After dropping a street recreation in Memphis, the Thunder made it two in a row with a deflating 129-119 loss to the New York Knicks in Oklahoma City on Monday. The Thunder merely had no reply for Jalen Brunson and New York’s rebounding benefit.
Oklahoma City hasn’t held an opponent underneath 30 first quarter factors in 5 video games now, permitting 38 factors to the Knicks on Monday. The final time the two groups met, simply ten days in the past in the Big Apple, the Thunder allowed 48 factors in the opening body. It’s turning into very problematic for a younger Thunder crew that has to be practically good down the stretch to mount a comeback some nights.
After the back-to-back street wins towards Toronto and New York, it seems like Oklahoma City is coming again down to earth. Either that, or Aleksej Pokusevski’s presence in the lineup is desperately missed in OKC’s scarce entrance court docket depth.
Despite the loss, Oklahoma City had a stable offensive outing. Here’s who led the Thunder on Monday night time:
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
SGA was efficient tonight, dropping 30 factors, seven assists and 5 rebounds. His capability to hover round 30 factors on each night time, even when it’s an off night time, is turning into unimaginable to watch.
Gilgeous-Alexander was simply 9-of-22 from the flooring and 0-of-2 from 3-point vary, however his aggressiveness on the offensive finish is what each Thunder fan needs to see, irrespective of if he takes an additional shot or two. The OKC star was 12-of-13 at the free throw line, too.
Lu Dort
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Monday was arguably Dort’s finest recreation of the season. Oklahoma City’s defensive stopper totaled 24 factors and eight rebounds on an environment friendly 9-of-14 taking pictures and 3-of-4 from 3-point vary.
After a sluggish begin, Dort is lastly discovering a groove on the offensive finish. Monday, he took open pictures and located confidence early that led to a giant recreation.
Josh Giddey
Even although Giddey missed each of his triples, he nonetheless had an environment friendly 18 factors on 8-of-15 taking pictures. He discovered a pleasant rhythm each in the lane and along with his floater Monday.
In addition to the scoring, Giddey added 9 rebounds and 7 assists, taking part in a whole recreation. It was one among his higher offensive showings this season.
Jalen Williams
Outside of severely struggling from lengthy vary, Williams has been an unimaginable addition as a first-year participant. Monday night time was extra of the similar, as JDub added 13 factors off the bench on 5-of-11 taking pictures. Outside taking pictures stays the one maintain up in his present recreation, as the rookie was simply 0-for-3 from lengthy vary. The versatility he brings to lineup is large for a crew like the Thunder, although, and he’s solely going to enhance.
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