Feb 12, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Isaiah Joe (11) stands during a break in play against the Milwaukee Bucks during the first half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Consistency Defines Isaiah Joe's Season at the Break

Originally posted on Oklahoma City Thunder on SI
By Cody Burton | Last updated Feb 16, 2026 10:30 AM ET

When the Oklahoma City Thunder faced immense adversity, losing three top ball handlers in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Ajay Mitchell and Jalen Williams to injury at similar times, the team needed someone to step up. The Thunder found consistent offense in a familiar face: Isaiah Joe, who is playing the best basketball of his career.

Joe has taken initiative down the stretch to shoot any time the team needs him to, which has worked to perfection. He has averaged 16 points, 1.8 assists, 1.2 steals and 3.2 rebounds per game in the five games since Gilgeous-Alexander went down with his abdominal injury.

In that span, Joe has managed to shoot 44.2% from the floor and 50% (17-for-34) from three-point range. His excellent efficiency totals to a 66.8% true shooting.

Continuing this shooting surge when the team gets key players back from injury would be huge for the Thunder's season. In fact, the addition of another floor spacer in Jared McCain and the return of an elite setter of screens in Isaiah Hartenstein have helped Joe tremendously to find space to get his shot off.

Since the addition of McCain, Joe is averaging a blistering 19.5 points per game on 54.8% shooting from long range. The Thunder outscore their opponents by 40.1 points per 100 possessions in the duo's 39 minutes played together.

On top of that, with the two on the floor together, the Thunder shoot 48.4% from three-point range, and only 34.8% when neither is playing. With Joe on and McCain off, the team shoots 36.9% from deep in 724 minutes played.

This season has been a career year for Joe in points scored per game, averaging 10.5 points per contest. He is also closing the gap for having the best three-point percentage of his career, knocking them down at a 41.5% rate, one tenth shy of his career best set in 2024.

The Arkansas product has been a mainstay in the Thunder's plan since his arrival as a training camp signing off the waivers after the Philadelphia 76ers released him as a roster cut casualty in 2022. He has shot above 40% from three-point range on high volume all four seasons since landing in Oklahoma City, averaging 5.5 attempts from behind the arc a night in his 272 games with the organization.

Joe has stepped up numerous times throughout his Thunder career when the team desperately needed him. Consistent play is all he needs to bring as the team begins its trek to an NBA Finals repeat.