It was another heartbreaking loss for the boys from OKC as the final score was 110-111. Although it was a decent game from several OKC players, a majority still struggled. Riding a four-game losing streak, the Thunder need to get something going soon. Here is the Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Chicago Bulls recap.
Mike Muscala Performance
Muscala has been a nice addition to this squad in terms of production and a veteran presence. He put up 14 points, two boards and a block on 5/12 from the field and 4/11 from three. Muscala has been used as a stretch big for the whole season and he’s come through with some zesty lines. Although he’s had a lot of good games, his value is going to tank later on in the season. When OKC unloads more vets, he’s more than likely going to go to a contending team. For now, Muscala is going to keep coming off the bench as a big scorer.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Performance
Gilgeous-Alexander was in his bag tonight. As per usual, he put up a big scoring game but he also added his playmaking abilities to the box score. He finished with a line of 31 points, three boards, ten dimes, three steals and a block on 9/17 shooting, 2/5 from three and 11/14 from the line. Gilgeous-Alexander is going to be on the all-star team at least once in the very near future (he should’ve at least been considered as a starter this year instead of Andrew Wiggins, no offense) and his game is only going to get better. As long as he’s donning a blue and orange jersey, he’s going to be the alpha dog. What a good player he has turned out to be.
Jeremiah Robinson-Earl Performance
Robinson-Earl had a nice line today, going for 12 points, three boards, three dimes, two steals and a swat on 4/7 from the field and 4/6 from three. Robinson-Earl has been confined to the low-mid 20-minute plateau for most games so he hasn’t really been unleashed yet. Once Muscala and Favors are out of the picture (maybe), he can unleash his full potential. His defensive instincts and three-point shooting are crucial for this team so developing him is going to be important. His playing time should only increase as the season goes on.
Darius Bazley Performance
Bazley had another mediocre offensive game shooting just 2/7 from the field and 1/3 from three. He finished with a line of five points, eight rebounds, one assist and one turnover. Bazley has been very underwhelming this season but it’s important to note that he’s still only 21 years old. Bazley is with the perfect organization to get him going but he’s been very sporadic when it comes to offensive production. When it comes to defense, he’s improved drastically. Still, he needs to improve his shooting in the worst of ways and the move to the bench has somewhat helped him out. He has averaged 10.2 points, 6.2 boards, 0.9 assists, 0.2 steals and 1.3 blocks per game in 13 games off the bench this season.