The Oklahoma City Thunder have been led for much of this season by their defense.
The Thunder have been atop the NBA in defensive rating but are just 22nd in the category since the All-Star Break.
Oklahoma City, however, has won five of its six games since the break due in large part to its offense heading into Monday night’s contest against the visiting Houston Rockets.
The Thunder are averaging 133 points over the last six games.
“You’ve got to execute in such a way that good shots present themselves on a possession,” coach Mark Daigneault said. “That’s what’s really happening right now is we’re executing on a high level, which is a cumulative effect of all of our fundamentals.”
Oklahoma City is coming off a 146-132 win at San Antonio on Sunday night.
The Thunder’s previous season high in points scored was 144, and the 132 points allowed was a season high as well.
Oklahoma City has won three consecutive games since its last home contest, a meltdown of a loss Feb. 24 against Minnesota. The Thunder led big early in that game and then fell in overtime.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams have led Oklahoma City all season and are coming off their best combined game of the season.
Williams scored a career-high 41 points while Gilgeous-Alexander added 31, with neither committing a turnover.
Monday’s game figures to be a challenge for the Thunder’s offense; the Rockets are fourth in the NBA in defensive rating at 109.4.
Houston coach Ime Udoka was frustrated with his defense in Saturday’s 113-103 loss to Sacramento, however, particularly at his team biting on pump fake and pick-and-roll coverage.
Oklahoma City figures to attack both of those areas Monday, particularly with the way Gilgeous-Alexander has attacked the basket of late.
“Can’t show it any more than we did,” Udoka said. “Lack of discipline.”
While the Thunder could be somewhat shorthanded — Chet Holmgren missed Sunday’s game with a left ankle sprain and Isaiah Joe was out with lower back soreness — Houston could be even thinner Monday.
The Rockets’ Fred VanVleet returned in Saturday’s loss after missing a month with an ankle injury. He is out for Monday’s game, however, after tweaking the injury against the Kings.
Five other players who played in Saturday’s game — Steven Adams (left ankle), Dillon Brooks (right knee), Tari Eason (left lower leg), Alperen Sengun (lower back) and Amen Thompson (right shoulder) — are listed as questionable for Monday’s game.
The Rockets made a roster move Sunday, waiving Cody Zeller and signing Nate Williams to a four-year, $8.2 million standard contract.
Monday’s contest will be the opener of a three-game road trip for the Rockets, who are in fifth place in the Western Conference.
For Oklahoma City, the game will begin a stretch in which the team will play four of five contests at home after playing six of seven on the road.
–Field Level Media
