Oklahoma City is looking to lock down the paint once again next season. 

The Oklahoma City Thunder has earned the reputation as one of the best defensive teams in the entire league, and is looking to uphold that standard once again next season. It’s hard to look around at OKC’s roster and find a defensive weakness from any standpoint. 

The squad has some of the best defensive guards in the league, with Cason Wallace averaging 1.9 steals per game last year and making the All-NBA Defensive Second Team, and even the team’s leading scorer, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, putting in the work with 1.4 steals per game. 

Oklahoma City’s guards smothered opponents, making it a rare occasion when a team was able to drive successfully to the basket, and even when they did, some of the best paint defenders in the league were there to stop them. 

Most notably, Chet Holmgren solidified his case as one of the best defenders in the NBA for years to come. He finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting and made it almost impossible for opponents to get an uncontested shot in the paint. Holmgren had one of the best defensive ratings in the league at 102.3 and was the main reason OKC only let up 41.6 points per game in the paint during the regular season. 

Of course, the big man wasn’t alone, as Isaiah Hartenstein and Jaylin Williams played a big part in holding down the paint as well. The two Thunder defenders had a nearly identical defensive rating this season, with Williams posting a 103.1 and Hartenstein posting a 103.2.

Williams served as the Thunder’s small-ball big and held his own against the other team’s big man, no matter the size. He continues to flourish in this role and is set to have some additional defensive help in the second group with Thomas Sorber’s debut next season, and maybe with the Thunder’s draft pick this year. 

Hartenstien has proven to be the physical big man for the OKC starting group this year, wearing down opponents with continuous hustle and grit. Adding him to the combination of Wallace and Holmgren is the cherry on top of the best defensive team in the league. 

As Oklahoma City is in the midst of one of the most important offseasons they could have, it is imperative that they keep their defensive identity. It’s hard to score on a defense when they allow virtually nothing at the rim, and luckily for Oklahoma City, they have no problem with that.