Top Performers: Jaylen Hoard Stars in NBA Return as Thunder Fall to Pistons

Two days after prepping for the G League, Jaylen Hoard handed the Oklahoma City Thunder a season-high in his return to the big stage.

The lottery race is back on.

After faltering by 18 points to the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday, the Oklahoma City Thunder revved into Friday night itching for a victory. Instead, they fell to Detroit, losing the battle of the benches 110-101.

The Thunder and Pistons are now separated by a mere 0.5 games in reverse lottery standings.

Despite starting the contest with three prominent starters in Cade Cunningham, Saddiq Bey, and Isaiah Stewart, Detroit had cut them all off by the second quarter, opting to run an assortment of bench players in recent NBA call-ups.

Dwane Casey’s tactic had worked as the backcourt tandem of Killian Hayes and Frank Jackson came to play, both finishing the night with 26 points.

Oklahoma City erased a 22-point deficit to seven inside the final minute, but the clock was not ticking on their time.

Here were the top performers from Friday’s meeting:

Theo Maledon

When you’re running deep into the injury report, call on Theo Maledon for your services.

Playing without 10 members, Mark Daigneault placed Maledon front-and-center at the Paycom Center. He delivered. Across a 36-minute stint, the Frenchman logged a season-high 28 points to pair with six points and six assists.

Maledon turned a potential blowout into a near nailbiter in the fourth quarter as a 15-point effort in the period swung Oklahoma City back into striking distance. In all, he put forth an all-around clinic around the cup as he shot 7-of-14 on twos and 5-of-7 at the stripe.

Similar to last season, Maledon has received a serious minute uptick as a result of injuries. While orchestrating the halfcourt, the 20-year-old has returned to showing flashes moving forward.

Jaylen Hoard

Two days ago, Jaylen Hoard was preparing to cap the OKC Blue’s regular season. Instead, he got to start in an NBA game – setting a franchise accolade in the process.

Due to a late scratch from Aleksej Pokusevski, Hoard signed a 10-day hardship exception just hours before tip-off against the Detroit Pistons. On the night, his role marked nothing of a recent signee as he not only started for the Thunder but played all but eight minutes.

In his return to the NBA ranks, Hoard, no pun intended, hoarded just about every rebound in sight. In the game, the 23-year-old churned out a double-double with 11 points and 20 rebounds across play, doing so with six boards on the offensive side. For the Thunder, Hoard’s cluster of corrals marked the franchise's first 20-rebound game of the season, and the latest since Moses Brown tied the franchise record (23) on March 27, 2021.

Due to Blue star D.J. Wilson suffering a season-ending injury, Hoard had to field significant minutes at the five spot over the last few weeks. This contest saw him run primarily at the four, but his grittiness never wavered, essentially scrapping for any loose basketball in sight.

Hoard has had prior experience at the NBA level, notably playing for the Thunder last season under a two-way contract. With a high motor and solid interior skills – he’ll be looking to impress leading into the next game. 

Isaiah Roby

With Isaiah “Beef Stew” Stewart on restricted minutes, Isaiah Roby chose to cook around the cup Friday evening.

Filling in as Oklahoma City’s main center, Roby found his niche rolling off of high-ball screens. In his darts to the rack, he finished the night with 16 points and nine rebounds across 36 minutes.

Unlike recent games, Roby opted against the three-ball, electing to slash at will for easy finishes and foul shots, eight to be exact. The former Cornhusker exuded ample amounts of athleticism, earning dunk of the night honors with a one-handed dunk through the lane.

Roby has added a positive touch in nearly all of his appearances this season. With roster cuts looming this offseason, the forward’s recent stretch could make him a difficult man to deny.

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