OKC Blue Get Back on Track With Win as Guards Shine

The Oklahoma City Blue are back on track with a win over the Valley Suns as their guards continue to shine.

Dec 28, 2014; Dallas, TX, USA; A view of Oklahoma City Thunder logo on the shorts of guard Russell Westbrook (0) during the game against the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center. The Mavericks defeated the Thunder 112-107. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Oklahoma City Blue snapped a losing streak on Tuesday, Jan. 6 to improve their record to 2-6 after the Winter Showcase reset. This snapped a six game skid for the Oklahoma City Thunder NBA G League affilate and despite battling injuries they have seen recently added players step up in a big way.

On Tuesday, Zhaire Smith and Bryce Thompson, two players added in December, continued to provide a massive boost to the OKC Blue roster. Smith, a former former first-round pick in the NBA Draft, being selected No. 18 overall in the 2018 NBA Draft to the Phoenix Suns and traded to the Philadelphia 76ers. The Texas Tech product played in just 13 NBA games where he averaged 3.7 points, 1.2 rebounds, 0.9 assists and 0.6 stocks (steals plus blocks) for the 76ers.

Now back in the NBA G League, Smith has put up some jaw-dropping performances for the OKC Blue including a 40 point outing. The 6-for-3 scoring guard continued that success into Tuesday night where he posted 26 points, dished out nine assists, hauled in four rebounds and collected six steals in 41 minutes of work while shooting 8-for-13 from the floor and 6-for-6 at the charity stripe without taking a triple in this game getting all of his work done in the mid-range and at the cup. The free throw number gets even more impressive when you factor in the G League shoots one free throw worth two shots. It illustrates just how often he was at the line.

Thompson, an Oklahoma native who played college basketball at Kansas and Oklahoma State, has turned heads with the OKC Blue in his short time on the team. Last night was no different, turning in 33 points, gobbling up five rebounds and swiping a steal while shooting 14-for-24 from the floor, 1-for-3 from distance and 2-for-3 at the free throw line. He logged 39 minutes in this 114-109 win for the Oklahoma City Blue, who had eight active players in this game.

Jabari Adbur-Rahim hit some big time triples to will the OKC Blue to this win, going 4-for-9 from beyond the arc en route to 22 points, five rebounds, two assists and two blocks.

Former OKC Blue sharpshooter Jaden Shackelford lit up his former team from downtown with five made triples but Oklahoma City made him work for it on 13 attempts to muster up 20 points.

The OKC Blue offense was clicking shooting 50% from the floor in this win. Up next, the Blue take on the Valley Suns again on Wednesday night before jetting over for a two game set with the Rip City Remix.