Isaiah Joe’s Hot Stretch Lifting OKC Thunder Offense

Oklahoma City’s sharpshooter has been on a heater this week.

Dec 3, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Isaiah Joe (11) gestures after scoring a three point basket against the Utah Jazz during the second half of an NBA Cup game at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Since Oklahoma City’s deflating loss to Houston, the team has responded in the best way possible. Granted, the competition hasn’t been stiff, but the Thunder has done exactly what it needed to do. Taking care of business against struggling teams is an art that not everyone in the NBA has mastered.

OKC dominated Utah and Toronto to cap off the work week, and the most encouraging part of each win was the offensive output. Oklahoma City has struggled with shooting slumps and dry spells just a bit at points over the season, relying on defense and hustle plays to keep them at the top of the standings. The last two contests, though, the offense has been humming. A big part of finding consistency has been the 3-point shooting, which in large part, has been led by Isaiah Joe.

Joe shot 41.6% from 3-point range a season ago, and went through a small slump at the beginning of the season. Part of that, though, can be attributed to an increased volume. He’s taking the most shots and 3-point attempts in his entire career this season. The last few games have helped him get back on track.

Against Utah and Toronto, Wallace has combined to go 9-of-15 from 3-point range and 13-of-21 from the floor. Oklahoma City drilled 17 3-pointers in both contests and found good looks all over the floor. Having Joe on the court opens up so many driving lines and improves the Thunder’s spacing tremendously.

On the season now, Joe is averaging 9.5 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.7 assists on 38.9% from 3-point range. He’s receiving a career-high 22 minutes per game and continues to make the most of his opportunities.

Through the ups and downs, Joe is Oklahoma City’s most consistent high-volume specialty shooter on the team. He does more than just drain triples, but it continues to be what he’s best at. Oklahoma City has a good thing going when he’s heavily incorporated into the offense.

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