Mid-Season Report Card: Dennis Schröder

It cannot be overstated how good Dennis Schröder has been for the Thunder this season. Ever since the team’s 5-10 start, Oklahoma City is second in the NBA in wins, and Dennis the menace is a huge part of that. If you take away those first 15 games, Dennis has played like a man possessed, scoring 21.1 ppg on 48.6 FG% and an earth scorching 42.9 3P%.

Not sold yet? Last year “The Shredder” as we so fondly call him at the Topic: Thunder podcast, averaged 15.5 ppg on 41.1 FG% and 34 3P%. We were pleased with that production off the bench but Dennis has raised his performance to another level.

Still not sold? OKC’s top 2-man, 3-man (league’s best), 4-man, and 5-man net rating lineups: Dennis Schröder is in every single freaking one of them.

Contrarian, are you? Just watch the games. The energy he plays with, the effort he is exuding defensively, the timeliness of his shots, the way he is able to break down dang near anyone who dares to check him Mano a Mano off the dribble, the way he energizes his team on the bench, and the video bombing antics that have Chris Bosh taking notes.

Take all that, and mix it in with the fact that what was once seen as a negative asset from the Carmelo Anthony trade is now someone you could potentially deal to help this team make a run in the playoffs or build for the future?

Dennis’s star has been shining about as bright as the spot in his hair.

A+.  Or should I say, Ä+.