Thunder's paint scoring dominance meets Wizards' weak interior defense. Will OKC exploit this critical advantage on the road?
Oklahoma City continues its six-game road trip against a rebuilding Wizards squad that has not won a game since Feb. 20. Jalen Williams remains out for this contest, although he may return soon based on his social media posts. Lu Dort is also out for the Thunder.
On the other side, Washington is without Trae Young, Anthony Davis, Kyshawn George and D'Angelo Russell.
Check out three key matchups for this contest.
Thunder’s Paint Scoring
Since the All-Star break, Washington ranks 28th in defensive rating and has allowed the most restricted area shots per game. Opponents are absolutely feasting around the basket. Here’s a look at how opposing centers have performed against the Wizards over its past six games:
- Jalen Duren – 24 points on 9-of-15 shooting
- Jalen Duren – 36 points on 13-of-17 shooting
- Kristaps Porzingis – 30 points on 8-of-13 shooting
- Neemias Queta – 24 points on 11-of-13 shooting
- Wendell Carter Jr. – 19 points on 8-of-13 shooting
- Bam Adebayo – 83 points on 20-of-43 shooting
Oklahoma City’s offense ranks fourth in drives per game and fundamentally relies on rim pressure, so the reigning champs are well positioned to dominate inside the paint.
Will Isaiah Hartenstein join the onslaught? The veteran has not scored a single point in his past three games, but perhaps he takes a break from doing the dirty work and decides to have fun against an atrocious interior defense. His 33-point performance against Sacramento on Nov. 7 is the last time he attempted 11+ field goal attempts in a game.
Wizards’ 3-Point Shooting
Although the team only ranks 17th in three-point percentage this season, Washington is capable of having a big night from deep.
Alex Sarr and Tristan Vukčević are both stretch-bigs who can knock down triples, so the offense features shooting at all five positions. Rookie Tre Johnson was considered one of the best sharpshooters leading up to the 2025 NBA Draft, while Jaden Hardy and Will Riley boast decent jumpers.
Oklahoma City needs to make strong closeouts on the Wizards’ shooters because allowing players to take open triples could let Washington hang around for longer than it should.
Key Categories
Washington ranks 30th in opponent free throw attempt rate, 28th in opponent offensive rebound rate and 25th in turnover percentage since the All-Star break. This young team consistently loses key areas that are needed in order to pull off upsets. If the Thunder dominates these categories, then the contest is essentially over.
Look for Cason Wallace to be a menace in this game. He leads the league in steals per game and will be a nightmare for Washington's young players when they try to bring the ball up the court. Chet Holmgren's length should also give Washington fits inside the paint.