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The Thunder’s current defense is the best unit Isaiah Hartenstein has ever known. The numbers could tell him that, but the feeling on the floor tells him enough.
“I don’t think you have any weak links,” the first-year Thunder center told The Oklahoman. “Even a guy like (Isaiah) Joe. He’s been amazing just keeping guys in front of him, chesting them. If your shooter’s even playing that good of a defense, it’s pretty impressive.”
No shade to Joe, who’s listed at all of 6-foot-3 and 181 pounds, suitable size for the street but yearning for more in the league. He’s held up his end of the bargain, though. Just rewatch the first 4 minutes, 30 seconds of the fourth quarter Tuesday in the Thunder's 118-99 win against the Grizzlies in Round 1 of the NBA Playoffs.
On the floor for the Thunder was Joe, Hartenstein, Jalen Williams, Alex Caruso, Cason Wallace.
In that span, when Memphis’ 11-point deficit felt more eyebrow-raising than threatening, the Thunder quickly eliminated doubt.
The sequence went as follows: Joe forced a desperate turnaround jumper from Memphis guard Scotty Pippen Jr. The five had a defensive rating of 22.2 in that span. On the next possession, Williams denied several windows for an entry pass to Jaren Jackson Jr. — a theme in this lopsided first-round — before he and Caruso squeezed him to force a loose ball, then a jump ball.
When Pippen recovered the tip, Wallace rushed to meet his step-back jumper. Airball.
Joel Lorenzi covers the Thunder and NBA for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Joel? He can be reached at [email protected] or on X/Twitter at @joelxlorenzi. Support Joel's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
More: Thunder report card: How did Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC grade out in Game 2 vs Grizzlies
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: How OKC Thunder defense doomed Memphis Grizzlies with 5-minute stretch
Continue reading...
“I don’t think you have any weak links,” the first-year Thunder center told The Oklahoman. “Even a guy like (Isaiah) Joe. He’s been amazing just keeping guys in front of him, chesting them. If your shooter’s even playing that good of a defense, it’s pretty impressive.”
No shade to Joe, who’s listed at all of 6-foot-3 and 181 pounds, suitable size for the street but yearning for more in the league. He’s held up his end of the bargain, though. Just rewatch the first 4 minutes, 30 seconds of the fourth quarter Tuesday in the Thunder's 118-99 win against the Grizzlies in Round 1 of the NBA Playoffs.
On the floor for the Thunder was Joe, Hartenstein, Jalen Williams, Alex Caruso, Cason Wallace.
In that span, when Memphis’ 11-point deficit felt more eyebrow-raising than threatening, the Thunder quickly eliminated doubt.
The sequence went as follows: Joe forced a desperate turnaround jumper from Memphis guard Scotty Pippen Jr. The five had a defensive rating of 22.2 in that span. On the next possession, Williams denied several windows for an entry pass to Jaren Jackson Jr. — a theme in this lopsided first-round — before he and Caruso squeezed him to force a loose ball, then a jump ball.
When Pippen recovered the tip, Wallace rushed to meet his step-back jumper. Airball.
Joel Lorenzi covers the Thunder and NBA for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Joel? He can be reached at [email protected] or on X/Twitter at @joelxlorenzi. Support Joel's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
More: Thunder report card: How did Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC grade out in Game 2 vs Grizzlies
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This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: How OKC Thunder defense doomed Memphis Grizzlies with 5-minute stretch
Continue reading...
