After 38 games into the season, the Oklahoma City Thunder are 6 games above .500 and winning at a 57.9% clip. Interestingly enough however, the Thunder are slightly better when a player that was considered an off-season afterthought gets minutes. That player is Joffrey Lauvergne. When he plays, the Thunder’s record is 20 and 12, or 62.5%. When he doesn’t, the Thunder are 2 and 4.
The thing is, I can’t even definitively pinpoint why. Joffrey’s numbers are solid from the field, 46.2% overall and 35.3% from long distance, while his free throw shooting has been oddly awful at 55.