OKC Thunder grades: Young core busts loose in big win over Hawks

After Friday, Trae Young might be having nightmares of “the Dorture Chamber” who delivered one of his best games of the season. Sure, he’s a great defender (hence why he’s been given the nickname by the masses) but it’s how he defended Trae Young that made (in the narrator’s opinion) the difference in the game.

Young is averaging 27.2 points and 10.2 free throws per game this season. On Friday, Dort didn’t just lock him down he did something no other club has this season —  kept him off the line!  The last time Trae didn’t take a free throw was the fourth game of last season versus the Heat.

Lu also was active offensively scoring 19 points including four 3-pointers along with three rebounds, two assists, and a steal.

I started to wonder if Bazley had hit a wall as his game was seemingly falling off a cliff. But, just as this team responds after a bad loss, Bazley roared back following a scoreless effort versus the Spurs. Bazley posted an impressive double-double of 18 points and 12 rebounds plus an assist, a steal, and a block.

With his perimeter shot not falling (1 of 5) he remained aggressive finding other ways to score including a drive through the paint for a dunk that resulted in spilled coffee as I leapt off the couch.

In his prior starts, Isaiah Roby has for the most part been a positive and showcased the potential he’ll offer the Thunder in the future. He’s the perfect example of the type of big man the team wants to utilize in their postionless basketball strategy.

The issue for Roby Iand Mark Daigneault) to figure out is what OKC will do when they face teams with a talented power forward (John Collins) plus a more typical center (Clint Capella) have to be dealt with. It’s unfair to put it all on Roby, but when your counterpart grabs 21 rebounds and nine offensive boards compared to four it’s a problem.