Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer is only posting his power rankings once every three weeks, so they will not be included in the weekly power rankings roundup with other major outlets.
But in the power rankings O’Connor released Monday, he took the time to rave over Oklahoma City Thunder wing Lu Dort.
With Dort’s improved shooting and offensive ability, he is no longer just a defender.
“We’re witnessing a player go from ‘defender capable of bothering James Harden’ to ‘legitimately good player,'” O’Connor wrote.
The analyst had a major message: “Buy Lu Dort’s shot.”
That’s a wild sentence to read after last season, but a dozen games into this year, it looks legitimate. Through 12 games, Dort leads the Thunder in 3-pointers made (28), attempted (65) and percentage (43.1%).
“Dort’s jumper was rigid last season, especially as he brought the ball up from his waistline into his release. It’s smoother now,” O’Connor wrote.
“I feel confident Dort will be able to keep shooting at an above-average rate — not just because of his revised form but because of his success from the free throw line, where he’s shot nearly 80 percent from the line in his NBA career.”
O’Connor isn’t as confident in the Thunder, placing them at No. 27 in his power rankings, ahead of only the Washington Wizards, Minnesota Timberwolves and Detroit Pistons. It was a gain of two since the last Ringer rankings had OKC at No. 29, but even with the 6-6 record, O’Connor doesn’t think their success is sustainable the way Dort’s 3-point shooting is.
“Even though the Thunder are 6-6, they have the league’s third-worst net rating. They aren’t good.
“But Luguentz Dort is.”
[lawrence-related id=440998]