Ranking 7 former OKC Thunder point guards 2021 playoff performances

Former OKC Thunder PG 2021 playoff performance: No. 3 – Cameron Payne

In his days with the OKC Thunder, Cameron Payne was known more for his pregame dance duos with Russell Westbrook than his contributions on the hardwood.

Foot injuries plagued him throughout his two-year tenure with the Thunder as he appeared in 57 and 20 games through the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons. Following his trade to the Bulls, he didn’t fare much better playing in 11, 25, and 31 games between the 2016-17 and 2018-19 seasons.

Eventually, the Bulls released him and he landed in Cleveland on a 10-day contract. Payne attempted to find a permanent role on another team over the next few seasons finally ending up in Phoenix. This year he was able to break through and become an essential contributor off the bench for the Suns.

No doubt, the influence of Chris Paul played a factor in his ascension. He lands third on this list primarily for how he stepped up throughout the postseason. As CP3 dealt with the shoulder impingement injury Payne was vital in picking up the slack. Specifically, in Games 2 through 5, he averaged 15.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.8 steals while shooting 45.0 percent from the perimeter on five attempts.

Again, in the Western Conference Finals with CP3 sidelined dealing with COVID-19, Payne got the starting nod. He stepped up averaging 20 points, 2.0 rebounds, 9.0 assists,1.5 steals, and 1.5 blocks. If not for Payne, it’s unlikely the Suns win the series versus the Clippers and move onto the NBA Finals which is precisely why he ranks third on this list.