Oklahoma City Thunder guard Dennis Schroder has been a solid scorer throughout his career, yet he has not been an efficient bucket getter.
Schroder has only shot at least 45% from the field one season, and that was when he posted the second-highest scoring average of his career.
In his second season with the Thunder, Schroder has continued to show he can score, albeit on mediocre efficiency. He’s averaged 15.4 points per game on 43.9% shooting.
But on Friday night the Thunder needed all of Schroder’s team-high 25 points, even if he got them on a season-high 24 field goal attempts. The Thunder won 109-104 over the New Orleans Pelicans. With the win, the Thunder move to 7-11 on the season.
When Schroder scores 20 or more points, the Thunder are 3-3. A rebuilding team, the Thunder usually look for either Schroder, Chris Paul, Danilo Gallinari or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to score.
Those four are the top four scorers on the team, with Gilgeous-Alexander leading the team in points per game (18.3).
It also helps that Schroder ranks second on the team in assists. He’s helping to initiate offense in multiple ways for a team that ranks 20th in points per game and 24th in assists.
Schroder isn’t the most efficient scorer, but he has games where he helps produce wins. With the NBA ruled by a bevy of dominant guards and wings, having Schroder contribute in the way he does will be important as the Thunder look to develop in a first year of a rebuild.
The Thunder will play the Pelicans on Sunday in New Orleans at 5 p.m. EST.
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