OKC Thunder: Terrance Ferguson thrives in starting role vs. Lakers

Terrance Ferguson made six 3-pointers in the win against the Los Angeles Lakers. Ferguson stepped into a starting role and provided unexpected offense in the second half for the OKC Thunder.

The Oklahoma City Thunder needed a win after falling to the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday. They got exactly that after a 20-point effort from four players against the Los Angeles Lakers, which included rookie Terrance Ferguson dropping a career-high 24 points. For the OKC Thunder, it was a revelation seeing the rookie dominate the way he did.

Carmelo Anthony had 21, Paul George had 24, Russell Westbrook had 20 and Terrance Ferguson had 24, shooting 9-of-12 from the floor and 6-of-9 from downtown.

This was supposed to be Russell Westbrook’s night as he put on display his new signature sneakers called the “Why Not Zer0.1,” but Westbrook played second fiddle to the exploits of the Ferguson.

In the first half, if you would have told anybody that Terrance Ferguson would have 24 points they would looked at you like you were crazy.

In the first quarter, Ferguson had two fouls and Raymond Felton subbed in at the 4:07 mark.

The OKC Thunder and the Los Angeles Lakers were tied at the end of the first quarter, but the Thunder came roaring in the second half and won the quarter 37-18. They never looked back from there, and in the second half, Ferguson shined.

He hit six 3-pointers on the night and dazzled the L.A. crowd with dunks that included a spectacular windmill.

Terrance Ferguson was the first round pick of the OKC Thunder at No. 21. He was drafted as a “potential” type of player, meaning that he had the capability to become a great player but would need time to develop. The Thunder saw a glimpse of that potential on Wednesday.

On NBA.com, Ferguson’s potential was described as such:

"“The upside is that his raw skills combined with the physical attributes make him a prospect with a serious amount of potential down the road.”"

It also said his lack of dribbling skill made it hard for him to create his own shot, which was seen in this game, as most of his 3s were spot-up looks or 3s from moving without the basketball.

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He is described as a player with a streaky shot. This was on full display Wednesday night. When he got one to fall, he was able to turn one triple into six.

Thanks to limited minutes, he has not had the repetitions yet when it comes to shooting. When he was given the chance to start, he was able to get this result, so maybe the experience will carry on down the road.

Ferguson has had 27 games out of 38 games where he did not score a point. His most points scored this year were seven points in a Nov. 11 loss to the Dallas Mavericks.

He is averaging 2.3 points a game for the Thunder, but this game may serve as a stepping stone for a young career that has a lot of upside.

Andre Roberson is not player that is in the game to score points, but his defensive efforts are why he starts. Roberson had three third place votes last year for Defensive Player of the Year. If Ferguson can keep this play up, he can become a valuable player coming off the bench to provide offense.

Next: 2017-18 Week 12 NBA Power Rankings

For Terrance Ferguson, the sky is the limit after this game.