Thunder: 1 stud, 4 duds from Game 3 loss to Dallas Mavericks

Stud: Isaiah Joe

Watching Game 3 made the Thunder faithful wonder: Should Isaiah Joe start for the Thunder instead of Josh Giddey?

Joe opened so much up for the Thunder’s offense. His movement shooting was superb, like when the Thunder set him up for a top-of-the-key triple after a timeout to cut the lead down to a single possession in the final three minutes. 

The 24-year-old sniper also punished strong side help on the Thunder’s drivers. Case in point when he made a buzzer-beating three in the left corner after an attempted drive-by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for his second triple of the game. 

Joe finished with 13 points on 5-of-7 field-goal shooting, including 3-of-4 from the three-point line, albeit in just 19 minutes of playing time. 

Joe also fought hard on defense, offsetting his size with his quickness and awareness to help the Thunder keep in step with the Mavericks. 

His game complements well with what the Thunder does on a regular basis — drive and kicks. When his shooting clicks, just like in Game 3, he is a weapon that puts pressure on the Mavericks’ defense.

Joe’s contributions cannot be understated. He is a stud and earned himself the right to play more minutes in pressure-packed playoff situations.