The OKC Thunder are amidst a Paul George peak, but how about Patrick Patterson’s dunk count and quiet impact beyond statistical numbers? Let’s talk about it.
After two seasons with OKC Thunder, Patrick Patterson‘s numbers are not the most impressive. He’s averaging 3.9 points and 2.5 rebounds on the season. His season-high comes in at 17 points in OKC’s face-off against Phoenix on Oct. 28. A big night for the power forward. Let us revisit.
As OKC began to build a lead over the Suns, Patterson was vital energy on the court. With just under 11 minutes to go in the second quarter, Patterson went up for a layup but was stripped of the ball. Luckily, Nerlens Noel was equipped for a steal on the other end to set PPat up for his first dunk in an OKC Thunder jersey. (Fast-forward to 36 seconds in the video above to relive it)
According to Basketball Reference that Patrick Patterson dunk was the first of his Thunder career.
— Brett Dawson (@BDawsonWrites) October 28, 2018
The win against Phoenix was the team’s first win of the season, which was surprising given Steven Adams was out due to injury. The 7-point victory ended a 0-4 start and ignited a seven-game win streak. It was the most minutes Patterson has been allotted this season (again, due to Adams’ absence), just shy of 30 minutes to end the night shooting 60 percent from the field, 2/5 from the arc, and 75 percent at the free throw line.
Over that seven-win streak, Patterson put up 49 points and clinched 22 rebounds for OKC, per Basketball Reference.
He’s only averaging 14.7 minutes this season with an anemic 33.1 percent field-goal efficiency. In his two seasons, he’s started a mere six times, averaging 15.3 minutes in his career with OKC Thunder.
Is OKC harboring a secret weapon? His numbers are dismal, but what is Patrick Patterson beyond the numbers?