OKC Thunder: Player grades in late-game collapse versus Nuggets

OKC Thunder starting lineup grades:

Williams has been excellent for the OKC Thunder as of late, but he cooled off a bit on Friday night against the Nuggets. His once-reliable shooting was less so as he hit just 37.5 percent of his shots for seven points. He was largely ineffective on Friday, despite having several solid looks.

It happens!

In some games, the shot won’t be there.

Williams was able to recognize it and make adjustments. He shot the ball just eight times despite playing over 34 minutes. He transferred that energy into rebounding. Williams pulled down 11 rebounds in the game and was also active in the assist game, where he finished with eight — both were team highs.

He might not have lit up the scoreboard, but Williams filled in where he was needed when his shot wasn’t falling.

Bazley has been significant for the Thunder this season. Because of that, you tolerate the sometimes awful. He had a rough outing against the Nuggets; shooting just 22 percent in the game, Bazley finished with seven points.

Having him on the court, however, helps the Thunder in more ways than one.

First, if you’re the opponent, you have to account for him. Bazley being on the court means the Thunder have options on the perimeter and in the paint. He’s fast and capable of having a big game on any given night. With him on the floor, other players receive more opportunities, which is essential for their success.

Second, there is the prospect of Bazley having a big game. You want him on the court because he gives you a better chance of success than most players on the team.

Horford has been one of the Thunder’s best players outside of Gilgeous-Alexander and Hamidou Diallo, and Friday night was no exception.

Horford ignited in the first quarter, scoring 12 of the Thunder’s first 15 points in the game. It wasn’t unreasonable to believe that he might finish with 30 or 40 points on the night.

But it didn’t quite work out that way.

Horford finished the game with 16 points on 40 percent shooting. Most of his misses came from 3-point range, where he put up eight shots and made three. He also pulled down five rebounds and dished four assists.

It makes sense that his production would slide in the game. Any coach would take notice of a player running up the score on their own players.

Still, Horford did his job, and in turn, drove up his stock even further.

Early in the game, it appeared as if Dort would continue his run of less than stellar games — his shots weren’t falling, and it seemed as if he was determined to shoot his way out of the slump.

Luckily, it worked.

It wasn’t perfect, but Dort managed to turn it around, finishing with 16 points on 42.9 percent shooting. Dort kept battling despite the game clock winding down towards an inevitable loss.

He took an inbounds pass coast-to-coast and laid the bucket in to close the gap to two points with 3.3 seconds left, refusing to give up on the game until the clock finally ran out for good.

Diallo was having a solid game until he fouled out with 38.4 seconds left in the game. The wing also had a lapse in judgment when he made a play at the rim on a last-second shot by the Nuggets at the end of the third quarter. The result was a goaltend, awarding the Nuggets three free points.

Considering the Thunder lost by two, it was a pretty big mistake.

Otherwise, Diallo did what he usually does.

He scored 16 points on 40 percent shooting, pulled down four rebounds, and dished two assists. Diallo also had three steals in the game.

Every game, Diallo is a fairly consistent player who can make opponents pay in various ways. He’s become a bright spot on the Thunder roster and will only get better with a little more experience.