
OKC Thunder starting lineup grades:
Theo Maledon began the game slowly but started to see the ball go through the hoop in the second period. He keeps improving, despite the fact he did not have the offensive explosion of the last game. He made a few mistakes by expecting players to be in positions that they were not. However, got some free-throws and had a nice transition dunk as the game went on.
Looked really good for the first half when penetrating. His 3-point shot was off but had seven points and three assists at the half. He had a scary moment when he rolled his ankle as mentioned earlier but seemed to be able to shake it off. Ended the game with 15 points and four assists without playing much in the last period in an effort to keep him healthy
As in every game, Luguentz Dort defended and drove hard. Unfortunately, the Thunder had a horrible first period where they gave up 54 points meaning that Dort was ineffective due to the incredible shooting by the Rockets. They shot 11-of-14 with every player having an influence. Dort was solid without being spectacular
Darius Bazley was not shooting the ball well. Instead of continuing to bomb away he started using his athleticism and taking the ball to the rim. This proved to be a much more effective strategy and he had 11 points by the half to lead the Thunder scorers. He started to hit from deep a little more in the second half as well as getting to the line
Horford was one of the few Thunder players who came out strong, getting seven of the Thunders’ 24 points in the opening quarter. He was the best of the Thunder starters with 12 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and two steals. He only played 23 minutes due to the blowout but his abilities at both ends of the court shone.