OKC Thunder: 3 takeaways in late surge, eventual loss to Trail Blazers

OKC Thunder takeaway No. 2) Bench comes alive for the Thunder

The OKC Thunder hasn’t had much of a bench over recent weeks. For one reason or another, the team has come in right around the eight players minimum mark. Against the Blazers, the Thunder had 10.

With Theo Maledon back in the starting lineup and Kenrich Williams reaping the rewards of last week’s stellar showing with a spot in the starting lineup, the Thunder had Diallo and Justin Jackson coming off the bench.

Of the six players to hit the double-digit scoring mark, three came off the bench.

Diallo has earned his minutes this season. He’s one of the brightest talents on the Thunder roster, and with each passing game, it’s not hard to see why. Diallo is a capable starter, but he is downright dangerous coming off the bench.

Against the Trail Blazers, Diallo posted 17 points on 50 percent shooting. He even knocked down a rare 3-pointer in the fourth quarter that was part of the Thunder’s comeback. He bullied Simons late in the game, forcing Simons to commit his sixth foul, which removed a dangerous scorer from the court.

Diallo was also somewhat active on the glass to add to his night, pulling down four rebounds to go along with two assists, one steal, and a block. He was also able to better secure the ball for most of his 30 minutes as he turned the ball over just two times.

Also coming off the bench was Isaiah Roby. Roby had a solid night for the Thunder and spent most of the night getting physical with Portland defenders to secure a rebound. Roby’s commitment to growth is a big positive for the Thunder and exciting to watch for fans.

Roby scored 11 points on 66.7 percent shooting and pulled down 10 rebounds. He also had two assists and a block on the night while committing just one turnover.

Mike Muscala was the third OKC Thunder bench player to end the night with double-digit scoring. It’s no secret that Muscala has struggled with his shot lately. But against the Trail Blazers, Muscala hit four of his five shots for 11 points. He added five rebounds to the Thunder’s total.

Jackson cooled off a bit after a couple of hot performances, finishing with six points on 33.3 percent shooting.

The Thunder bench finished with 45 of the team’s 104 points, outscoring Portland’s bench by seven points.

Overall, it was a solid team effort for the Thunder and one that very nearly ended up in the win column against a tough Western Conference foe.