Most surprising OKC Thunder player performance through 64 games

Next up in the OKC Thunder 30 for 30 roundtable TI writers consider the most surprising OKC Thunder player performance through 64 games.

Following up on the last question of the OKC Thunder 30 for 30 roundtable the writing team is looking at the roster in terms of performance this season. Question 28 focused on the most disappointing player this season. Today, we shift to the most surprising performance.

Health, playing time and chemistry all play a role in this determination. Yet, in spite of those factors, there are some players who’ve raised the bar this season and impressed.

With that, I give you question 29 from the series…

Q29:  Which OKC Thunder player has surprised the most positively?

Shontelle Matano:

Dennis Schroder has surprised me the most positively this season. He’s proven to be a revelation, contributing to one of the NBA’s most lethal lineups.

I wasn’t too sure how he would go when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chris Paul joined the team. But he’s shown sacrifice as well as courage to still come off the bench and buy into a new system of three guards. He is distributing the ball more but also getting his own shots making for a winning combo.

Rylan Stiles:

I think Danilo Gallinari has been the biggest surprise this season, he has gotten to put on full display his offensive game, and his ability to impact the team. So far this season he was averaging the third-most points in his entire career, while load-managing, he also has taken the most three’s per game in his entire career, being able to get more involved offensively.

Dustin McGowen:

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Everyone thought he was done. National NBA commentators considered him an afterthought. They supposed that his albatross of a contract almost certainly doomed the Thunder to the bottom of the NBA barrel. They were all wrong about Chris Paul.

CP3 has been an absolute joy this season. On the court, he has been the most clutch player in the NBA. Off the court, he has brought a young OKC team together to the precipice of home-court advantage in a possible playoff. I never thought that I would like the former Clipper-turned-Rocket point guard. I was wrong too.

Chris has risen indeed. (I’ll see myself out)

Matthew Hallett:

The normal answer for this would be Chris Paul. However, I have been super impressed by the work of Abdel Nader on the season. He was called upon when injury ravaged the Thunder and his hard work paid off. He has embodied the next man up mentality which has kept them in the hunt for home-court advantage.

Tamberlyn Richardson:

A more indepth article on this subject is coming, for now, let’s just say I agree both Gallo and CP3 have delivered to a surprising degree this season. My biggest surprise lies elsewhere but I’ll keep that choice hidden for the deep-dive article.

Next up the final question of the 30 for 30 roundtable series drops with a view to what the seedings would be and first-round winners.

Wishing everyone a safe and healthy day.