Oklahoma City Thunder forward Lu Dort recently shared why he wasn’t among the more popular players in the league. While speaking in an interview with “The Athletic“, Dort attributed his lack of popularity to the fact that he actively chooses not to talk trash and engage in the antics that many defensive players in the league do.
“I think it’s because I’m not a villain,” said Dort. “I’m not a guy that goes out there trash-talking and being loud. I do my job and move on. Even though I know they’re mad and having a bad game, I’m not gonna let them know that.”
The forward’s presence on the floor is an intimidating one. Although he is relatively undersized in his position, Dort is a very strongly built individual. The Thunder forward often leverages this when it comes to holding his ground against bigger and tougher players.
However, in the semifinals series against the Denver Nuggets, Dort has drawn the task of guarding Nuggets star guard Jamal Murray. This matchup has been an entertaining one to watch as the Nuggets guard has had to fight for every point he has scored.
The 26-year-old is well aware of the fact that Denver wants him away from their star as much as possible. He addressed this during the interview as well.
“It’s been like that all year; it’s not just Denver. I know I’m a good defender and disturb a lot of (opposing teams’) main guys. Whenever I’m off their main guy’s body, it’s good for them.”
Lu Dort is one of the most important players on the Thunder’s roster. Although he only averages 10.1 points and 4.1 rebounds per game, Dort is a menace on the defensive side of the ball.
Dort’s presence has been felt beyond the realm of guarding Murray. His impact on defense has been essential for the Thunder as they seek to overcome the Nuggets in this series. A key aspect of the defensive effort shown by both teams in this series has been physicality, something that has been a heavily discussed topic in the playoffs as a whole.
The physical nature of each game has been called out on several occasions this year. Nuggets head coach David Adelman, along with Aaron Gordon, have called out the bias on the part of the officials with how they’ve blown the whistle and awarded fouls.
However, by simply looking at the stats, it is evident that the games aren’t necessarily as biased as they may look. More often than not, the Nuggets end up shooting more free throws, albeit Nuggets star Nikola Jokic may not be receiving the same whistle Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander does. However, this is also mere speculation on the part of players and media.
Regardless, with a 92-87 win in Game 4, the Thunder have drawn the series level at 2-2 before heading back home. With Game 5 emerging as a crucial one for breaking the deadlock, OKC will look to win back-to-back games and take control of the series on Tuesday at 9:30 pm ET.
