Patrick Patterson has seen success with scoring the ball recently and he can be a key contributor for the OKC Thunder after the All-Star break.
The Oklahoma City Thunder do not have a sixth man. That is one of their biggest weaknesses this season. They have done it by committee when they needed bench scoring with the group of Jerami Grant, Raymond Felton, Alex Abrines and Patrick Patterson.
Patterson was brought in to provide offense and 3-point shooting, which was one of the major weaknesses of the team last year.
This year they have Paul George and Carmelo Anthony, so Patterson, who was penciled in to start at the beginning of the season, got kind of lost in the mix.
With the added superstars Patterson went from under the radar to his struggles being broadcast everywhere. He is only averaging 3.5 points per game this year.
Now after two good games against the Memphis Grizzlies, there should be some optimism that Patterson can add offense to a OKC Thunder team that struggles to keep putting the ball in the hole.
In the first game against the Grizzlies, Patterson had to start for an injured Carmelo Anthony. Russell Westbrook was also out of the game. Patterson hit two 3s, shot 50 percent from the 3-point line and finished with 14 points.
The Thunder were able to win the game 110-92 and it helped them maintain their standing in the Western Conference, which is now fifth going into the All-Star break.
In the second game, which was the Thunder’s last game before All-Star weekend, Patterson hit three 3-pointers, shot 75 percent from downtown and finished with 12 points.
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The last time Patterson had scored in double-digits before these two games was on Jan. 15, when he scored 10 points against the Sacramento Kings. Before that, the only time he scored in double digits was against the New York Knicks on Dec. 16 when he scored 12.
After only reaching double digits in scoring twice the whole year, Patterson has been able to score in double digits twice this week. When Patterson scores in double digits, he shoots efficiently. In all four games Patterson never shot below 50 percent from 3 and from the field altogether he hasn’t shot less than 57 percent.
The Thunder will have to make an effort to get him the ball, because he has proven that when he is hot, he can make shots efficiently.
The Thunder, offensively, aren’t a team that you would say is dominant. They are just 18th in field goal percentage, 10th in offensive rating and 13th in points per game.
With the trade deadline gone, the Thunder cannot add a sixth man to the team, so they will have to keep scoring by committee when it comes to the bench.
Patterson will have to get himself involved if he wants to keep scoring. Playing good defense, which Patterson can do, can help a player offensively. For Patterson, it will have to be about getting into a rhythm on the court.
If the Thunder are calling plays for him to get open 3s, that will help him too.
A lineup that has Westbrook and Paul George included with Patterson could help him out, because the Thunder could use the two superstars as decoys to get Patterson some open shots.
Both players like to create with the ball in their hands, so replacing the spot-up shooting of Carmelo Anthony with Patterson at the power forward position could fool opposing defenses.
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Without a true sixth man on the Thunder roster, they will need Patterson more than ever going into the rest of the season and into the playoffs.