Are we going to see teams trying to copy some of OKC's winning tactics in this upcoming season?

[ShootersShoot]

Its really difficult to build a team like this, mainly because Presti is one of the rare gms that hits on just about every lotto pick. He also hits on 2nd round picks and is great at making trades. Yea theres always some luck involved but I dont think anyone can question this guy anymore.

The formula is simple. Trade for a budding superstar, tank for a couple years, then round out the top 3 with top tier defensive big and wing. Draft solid rotation guys in the second round. Easy peasy!

[pace31]

Trading older players for young future mvps and loads of picks sounds like a great idea but how often does that happen.

All other GM's in the league:



Seriously though Sam Presti obviously did a great job building up OKC all the way from the bottom, but let's not act like he also got extremely LUCKY in the process as well. Absolutely nobody saw a future MVP with Shai and OKC was able to have him land in their lap. With him as the main building block then it just came down to throwing as many darts at the 1st round dart board as possible and keeping their own picks high enough to strike potential gold. If you're going to have success in the NBA (outside the major markets) you better have the smarts and just pray for the luck to follow as well.

[HMFFL]

OKC has a roster full of players who are committed to the team and effort. Most teams struggle with that.

[Chuck Everett]

Yeah, just get Alex Caruso for someone you couldn't afford to pay long-term and then not even use him much during the regular season, so he was fresh and ready to go come playoff time. Not everyone can afford to do stuff like that. And strangely enough, Presti has picked multiple first rounders in the last few years who miss their first NBA season (Chet, Topic and now Sorber). Nevertheless, he still continues to win on the margins. Hard to replicate.

[Exp0sed]

I’d imagine everyone is trying to get MVP level talents and super related two-way players.


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Teams didn't have the splash bros either back when, but they still copied and experimented with elements from Kerr's offense. It wasn't a space and pace "era", untill teams around the league tried to imitate the Dubs

I'm betting Mark D and Thunder coaches actually worked in practices and video sessions on how their players should pressure the ball, with specific instructions on what the refs emphasize (and what they don't) in the way they call fouls in ball pressure situations

working around the margins on the little things that make refs either blow or swallow their whistles

U don't need an MVP to work with your players on that and you don't need an MVP to play longer rotations, with shorter stints for the role players that enable them to go really hard in the 3 or 4 mins bursts they step on the court

[Wolveswin]

Given that OKC barely survived Indiana, with Haliburton injured, something is wrong with those tactics.
One of the most unconvincing champions of all-time...

Dumb statement

Is he wrong? Very unlikely OKC is winning game 7 if Haliburton doesn't get injured with the kind of game he was having.

Yes.

One of the most unconvincing champions of all-time...

Dumb statement.

[nomansland]

It's a copycat league, so yeah we're going to see a lot more mugging and foul baiting this year.

[Johnny Firpo]

Given that OKC barely survived Indiana, with Haliburton injured, something is wrong with those tactics.
One of the most unconvincing champions of all-time...

None of this was because of their defense though. Their defense was amazing, it was their offense that kept the other teams in the game (mainly Denver and the Pacers). The scary thing is that, yeah, they played pretty mediocre offense and still won it. They will probably be a little worse on defense this year, but should be miles better on offense, and that would make them an overall better team, and also better suited for the modern NBA.

[bonita_the_frog]

Dumb statement

Is he wrong? Very unlikely OKC is winning game 7 if Haliburton doesn't get injured with the kind of game he was having.

Yes.

One of the most unconvincing champions of all-time...

Dumb statement.

Is it possible to be any more unconvincing than being taken to 7 games by the injured underdog?
And Indiana won the 2nd and 4th quarters, and only lost the 1st quarter by 3.
So OKC only had control of the 3rd quarter of Game 7... vs. the 4th seed in the East.
And the East receives A LOT of criticism always.

[Wolveswin]

Is he wrong? Very unlikely OKC is winning game 7 if Haliburton doesn't get injured with the kind of game he was having.

Yes.

One of the most unconvincing champions of all-time...

Dumb statement.

Is it possible to be any more unconvincing than being taken to 7 games by the injured underdog?
And Indiana won the 2nd and 4th quarters, and only lost the 1st quarter by 3.
So OKC only had control of the 3rd quarter of Game 7... vs. the 4th seed in the East.
And the East receives A LOT of criticism always.

Reading all of that, they should have just let the other teams win the games. -green font.

[jscott]

Given that OKC barely survived Indiana, with Haliburton injured, something is wrong with those tactics.
One of the most unconvincing champions of all-time...

when has a team as young as that played really well in the finals? finals are a different level of pressure and OKC were coming off an incredibly tough and taxing series vs. the Nuggets as well. I think they would fared much better vs. Indy if that series was say..in the first round

also Haliburton was on a once in a lifetime clutch heater, that's gotta be tough mentally, especially for a team whose never been there on a franchise that's never been there. that's alot of pressure...

They played the Nuggets in Round 2 - not the conference championship.

[firedavidkahn]

Winning tactics = Fleece another team and end up with an MVP that is better than most MVPs in any given year.

Are the other 29 teams stupid or something? The plan is so easy

[bonita_the_frog]

Winning tactics = Fleece another team and end up with an MVP that is better than most MVPs in any given year.

Are the other 29 teams stupid or something? The plan is so easy

That MVP (SGA) almost cost OKC the championship, with his 8 turnovers in Game 6, and 8-27 shooting in Game 7.
He had a great regular season, but he's certainly not a great Finals MVP.

[Karate Diop]

I hope we see more teams emulate their we're going to foul and hold you every single play so can't call everything and eventually afford us a longer leash tactic.

[Exp0sed]

I hope we see more teams emulate their we're going to foul and hold you every single play so can't call everything and eventually afford us a longer leash tactic.

I think that's exactly what we're going to see from many teams, cuz that's easy enough to copy

[sikma42]

I’d imagine everyone is trying to get MVP level talents and super related two-way players.


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Teams didn't have the splash bros either back when, but they still copied and experimented with elements from Kerr's offense. It wasn't a space and pace "era", untill teams around the league tried to imitate the Dubs

I'm betting Mark D and Thunder coaches actually worked in practices and video sessions on how their players should pressure the ball, with specific instructions on what the refs emphasize (and what they don't) in the way they call fouls in ball pressure situations

working around the margins on the little things that make refs either blow or swallow their whistles

U don't need an MVP to work with your players on that and you don't need an MVP to play longer rotations, with shorter stints for the role players that enable them to go really hard in the [emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]]]] or [emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]]] mins bursts they step on the court

The Thunder defensive scheme isn’t some new concept or even a concept that isn’t utilized. They just have better personnel defensively. There’s nothing to copy except build a better team. Honestly Marc D did a poor job coaching in the playoffs.

Other teams don’t have the physicality and defensive talent to play like OKC. Guys like Dort, Caruso, JWill, Chet. That’s talent m, not scheme.


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[Capn'O]

Its really difficult to build a team like this, mainly because Presti is one of the rare gms that hits on just about every lotto pick. He also hits on 2nd round picks and is great at making trades. Yea theres always some luck involved but I dont think anyone can question this guy anymore.

The formula is simple. Trade for a budding superstar, tank for a couple years, then round out the top 3 with top tier defensive big and wing. Draft solid rotation guys in the second round. Easy peasy!

Right. The "formula" is usually get great personnel and build the right system around those personnel. In this case, one of the personnel is the best executive in the league.

[Johnston797]

Winning tactics = Fleece another team and end up with an MVP that is better than most MVPs in any given year.

Are the other 29 teams stupid or something? The plan is so easy

That MVP (SGA) almost cost OKC the championship, with his 8 turnovers in Game 6, and 8-27 shooting in Game 7.
He had a great regular season, but he's certainly not a great Finals MVP.

SGA was clearly best player in this finals and very deserved winner. He was pretty clutch in game 7. 11 of 12 FTs. 12 Assists to 1 TO.

But, yea, he has a higher celling. Should be fun to watch this year.

[firedavidkahn]

Winning tactics = Fleece another team and end up with an MVP that is better than most MVPs in any given year.

Are the other 29 teams stupid or something? The plan is so easy

That MVP (SGA) almost cost OKC the championship, with his 8 turnovers in Game 6, and 8-27 shooting in Game 7.
He had a great regular season, but he's certainly not a great Finals MVP.

It's this a serious post??

SGA really has haters and think OKC won in spite of him?

[MoneyTalks41890]

A few observations based on posts here.

1. OKC has definitely been lucky, but the strategy was also to have lots of lottery tickets, some of which didn’t work out. But they gave themselves a lot of chances on developing young players.

2. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that all these MVPs have developed to that level in OKC.

3. The defensive scheme requires everyone to rotate, so they have to be mobile, smart, and motivated. Both personnel and scheme. Harder to replicate than it sounds.