Why isolation ball works for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Oklahoma City Thunder
November 14, 2024
Good article from The Athletic, which I do subscribe too and can recommend you do so also! đź’Ż
3 comments
Cool quotes:
—“When Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander saw James Harden in the final minute of the first quarter, he took his time.
Gilgeous-Alexander went between his legs to his left hand, then dribbled again as if to set up a step-back jumper, which he beat Harden with earlier in the quarter. Harden again reacted to contest a possible pull-up, only this time Gilgeous-Alexander went between his legs back to his right hand and drove around Harden’s left shoulder. All Harden could do was try to swipe down on Gilgeous-Alexander, to no avail.”
—“What the Thunder don’t do is pass the ball at a high clip. Per Second Spectrum, the Thunder average 264.5 passes per game through 11 games. Only the Cleveland Cavaliers, Houston Rockets and Mavericks average fewer passes. Last season, the Thunder ranked 23rd in passes made per game. Watching the Thunder play is not the same as, say, the “Beautiful Game” San Antonio Spurs of the early-to-mid 2010s.”
—“The Thunder score 119.6 points per 100 possessions with Gilgeous-Alexander on the floor, which would rank third in the NBA among teams. They only score 99.7 points per 100 possessions when Gilgeous-Alexander is off the floor, which would rank dead last. The offense is an area of development for Gilgeous-Alexander and his teammates.
The Thunder will be tested by the state of their short-handed roster in the short term, and by the weight of their expectations in the long term. They were the top seed in the West last season, and remain a favorite to make it out of a highly competitive conference. Gilgeous-Alexander knows that he needs to bring his teammates along with him, not just stand out individually. But he also knows that the Thunder will not change their isolation style of play any time soon.
“We understand that it’s our strength,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “And it’s the most efficient way to score the basketball.”
3 comments
Cool quotes:
—“When Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander saw James Harden in the final minute of the first quarter, he took his time.
Gilgeous-Alexander went between his legs to his left hand, then dribbled again as if to set up a step-back jumper, which he beat Harden with earlier in the quarter. Harden again reacted to contest a possible pull-up, only this time Gilgeous-Alexander went between his legs back to his right hand and drove around Harden’s left shoulder. All Harden could do was try to swipe down on Gilgeous-Alexander, to no avail.”
—“What the Thunder don’t do is pass the ball at a high clip. Per Second Spectrum, the Thunder average 264.5 passes per game through 11 games. Only the Cleveland Cavaliers, Houston Rockets and Mavericks average fewer passes. Last season, the Thunder ranked 23rd in passes made per game. Watching the Thunder play is not the same as, say, the “Beautiful Game” San Antonio Spurs of the early-to-mid 2010s.”
—“The Thunder score 119.6 points per 100 possessions with Gilgeous-Alexander on the floor, which would rank third in the NBA among teams. They only score 99.7 points per 100 possessions when Gilgeous-Alexander is off the floor, which would rank dead last. The offense is an area of development for Gilgeous-Alexander and his teammates.
The Thunder will be tested by the state of their short-handed roster in the short term, and by the weight of their expectations in the long term. They were the top seed in the West last season, and remain a favorite to make it out of a highly competitive conference. Gilgeous-Alexander knows that he needs to bring his teammates along with him, not just stand out individually. But he also knows that the Thunder will not change their isolation style of play any time soon.
“We understand that it’s our strength,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “And it’s the most efficient way to score the basketball.”
Okay Andrew SchlechtÂ
[for those who want to read ](https://archive.ph/j16Cj)