Thunder Send Message on Benching Key Starter After Game 4

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By J.R. DeGroote | Last updated May 11, 2025 8:26 PM ET

The Oklahoma City Thunder have addressed their decision to bench Lu Dort during a pivotal Game 4 win against the Denver Nuggets.

Dort, known for his elite perimeter defense, has been a liability on the offensive end during the postseason. In Game 4, he logged 19 minutes and hoisted 10 shots — all from beyond the arc — making just two. His postseason shooting numbers are bleak: 31.5% from the field and 26.7% from three-point range. Of his 65 total attempts, 55 have come from long distance.

In Dort's absence, Cason Wallace and Alex Caruso received extended minutes in the fourth quarter and helped spark a comeback. The Thunder outscored the Nuggets 29-18 in the final frame to seal a 92-87 victory, tying the series at 2-2.

Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault downplayed the move away from Dort, emphasizing it wasn’t purely about his shooting.

“He’s the last guy I’m worried about, but we also have a deep team,” Daigneault said. “I thought Cason gave us good juice tonight, Caruso was really engaged in the game. In the fourth quarter, [we] decided to go with those guys down the stretch. It wasn't necessarily related to the shooting. It was more related to how the guys that were in the game were playing.”

Dort averaged 10.1 points and 29.2 minutes per game during the regular season, starting all 71 games he appeared in. He also shot a career-best 41.2% from deep.

Game 5 is scheduled for Tuesday at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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