Isaiah Joe has been the Oklahoma City Thunder’s premier sharpshooter for years. This season, Joe has elevated his shooting to a new level. He’s given the Thunder much-needed floor spacing, and the offense has been vastly improved with him on the floor.
High Volume, High Efficiency
Joe is near the top of the association in three-point attempts per game, shooting 9.8. He has been highly efficient, hitting 4.3 threes per game (43.6%), making him one of the most deadly shooters in the NBA.
It’s effortless to get Joe included in the offense— he constantly moves off the ball, getting himself open looks. He has shown a noticeable improvement in his shooting this year, particularly in his quicker release.
This quick trigger has elevated Joe’s shooting to a new level, enabling him to hit more contested jumpers than in years past.
Offensive Impact
At the beginning of the season, it was a wonder that the Thunder were undefeated, considering their poor shooting. During the time Joe missed (first five games), OKC was 29th in three-point percentage (28.8%), 25th in three-point makes per game (11.4), while ranking 11th in attempts per game (39.6).
Since Joe’s return, OKC has been lights out behind the arc. The team is eighth in the league in three-point percentage (39.9%), third in attempts per game (43.3), and third in makes per game (17.3). His impact has made all the difference for OKC’s shooting.
With all of the injuries the Thunder are facing right now, having Joe on the court has been more critical than ever.
(Stats via databallr.com)
With Joe on the court, the offense has been considerably more efficient, as evidenced by both the eye test and the stat sheet.
Could Joe See An Increased Role Permanently?
In his four games played, Joe is averaging a career-high 17.3 points per game. Due to the numerous injuries, Joe is playing the most minutes per game of his career (24.5) and has the highest usage percentage (24.2%). In this small sample size, he has demonstrated his capabilities as a scorer and reaffirmed his shooting presence.
With this in mind, he’s making a great argument to continue seeing this increased role for the rest of the regular season, and possibly the playoffs.
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