Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault and Isaiah Joe’s teammates encourage the backup guard to keep shooting the ball. Joe wasn’t discouraged entering the new calendar year despite shooting 38.8% from the floor and 32.3% from deep in December. He bounced back in a 116-98 win against the Los Angeles Clippers, and then Joe scored six points on 2-of-5 threes in the Thunder’s 105-92 win against the Boston Celtics.
Ahead of the Thunder’s four-game road trip, starting against the Cavs, Joe says he’s received the green light from coach Daigneault and his teammates.
“I’m still one of those guys, and I think that the unit that we have, all 18, is just capable at any given moment, and everybody’s accepting the challenge. Everybody’s ready at all times,” Joe said. “Nobody goes in the game and doesn’t have a clue what’s going on. They always bring some type of impact. I think just being able to do that over the course of a season just makes us tougher to beat. More versatile.”
The fifth-year pro stays ready for when his name is called.
“It’s what I get paid to do: to shoot the ball. I haven’t been shooting it the best here lately, but the guys have the ultimate confidence in me. I still have confidence in myself,” Joe said. “Still taking all the shots that I like, as well as everybody else on the team. We instill a lot of confidence in each other because we know it’s going to take more than just a few people to win these games. We know our identity, and we know that eventually everything gets rolling; it’s going to make us even more dangerous.”
Joe doesn’t dwell on his shooting woes. He always focused on the next shot, the next opportunity from head coach Mark Daigneault.
“You make some, you miss some, you go on slumps, you have hot streaks, but you have to do your best to stay level-headed through it all,” Joe added. “At the end of the day, just stay confident. The team has confidence in me [and] just keep letting it fly.”
Isaiah Joe on Chet Holmgren’s progression for Thunder
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren progressed to doing movement drills with his teammates. While preparing for the Cavs, Isaiah Joe addressed Holmgren’s next step in his recovery.
“It’s good to see Chet make strides,” Joe said. “The last thing you want as a player is to not be able to play the sport that you love. To see him make progress is good to see.”
The Thunder will face the Cavs on Wednesday.
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