The four-year calm before the Thunder-storm
Four seasons ago the Oklahoma City Thunder recorded their most victorious season since they resided in Seattle and appeared to be the only threat in the west that would test Miami. Injuries have plagued this promising young Thunder squad every season since their Finals trip and struck them at their lowest last season not making the playoffs for the first time in five years. But for the first time in a long time the Thunder approach summer and autumn with a predominantly healthy core and a full squad, putting the entire league on notice.
To completely assess whether this Thunder squad is up to, or on, par with the one that went to Finals in 2012, analysis must take place with the help of Basketball Reference. To illustrate roster changes, these are the two different depth charts from corresponding seasons:
2011/12:
C: KENDRICK PERKINS/Nazr Mohammad/Cole Aldrich
PF: SERGE IBAKA/Nick Collison/Ryan Reid
SF: KEVIN DURANT/Lazar Hayward
SG: Thabo Sefolosha/JAMES HARDEN/Daequan/Royal Ivey
PG: RUSSELL WESTBROOK/Reggie Jackson/Derek Fisher/Eric Maynor
2015/16 (projected):
C: ENES KANTER/Steven Adams
PF: SERGE IBAKA/Nick Collison/Mitch McGary/
SF: KEVIN DURANT/Kyle SIngler/Steve Novak
SG: Andre Roberson/DION WAITERS/Anthony Morrow
PG: RUSSELL WESTBROOK/D.J Augustin/Cameron Payne
On the surface the starting line-up is similar. The core of Ibaka, Durant and Westbrook is still there, along with the primarily-defensive starting two-guard (Sefolosha/Roberson), although Sefolosha had greater offensive abilities. There is also a third major offensive threat at the two-spot coming off the bench. The main distinctions lie in the middle and on the pine.
Newly acquired center Enes Kanter – as means as replacement for Perkins – has a much MUCH greater offensive ability than Perkins. He has shown more desire to snatch rebounds and is much more athletic than the former Thunder center. Here is a comparison of the two players in relative appropriate context:
In the 2011/12 season the Thunder made the Finals, Perkins’ per-36 minute’s statistics totalled to seven points on 49% shooting, nine rebounds and 1.5 blocks. In his 26 games with Oklahoma City last season, Kanter’s per-36 minutes statistics amounted to 22 points on 57% shooting, and 13 rebounds.
Even the contribution from the back-up has improved. Crowd favourite Nazr Mohammad and back-up to Perkins averaged nine points on 47% shooting, nine rebounds and two blocks per 36 minutes. Current back-up center and new crowd favourite Steven Adams averaged 11 points on 55% shooting, 11 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per 36 minutes last season.
Numbers do not lie, but can sometimes be open to interpretation, so, let me interpret for you. Oklahoma City’s center-position transformation; SUCCESS.
The biggest loss for the Thunder is at the two-guard spot. Although he didn’t average what helped him enter the MVP conversation since he moved to Texas, James Harden’s same ability earned him the Sixth-Man of the Year in the 2012 Finals season. It doesn’t take stats to understand that Dion Waiters isn’t the replacement for the SMOTY Harden, but an offensive threat nonetheless, not to mention is arguably better presence of the defensive end. And if all else fails, the sharpest shooter in the wild west Anthony Morrow is there and is armed to post significant points from range.
To add a bit more perspective to the Thunder’s recent season’s compared to the one coming, it is useful to compare rosters with their most successful regular season in 2012/13:
2012/13:
C: KENDRICK PERKINS/Hasheem Thabeet/Daniel Orton
PF: SERGE IBAKA/Nick Collison
SF: KEVIN DURANT/Perry Jones III/DeAndre Liggins/Ronnie Brewer
SG: THABO SEFOLOSHA/Kevin Martin/Jeremy Lamb/Derek Fisher
PG: RUSSELL WESTBROOK/Reggie Jackson/Eric Maynor
Compared to the 2012 Finals season there aren’t many differences, with Kevin Martin replacing Harden as the third choice on offense playing the two-guard position off the bench. The core remains relatively unchanged but they improved between seasons, while defensive reinforcements still exists at all positions.
Even with James Harden gone this Thunder team was able to notch more wins (60) in the 2012/13 season, which could’ve translated into better postseason success if it weren’t for Westbrook going down. With that said it is safe to assume that the 2015/16 Thunder team could be even more successful, and granted that they stay healthy, could translate this into uncharted postseason success.
The most important thing to remember is that the superstar duo of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook haven’t played a full regular season and/or postseason together since 2011/12. Both players played their best seasons after the 2012 Finals experience, with Durant winning the MVP a year ago and Westbrook nearly ambushing it last season.
Both players continue to improve, and have their third musketeer Serge Ibaka back and fit with a newfound offense. In the 2012 Finals season Ibaka shot only three three-pointers, and nailing one. This past season in just 64 games he took 205 three-pointers, converting 38% of the time. Not to mention he still has the ultimate teammate Nick Collison behind him, along with young gun Mitch “McDouble-Double” McGary.
Needless to say, Oklahoma City Thunder fans have a lot to be excited about this season, and maybe even a little bit anxious. The regular season commences at the end of October.