Oklahoma City’s roster continuity helps in so many different ways.
During the beginning of the rebuild, it seemed like Oklahoma City’s roster was a revolving door. Due to injuries, trades, and many other factors, the Thunder debuted so many different lineups. With a team full of young and unproven players, it made sense to spread out the playing time and give everyone run, too.
Even with the many variations of lineups and players, Oklahoma City’s culture and identity was established. And now, just a few years later, Oklahoma City has had one of the most consistent rosters in the NBA for three straight years. There have been a few big additions and a handful of subtractions, but ultimately, this group has grown up together and figured out how to complement each other’s strengths. Suddenly, continuity has become an incredibly important ingredient to this team’s success. preseason press conference earlier this week, he spoke about that continuity and why it has turned into a priority. “I see way more upside than I see negatives,” Presti said. “A couple reasons for that. Basketball is a game that is played instinctively, and when it's at its best it's played improvisationally, as I said earlier. In order to play improvisationally, the other people playing with you have to be able to anticipate what it is you're about to do or react effectively to those choices… “Continuity allows for people to play better together and anticipate things. That's tactically. I think a team dynamic also benefits from continuity as well because over 17 years here, we have had a couple interesting personalities over the course of time, and those of us that have been with those people can pretty much tell you when that's going to happen and when they're going to come out of it and how that's going to work through continuity.”all received huge paydays. They did the same thing a season ago with the team’s role players, too, by inkingAs Oklahoma City continues to evolve, one of the biggest keys will be handling lulls and stretches where things aren't going smoothly. And contunuity is the most important aspect to breaking out of slumps as a team. Knowing what each player needs to find a way to get back on track is huge. Presti pointed to the Golden State Warriors as a great example of this, as a team that has gotten out of multiple lulls over the last few years. The Warriors have been the staple of consistency in the NBA over the last decade, and it's no accident that Oklahoma City continues to draw comparisons to their early days. They kept their core in tact and maintained continuity. “For us, one of those things will be if we hit a lull during the year, the ability to play through that, get the car back on the tracks, the train back on the tracks, through nothing more than persistence, like being able to understand where the issues are, plow through that.," Presti said. “I really think the Warriors are an incredible example of this. They're one of the most successful franchises in the last 10 years probably. But they play through lulls at different times, and they're remarkable. I have so much respect for them. They find a way to get themselves through tough patches and out to optimal levels. That will be a passage for us when we get to that, when we have to work through those things.” Oklahoma City will endure new hardships, there's no doubt about it. But having continuity and consistency across the board will certainly help battle the many highs and lows of the NBA.Ross is a 2023 Oklahoma University graduate who has formerly written for the OU Daily and Prep Hoops. He now works for the New Orleans Super Bowl Host Committee and covers OU sports for AllSooners.com. He has been covering the Thunder since the 2019-20 season.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Song Joong Ki Makes Important Decision About His Romance With Chun Woo Hee In “My Youth”Song Joong Ki will come to an important decision on the next episodes of “My Youth”! JTBC’s “My Youth” is a romance drama starring Song Joong Ki as Sunwoo
Read more »
Sam Burns brings important asset to US Ryder Cup teamThere’s one primary reason Sam Burns is one of the 12 players on the U.S. Ryder Cup team. Putting. Period.
Read more »
Why the New Pill to Treat Schizophrenia—the First in 50 Years—Is so ImportantCobenfy is the first approved drug in about 50 years to treat schizophrenia with a novel approach.
Read more »
This Poem Explains Why Jim Comey Got Indicted and Why None of Us Are SafeWhy it’s useful to read the Niemöller poem backward.
Read more »
Here's Why the Women's Super League Is So ImportantThe Women's Super League kicks off this weekend — and new research shows it could be key to bridging the gender fitness gap. Read more.
Read more »
Miss Manners: Why on the lips? Why?Advice from Judith Martin, Nicholas Ivor Martin and Jacobina Martin.
Read more »