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All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Isaiah Joe, and the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the New York Knicks for the second time in one week. After Aaron Wiggins’ late-game shooting topped the Knicks in a 117-107 win at home, Joe’s eight threes and Gilgeous-Alexander’s 39-point performance kept New York at bay in Friday’s 126-101 victory at Madison Square Garden.
Joe’s eight threes set a new career-high — Gilgeous-Alexander and Joe (31 points) combined for 70 of the Thunder’s 126 points. After the win, Gilgeous-Alexander discussed Joe’s impressive shooting performance.
“The averages always average out,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “It’s going to average out. The percentages always average out. He is an amazing shooter and was in a little bit of a slump. A little bit longer than he’d like, but he’s too good of a shooter mechanically, confidence-wise, touch-wise; he’s going to figure it out. He’s going to balance it out.”
Joe went 2-for-6 (eight points) against the Cleveland Cavaliers in a 129-122 loss, snapping the Thunder’s eight-game win streak. Still, it didn’t limit Isaiah from his relentless approach, which saw Oklahoma City’s reserve guard drain a three less than ten seconds after checking into Friday’s game.
“If you have a bad game, it’s going to balance out somewhere else,” Gilgeous-Alexander added. “You put in enough work in the summertime to where now you’re a hot shooter, a 45 percent shooter in the NBA, and you shoot 20 this month. Next month, you’re going to shoot 60. That’s just how I think and how I believe because the work was put in. And if you stay true to it, you trust it; nights like tonight happen.”
Joe finished 11-for-16 shooting, including 8-of-11 from deep, two assists, and one rebound in 30 minutes.
After the win, Thunder forward Jalen Williams, alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, talked about Joe’s work ethic.
“I’m not really with him in the summer, but as a result of how he plays, you can tell he puts work in,” Williams said. “He’s always in the gym. He’s always getting shots. So, the more you keep shooting when you’re that good of a shooter, you’re going to have games like this where you kind of have a breakthrough.”
Mark Daigneault’s honest take on Isaiah Joe’s shooting vs Knicks
Thunder guard Isaiah Joe’s career-best shooting performance didn’t surprise head coach Mark Daigneault. After the win, Daigneault revealed he saw this one coming.
“We know he’s capable of it. He’s had it before, and he hasn’t shot the ball this season the way he’s wanted to,” Daigneault said. “We were kind of waiting for a game like this. At least I was. It was about a matter of time. Great confidence by him.”
The Thunder will face the Wizards on Sunday.
