Handing out Game Balls from Thunder's loss to the Pelicans
In an ugly loss on Thursday night, the New Orleans Pelicans beat out the OKC Thunder in nearly ever team statistical category. While it wasn't the Thunder's best night, there were still a handful of things that were positive when it came to individual performance and development.
For the Pelicans, Zion Williamson led the charge with 27 points, eight rebounds and six assists. In his sophomore campaign, he continues to show why he was the top pick in his class. His running mate Brandon Ingram had a great performance as well, notching 24 points, six rebounds and three assists.
Gabriel Deck made his NBA debut with the Thunder on Thursday, producing two points, two assists and two rebounds in a strong performance with just over 14 minutes of play.
Game Ball: Lu Dort
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While it wasn't as impressive as some of his recent offensive performances, Lu Dort led OKC in scoring with 17 points. He also pulled down three rebounds and dished out one assist.
It's tough to win games when your leading scorer only produces 17 points. However, it's still promising to see Dort progress as an offensive player, finishing the night with four made threes on 50.0 percent from beyond the arc. The Thunder didn't win the game, but this individual performance was great to see.
Game Ball: Theo Maledon
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Rookie point guard Theo Maledon was extremely impressive against the Pelicans, notching 16 points, four assists and one rebound. Just 19 years old, the second-round pick continues to show that he was an absolute steal for Oklahoma City.
While he continues to adjust to the speed of the NBA game, Maledon has struggled with taking care of the ball. While he committed four turnovers on Thursday night, his basketball IQ and natural instincts suggest this won't be a long-term problem.
