like the Paul/Gilgeous-Alexander duo, the Lakers would try to double team Schröder as he initiates the pick and roll. In conclusion, the Lakers should exploit Oklahoma City’s spot-up shooting weakness to beat them in a playoff series.