OKC Thunder: Key Takeaways offer silver lining in loss to Nuggets

Jerami Grant’s emergence as a legitimate offensive threat.

Although he isn’t the first or second option for the team, Grant has proven to be an underrated scoring threat, and a versatile defender at multiple positions. Against Denver, Grant was OKC’s third-leading scorer behind George and Westbrook respectively.

Grant put up 21 points and 5 rebounds. He has improved noticeably since being put into the starting lineup over Patrick Patterson, and he hasn’t shown signs of slowing down.

His athleticism and length combined with his improving perimeter game make him a tough cover for any defensive assignment. Grant was often just seen as an athletic forward, but he’s proven to be much more than that.

Grant has been able to exhibit his exceptional finishing ability. He has become masterfully adept at finishing over other bigs. He also should be acknowledged for his unselfishness. A number of times against Denver, he passed up a good shot to find someone else a great shot.

Although lead passes to assists may not show up on the box score, it is appreciated by his teammates. Grant also has made his mark as an opposing threat in the paint on defense. The forward was able to challenge multiple shots at the rim, and he has become a deterrent when other teams want to attack the paint. Grant has a very bright future ahead of him.