Thursday night against the Wizards, the OKC Thunder were without Jalen Williams (wrist) and Chet Holmgren (back). Making matters worse, Isaiah Hartenstein matched his season low in rebounds (eight), while spark plugs like Aaron Wiggins and Ajay Mitchell fell short of their general brand of offensive excellence (combined for 9-for-26 shooting from the floor).
Yet, despite all these hardships, Oklahoma City still seemingly sleepwalked their way to a 127-108 victory.
Even when the game was close after three quarters of play, it never really felt like Washington stood a chance.
Whether it was because the Thunder refused to give them free opportunities (coughed up just six turnovers) or because of the losing culture the Wizards have firmly established as a cornerstone of their franchise is anybody's guess.
Nevertheless, the Thunder outscored them by 11 in the final 12 minutes of regulation to extend their undefeated record to 6-0.
While many Thunder players didn't have their best showing, one man stood out from the pack.
Isaiah Joe serves as missing link in Thunder three-point shooting woes
Isaiah Joe, who made his season debut, took over while he was on the floor. He shot 7-for-12 from the fielf and finished with 20 points while pulling down six boards.
Arguably, the biggest boon he provided on the night was his long-range shooting game, as he made five of his nine three-point attempts. The rest of the team combined to shoot just 27.5 percent.
Throughout his time in Oklahoma City, Joe's success has been directly correlated with the team's success. In his six career games in which he has made five or more three-pointers, the Thunder have outscored their opponents by a combined 168 points (28.0 PPG).
As a matter of fact, Joe was one of the very few Thunder players who excelled from behind the arc during last season's title run, as he shot roughly 41.0 percent, on par with his regular-season shooting percentage.
This three-point boost couldn't have come at a better time for the Thunder, as they have been at the bottom of the league thus far in this category (second-worst mark at 29.6 percent).
With many other Western Conference contenders shooting lights out from deep, Joe's return to the lineup brings an essential element that should allow them to stay in ballgames they might otherwise be out of.
The Thunder have two days off before they match up against Zion Williamson and the Pelicans. After that, they'll embark on a four-game West Coast trip where they'll face the Clippers, Blazers, Kings, and Grizzlies.
They'll likely need Joe's sharpshooting on the trip, especially if Williams and Holmgren remain out.