Consistency for OKC Thunder Sharpshooter Could Equate to Postseason Success

If the Thunder have a consistent Isaiah Joe on their bench, it could lead to plenty of wins during the upcoming NBA playoffs.

Mar 15, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Isaiah Joe (11) dribbles in the second half against the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images / Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

There are a lot of pieces that factor into the success the Oklahoma City Thunder could see in the postseason. It starts with the efficiency of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams but trickles down to OKC's depth pieces.

One of those growingly impactful bench players is guard Isaiah Joe, who is the team's leading perimeter shooter. That skillset shined in a recent blowout victory over the Chicago Bulls, going for 31 points while knocking down eight triples. This was one of his best performances of the season against a fringe postseason team, a good sign for the NBA playoffs that are inching closer.

Eight-made threes for Joe isn't anything unusual and he's always had the ability to get hot like he did against the Bulls, but the timing of his performance is what matters the most. To do this just a few games before the beginning of the playoffs, with consistent performances leading up to his big game, could provide a good offensive boost for the Thunder.

Guard play is so important when it comes to winning in the playoffs and Joe incapsulates that, along with others on the team. Even more important is not seeing a dropoff when players like Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams and other starters, which Joe aids in. If Joe can give Oklahoma City that many points on a semi-consistent basis, especially this late in the year, it will help lessen the load on the team's stars.

Gilgeous-Alexander will always find ways to be productive on offense and usually, another starter, like Williams, Lu Dort and Chet Holmgren will help out as well, but having players off the bench to boost scoring production helps to win those closely contested playoff games. Joe won't always be the one to do it, but his specialty shooting from the perimeter, along with other offensive factors, makes it hard for the Thunder to lose.

It shouldn't be expected that Joe performs like how he did against the Bulls every single game. His minutes fluctuate game-to-game and they usually depend on his efficiency from the three-point line, but if he is on, it goes a long way.

This is nothing but a good sign for the Thunder, who will take all they can get heading into the playoffs. Oklahoma City has plenty of doubters about the success they could have and they have the goal of making it to the NBA finals, so performances like the one Joe gave recently absolutely will give them a boost and aid in that pursuit of an NBA title.

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