Shai saved the night again, as Thunder warning signs rumble louder
Oklahoma City survive overtime against Utah thanks to another commanding night from Shai, even as recent cracks continue to raise questions.
They may have decided that relaxation is the goal for these weeks. Or perhaps they are simply hitting a physical lull – understandable in such a punishing schedule, even with a roster as deep and versatile as theirs. Either way, the Oklahoma City Thunder’s recent problems demand closer inspection. The league’s defensive benchmark, the team that steamrolled the opening third of the season with an iron grip and record-setting pace, is suddenly wobbling in ways we have not seen before. Two games, the most recent against Charlotte – a team going nowhere – and visible nerves.
There is no sign of progress in this mental and physical muddle. Rather than improving, they appear stuck below the level they have already shown they can reach. Once again, even at home, they suffered – though this time they escaped with the win. They needed overtime to get past the Utah Jazz, a team not even among the top ten in the Western Conference. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander came to the rescue with a shot they would later be grateful for, part of a full-blown superstar performance aside from that single moment. Final score: 129–125.
Gilgeous-Alexander delivered one of his standard outings. He finished one free throw short of 20 attempts, owned the midrange like few can, and on the shot that forced overtime he was also hunting contact. Classic Shai – the good and the bad. This time, far more of the former. The Thunder play to his tune, and it has already brought them one championship ring, with a second now in their sights. Even under pressure, they refuse to abandon a style that is often spectacular and, above all, effective.
For Utah, Lauri Markkanen led the way with 29 points and 13 rebounds. That was two fewer boards than Jusuf Nurkić, who has resurfaced strongly over the past month and added 14 points. Keyonte George chipped in 25 in what has been one of the Jazz’s few pleasant surprises this season. All of them, however, were left well short of the 46 points poured in by Gilgeous-Alexander – a relentless drip the Jazz could not stop across more than 50 minutes of battle.
Oklahoma City remains on just seven losses. It has been an up-and-down month – with the San Antonio Spurs beating them three times – but this was meant to draw a line under the bad vibes. Without two key interior players, Isaiah Hartenstein and Jaylin Williams, Chet Holmgren stepped up, while perimeter players such as Isaiah Joe, Luguentz Dort, Aaron Wiggins and Cason Wallace rotated roles alongside Ajay Mitchell, who continues to strengthen his place in Mark Daigneault’s rotation. It is the regular season, after all – there are dips for anyone who wants them, and little cause for alarm.
The Thunder entered the final quarter of regulation comfortably, five points ahead. Then the lights went out. Midway through the period, with just over six minutes left, they trailed by eight. Seven points from Holmgren steadied a patient on the brink. Gilgeous-Alexander reclaimed the central role he had played all night and Oklahoma held firm. It was tight because, after a brilliant Markkanen tip-in, they had three seconds to tie. Gilgeous-Alexander drove, bent his arms, searched for contact that never came – and, as so often, scored anyway. At the buzzer. Five more minutes to decide it. Despite going 1-for-8 from three, a detail worth noting, Shai stayed hot in overtime: five more points and an assist to Holmgren, who followed with another dunk. Svi Mykhailiuk and George missed the shots that might have kept the contest alive, and the home team prevailed. That is how this game was written.
Other results from the NBA:
- Nets 103 - Magic 104
- Knicks 123 - Clippers 111
- Hawks 117 - Pelicans 100
- Sixers 131 - Wizards 110
- Hornets 96 - Raptors 97
- Pistons 108 - Bulls 93
- Blazers 103 - Rockets 102
- Warriors 120 - Bucks 113
- Spurs 107 - Lakers 91
- Grizzlies 98 - Suns 117
- Celtics 110 - Nuggets 114
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21
Aaron Wiggins
|
|
8
Jalen Williams
|
|
7
Chet Holmgren
|
|
5
Luguentz Dort
|
|
2
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
|
|
23
Brooks Barnhizer
|
|
15
Branden Carlson
|
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11
Isaiah Joe
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|
25
Ajay Mitchell
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|
22
Cason Wallace
|
|
34
Kenrich Williams
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|
3
Chris Youngblood
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| Min | Pts | TR | OR | DR | Ast | Los | Rec | Blk | S1 | S2 | S3 | RF | CF | Val | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
21
Aaron Wiggins
|
24 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0/0 | 2/5 | 1/4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
|
8
Jalen Williams
|
40 | 17 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4/4 | 5/10 | 1/5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
|
7
Chet Holmgren
|
40 | 23 | 12 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5/8 | 9/12 | 0/3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | |
|
5
Luguentz Dort
|
23 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1/2 | 1/1 | 1/4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
|
2
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
|
41 | 46 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 17/19 | 13/18 | 1/8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
|
23
Brooks Barnhizer
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
15
Branden Carlson
|
11 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1/2 | 1/3 | 0/1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
|
11
Isaiah Joe
|
9 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2/3 | 0/0 | 1/3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
|
25
Ajay Mitchell
|
33 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4/4 | 3/8 | 2/7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
|
22
Cason Wallace
|
30 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0/0 | 2/5 | 0/2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
|
34
Kenrich Williams
|
8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0/0 | 1/1 | 0/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
3
Chris Youngblood
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
23
Lauri Markkanen
|
|
10
Svi Mykhailiuk
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|
30
Jusuf Nurkić
|
|
3
Keyonte George
|
|
28
Brice Sensabaugh
|
|
2
Kyle Anderson
|
|
19
Ace Bailey
|
|
13
Walter Clayton Jr.
|
|
8
Isaiah Collier
|
|
22
Kyle Filipowski
|
|
0
Taylor Hendricks
|
|
34
Oscar Tshiebwe
|
|
5
Cody Williams
|
| Min | Pts | TR | OR | DR | Ast | Los | Rec | Blk | S1 | S2 | S3 | RF | CF | Val | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
23
Lauri Markkanen
|
43 | 29 | 13 | 4 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 4/5 | 8/12 | 3/7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
|
10
Svi Mykhailiuk
|
26 | 8 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2/3 | 3/3 | 0/5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
|
30
Jusuf Nurkić
|
32 | 15 | 15 | 5 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3/4 | 6/15 | 0/1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | |
|
3
Keyonte George
|
42 | 25 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 11 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5/5 | 7/13 | 2/9 | 0 | 5 | 0 | |
|
28
Brice Sensabaugh
|
31 | 13 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1/1 | 6/7 | 0/5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
|
2
Kyle Anderson
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
19
Ace Bailey
|
10 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0/0 | 1/1 | 0/2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
|
13
Walter Clayton Jr.
|
26 | 15 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1/1 | 1/4 | 4/7 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
|
8
Isaiah Collier
|
17 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0/2 | 3/4 | 0/1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
|
22
Kyle Filipowski
|
4 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 1/6 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
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0
Taylor Hendricks
|
14 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0/0 | 1/3 | 1/2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
|
34
Oscar Tshiebwe
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
5
Cody Williams
|
13 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0/0 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
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