Isaiah Joe has been given a bigger role by the Oklahoma City Thunder amid the extended absence of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Against the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday, Joe showed anew that he is relishing the fine opportunity.

While it is almost impossible to fill the shoes of Gilgeous-Alexander, Joe can definitely get buckets in different ways.

Joe was fearless in attacking the rim against the Lakers. In the second quarter, he made a nifty cut to the basket, receiving a give-and-go pass from Isaiah Hartenstein. Joe then exploded for the two-handed flush, soaring over LeBron James.

Peep Alex Caruso's reaction after the impressive play.

The Thunder rallied in the fourth quarter to defeat the Lakers, 119-110, and snap their two-game skid.

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Joe tallied 19 points, three rebounds, two assists, and two steals in 27 minutes off the bench.

He will continue to play a pivotal role for the Thunder, as Gilgeous-Alexander is sidelined until after the All-Star Weekend due to an abdominal strain. The 26-year-old Joe has embraced being the team's spark plug, providing instant scoring. He is averaging 10.2 points in 21.0 minutes.

Joe is one of the shock troopers of the Thunder, along with Caruso, Ajay Mitchell, and Aaron Wiggins. They impact the game with their two-way energy, making sure that they do not taper off when the starting unit gets a rest.

Jalen Williams, meanwhile, returned against the Lakers, scoring 23 points on 6-of-17 shooting. He missed 10 straight games due to a hamstring strain.

Oklahoma City will face the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday before getting a much-needed break.