Isaiah Joe is heating up, and the Thunder are reaping the benefits.
In Oklahoma City’s 136-109 blowout win over the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night, Joe once again proved why he’s become such a reliable weapon off the bench. He poured in 21 points on 6-of-10 shooting, all six of his makes coming from beyond the arc.
That kind of efficiency isn’t just a hot hand-it’s becoming a trend. Joe has now hit three or more triples in five of his last six games and is shooting a blistering 50% from deep in February, averaging 3.5 made threes per game.
But Joe isn’t just launching shots in isolation. His success is a reflection of the Thunder’s offensive identity-unselfish, high-tempo, and connected. You can see it in the way the ball moves, the spacing, and the rhythm that’s been building during their recent stretch of four wins in six games this month.
“The connectivity of the team. Everybody's playing together,” Joe said postgame.
“Obviously, shots are going in, but I just think that comes with the style of play. We're moving the ball.
Everybody's feeling the energy of the game, getting the flow, and it shows out there.”
That flow was on full display against Phoenix. Oklahoma City's bench exploded for 74 points, and Joe led the way with his 21.
He’s now made 28 of his last 58 attempts from deep over the Thunder’s past eight games-nearly 50% from long range during that stretch. That kind of shooting is a game-changer, especially for a team that’s been without its All-Star engine, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who missed his fourth straight game with an abdominal injury.
OKC has gone 2-2 in those four games, but performances like Joe’s are helping keep the ship steady.
“We have a winning mindset,” Joe added. “And we understand that in order to win games with the pieces that we have, we have to play a certain brand of basketball.
That just comes with moving the rock and everybody getting a feel. Keeping the ball ahead of the defense is something that we talk about, and we just go out there and execute that to the best of our ability.”
While Joe lit it up from deep, it was Jalen Williams who stole the spotlight with a near-flawless performance. Just one night after his high school jersey was retired in a ceremony near Phoenix, Williams turned in a career-highlight reel in his hometown. He scored 28 points on 11-of-12 shooting in just 20 minutes of action-going a perfect 11-for-11 to start the night before missing his final shot.
It was only his second game back from a 10-game absence due to a hamstring injury, but you wouldn’t have known it by watching him. He looked fresh, aggressive, and completely in control.
“He was cooking. That was impressive.
He was in a great flow,” head coach Mark Daigneault said. “I thought he had a great blend of attacks, including some passes that were really, really good.
He was doing a great job. It was an unbelievably complete game.”
Daigneault also acknowledged the emotional weight of the moment for Williams, who got to shine in front of friends and family just a day after celebrating his high school legacy.
“To play in his hometown the way he did in front of his people is pretty special,” Daigneault said. “So, I'm incredibly happy for him.
We're certainly thrilled to have him out there. He's doing a great job.”
The Thunder are finding ways to win, even without their star guard, and performances like these from Joe and Williams are a big reason why. They’ll look to keep the momentum rolling when they return home to face the Milwaukee Bucks at Paycom Center on Thursday.