The youngest team in the 2024 playoffs just tasted their first-ever victory, and it came off the most intense Game 1 this year. With their season’s 120.1 ppg shrinking to just 94, the team fell back on the cushioning of their defense. This approach saw a lot of matchups between Lu Dort and Brandon Ingram, the Pelicans‘ prime hope in Zion Williamson‘s absence. And Dort restricted Ingram to just 12 points, despite the wing’s season average of over 20 ppg!

Ingram went 0-2 from the three and 5-17 from the floor. Moreover, due to Dort’s consistent hounding, Ingram couldn’t impact the other areas of the game as well. With that, his equally talented teammate Jalen Williams quipped, “That is a 1st team defender, man” in light of Dort’s eclectic playoff opener. Just like Shai Gilgeous Alexander, Lu Dort is building off a commendable 2023-24 season. His physical and pesky defending style, coupled with his broad frame, can stifle both wings and guards.

Last year, Dort became an integral part of OKC’s unit while mastering the same. “I think he realizes his function. I think he realizes how important his physical presence is. His defense, his courage,” OKC’s GM Sam Presti said in an interview last year, highlighting Lu’s underrated impact.

Lu Dort also took the same lockdown defense on the global stage that offseason. Playing alongside SGA and Dillon Brooks (the defensive player of the tournament), he helped Canada beat the USA in the bronze medal game at the FIBA World Cup. Just like the NBA, he guarded the best players on opposing teams, while calmly taking open shots on offense.

As Dort continues to thrive in the tough matchups this season, he stands in the most dominant team and one of the West’s toughest players to score on. With that, can he make the all-NBA defensive team this year?

Lu Dort’s impact on the Oklahoma City Thunder

Oklahoma City’s roster is filled with defensive stars capable of mounting a Sicilian defense of their own. Shai leads the playoff players in deflections with 3.5 per game. Jaylin Williams and Isiah Joe rest among the top 7 players in Charges Drawn per game. Chet Holmgren is second in overall contested shots in a game. Despite that, Lu Dort’s defensive caliber remains unmatched for the Thunder.

One of those key elements is the difficulty of matchups Dort faces. Not only on OKC, but Dort also leads the league in the BBallIndex Matchup Difficulty (an estimate of how good of players you guard). Through his consistent hounding and ability to navigate screens by bigger players, Dort spends the most time in the NBA on a fairly better player.

This, in turn, creates a smooth-flowing offense for Shai, who scores a major chunk of his 30+ points per game by driving the lane. Additionally, it allows OKC to create mismatches and pace their energy in the process.

Moreover, Dort displays patience and commitment in performing a lesser role on OKC. Additionally, he has been working on the offensive side of the ball game. He played a career-high 79 games this season and shot a career-best 43.8% from the field and a near 35% from the three-point line. This is a long way from Dort’s first season with the Thunder when he immediately roped their defense and bullied James Harden for the majority of their 2020 playoff series. All of that, and much more, clearly marks Lu Dort as a serious contender for the NBA’s All-Defense team.