Introduction
The OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER have won the 2024-2025 NBA championship this year, marking a historic achievement for the team and its fans. This analysis aims to explore the key factors behind their success. By analyzing team game log, let's find out what make OKC different from other teams and what's contribute to it's success
Data Sources
The data sources for this analysis are the 2024-2025 NBA team game log from Basketball Reference.
OKC 2024-2025 NBA Team Game Log| Rk | Gtm | Date | Opp | Rslt | Tm | Opp | OT | FG | FGA | FG% | 3P | 3PA | 3P% | 2P | 2PA | 2P% | eFG% | FT | FTA | FT% | ORB | DRB | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | PF | Opp_FG | Opp_FGA | Opp_FG% | Opp_3P | Opp_3PA | Opp_3P% | Opp_2P | Opp_2PA | Opp_2P% | Opp_eFG% | Opp_FT | Opp_FTA | Opp_FT% | Opp_ORB | Opp_DRB | Opp_TRB | Opp_AST | Opp_STL | Opp_BLK | Opp_TOV | Opp_PF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 2024-10-24 | @DEN | W | 102 | 87 | 43 | 101 | .426 | 8 | 36 | .222 | 35 | 65 | .538 | .465 | 8 | 12 | .667 | 13 | 36 | 49 | 23 | 9 | 13 | 12 | 15 | 35 | 98 | .357 | 7 | 38 | .184 | 28 | 60 | .467 | .393 | 10 | 14 | .714 | 17 | 40 | 57 | 29 | 11 | 7 | 16 | 12 | |
| 2 | 2 | 2024-10-26 | @CHI | W | 114 | 95 | 45 | 107 | .421 | 8 | 40 | .200 | 37 | 67 | .552 | .458 | 16 | 20 | .800 | 9 | 45 | 54 | 21 | 15 | 5 | 10 | 18 | 32 | 92 | .348 | 15 | 53 | .283 | 17 | 39 | .436 | .429 | 16 | 22 | .727 | 11 | 50 | 61 | 23 | 6 | 2 | 26 | 19 | |
| 3 | 3 | 2024-10-27 | ATL | W | 128 | 104 | 44 | 89 | .494 | 16 | 40 | .400 | 28 | 49 | .571 | .584 | 24 | 32 | .750 | 11 | 34 | 45 | 26 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 23 | 36 | 91 | .396 | 10 | 31 | .323 | 26 | 60 | .433 | .451 | 22 | 29 | .759 | 17 | 32 | 49 | 24 | 7 | 4 | 20 | 23 | |
| 4 | 4 | 2024-10-30 | SAS | W | 105 | 93 | 41 | 89 | .461 | 17 | 41 | .415 | 24 | 48 | .500 | .556 | 6 | 8 | .750 | 5 | 34 | 39 | 28 | 18 | 6 | 14 | 15 | 35 | 85 | .412 | 12 | 36 | .333 | 23 | 49 | .469 | .482 | 11 | 13 | .846 | 13 | 39 | 52 | 22 | 6 | 6 | 22 | 8 | |
| 5 | 5 | 2024-11-01 | @POR | W | 137 | 114 | 51 | 95 | .537 | 19 | 49 | .388 | 32 | 46 | .696 | .637 | 16 | 19 | .842 | 14 | 31 | 45 | 31 | 14 | 9 | 13 | 29 | 39 | 83 | .470 | 15 | 35 | .429 | 24 | 48 | .500 | .560 | 21 | 31 | .677 | 11 | 25 | 36 | 27 | 8 | 5 | 19 | 17 | |
| 6 | 6 | 2024-11-02 | @LAC | W | 105 | 92 | 36 | 84 | .429 | 16 | 39 | .410 | 20 | 45 | .444 | .524 | 17 | 19 | .895 | 3 | 38 | 41 | 25 | 11 | 3 | 12 | 22 | 32 | 79 | .405 | 11 | 35 | .314 | 21 | 44 | .477 | .475 | 17 | 26 | .654 | 10 | 40 | 50 | 23 | 10 | 7 | 22 | 17 | |
| 7 | 7 | 2024-11-04 | ORL | W | 102 | 86 | 39 | 85 | .459 | 12 | 31 | .387 | 27 | 54 | .500 | .529 | 12 | 16 | .750 | 5 | 37 | 42 | 23 | 12 | 4 | 17 | 21 | 29 | 82 | .354 | 5 | 34 | .147 | 24 | 48 | .500 | .384 | 23 | 27 | .852 | 7 | 34 | 41 | 20 | 12 | 5 | 19 | 16 | |
| 8 | 8 | 2024-11-06 | @DEN | L | 122 | 124 | 44 | 100 | .440 | 16 | 40 | .400 | 28 | 60 | .467 | .520 | 18 | 23 | .783 | 13 | 34 | 47 | 29 | 15 | 6 | 14 | 28 | 42 | 89 | .472 | 16 | 38 | .421 | 26 | 51 | .510 | .562 | 24 | 33 | .727 | 13 | 42 | 55 | 34 | 8 | 6 | 18 | 22 | |
| 9 | 9 | 2024-11-08 | HOU | W | 126 | 107 | 46 | 90 | .511 | 14 | 37 | .378 | 32 | 53 | .604 | .589 | 20 | 23 | .870 | 7 | 34 | 41 | 24 | 9 | 8 | 11 | 23 | 39 | 90 | .433 | 11 | 30 | .367 | 28 | 60 | .467 | .494 | 18 | 26 | .692 | 14 | 34 | 48 | 19 | 7 | 3 | 17 | 18 | |
| 10 | 10 | 2024-11-10 | GSW | L | 116 | 127 | 42 | 94 | .447 | 11 | 33 | .333 | 31 | 61 | .508 | .505 | 21 | 26 | .808 | 14 | 27 | 41 | 25 | 4 | 6 | 11 | 18 | 45 | 89 | .506 | 21 | 43 | .488 | 24 | 46 | .522 | .624 | 16 | 23 | .696 | 13 | 33 | 46 | 35 | 8 | 3 | 15 | 26 |
Glossary of Key Terms
- FG%
- Field Goal Percentage. The ratio of field goals made to field goals attempted, expressed as a decimal (e.g., .443 means 44.3%).
- 3P%
- Three-Point Field Goal Percentage. The ratio of three-point field goals made to three-point attempts.
- FT%
- Free Throw Percentage. The ratio of free throws made to free throws attempted.
- REB
- Rebounds. The total number of times a player or team retrieves the ball after a missed field goal or free throw.
- AST
- Assists. The number of times a player passes the ball to a teammate in a way that leads to a score.
- TO
- Turnovers. The number of times a team or player loses possession of the ball to the opposing team.
- @
- Indicates an away game. For example, "@NYK" means the game was played at the New York Knicks' home arena.
Overall
The Oklahoma City Thunder achieved the best regular season record in the league, finishing with a remarkable winning percentage of 82.9%, which ranked first among all teams. This outstanding performance demonstrates their consistency, dominance, and ability to win games throughout the entire season, establishing them as the top team in the NBA for the regular season.
Defensive
The Oklahoma City Thunder are recognized as one of the top defensive teams in the NBA. They allow only 107.6 points per 100 possessions, which ranks them third in the league, just behind the Orlando Magic and the Boston Celtics. This impressive defensive rating is a testament to their strong team cohesion, disciplined rotations, and ability to contest shots effectively. The Thunder's commitment to defense has been a key factor in their success this season, consistently limiting opponents' scoring opportunities and forcing tough shots. Their defensive prowess not only helps them win close games but also sets a solid foundation for their playoff aspirations.
Defensive
The Thunder's defensive prowess is also evident in their high number of steals and their strong ability to disrupt opponents' possessions. This aggressive defense not only creates more fast-break opportunities for the team, but also puts constant pressure on their opponents, often forcing turnovers and mistakes. Such defensive intensity is a key factor in the Thunder's overall success on the court.
Offensive
The Thunder's offensive performance was also impressive, with a scoring average of 120.5 points per game, which ranked second in the league. This high-scoring offense was a key factor in their success, allowing them to dominate games and secure many victories. The team's ability to score efficiently and consistently throughout the season contributed significantly to their overall success.