Grading the OKC Thunder bench:
Isaiah Joe, G, OKC Thunder: A-
Every time the Thunder needed a bucket, Joe delivered. Well, he had back-to-back triples in the fourth quarter to help extend the lead back to 10.
Most importantly, Joe found a rhythm. He finished with 16 points and shot 4-of-7 from beyond the arc. The last time he hit either of those marks was in the Nov. 22 game against the Chicago Bulls.
Since that game, he had only made at least half of his 3-point attempts four times in 19 tries. If Monday’s game can be a return to Joe’s old ways, the Thunder could be getting a considerable boost.
Aaron Wiggins, G, OKC Thunder: A+
Some have said Aaron Wiggins saved basketball. Some are correct.
Wiggins has a special knack for finding open space on offense, particularly in the paint. He finished off a few layups by running straight to the open area with no Wizards coming to guard him.
That helped him finish with 13 points on 6-of-8 shooting, including one make from beyond the arc. That tied his season-high in scoring and was the second time he hit 13 points in the past week, also doing so in Atlanta.
Cason Wallace, G, OKC Thunder: B
Wallace had a rough shooting night, but he is everywhere.
If Chet Holmgren and Victor Wembanyama did not exist, Wallace would easily be the most impactful rookie on the defensive end. On Monday, he came away with two steals and three blocks.
One of his impressive plays was taking the ball straight out of Mike Muscala’s hands.
Kenrich Williams, F, OKC Thunder: C
It was not an overly impactful night from Williams, but still not a bad performance from the veteran forward.
He took only three shots, making one for a team-low two points. Williams grabbed three rebounds and added a couple of assists.
Williams also had a second-quarter steal to help Oklahoma City to 11 steals for just the fifth time this season.