After Shai Gilgeous-Alexander missed on two chances to hit a game-winner, the Oklahoma City Thunder are in newish territory. They're amid a three-game losing streak for the first time in years. This is their first lengthy skid since April 2023. Yeah, it's been that long.
If nothing else, OKC's season-long four-game road trip has been a humbling experience. Riding high from a previous four-game winning streak, the Thunder have come to grips with their new NBA reality. Your ceiling as a team is severely limited if you're missing three of your four best players — plus other important pieces.
I mean, yeah, duh. But for the first time in years, the Thunder are no longer a regular-season win machine. They're mortal. Like the rest of the NBA. How can
OKC still salvage this season? Here are four quick fixes that should serve as duct tape until help arrives:
Gilgeous-Alexander returns to vintage form
Transforming his shot diet to be more perimeter-friendly, Gilgeous-Alexander caught flak in recent days. The Thunder need him to be the superb-efficient 30-plus point scorer he's been over the past four seasons. Not just someone who will get you 25-ish points on decent efficiency. The 28-year-old has fallen in love with the mid-range and outside jumpers. That explains why his driving numbers are down. Which also explains why his free-throw numbers have dipped, too.
Two losses to the Portland Trail Blazers put Gilgeous-Alexander's junky shot diet at the forefront. I guess he got the message. He returned to his vintage form in a loss to the LA Clippers. He had 40 points on 15-of-26 shooting and shot 8-of-11 on free throws. He only went 2-of-4 from 3. Even though he missed two chances to hit go-ahead shots in the final 36 seconds, you love the shot process he had.
Look — Gilgeous-Alexander entered the year with ambitions of an easier workload. The Thunder highlighted an off-ball role. He had hoped to save his legs for the NBA playoffs by getting away from a physically-taxing playstyle of being a drive-heavy scorer. But those plans are out the window. The sky actually fell this time. He needs to be a one-man show every night to salvage this year. Whatever that looks like.
Additional help arrives soon
The endgame is Chet Holmgren. The Thunder know for a fact he'll be back this regular season. Probably around New Year's as he's still in the early stages of an 8-to-10-week timetable. The All-NBA talent received a biological treatment to address a small torn patellar tendon. He's the big fish. And who knows? Maybe, best-case scenario, Jalen Williams and/or Cason Wallace miraculously return, too. OKC left the door open for a reason.
But the Thunder won't have to wait long to get additional help. Nikola Topic returned in OKC's loss to the Clippers. He missed the first dozen games recovering from back surgery that took longer than anticipated to return from. There's also a litter of other NBA guys on the precipice of returning.
Ajay Mitchell has missed the last two games with an ankle sprain. That surely won't cost him more time — if any. Jaylin Williams has missed five in a row with back spasms. Hopefully, he's using the time off to get in better NBA shape. He's had a slow start to his year. And then there's the ever-mysterious Thomas Sorber. I mean, he has to be back soonish, right? He's participated in intense pregame warmups for weeks now. I think he's on the doorstep of making his long-anticipated NBA debut after a year and a half.
Make Caruso full-time starter
Since Alex Caruso joined the Thunder, he's been famously bubble-wrapped in the regular season. He's started four games in just three seasons. His minutes have only eclipsed 20 minutes per night just once — this year. You're just not afforded that luxury right now. The 32-year-old remains one of your most impactful players. It's time to go all out.
The Thunder have an eye-popping plus-25.4 net rating when Caruso is on the floor in 204 minutes this season. That number sinks to minus-7.7 net rating when he's off the floor in 420 minutes. That's a plus-33.1 swing. I mean, you can't have that sitting on the bench in a reserved role. Especially with how dire things are right now with their glued-together rotation.
I think it's time to throw caution to the wind. At least, for the next couple of months. Caruso must be a full-time starter. He's proven before to be capable of the workload. He's the sole healthy high-end point-of-attack defender you have. The Thunder need the All-Defensive talent to match up with the opposition's top perimeter scorers at the start of games. Or risk falling behind from the jump — ala when Darius Garland absolutely carved up Jared McCain in OKC's loss to the Clippers.
Rotate through two-way spots
The Thunder need to find NBA-quality talent. And fast. The most sure-fire way of at least trying that? Bringing in new two-way guys. I mean, that's kinda the whole point of that semi-standard contract, right? To see if you can find hidden gems in the G League? Right now, I think we can confidently say that's not really the case with this crop of OKC's two-way talent.
Micah Peavy is the best of the bunch. He can defend. But the jumper and his offense are a lost cause. His playing time has dwindled because of it. As controversial as this might be, I actually like what Josh Dix brings to the table. Sure, he's a theoretical-3-and-D player, but his defense and energy have been a nice touch. I can't blame him too much for how many crunch-time minutes he played in OKC's loss to the Clippers. That falls on the coaching staff.
But, Brooks Barnhizer? I think he's the easiest to replace. He's been out of the rotation for weeks. He's not playing with the G League's OKC Blue to get developmental reps. What exactly are we doing here? You can't just waste a valuable roster spot like that right now. The Thunder have to bring in new blood. Just for the sake of change. Even if the odds are astronomically small that somebody in the G League will be a season-saver.
This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Here are 4 ways OKC Thunder can fix current struggles amid losing streak
