While the Thunder struggled in the final games before the All-Star Break, there are still some positives to look out for heading into the second half of the season. Isaiah Joe was on a tear last week, and it seems that OKC will benefit from that moving forward.

Joe is one of the backup players on the Thunder who has seen increased production. This most notably came from the Jared McCain trade, which largely allowed him to open up his game. So far, he’s showing a good swing in his pace, and it’s bringing the OKC guard a chance to thrive better.

Isaiah Joe’s Consistency is a Good Sign for OKC

For a player who’s yet to score an invite to the Three-Point Contest, Joe is definitely showing his range. He’s starting to make his presence felt once more, and the Thunder are in dire need of a spark with a lot of key players sitting out with injuries. Now more than ever, the second half is important for OKC to keep its title hopes alive.

Timely Improvement for Joe

Joe has been one of the surprises in the last 10 games for OKC. He’s averaged 14.4 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in that span. What’s even better is that Joe finished with more than 15 points in his final four games. That says a lot about his sudden spark for the Thunder and how he is starting to get a grasp of a bigger role with the team.

With Ajay Mitchell out, the bench has to find the next man up. Sometimes, it’s a good day for Cason Wallace. But it’s been one heck of a week for Joe. He’s hit at least three three-pointers in those final four games before the break. Mind you, those are games where OKC missed Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and even Jalen Williams. For Joe to drop big numbers means there is untapped potential for him to begin with.

#Thunderup Unfortunate loss, but on the one bright side Isaiah Joe has become a great player recently he has really been so valuable to us, Joe deserves Lu Dort’s minutes pic.twitter.com/Vnc8LENavw

— OKCHog (@OKCHog1) February 13, 2026

For more insight, Joe is shooting on 44/46/88 splits. That’s a promising line for a sharpshooter who’s capable of boosting the Thunder bench. At this point, Joe being on the hot side of his game can really change things up for OKC in the next set of contests.

The Jared McCain Effect

The Thunder may really just have a thing when it comes to acquiring guards from Philadelphia who played two years with the team. Joe was acquired from Philly back in 2022 and was a huge steal. Now OKC took in McCain, becoming one of the silent wins of the trade deadline. But ever since McCain came in, he became a shooting threat, and it opened up more looks for Isaiah Joe.

For instance, McCain is expecting to be the third playmaker for the team behind SGA and Mitchell. J-Dub is a good playmaker in his own right, but he’s more of a spark plug for the squad. McCain’s ability to shoot the ball and drive at the same time is a huge boon for Joe. It does the same effect where SGA draws plenty of defenders, leaving McCain open to kick out to other teammates — with Joe being the best beneficiary so far.

Isaiah Joe is now averaging 20 PPG since the arrival of Jared McCain, adding McCain as an offensive weapon has opened up looks for Joe. pic.twitter.com/FV2puX3zCm

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) February 13, 2026

What makes this even more promising is that Joe’s shot quality is on the green side. He’s finding great open looks, making defenses pay, and it definitely improves OKC’s shooting. Keep in mind that the Thunder aren’t the best when it comes to drilling threes, and Joe’s improvement in spacing and shot creation helps that a lot.

Can Joe Be a Spark in the Postseason?
Jun 5, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Isaiah Joe (11) brings the ball up court against Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell (9) during the third quarter during game one of the 2025 NBA Finals at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Unless there’s some miracle where the Thunder end up losing and not making the playoffs, Joe has to expect there will be plenty of minutes for him in the postseason. However, looking back on the 2025 playoffs, Joe averaged a meager 5.1 points, 1.4 rebounds, and 0.7 assists. He was also limited to just 10 minutes per game in a total of 21 fixtures.

His usage was quite lower that time. The Thunder relied heavily on the Cookies and Cream duo of Alex Caruso and Wallace, and Aaron Wiggins was a much more effective player that time. But with this season somehow showing bigger value for Joe, he may be on the way to earn better playoff minutes moving forward.

That, of course, depends if he can continue this massive stretch. Who knows? Maybe he can exceed expectations. After all, Isaiah Joe’s got plenty of games to drill more threes to prove his worth.

© Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images