After spending a full season with the Thunder’s D-League affiliate, the Tulsa 66ers, Buycks used his experience and the wisdom of the coaching staff both in Tulsa and in Oklahoma City in order to improve his game throughout the course of the year. On Thursday, all of that came to a head for the guard when it came time for him to showcase those abilities and prove that his game has indeed developed.
With the Thunder trailing by 13 points in the third quarter, Buycks scored 12 second half points, including eight in the fourth quarter, on 6-for-8 shooting. In addition, he racked up five assists in the final 20 minutes of action, propelling the Thunder to an 87-86 victory. Buycks, with the help of his teammates, utilized poise, intensity, focus and the will to win to continually hit difficult shots and make the right play on offense to help the Thunder come from behind to get the victory.
After his 22-point performance, THUNDER.NBA.COM had the chance to check in with Buycks, who is going into his second professional season after playing at Marquette University and making the D-League's All-Rookie team this year as a sixth man.
On the team and how they were able to come back to win the game:
We’re definitely fighting. Oklahoma City is an organization where there is no giving up. Us guys that aren’t on the team, we’re basically learning that from the players that are on the team. We just have to keep fighting. We were down, we looked at the score and we didn’t let it faze us like that. We tried to run our offense, get what we get and just play it out the best that we could.
On the spacing on the floor and how that helped the Thunder get the win:
It’s good spacing by our team. Everybody is not really wanting to make the shot, we’re all in it for each other. We run our offense and get good plays out of it and with good spacing, we all made plays for each other.
On the impact this game might have on his career moving forward:
Hopefully it’s a good thing, but it was just a good night for me. I shot really well and made shots. My teammates helped me make shots because when they went to make plays (the Nets) helped in and I got shots where I can make it and I felt comfortable.
On guys looking to him as a leader on the court and to make plays:
It definitely is good to have that trust from my teammates. As a point guard, I have to be out there talking and be vocal. If I’m quiet out there it kind of rubs off them and they’re quiet. It starts at the point guard. I think I did a good job of that tonight and my teammates trusted me to make those shots. Fortunately I was hot tonight and I made some shots.
On the defensive effort in the second half to get the win:
We definitely did, in the first half we knew we kind of came out a little dragging and they made shots. We felt like we weren’t there when we were supposed to be. We talked about that in every timeout and in all our huddles. In the second half, everybody didn’t want to lose the game. We were down and everybody just kind of gave it their all. At the end of the day we came out with a win, which was big for us.
On how this week has helped him in his development:
It’s been really big. I definitely had a nice season down in Tulsa and to be affiliated with the Thunder was a good thing. They’ve been watching me and they definitely have trust in me. To come out here with them definitely was an honor for me. I just wanted to come out here and leave a good impression.