Why the Thunder don't care about Lu Dort's 3-point shooting percentage

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The Oklahoma City Thunder won't admit it, but there's a reason why 'championship hangover' is part of the average sports fan's lexicon. Don't get me wrong — they've been the best team in the league. And so far, they look like the title favorite once again. But some players have struggled more this season than last season.

One of those has been Lu Dort. Specifically with his outside shooting. Last year, he averaged 10.1 points and shot 41.2% from 3 on 5.8 attempts. This year, those numbers are down to eight points on 33.1% from 3 on 5.5 attempts. That's a pretty wide difference that has frustrated some parts of the fanbase.

Perhaps there's no better example of OKC's short offseason resulting in pricey consequences than Dort. Not only has the offense taken a dip, but the perimeter defense hasn't been the same as in seasons prior. It also doesn't help that he's battled through early-season injuries that you wonder have to do with attrition loss.

Regardless, the Thunder will stick by Dort throughout the entire season. The 26-year-old has earned that benefit of the doubt. He's one of the longest-tenured players in OKC and is one of the franchise's better developmental success stories.

Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault isn't worried about the raw percentages. Instead, he looks at things through a process-oriented lens. Even if the streaky shooter has been colder than hot at the one-third mark of the regular season, he wants him to keep shooting the ball when open.

"Those guys have a body of work of hitting shots. Hitting big shots. Shooting solid percentages over a large sample. We're not going to overreact to the ball not going in. We'll overreact to bad shots, bad process," Daigneault said. "But as long as they keep shooting the right ones, we hang in there."

Daigneault said that Dort has played his way to guaranteed minutes. His energy has helped the Thunder have the NBA's best defense for two seasons now. That's the side of the ball that won them an NBA championship. Despite inconsistent scoring on the road during the playoffs last year.

"Lu and Alex, in particular, are such impactful defenders that you want them out there regardless of whether or not the ball is going in. They're great competitors," Daigneault said. "Part of the 82-game nature of the season, you're never going to stay at an optimal level as an individual player. Your shooting is not going to. Your team is not going to. It's about how you endure when you have some headwinds. It's about the mentality you take to those challenges."

In a similar boat, Alex Caruso backed up Dort. In Caruso's case, he averaged 7.1 points and shot 35.3% from 3 on 3.1 attempts last season. This season, he's at six points on 29.9% from 3 on 3.5 attempts. You saw the San Antonio Spurs dare him to beat them from the outside on Christmas. That playoff-esque strategy paid off.

"I don't look too much into the percentages of it. You can win a game in so many different ways in the regular season. Obviously, in the postseason, you're going to be able to make shots. We're always building towards that. At least that's my mentality," Caruso said. "I've seen him shooting before practice and at shootaround. He does the same routine. At that point, you just find your rhythm."

The proof is in the pudding with Caruso's philosophy. In OKC's championship run, he shot 41.1% from 3 on 3.9 attempts. He quickly ascended to one of the Thunder's five most important players when the stakes were at their highest. A pedestrian regular season strategy was well worth the patience.

"That's kinda the point of playing the games in the NBA. Eventually, you're going to catch a rhythm and shoot well. Some years, you start off shooting 60% from 3 the first two months. And then you even out and get to 37%, 38%, 40%," Caruso said. "Some years, I was like 18% in the first two months. Ended up shooting 35% on the year. They're so many games and so many shots."

When Sam Presti constructed his championship-caliber roster, he did so knowing OKC's offense would go through ups and downs. Catering to the defensive side, he felt like that was the side of the ball that was more consistent and reliable when push came to shove. Obviously, that strategy resulted in a ring. Let's see if it can happen again. This group has earned at least one more playoff run together to figure it out.

"You have to play the game and stay true to your work," Caruso said. "The guys that do that are the guys that end up with long careers. Lu is going to have a long career, so I'm not too worried about it."

This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Why the Thunder don't care about Lu Dort's 3-point shooting percentage

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