OKC Thunder starting lineup grades:
Aside from his five turnovers, Pokusevski had one of his best games in recent memory.
Pokusevski scored 13 points on 62.5 percent shooting and managed to snag three rebounds and deal five assists in the game. He looked far more comfortable on the court than he has in some time, finding good looks rather than forcing the shot as he has been guilty of doing in many games.
He deserves praise for his performance on Wednesday, but the Thunder need him to be more consistent in the future.
Isaiah Roby didn’t have his best shooting night on Wednesday, but he was solid defensively for the Thunder.
Roby scored just nine points in the game on 27.3 percent shooting – a rare off night for the young forward. But it wasn’t all bad for Roby.
Roby shined everywhere else on the court, pulling down six rebounds, handing out three assists and coming up with three steals and a block. The Thunder would love to count on his scoring, but it’s hard not to like what else he can do on the court.
There’s a lot to love about Al Horford‘s game. He’s a veteran that can still get down in the paint, and he’s shone on the court for the Thunder this season.
Horford shot 54.5 percent on Wednesday, scoring 13 points and snagging eight rebounds. His elite passing returned as the big man finished with six assists, and he also got down on defense, picking up one steal and one block.
When everyone else can’t get it done, the Thunder can always count on Horford.
Luguentz Dort didn’t have his most efficient shooting night, but he continued to plug away in an attempt to get the Thunder back in the game. Dort finished with 14 points on 35.3 percent shooting.
Defense is where he shines the brightest, and Wednesday night was no different. Dort finished with three steals and two blocks, doing everything the Thunder needed him to do on the court’s defensive side.
Theo Maledon will see a lot more minutes in the coming games as Gilgeous-Alexander remains out indefinitely. Typically, Maledon has handled the increase well, but every game can’t be a great one.
Maledon had the second-worst shooting performance of any player on the team on Wednesday, shooting just 28.6 percent for 10 points. He came up with four rebounds but didn’t have an assist in the game.
He is capable of bouncing back, and he will.