Oklahoma City Thunder’s Lu Dort spoke about his team’s growth as they prepare to face the Indiana Pacers in the 2025 NBA Finals. Dort highlighted how the team has improved throughout the playoffs despite tough challenges.
“We like learning and growing between those games,” he said. “Teams have thrown a lot of different stuff at us. We won some, we lost some, and then we just grew out of that and got better.”
Dort discussed his upcoming matchup with Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton, emphasizing the importance of team defense. “He’s their main guy, obviously. My approach is to make everything tough, not just me but the whole team,” Dort explained. “A guy like that, you have to throw a lot of stuff at him.”
Reflecting on his defensive development, Dort credited consistency and film study for his progress. “Defensively, I know what I can bring to the team,” he said. “If I do my job at a high level, we put ourselves in a great position to win.”
Dort expressed pride in being recognized for his defensive impact. “It’s just to care and compete and play hard,” he said. “As soon as I noticed I could help the team with my defense, I stayed at it.”
He recalled his college days at Arizona State, where he guarded the other team’s best player regularly. “I already kind of knew I had it,” Dort said. “When I got here, the coaching staff laid out what I could do to have playing time. That was a big part.”
Asked whether scoring or defense motivates him more, Dort said both matter equally as long as the team wins. “Every time I hold the other team’s best player to a low scoring game, it gives us our best chance to win,” he added.
Dort also reflected on the team’s struggles in previous seasons, calling those times “fuel and motivation.” He said the tough years helped build the team’s current success. “We want to achieve something big,” he stated.
Regarding the Pacers’ style, Dort noted their fast-paced and unselfish play. “They have a lot of guys who can rebound and push the ball,” he said. “They move the ball well and run the floor.”
Dort and Pacers forward Benedict Mathurin share a unique bond, both hailing from Montreal. “It’ll be huge for Montreal, especially Montreal North,” Dort said. “Two NBA players from there on the Finals stage—that’s big for the basketball world there.”
Despite the Thunder’s defensive reputation, Dort pointed out their offensive strength as well. “We’re fourth in offensive rating, but not many talk about that,” he said. “We’re unselfish, move the ball a lot, and play fast.”
