Second best player on OKC

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Who ya got?

Chet
21
21%
Williams
78
79%
 
Total votes: 99

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Re: Second best player on OKC 

Post#21 » by MMyhre » Sun Jun 15, 2025 6:12 am

Patches Perry wrote:Dub has grown a lot as a scorer in these playoffs. Last playoffs, he disappeared offensively because he has such good shot selection that when the playoff defense tightened up, he couldn't get the looks he was able to get in the regular season.

This year, specifically against Denver and Indiana, he has learned that you have to force it a little bit. I think Richard Jefferson said in the playoffs, sometimes an OK look is the best look youre going to get. Dub has forced the issue offensively in a good way in non-Shai minutes, and even with Shai out there.

On top of that, he is an elite defender and good passer.

Chets ability to shoot the long ball, protect the rim and also guard guards in space is ultra valuable too.

I give the nod to Dub but its close to 2a and 2b

This also says something about the difference between safe/good regular season players and the dangerous/great postseason players. If you want to get better you need to get out of your comfort sone and expand your limits as a scorer. If you only play or wait until you get the high % shots you cant help your team when that is needed, and you dont learn how to take and make those tougher shots at a higher %. Every movement pattern needs practice, if you only take your safe shots you will miss the hard shots because your body has no mastery of that tougher/new movement yet.

I assume some of this is why a Kobe or a Wade was more successful than an Embiid/Harden in the postseason who relied too much on foulbaiting, seeking contact and the 3 ball, instead of being better at the midrange and in towards the rim. Whether it be more footwork, fakes and pullups from Kobe, or just the raw speed, strength and trickery driving through traffic with all kinds of finishes from Wade - they mastered scoring and getting these kind of consistent buckets even with tighter D and intensity.

While Harden and Embiid kept playing their regular season scoring game and kept forcing up those same old patterns, didnt get the whistle. So now you shoot 4-15 from the field because you play for a foul instead of a good shot, the 3 ball game is not always going to be rolling and teams can look to deny you that. And because you havent been practicing these different types of scoring options like postups middies and avoiding contact for higher fg % at the rim, you will fail because those movement patterns need time to be mastered and you dont have time for that in the playoffs.

And now that you dont have that mastery of the midrange iso or postups like Kobe, or the ability to split the pick and roll or slice through the defense for high % shots like Wade, now your offensive game falls apart.

In his bounceback games vs Denver I saw a Wadeesque attack of the basket from J-Dub, he didnt have the control so he was a bit wild at times, but he was fighting to master these harder drives to the rim and growing his game. And I think we are seeing the growth pay off, as he uses his length and athleticism to get better looks when OKC need some buckets, and he ignored Shai and scored an easy layup in the endgame of game 4. He also created space for Shai that resulted in the win.

Safe to say this guy has a big future because he is willing to work on his weaknesses unlike a Harden.

Good observation from you, sometimes you need to force change so that you can take your game to the next level. The playoffs will expose those who do not dare to get out of their comfort sone and rise to the occasion.
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Re: Second best player on OKC 

Post#22 » by MMyhre » Sun Jun 15, 2025 6:18 am

RunOKC wrote:Jalen Williams without a doubt

-Both all NBA level defenders.. hard to compare bigs/wings but imo Jalen is more impactful
-6"9" wing with a solid handle, 3 level scorer, good efficiency
-Chet has been injury prone at times

J-Dub is not even close to 6"9 lol.
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Re: Second best player on OKC 

Post#23 » by RunOKC » Sun Jun 15, 2025 7:54 pm

MMyhre wrote:
RunOKC wrote:Jalen Williams without a doubt

-Both all NBA level defenders.. hard to compare bigs/wings but imo Jalen is more impactful
-6"9" wing with a solid handle, 3 level scorer, good efficiency
-Chet has been injury prone at times

J-Dub is not even close to 6"9 lol.

Good catch.. not sure what I was thinking when I wrote that lol. 6'-6" per bball ref. I'll cope and say that's without shoes, so closer to 6'7" when he's playing :crazy:

Guess it just feels like he plays bigger than he is since he often guards bigger/taller guys.
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Re: Second best player on OKC 

Post#24 » by bbms » Sun Jun 15, 2025 8:37 pm

caruso duh
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Re: Second best player on OKC 

Post#25 » by Bernman » Mon Jun 16, 2025 1:41 am

As long as Shai is available, the answer is Chet, because J-Dub's creation is not essential. It's a bonus. Chet has significantly more all-around impact due to his rim protection, switchability for a big, spacing for a big, mismatch exploitation, & rebounding. This is backed by net rating data.

Regular Season- Chet: 16.1, J-Dub 10.2
Postseason- Chet: 12.8, J-Dub 9.7
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Re: Second best player on OKC 

Post#26 » by Chuck Everett » Mon Jun 16, 2025 10:38 pm

RunOKC wrote:
MMyhre wrote:
RunOKC wrote:Jalen Williams without a doubt

-Both all NBA level defenders.. hard to compare bigs/wings but imo Jalen is more impactful
-6"9" wing with a solid handle, 3 level scorer, good efficiency
-Chet has been injury prone at times

J-Dub is not even close to 6"9 lol.

Good catch.. not sure what I was thinking when I wrote that lol. 6'-6" per bball ref. I'll cope and say that's without shoes, so closer to 6'7" when he's playing :crazy:

Guess it just feels like he plays bigger than he is since he often guards bigger/taller guys.


His wingspan is like 7 feet, 2 inches. That's why he plays bigger. He's got a wingspan of some centers in the NBA.
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Re: Second best player on OKC 

Post#27 » by JujitsuFlip » Tue Jun 17, 2025 3:10 am

I guess tonight puts that conversation to rest.
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Re: Second best player on OKC 

Post#28 » by RunOKC » Tue Jun 17, 2025 4:05 am

Like I said before: It's Jalen Williams
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Re: Second best player on OKC 

Post#29 » by MMyhre » Tue Jun 17, 2025 4:36 am

Jalen "Dwyane Wade" Williams. Too many Chet votes, he has been terrible offensively this postseason. And honestly, when he fixes his shot and refines his offensive game, gets a full season with more plays made for him.. - the Thunder will be legit unstoppable, kind of scary for the league.
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Re: Second best player on OKC 

Post#30 » by Knicks365247 » Tue Jun 17, 2025 8:25 am

sikma42 wrote:It’s clearly JDub. They should trade Chet before people realize what he actually is…


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Thing is they won’t trade Chet. But they should — there’s no way he stays healthy going forward. Cash in on SGA’s main trick, who gives a mean chokejob.
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Re: Second best player on OKC 

Post#31 » by cupcakesnake » Tue Jun 17, 2025 11:39 am

RunOKC wrote:
MMyhre wrote:
RunOKC wrote:Jalen Williams without a doubt

-Both all NBA level defenders.. hard to compare bigs/wings but imo Jalen is more impactful
-6"9" wing with a solid handle, 3 level scorer, good efficiency
-Chet has been injury prone at times

J-Dub is not even close to 6"9 lol.

Good catch.. not sure what I was thinking when I wrote that lol. 6'-6" per bball ref. I'll cope and say that's without shoes, so closer to 6'7" when he's playing :crazy:

Guess it just feels like he plays bigger than he is since he often guards bigger/taller guys.


He's 6'4.5" without shoes. So really 6'6" is the tallest you can possibly list him. The length and strength is where his size comes from. Also guy has high shoulders and a really short neck, so his height is deceptive. Basically he has the dimensions of a very decent sized wing player.
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Re: Second best player on OKC 

Post#32 » by bbms » Tue Jun 17, 2025 11:50 am

cupcakesnake wrote:
RunOKC wrote:
MMyhre wrote:J-Dub is not even close to 6"9 lol.

Good catch.. not sure what I was thinking when I wrote that lol. 6'-6" per bball ref. I'll cope and say that's without shoes, so closer to 6'7" when he's playing :crazy:

Guess it just feels like he plays bigger than he is since he often guards bigger/taller guys.


He's 6'4.5" without shoes. So really 6'6" is the tallest you can possibly list him. The length and strength is where his size comes from. Also guy has high shoulders and a really short neck, so his height is deceptive. Basically he has the dimensions of a very decent sized wing player.


he's 6'5.75" per nba anthropometrics (6'6" really) but he plays way bigger than his size because of that 7'2" wingspan and 9'0" standing reach.

he definitely plays bigger than most 6'8" in the league and some 6'9" and thats because of that.
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Re: Second best player on OKC 

Post#33 » by TravisScott55 » Tue Jun 17, 2025 12:21 pm

Chet has been mid this playoffs
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Re: Second best player on OKC 

Post#34 » by Shaka_Zulu » Tue Jun 17, 2025 12:52 pm

His offensive motor is fantastic, Jdub, really aggressive scoring 2nd option, while being complete all rounder.


Chet is more elite potentially defensively and as overall package in future if stays healthy. But offensively Chet has LONG way to go. He is basically just a role player offensively.

While Jdub plays and attacks like a genuine 2nd option weapon.

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