3 Takeaways: A Night where nothing went right for the OKC Thunder

OKC Thunder bench boss Mark Daigneault had some….interesting rotations.

There is no way to put this gently: There was a gluttony of questionable decisions around the team in this game.

Why was there no sign of Aaron Wiggins? Throughout this short season, Wiggins has proven that he is a guy who is ready when his number is called.

But despite the lead ballooning to 17, Wiggins never got the call. You have to wonder what his positional defense and slashing could’ve done for this team in retrospect.

Why did Lindy Waters III play 20 minutes? Why did Lindy Water III get in at all? The Oklahoma City Blue started their season tonight, and Waters III was suiting up for the Thunder.

He went 0-2 from beyond the arc and was routinely exposed on defense. I don’t have anything against Waters III, but when you have guys like Wiggins, Davis Bertans, and Vasilije Micic on the bench, they’re just waiting for an opportunity. How do you explain why he is getting minutes?

Waters III was a part of the lineup that tried to force the pseudo-comeback attempt; it was he, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Cason Wallace, Isaiah Joe, and Jaylin Williams. They could cut a 13-point lead to 6 at one point, but after Wallace made a three-pointer to cut it nine and prompted the Kings to call a timeout, Mark Daigneault stuck to his guns.

Learning from the players and the coaches was an opportunity, but some of these decisions felt strange. And I have a slightly bitter taste in my mouth about it. Sure, Micic and Bertans present defensive woes, but to leave Wiggins on the pine is head-scratching.

Better days ahead for the Thunder. Onward.