Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC Thunder not ‘taking the regular season for granted’
OKC Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 30 points in 29 minutes of a 117-100 win against the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday.
The Oklahoma City Thunder secured a 101-94 victory over the Dallas Mavericks after nearly losing a 22-point lead.Chet Holmgren delivered a strong performance with 18 points, 11 rebounds, and four blocks.Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 23 points, helping the Thunder win despite the team attempting far fewer free throws than their season average.
DALLAS — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander surveyed the floor as it shook from the roars of a frenzied American Airlines Center crowd.
OKC looked like it was going to cruise to a win over Dallas on Monday. A smooth home stretch after a strenuous three-game road trip. And yet it somehow got roped into another thriller in Texas, as the Mavericks trimmed a 22-point deficit to one point in the final minute.
But Gilgeous-Alexander’s hands were as steady as ever when he sailed a pass to Isaiah Hartenstein near the free-throw line. The Thunder big man then took two dribbles to the rim and finished a layup, which helped OKC finish off its 101-94 win.
“First of all, we don’t want to be in a situation where we give up a lead like that,” Hartenstein said. “But at the end of the day, we trust each other. I think that’s also what makes Shai so special, that he trusts us as a team.
“I think a lot of other superstars might force it or try to do it themselves, but I think Shai does a great job of finding that mix of trusting us. And then we know he can make a big shot if we need it.”
It was easy to trust Hartenstein, who shape-shifted to fit every situation.
When OKC needed someone to battle down low on defense with Anthony Davis, Hartenstein became a hard-nosed center. When the Thunder needed to get a bucket in the paint, he became a big man with a soft touch.
Hartenstein finished with 16 points, 12 rebounds and one steal in 30 minutes. He went 8 for 11 from the field and was a source of stability for OKC, even when it was on shaky ground.
“He was outstanding tonight,” Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said of Hartenstein. “Those plays were huge for us in getting the win, and we needed them all.”
Here are three takeaways from the win:
Pre-order new book on Thunder’s run to NBA title
Chet Holmgren’s performance speaks volumes to his growth
Cooper Flagg is the future of Dallas’ franchise. The poster child for a much-needed jackpot after the Mavericks folded on the Luka Doncic era.
But with 9:30 left in the third quarter, Flagg found himself on a different poster. He was the victim of a vicious one-handed dunk by Chet Holmgren, who barreled into the lane and baptized Dallas’ young star in the making.
Holmgren could then be seen having a conversation with Dallas’ bench as he jogged back on defense. It was the only time all night he didn’t let his game do the talking.
Holmgren dominated on both ends of the floor. He dominated as a fluid 7-footer, dribbling into the paint for ferocious finishes. And he dominated as a rim protector, where he swatted four shots after recording just one block through OKC’s first three games of the season.
“I felt like I wasn’t a shot blocker anymore, so I’m glad I got a couple tonight,” Holmgren jokingly said. “I feel like there are opportunities that I’m just a half-second or a step late to. And in the league, that’s the difference between blocking a shot and giving up two points. I’ve got to keep trying to be better and be just a touch faster in some of those situations.”
Holmgren racked up 18 points and 11 rebounds. It’s yet another strong showing by the 23-year-old forward, who seems to be due for a breakout season.
OKC’s depth is a result of its development
OKC (4-0) had four former second-round picks in the game at the same time: Ajay Mitchell, Aaron Wiggins, Brooks Barnhizer and Jaylin Williams.
But that group wasn’t on the floor during garbage time, and it wasn’t on the floor during a preseason contest. It was on the floor during the first quarter of a regular-season road game.
That speaks to the development of OKC, which hasn’t just formed a star trio of Gilgeous-Alexander, Holmgren and Jalen Williams. It has formed a dangerously-deep bench that’s filled with overlooked prospects who shine in their roles.
Mitchell ran the second unit like a vet despite being a sophomore guard. He finished with 17 points and seven rebounds.
Wiggins provided a scoring punch for an OKC team that’s missing some heavy hitters. He added 11 points and three assists. And even Jaylin Williams went to war in the trenches for seven rebounds and one block.
“We develop everybody on the team, 1-18,” Daigneault said. “We don’t really care where they get drafted. Once they’re here, they’re a Thunder player. … We take it seriously. One through 18, we want everybody to be growing and developing.”
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC won despite being kept off the free-throw line
Gilgeous-Alexander drove to his spot on the baseline in the final seconds of the second quarter.
He got P.J. Washington on his hip. He pump faked. And he went crashing to the floor as Washington contested his 13-footer.
But a whistle never came, unlike what Gilgeous-Alexander has grown accustomed to this season. All he heard instead was the sound of his shot getting swatted followed by the buzzer. That signaled the end of a first half where the Thunder only went 0 for 2 from the free-throw line.
Dallas refused to give OKC many trips to the charity stripe throughout the game. The Thunder went 11 for 13 (84.6%) in that department, and Gilgeous-Alexander went 2 for 2. His only pair of free throws came with 21.3 seconds left in regulation.
That was a drastic deviation from the norm. OKC ranked sixth in the NBA in free-throw attempts entering Monday (31.7), and Gilgeous-Alexander ranked first individually (14.7).
But one trend this season continued. OKC still found a way to win behind Gilgeous-Alexander, who tallied 23 points and eight assists. The reigning MVP has now scored at least 20 points in 76 straight regular-season games, which is the fourth-longest streak in NBA history.
“We’re laser-focused on getting better,” Daigneault said. “To have our eye on the officiating or our eye on the free-throw number or anything like that just distracts us from what we can control and getting better as a team.
“The refs call the game how they do. They get some plays. They miss some plays. Some nights are different than others. That really doesn’t concern us if we’re focused on improving. That’s what we’re focused on.”
Tip insOKC held Cooper Flagg to just two points on 1-for-9 shooting from the field (0 for 3 from deep) in 31 minutes. The former No. 1 overall pick in last year’s NBA Draft played through a left shoulder injury.OKC was without Alex Caruso (concussion protocol), Isaiah Joe (left knee contusion), Thomas Sorber (right ACL surgery recovery), Nikola Topic (surgical recovery), Jalen Williams (right wrist surgery recovery) and Kenrich Williams (left knee surgery recovery).Dallas was without Dante Exum (right knee injury management), Daniel Gafford (right ankle sprain), Kyrie Irving (left knee surgery), Dereck Lively II (right knee contusion) and Brandon Williams (personal reasons).
Justin Martinez covers the Thunder and NBA for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Justin? He can be reached at jmartinez@oklahoman.com or on X/Twitter at @Justintohoops. Sign up for the Thunder Sports Minute newsletter to access more NBA coverage. Support Justin’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
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