OKC Thunder lose to the undefeated Magic – player grades

Best OKC Thunder reserve performance:

Mike Muscala contributed everywhere with 14 points, five rebounds, two assists. Nine of his points came from downtown while he missed only one shot in his 20 minutes on the court.

He continues to bring abundant experience and assertiveness off the bench which sets a great example for his young teammates.

The value that he brings to the team is special and any team would appreciate having someone like Muscala on their side.

Best opponent performance:

All-Star Nikola Vucevic was dominant as we expected. Leading all scorers, he recorded 28 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists.

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The Center was sensational and along with Dwayne Bacon was a threat the Thunder couldn’t contain. He is now the Magic’s All-time leading scorer passing Nick Anderson. It’s safe to say that he may be one of the most under-appreciated players in the league.

In closing:

After yesterday’s one-point loss to the Jazz, George Hill said “We play to win. That’s Oklahoma City basketball. Win or lose, we represent this city and this city represents us.”

This instantly made me fall in love with the team all over again (not to be dramatic). It’s this passion and indisputable commitment to success and making the city proud that make every player new and old special.

Even with players out, you could still see that the team came out to win today. There were some standouts and some who could’ve played better but an overall good effort against a team on the rise.

You can view the full ESPN box score here. All eyes will be on the OKC Thunder as they look ahead to an exciting encounter against their Kiwi mate Steven Adams and the New Orleans Pelicans in a New Year’s Eve spectacle.