The 2024-25 OKC Thunder is the best defense team in modern NBA history

[ScrantonBulls]

By modern, I mean the 80s to currently. I'm not going to try and judge them against the Bill Russell Celtics, etc.

The OKC Thunder are the best best defensive team in modern NBA history. They're better than the '90s Bulls and Knicks teams. Better than the 03-04 Pistons. Better than the elite defensive spurs teams in the 2000s and 2010s. Better than any of Thibs Bulls or Celtics squads. They're simply incredible.

The gap in DRtg between them and the 2nd best team is 4.35. That is only rivaled by the 92-93 Knicks, who had a gap of 5.34. There's other reasons why I have them on top aside from DRtg of course. I still give them the edge over the Knicks because it's much harder to play defense now and the league isn't watered down with expansion teams. The talent is simply far, far better than what the Knicks faced.

[lethalizer]

The season isn't over yet and variance is still a thing, along with letting up a bit when we clinch the #1 seed.

That being said, the team pulling off these kind of defensive performances night in and night out while having injury problems throughout the entire season is very encouraging.

If statmuse is right(it can be a bit sketchy at times and I'm too lazy currently to find the exact numbers), OKC actually has a defensive rating of 101.9 whenever Chet plays a game, even better than their current already historic defensive performance.

Once Chet is cleared to play in back to backs, I don't know how this team's defense will be cracked.

Probably the only way is getting hot and staying hot, hitting difficult shot after shot for two quarters or so, breaking their spirit on D a bit.

It's simply a joy to watch them play defense.

[EmpireFalls]

I’m gonna need to see it in the playoffs before we make that declaration. But yes, they are currently swimming in unprecedented waters regular season wise. Best net rating ever. Having done most of it without Chet is the scary part.

[OkcSinceSGA]

Can’t rank it defensively until it wins a ring. The Bulls defenses, 04 Pistons, 08 Celtics, Spurs defenses all have something in common. It carried them to rings. Historic team pace. It’s okay to be excited but defense specifically I feel like gets the legacy with playoff runs.

[picc]

Keep in mind the '04 Pistons DRTG is of the whole season, not who they were after the Sheed trade. I think their DRTG post-trade was about 89.

[CobraCommander]

Can’t rank it defensively until it wins a ring. The Bulls defenses, 04 Pistons, 08 Celtics, Spurs defenses all have something in common. It carried them to rings. Historic team pace. It’s okay to be excited but defense specifically I feel like gets the legacy with playoff runs.

This is a great point- defense really gets tested when the other team schemes to exploit your weaknesses in the playoffs vs just playing to their strengths in the regular season. They look good but we need to see more

[FrodoBaggins]

Keep in mind the '04 Pistons DRTG is of the whole season, not who they were after the Sheed trade. I think their DRTG post-trade was about 89.

Yeah, hard to argue against that. rDRtg of like 13.9 or so. I think it's still like 11-12 when adjusted for SOS/playoff opponent strength. Not to mention those numbers are more impressive when viewed from a percentage basis. 8 rDRtg in a year with a lower league average ORtg accounts for more than if accomplished in a higher-scoring season.

[tmorgan]

Keep in mind the '04 Pistons DRTG is of the whole season, not who they were after the Sheed trade. I think their DRTG post-trade was about 89.

Yep. Perfect storm, whole different feel with Sheed. We all know he could be a bit unfocused and lazy at times, but not that year. He had his chance and ran with it.

Having an elite post defender in Sheed unlocked Ben even further, too. He got to play some rover, and he was absolutely devastating doing that. Prince was also gaining experience as a defender as his rookie season progressed. By the time the playoffs came around, the squad was totally locked in and ready to carry their mediocre offense to a title.

[NCHeels2008]

Excited to see if all this jerking about OKC greatness is for real or if they get worked in the playoffs again

[NCHeels2008]

Keep in mind the '04 Pistons DRTG is of the whole season, not who they were after the Sheed trade. I think their DRTG post-trade was about 89.

Yep. Perfect storm, whole different feel with Sheed. We all know he could be a bit unfocused and lazy at times, but not that year. He had his chance and ran with it.

Having an elite post defender in Sheed unlocked Ben even further, too. He got to play some rover, and he was absolutely devastating doing that. Prince was also gaining experience as a defender as his rookie season progressed. By the time the playoffs came around, the squad was totally locked in and ready to carry their mediocre offense to a title.

I thought 03-04 was Prince's second season?

[tmorgan]

Keep in mind the '04 Pistons DRTG is of the whole season, not who they were after the Sheed trade. I think their DRTG post-trade was about 89.

Yep. Perfect storm, whole different feel with Sheed. We all know he could be a bit unfocused and lazy at times, but not that year. He had his chance and ran with it.

Having an elite post defender in Sheed unlocked Ben even further, too. He got to play some rover, and he was absolutely devastating doing that. Prince was also gaining experience as a defender as his rookie season progressed. By the time the playoffs came around, the squad was totally locked in and ready to carry their mediocre offense to a title.

I thought 03-04 was Prince's second season?

Oops. Correct. Old man memory issues.

That said, he played in only 42 games at about 10 minutes a game as a rookie, so over six times that many minutes during 03-04. Was definitely still improving rapidly as a defender.

[Statlanta]

I don't like that stat because it means they possibly don't have another gear and are going all out in the regular season.

[jeeph]

I don't generally lean on numbers to tell the story because they leave out the variables. They are more just a verification of what the eye test tells you. For example, if you are up 30 points going into the 4th quarter, then your defense is going to give more points than if it's a tight game. Giving up 115 points doesn't mean you had a poor defensive game in that instance. They could have been great for 3 quarters when they were trying and then just ran the clock out for the W.

From what I've seen, OKC is great at disrupting offensive plays by playing the passing lanes smartly. That also allows them to press the 3 point line more than most. Their defensive greatness isn't predicated on stopping each shot, individual defense, but instead they keep their opponents offensive plays from running properly taking away the easy shots a well run offense generates. They try to stop the old "pass up a good shot for a great shot". Against OKC you are better off taking the "good shot" in lot of cases.

[OverAndOut]

Keep in mind the '04 Pistons DRTG is of the whole season, not who they were after the Sheed trade. I think their DRTG post-trade was about 89.

It’s been a couple of years since I’ve watched highlights of the 2004 Pistons defense. Think I’ll do it again today. Their defense post-Rasheed Wallace trade is the GOAT and I’m not sure if I’ll see another defense top that in my lifetime.

[sashaturiaf]

Pretender. They are too reliant on forcing turnovers against careless teams coasting in regular season.

Leiso and Luka gonna take turns isoballing them to death in playoffs with ref support too. Iso, free throws, slow down the game. No way OKC got the offense and size to win that war of attrition

[MassimoPayne]

Them adding Hartenstein was the cheat code. And they knew that is why they gave him so much money. Right now he is worth every penny.

Interesting to see what happens once they clinch #1 and go into cruise control and need to switch in the first round against a fired up play in seed

[Lalouie]

props to okc. their D is very dynamic.

but could it be in the age of parity, okc's NUMBERS stick out like the eiffel tower

[brackdan70]

Through 55 games sure. Let’s hold off on talking about history until we see if they can sustain it in the last third of the season and win a ring.

[slick_watts]

Pretender. They are too reliant on forcing turnovers against careless teams coasting in regular season.

it's true the thunder are elite at forcing turnovers. they are 5th best since the merger at opponent turnover percentage relative to league average. but it's doing their defense an injustice to say they are reliant on this, because they also have the 11th lowest opponent eFG% relative to league average. they are a historically elite shot defense and turnover generating machine. whether that holds up is a valid question.

[jfs1000d]

2008 Celtics were legendary defense as was pistons Bad Boy and bulls.

I like what Okc does defensively, but I still think they are short a player.


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