Handing out Game Balls for Oklahoma City's 110-104 loss to the Pistons

Despite the loss, the future looks bright in OKC due to the recent performances of a pair of young Thunder building blocks

The Oklahoma City Thunder kicked off a four game road trip with massive draft implications on Friday night in Detroit, but succumbed to the Pistons 110-104 behind a big third quarter in the Motor City.

Though before the game head coach Mark Daigneualt said Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s return to the court isn’t imminent, second year players Darius Bazley and Luguentz Dort stepped up to try and snap the Thunder’s losing streak.

Ultimately unsuccessful, Bazley and Dort have played well since each returned from their respective injuries, giving hope that there are more steps forward for them to take as they continue to develop early on in their careers.

Game Ball: Lu Dort

The night after Dort scored a career-high 42 points against the Utah Jazz, Dort was left inactive due to left shoulder soreness.

It appears the game off didn’t ice the former Arizona State guard, as he again led OKC with 26 points on 9-of-20 shooting. While knocking down 3-of-8 from deep, Dort also added six rebounds, two assists and three steals, once again showing he can be a box score stuffer night in and night out.

Lu Dort
Lu Dort has taken a big step forward from beyond the arc this year, improving from 30 percent to 34 percent from 3-point range :: Tim Fuller / USA TODAY Sports

If Dort is to truly fill the traditional Thunder “defensive stopper” role once occupied by Andre Roberson, he has already far surpassed the ceiling laid on the position by his predecessor. Dort has flashed playmaking skills on the ball OKC would have never entrusted with Roberson, and if the Canadian continues to improve his 3-point shooting to be just above league average, the future Defensive Player of the Year candidate trends toward being a major piece of the next era of Thunder basketball.

Game Ball: Darius Bazley

Punctuated by a thunderous dunk, Bazley continued his string of improved games since returning from a fractured scapula.

The former New Balance intern is now averaging 16.3 points per game in those four games back, well above his 12.1 points per game mark for the entire season.

Darius Bazley, Detroit Pistons
Darius Bazley did more than just score against the Pistons, adding seven rebounds, two assists and a steal :: Tim Fuller / USA TODAY Sports

Playing alongside Moses Brown and Tony Bradley, the center’s want to play a more traditional role under the basket to free up room for Bazley to make plays on the perimeter. Bazley has looked much more aggressive attacking the basket over the past four games, and has made good decisions on when to dish the ball off to Brown or Bradley, posting a pair of assists against the Pistons.

The lone negative of Bazley’s outing in Detroit was his 3-point shooting, as he only knocked down 1-of-10 shots from behind the arc. If he can improve his shot selection from deep and maximize his opportunities to attack the rim, Presti could have nailed both his 2020 draft additions and groomed a pair of core building blocks of the Thunder for years to come.

Oklahoma City continues on their road trip, next facing off agains the Toronto Raptors in Tampa Bay on Sunday night at 6 p.m. central time. 


Published
Ryan Chapman
RYAN CHAPMAN

Ryan has worked in the Oklahoma City market for two years for 107.7 FM The Franchise, The Flagship Station for Oklahoma Sooners Football. Along with covering the Sooners, he is also in his second season as a credentialed media member covering the Thunder. In December, Ryan joined AllSooners.com to cover Sooners. Ryan has also covered the Oklahoma City Dodgers (AAA affiliate of the LA Dodgers) and the Oklahoma City Energy (USL Championship).