Without two of its mainstays in the frontcourt, Oklahoma City was defeated by the Charlotte Hornets 121-113, dropping the Thunder’s file to 15-20. For the primary time all season, each Jalen and Jaylin Williams cracked the beginning lineup for OKC.
As common, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was Oklahoma City’s lead scorer, tallying 28 factors to go together with 5 assists, three rebounds and two steals. For the Hornets, all-star guard LaMelo Ball scored 27 factors, grabbed 10 boards and dished out 9 assists.
After the Hornets jumped out to a 7-0 lead to begin the competition, a pair of free throws from Jalen Williams obtained Oklahoma City on the scoreboard. The two groups battled forwards and backwards till the closing moments of the quarter, when the Hornets mustered a 10-point lead.Â
Gilgeous-Alexander scored 9 factors in a row for the Thunder to lower Charlotte’s lead to 36-30 on the finish of the primary body. The fifth-year guard completed the opening interval with 11 factors, two assists, two steals and a rebound.
OKC severely missed 6-foot-8 Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and 7-foot Aleksej Pokusevski on protection, permitting the Hornets a 100% discipline aim share from contained in the arc in the primary quarter.Â
Oklahoma City spent the vast majority of the second body attempting to hold tempo with Charlotte. With round 30 seconds left in the half, the Thunder tied the sport at 57, night the rating for the primary time all night time.Â
After two missed free throws by Hornets rookie large man Mark Williams, Gilgeous-Alexander drove into the paint, bringing Charlotte’s protection with him. The Kentucky product fired a cross out to veteran large man Mike Muscala, who knocked down a nook three on the buzzer to give OKC a 60-57 lead heading into halftime.Â
SGA accounted for a whopping 18 factors in the primary half whereas Tre Mann pitched in 11 factors off the bench.
Coming out of the break, Ball nailed a three-pointer from the nook to tie the sport at 60. Defensive standout Lu Dort answered proper again, connecting on a corner-triple of his personal.Â
Midway via the third, the Hornets took a 72-70 lead over Oklahoma City behind a PJ Washington triple. Shortly after, Dort picked up his fourth foul and Ball nailed one other 3-pointer to push Charlotte’s lead to seven.
A 3-pointer from Dort, a put-back dunk by Jalen Williams and a mid-range shot from Gilgeous-Alexander rapidly tied the sport at 77. After the Hornets regained the lead, a deep 3-pointer from sharpshooter Isaiah Joe lower Charlotte’s lead to one with 30 seconds left in the third quarter.Â
Heading into the ultimate body, the Thunder trailed the Hornets 85-84.
Charlotte opened the fourth quarter on a 9-2 run behind a wonderful stretch from Mark Williams. A fast basket and free throw from Josh Giddey adopted by a floater from Mann lower the Hornets lead to 94-91 early in the interval. Gilgeous-Alexander checked again into the sport with OKC down by three and simply over seven minutes left.
After a PJ Washington slam in transition, SGA completed a troublesome basket to tie the sport at 103. Charlotte rapidly answered with a bucket from Ball and a triple from Washington to give the Hornets a five-point lead with three and a half minutes remaining.Â
A pair of free throws from Terry Rozier prolonged Charlotte’s lead to seven, a big sufficient deficit to hold Oklahoma City from mounting a fast comeback. Dort knocked down a triple to convey the Thunder inside 4, however a fast 3-pointer from Ball proved to be the dagger as OKC fell, 121-113.
Oklahoma City will go well with up once more on Saturday, December 31 at house in opposition to the Philadelphia 76ers. Â
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