Coming off 57 wins and the top record in a powerhouse Western Conference last season, there are very few question marks for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Adding glass-cleaning big man Isaiah Hartenstein from the New York Knicks erased a major rebounding hole. Trading for elite perimeter defender Alex Caruso delivers much-needed playmaking help in the backcourt.
While things may look more promising than ever, the 2024–25 season will ultimately reveal how far along in the championship window Oklahoma City is. But before the season kicks off, there may be one thing the team must face in the mirror.
Ready to close games?
The Thunder feature one of the association’s clutchest shotmakers, Jalen Williams. The 23-year-old swingman was just outside of the top five in clutch scoring a season ago; next season should only be another step up. While Williams scores, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander makes his best impression of fellow Canadian and former point guard Steve Nash with his timeless table setting. The third member of the trio, Chet Holmgren, helps create offense with his screen-setting and provides a scoring punch at all three levels.
Together, these three can mantle the league’s most reliable fourth-quarter offense. While that may be the case, Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes thinks there is more to the equation than just the greatness of OKC’s star trio. With Hartenstein and Caruso added to the shuffle, Hughes asks, “What's the Closing Lineup?”
“Like most teams with a glut of talent at multiple positions, the Thunder can play matchups and choose the right combos for the opponent at hand,” Hughes writes . “Sometimes, Hartenstein and fellow newcomer Alex Caruso will be in the game during high-leverage moments. Others, neither will be out there, and OKC will turn to Cason Wallace as a fifth option next to SGA, Jalen Williams, Lu Dort, and Holmgren. Options abound, and injuries will probably simplify coach Mark Daigneault's decision-making process for good chunks of the year. But it'll be fascinating to see which way the Thunder lean as they get into the late stages of the season and the playoffs.”
Answer: Will OKC struggle to close games?
The Thunder can become the league’s most powerful fourth-quarter team, but it may take some time to get there. Let’s start with some positives: OKC has depth, a superstar decision-maker, a scoring wing, a highly skilled big man, and a reputable coach calling the shots.
When the game is tight and the outcome of the game is impacted by the smallest nuances of the game, the team that pairs skill with chemistry often comes out on top. The Thunder have the skill (maybe the most skilled team in the NBA), but working out the familiarity between players in the closing lineup will inevitably take a month or two into the new season.
The triplet of SGA, Holmgren, and Williams is the staple at the end of games. The trio played 68 games together last season and yielded a 12.0 net rating and a 70.5 defensive rebounding percentage, which was the highest among any three players that played at least 1000 minutes together on the Thunder roster last season. Adding Hartenstein, who was among the top 10 in defensive rebounding percentage last season, to the closing lineup would strengthen OKC’s fight against preventing opponent second-chance points.
That leaves room for one player. The obvious answer points to sliding Caruso in at guard, inserting both Thunder summer acquisitions during the most critical part of the game. Lu Dort is also an intriguing option as a 3-and-D wing. Head coach Mark Daigneault may go with Caruso or Dort, depending on the opponent and individual lineups. For example, a bigger team like the Boston Celtics or Denver Nuggets would likely encourage Daigneault to go with the 25-year-old guard, whereas a guard-focused team like the Dallas Mavericks is a perfect opponent for the veteran.
It will take some trial and error, but nothing substantial. OKC supposedly fits well enough on paper that almost any two players next to the team’s star trio can work well. But against the best teams, the Thunder ought to come prepared with a definitive fourth-quarter lineup.
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