By Nick Gallo | Broadcast Reporter & Digital Editor | mailbag@okcthunder.com
TAll season long, the Thunder has faced conservative defenses. Opposing five-man units have sagged into the lane when defending pick and rolls, using a rim protector to ward off darting Thunder guards and dashing big men as they tried to carve out angles in the paint. That type of defense is called a “drop coverage” among NBA types and it is often employed against squads like the Thunder that run endless numbers of pick and rolls near the elbows and the top of the key.