OKC Thunder: Player grades for surprising win over Rockets

OKC Thunder starting lineup grades:

Roby was sensational for the OKC Thunder on Sunday. With the absence of several key contributors, the Thunder needed everyone to step up and play well.

Luckily, Roby got the memo.

Roby finished with 18 points on 6-of-13 shooting. He limited his turnovers to just one while picking up one block, eight rebounds and two assists. If his efficiency had been a little bit higher, his grade would be, as well.

Aleksej Pokusevski is trying; you can give him credit for that, at least.

Pokusevski scored nine points in the game on 22.2 percent shooting. His two makes were from 3-point territory, and he converted three of his four free throws to top it off. He also came down with nine rebounds, which was a huge help in keeping the Thunder ahead.

That is a big reason his grade isn’t lower.

It’s hard to bet against Brown these days.

With Horford out, Brown stepped into the starting lineup at center and played a phenomenal game. Brown was accurate, hitting 62.5 percent of his shots and was exceptionally active on the glass, pulling down 14 rebounds, eight of which were on the court’s offensive side.

Brown’s ceiling is high, and his future is bright.

Dort bounced back from an ugly performance against the Hawks to lead the Thunder in scoring against the Rockets.

Dort finished with 23 points on 45.5 percent shooting. Although it wasn’t his best night, it showed that he could move past a bad night and improve.

Theo Maledon could have been better, but he was still pretty good even during an off game.

Maledon scored 12 points on 33.3 percent shooting. He also helped out in the rebounding game, picking up four, and he dealt two assists and swiped three possessions from the Rockets.

Maledon continues to get valuable minutes in the game, and he’s solidifying his position in the organization with each game.