Isaiah Joe Breaks Out of Shooting Slump, Recovers in Loss to Clippers

Through the month of November, Thunder guard Isaiah Joe was remarkable.

With 50-49-90 shooting splits and 11.6 points throughout 14 games, Joe's impact off the bench couldn't be understated when helping Oklahoma City get its season kickstarted.

In that month, he'd drop two 20-plus point scoring outings, which would be the only time he's done that this season. 

But since November, it's been a climb back for Joe to return to that same form.

In December, his numbers declined, shooting 34.5% from three while scoring just 7.1 points on 40.5% from the field in 13 games. There were some bright performances out of the month, but it was out of character for the young shooter as a whole.

Into January, some inconsistencies are still prevalent – which can be customary for someone who shoots five threes a night – but he hadn't seemed to truly find his rhythm.

A couple nice outings versus the Washington Wizards – 16 points and 4-of-7 from three – and the Miami Heat – 11 points and 3-of-6 from three.

But since that performance against Miami, Joe had shot 1-of-10 from 3-point range up until his night against the L.A. Clippers.

He entered the Thunder's Tuesday night loss to L.A. needing to put on a quality outing and provide a boost against one of the best 3-point shooting teams in the NBA.

Joe did provide some vital minutes and much-needed stability from the 3-point line, giving some relief to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams.

15 points on 83.3% from distance, six rebounds, three assists and two steals – all of his points came from beyond the arc, snapping that shooting slump and putting him right back on track. 

Even in the loss, this is the kind of game Oklahoma City needs Joe to consistently bring – and while 5-of-6 from the 3-point line is not always feasible, the Thunder need his two-to-three threes a game to halt a defense's focus from their main scoring options. 

If Joe can bring consistency like that of his in November, this ever-growing team can continue to fortify itself down the stretch.