3 takeaways after OKC Thunder lose on the road to the New Orleans Pelicans 114-118
By Noah Schulte
Dennis Schroder, a perfect fit
I talked about this last time I was here but Schroder is a perfect fit for what this Oklahoma City team needs in a backup point guard – a secondary ball handler who can hit shots and occasionally get hot from deep.
Coming into the season, the German was one of the more controversial point guards in the league with a history of disruption on and off the court. While he arrived to OKC with a reputation for inconsistent play, it’s becoming clear that he was simply miscast as a starter in Atlanta.
As a backup, Schroder is playing phenomenal ball and tonight was no exception. He posted 24 points (9-18 from the field, 2-2 free throws, 4-11 from three), three rebounds and four assists in 32 minutes of play. The 25 year-old picked up the slack for Westbrook who struggled mightily through three quarters before getting hot in the fourth.
Schroder is without a doubt, Oklahoma City’s best sixth man in quite sometime. The German is averaging 17 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists this season and has been the third play-maker OKC have needed since James Harden‘s departure.