OKC Thunder: 3 takeaways from sloppy loss to Mavericks
By Ryan Lewis
OKC Thunder takeaway No. 3) Dort’s struggles reappear
There is not a more confusing player on the OKC Thunder roster than Dort. In one game, he showcases some of the same abilities that made him a fan-favorite in Oklahoma City, and in other games, he falls apart, looking nothing like the player everyone has grown to love.
Although one game isn’t a cause for concern, when a player strings together multiple sub-par performance games, one has to wonder what has happened.
Dort went from being one of the Thunder’s hottest 3-point shooters to shooting 31.9 percent from deep over his last 10 games. Whatever touch he had seems to have gone away.
Dort’s defense has kept him in on the court for the OKC Thunder. There’s simply no other replacement for him on the defensive end of the court.
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But against the Mavericks, Dort’s offensive woes were glaringly obvious.
In 24 minutes, Dort was 1-for-9 from the field. His one make was a 3-pointer. He also went 2-for-2 at the free-throw line to finish with five points in the game. He also had five rebounds and two assists,
Dort has had flashes of his early-season self while also having nights that have left fans scratching their heads and wondering what happened. Every player goes through good and bad stretches, and Dort is young, so these things could work themselves out eventually. It’s just a matter of him finding his comfort zone again.
You can view the full box score here and the Intentions player grades are available here.
The Thunder are back on the court tonight against the Spurs in San Antonio. Game time is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. CT.