Thunder Need Their Three-Point Shot to Recover

Oklahoma City’s difficult week ended with a loss to Houston on Saturday, leaving the Thunder looking to steady their offense as they open a two-game series against Cleveland on Monday, November 2. The team has lost twice this season and is seeking a win to halt a brief slide.

The Thunder have struggled on both ends, but their outside shooting stands out as a possible way to improve. They are making 30.9% of their three-point attempts, the league’s 26th-best mark through the first six games. The league average is 34.7%.

In the loss at Dallas, Oklahoma City made five of 32 shots from beyond the arc. Against Houston, it made 10 of 32, or 31.3%—an improvement that still fell short of the league average. Both defeats were blowouts, so those shooting numbers alone do not explain the outcomes. Better accuracy in Dallas, however, might have helped change the result.

More made threes could help the Thunder in the coming weeks, though relying on perimeter shooting carries risks. The team also needs to get the ball into the paint and put pressure on the rim, which could create better outside looks. The Cleveland games offer an early chance to improve, as Oklahoma City tries to make its offense more reliable.