Cameron Payne showed some stuff last year. Not a whole ton of stuff, but some stuff. I don’t know if Thunder fans expected that, but I didn’t, and I was impressed. So impressed that I don’t think I even called him a bust a single time over all my descriptions. And that’s saying a lot: I’m pretty sure I called Karl-Anthony Towns a bust like 3 or 4 times.
Payne has not shown as much this year, but that’s to be expected; foot injuries suck, and it takes a while to get back up to speed. Besides, he has Russell Westbrook on his team, who would probably play all 48 minutes if he could, so there’s no reason for him to rush back out there and start jacking shots. I wouldn’t complain if he DID, though.
This is his best scoring game of the season, and actually one of the best of his career. Against the Cavs. On national TV. Great. Now Reggie Miller is gonna have a way over-inflated concept of this dude’s value. Him and all the other casuals who can’t even name what college Payne went to.