Thunderous Intentions
Fansided

Five takeaways from the Thunder’s narrow loss to San Antonio

By Tony Heim

SAN ANTONIO,TX - NOVEMBER 17: Pau Gasol
SAN ANTONIO,TX - NOVEMBER 17: Pau Gasol /
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OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – OCTOBER 25: Patrick Patterson #54 of the OKC Thunder looks to make a pass during a game against the Indiana Pacers at the Chesapeake Energy Arena on October 25, 2017 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – OCTOBER 25: Patrick Patterson #54 of the OKC Thunder looks to make a pass during a game against the Indiana Pacers at the Chesapeake Energy Arena on October 25, 2017 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /

They need more out of Patrick Patterson

When Oklahoma City signed Patrick Patterson it was marketed as a move that would greatly impact the starting lineup in a number of ways. Then Carmelo Anthony was added. With Patterson, the Thunder now had their sixth man on par with the Warriors’ Andre Iguodala. That has not been the narrative to start the season.

Patterson’s numbers, both per-game and per-36 minutes, are down across the board. Patterson is shooting a putrid 34.8% from the floor this season, mostly because 75% of his shots are coming from deep. Even when he’s playing against bench-units Patterson almost exclusively hovers behind the arc. The same thing happened to Serge Ibaka in his final season with the Thunder – once he was pulled away from the basket he became less effective in other areas of the game.

The 28-year old was a fantastic +/- anomaly for the Raptors in his 3.5 seasons because of his versatility on both ends of the floor. Although Toronto used him primarily as a spot-up shooter, Dwane Casey ensured they kept him active by using him as a screener in both off-ball motion sets and on-ball pick-and-pops. Simply keeping players engaged on offense does a great deal in how they respond on the defensive end. That’s what Billy Donovan has lacked in how he has used Patterson thus far.

While the seven-year veteran has shown flashes of his old self, it’s obvious he isn’t fully recovered from his offseason knee surgery. It could be a mental thing, but if he isn’t 100% the Thunder should shut him down to allow him to fully recover. If Patterson is healthy though, then he can’t see his minutes range from 11 minutes one game to 25 the next.

The Thunder brought in Patterson to be the perfect complimentary piece that he was in Toronto. The problem is they aren’t using him like it. ESPN put Patterson in their top 100 players ranking heading into the season for a reason. He hasn’t lived up to that billing so far, but he also hasn’t been given a legitimate opportunity.

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