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Currently owning the worst record in the NBA, the Thunder's 2018-19 season has gotten off to a rocky start. While they were underdogs on opening night against the Warriors, and even against a Clippers team without Russell Westbrook and Andre Roberson, the defeat to the worst team in the Western Conference by an 11-point margin in the Brody's comeback game will have stung OKC fans like few other losses will.
What has gone wrong for them thus far? Why is such an immensely talented squad that has had all offseason and training camp to acclimate to each other still struggling to get going right now?
Take a look at 3 of the most glaring problems they are facing right now:
#1 Coaching
One of the problems that will hold the Thunder back from fulfilling their potential as a team this season is their lack of offensive nous. I have been lambasting head coach Billy Donovan for a while as the chief reason for this, and with an above-average offensive squad on paper, the Thunder are yet to get going on that end of the floor.
It's only been one game with Russ back, but he's still the same player in the same scheme that stuttered all through last season and sputtered out against the Jazz's stifling defense. Their loops are few and far between, and mostly ineffectively run. The pick-and-roll is the bread, butter and the crumbs of the offense, and Russ is still not being deployed off the ball despite the presence of Dennis Schroder.
#2 3-point shooting
The lack of 3-point shooting on this roster was always going to hurt it in rough patches, and the first 3 games of the 2018-19 season have served only to bear that notion out. The Thunder are the worst team by 3-point percentage thus far, making only 23.9% of their 36.3 attempts per game.
Alex Abrines is currently their best catch-and-shoot guy, but his defensive lapses and lack of stamina mean that he cannot be deployed for more than 30 minutes a game as required of him. Paul George is going through a shooting slump. Patrick Patterson has struggled to connect from any range. The likes of Jerami Grant and Dennis Schroder aren't good at this, to begin with, but the Thunder have still been trigger-happy with their 3-point attempts.
#3 Growing pains
The absence of Russ in the first 2 games was obviously a factor, but the Thunder's perimeter defense has been way below expectations thus far. With Roberson unlikely to return till the turn of the year, the Thunder have thus far been unable to find a replacement for him on the defensive end.
Summer trade acquisition Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot has barely been able to crack the rotation due to his lack of offense. Sophomore Terrance Ferguson has been inconsequential at that end as well, despite his ridiculous athleticism - he needs to time his cuts better.
While rookie Hamidou Diallo has been the best of this trio on offense, he is still finding his feet in the NBA and is a fair way away from deserving heavy minutes.
