OKC has maybe the best defense in NBA history and this is being wildly undertalked about.

[HadAnEffectHere]

Chet Holmgren: Missed 17 of 27 games
IHart: Missed 15 out of 27 games.

Best defense before this year: 2003-2004 Spurs, 8.5 points per 100 possessions better defensively than league average.
2024-2025 Thunder: 9.6 points per 100 possessions better than league average.

Now, if you adjust for era, the 2003-2004 Spurs allowed 8.55% fewer points per 100 possessions than the average team whereas the Thunder are "only" allowing 8.49% fewer points per 100 possessions... But that's pretty much tied for the best defense of all time still.

Despite the injuries to two of their best defenders.

[LarsV8]

I haven't seen anything really historically special about their defense.

I see a relatively weak era of offensive basketball, and a notable emphasis from officiating to stop making calls.

[zimpy27]

Yeah I think it may be the best defense ever. I mean they took an already great defense and added Caruso and iHart, 2 of the best defenders from last season.

[Homer38]

They are also first in FG% allowed,3 points% allowed and in turnovers forced!

[meekrab]

The next best team is 2.4 points / 100 possessions worse on defense.

[Iwasawitness]

I haven't seen anything really historically special about their defense.

I see a relatively weak era of offensive basketball, and a notable emphasis from officiating to stop making calls.

lol what?

[Bologna Smasher]

Honestly, it really isn't that surprising. Their team is full of All-NBA defenders. They got seven guys that can legitimately be on the the All-NBA teams right now. Then you have dudes like Kenrich, Wiggins & Jaylin Williams who are also plus defenders. Even one of their guys who's considered a bad defender (Isaiah Joe) has his moments in terms of being good at taking charges.

[ConSarnit]

I haven't seen anything really historically special about their defense.

I see a relatively weak era of offensive basketball, and a notable emphasis from officiating to stop making calls.

lol what?

I don’t know why you’re questioning Lars. It’s not like the league as a whole is averaging the 3rd highest offensive rating since 1973. Teams definitely aren’t averaging the 3rd most PPG in the past 40 years. Don’t you know we’re in a weak offensive era?

[bbms]

I haven't seen anything really historically special about their defense.

I see a relatively weak era of offensive basketball, and a notable emphasis from officiating to stop making calls.

along with the stat mentioned by op, the numbers of steals, turnover differential, and the fact that they still have more steals than tos are all historically special.

also the narrative that okc has all the calls

[HotelVitale]

I haven't seen anything really historically special about their defense.

I see a relatively weak era of offensive basketball, and a notable emphasis from officiating to stop making calls.

lol what?

I don’t know why you’re questioning Lars. It’s not like the league as a whole is averaging the 3rd highest offensive rating since 1973. Teams definitely aren’t averaging the 3rd most PPG in the past 40 years. Don’t you know we’re in a weak offensive era?

It's a poorly phrased point, but maybe I can save part of it by saying that it's still a very high offense point but seems like it's sliding back as we speak. After years of climbing up, ortg's and TS%'s are down this year by a non-marginal amount, despite pace being at a 5-year high. TOs are also at their highest in 20 years, and steals and blocks are at a high pt for the past 25+ years.

So defenses are making a comeback and learning how to defend the spacing + pn'r game better (with help from the whistle calming down), and it makes sense that teams who are further ahead of that curve would be setting high historic marks. It's in some ways an unusually good time to be a strong defense.

[toooskies]

In a league reluctant to call fouls on anything except the most egregious contact, going aggressively for steals is the most exploitable inefficiency.

[Kiss of Death]

OKC is definitely the best at slapping a player’s arms/hands and knocking the ball loose and hoping the ref doesn’t call it.
And they usually don’t call it.

[Jaqua92]

I haven't seen anything really historically special about their defense.

I see a relatively weak era of offensive basketball, and a notable emphasis from officiating to stop making calls.

OKC is like every other "all time great defense" of today's era....

Try hard in the regular season. No one talks about it because everyone knows what they are.

And underachieving inexperienced team when the chips are down.

[giberish]

Generally the top teams in the league regress back some during the last third (or so) of the season. So matching or mildly exceeding great full season marks this early in the season doesn't feel that uncommon.

[Mrakar]

OKC is definitely the best at slapping a player’s arms/hands and knocking the ball loose and hoping the ref doesn’t call it.
And they usually don’t call it.

Even though this is a bit exaggerated i agree that they have the best whistle in the NBA right now.
The NBA refs have these habbts to let some guys slap, push, pull as much as they want and the other ones cant put their shadow on offensive player.
When i saw what was Herb Jones getting called for on SGA and what Dort was allowed to do to Ingram its like two different sports(and dont make it about complaining, Pels have no chance against OKC even with best whistle ever).
Guys like PJ Tucker, Pat Bev, Brooks Dort are/were allowed to do anything. Dort alone injured like 5 guys this year.
At the same time guys like Herb, Jones jr., Mcdaniels will get called for every touch...

[RB34]

OKC is definitely the best at slapping a player’s arms/hands and knocking the ball loose and hoping the ref doesn’t call it.
And they usually don’t call it.

Basically what the Warriors vaunted defence was at the start of the season as well. The “reputation” allows players to get away with a lot.

[The-Power]

I haven't seen anything really historically special about their defense.

I see a relatively weak era of offensive basketball, and a notable emphasis from officiating to stop making calls.

We have objective measures of offensive efficiency and they certainly do not suggest that this is a weak era. But that's still besides the point because the OP outlined OKC's relative defensive efficiency. Even if what you claimed was true (it's not), it would not explain why OKC's defense is so much better than league average since every team plays in the same era and with the same emphases in officiating.

[brutalitops]

Not as good as Milwaukee's like 4/5 years ago. What the **** are you talking about?

[Onlytimewilltel]

I haven't seen anything really historically special about their defense.

I see a relatively weak era of offensive basketball, and a notable emphasis from officiating to stop making calls.

OKC is like every other "all time great defense" of today's era....

Try hard in the regular season. No one talks about it because everyone knows what they are.

And underachieving inexperienced team when the chips are down.

Kinda like the celtics until they finally got the experience and won it? Being punked by Golden State and Draymond did wonders for them, look at them now on top of the world.

If OKC stay together and healthy they'll contend for the next few years. No need to keep putting them down all young teams go through these phases.

[doogie_hauser]

They are nowhere near close to the best defensive team in NBA history.

86 Celtics would flog em alive (on both ends of the court)