OKC Thunder lose to the undefeated Magic – player grades

The OKC Thunder’s fierce performance was not enough against the undefeated Orlando Magic. Player grades provide the highlights

They say that “it’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog.” The OKC Thunder youngsters proved that in their third game of the season, coming out with all guns blazing against the Orlando Magic.

Unfortunately, it was not enough as they played catch up for most of the game, losing to the Magic’s undeniable aggression on defense to snatch 12 steals and keep their foot on the gas throughout the whole game. It was their fourth consecutive victory to start the season which is a franchise record.

OKC Thunder youngsters and second unit shine:

It wasn’t all the Magic though, the stats imply that the game was a lot closer than the final score suggests. And it was a match where we got to witness more of the Thunder’s young players prove themselves on the big stage. It was thrilling to see them take advantage of extra minutes.

In my opinion, Isaiah Roby was one of the most impressive players on the floor. The 22-year old got his first start and showed why he can be trusted to step up on any given night.

With starters, George Hill (neck spasms) and Al Horford (rest) out, Roby and Justin Jackson got their first minutes of the season. Roby came out with fantastic confidence and holding his ground under the basket. By halftime, he had 9 points and 3 rebounds in only his 4th NBA game.

Aleksej Pokusevski’s incredible passing and playmaking were put on display. He and Hamidou Diallo were outstanding in the second quarter, leading the Thunder back in front.

The Orlando Magic scored 36 of their 60 first-half points in the paint and a combined 78 by the end of the game. As Mark Nilon of TI noted prior to the game a key for the Thunder was to force them to shoot mid-range jumpers with the Magic being a great three-point shooting team. But the Magic’s power to remain in the paint proved to be another challenge.

A positive is that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continued to show why he is the Thunder’s best player and a future All-Star with a brilliant 23 point performance. And a second-quarter spark plug from OKC’s second unit made a big difference.

However, the Magic’s successful run continued with a big fourth-quarter effort that saw them outscore the Thunder 31-22. And a spectacular show from Nikola Vucevic.