Thunder stopper transformed himself offensively
Editor’s note: Over the next three weeks, The Oklahoman will publish a series of report cards on each of the Thunder’s 15 main roster players. Grades will be curved relative to role and expectations. Next up in the series, Lu Dort.
If only Lu Dort would take better shots. Fewer shots. If only he’d become an average 3-pointer shooter. If only Dort, an elite defender, would refine his offensive game.
Well, the Thunder would be onto something.
It was a lot to ask for, but that’s the exact version of Dort it got this season.
Dort polished the most glaring imperfections out of his game. His 8.3 field-goal attempts per game were his fewest since his rookie season. Playing within the flow of the offense, Dort all but erased his aimless drives to the rim, where he too often forced tough shots.
And Dort didn’t just become an average 3-point shooter. He shot a career-high 39.4% from deep, leading the Thunder both in 3-point attempts and makes.
Dort sacrificed volume for efficiency. Easier said than done, especially when Dort played such an outsized role in the offense during the two rebuilding seasons.
If there would’ve been an All-Defensive third team, Dort would’ve captained it. The 25-year-old from Montreal received the 11th-most All-Defensive votes, barely missing out on what would’ve been his first All-Defensive nod.
“It’s not something I think about when I do the job that I do, but it would be good to get rewarded for that,” Dort said in his exit interview. “I’ve put a lot of sacrifice and a lot of time into that. I wish the world and whoever else gets to see that.”
They saw it in the playoffs, when Dort backed up his billing as one of the best on-ball defenders on the planet.
He demoralized Brandon Ingram in the Thunder’s first round sweep of the Pelicans.
In the second round against Dallas, Dort served as the primary defender on Mavericks superstar Luka Donoic. Dallas won the series in six games, but Dort limited Doncic — the regular season scoring champion at 33.9 points per game — to 24.7 points in the West semifinals.
Dort shot just 8-of-27 (30%) from inside the arc in the playoffs, but he was 25-of-64 (39%) from 3-point range.
Dort, the former undrafted free agent out of Arizona State, just completed his fifth season with the Thunder. It was undoubtedly his best.
Set to make between $16.5 and $17.7 million over the next three seasons, Dort’s contract that once raised eyebrows is one of the best values in the league.
Lu Dort by the numbers
61%. In the regular season, Dort shot 61% from zero to three feet. That was up from a ghastly 52% in 2022-23. Those shots at the rim accounted for 21% of his total attempts, down from 30% last season.
564. Dort’s 564 career 3-pointers are third most in Thunder history behind Kevin Durant (1,084) and Russell Westbrook (922). Paul George (536) is fourth and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is fifth (400).
44.3%. Of Dort’s 396 3-point attempts this season, 34.7% of them were wide open, according to stats.nba.com, when the closest defender is six or more feet away. Dort made 44.3% of his wide open threes.
Lu Dort offseason homework
Keep working on that rafter-scraping shot of his.
And finding down time when he can. It’s going to be a busy summer for Dort, who will play alongside SGA for Team Canada in the Summer Olympics.
“It’s going to be a lot of traveling,” Dort said. “The Olympics is something big. I can’t take that for granted. Looking forward to getting ready with the team, and at the same time, taking care of my body.”
Lu Dort grade: A
Dort was an ironman, playing in 79 games (89 counting the playoffs) while always taking on the toughest defensive assignment.
He did everything that was asked of him, scaling back his offensive game for the good of the team while not losing a step defensively.
Dort’s value was magnified in the playoffs.