Saturday’s game got off to a shaky start for the OKC Thunder.
It started with a barrage of 3-pointers by the Charlotte Hornets, who were buzzing with energy despite being on a second night of a back-to-back. It started with a cluster of uncharacteristic turnovers by the reigning NBA champions. And it started with a halftime score that was surprisingly close, as OKC led by just three points.
But it still ended with the Thunder securing a comfortable 109-96 road win. And Shai Gilgeous-Alexander watched the entire fourth quarter from the bench, just like he has done seven other times this season.
OKC (13-1) is now on a five-game winning streak, and it boasts the best record in the NBA. Next up is a road game against the New Orleans Pelicans at 7 p.m. Monday.
“I thought we had a nice response out of halftime,” Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said. “We didn’t play our best game in the first half. We course corrected nicely and made some adjustments to what we were doing.”
Here are three takeaways from the win:
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Uncharacteristic turnovers tormented OKC in the first half
Chet Holmgren smacked his hands together in frustration.
It was almost like a delayed response for the 7-foot-1 forward, who was the target of a pass by Isaiah Hartenstein midway through the second quarter. Holmgren was wide open underneath the rim, but the ball sailed over his head and through his hands before he could close them in time.
That marked one of 10 turnovers in the first half for OKC, which usually takes much better care of the basketball.
The Thunder entered Saturday with the second-fewest turnovers committed per game in the NBA (12.3). But after turning the ball over 10 times through the first two quarters, it only entered halftime with a 55-52 lead.
OKC returned to its usual brand of basketball after that. It only committed four turnovers the rest of the way to secure the road win.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the NBA’s most dangerous dance partner
Sion James shuffled his feet at the 3-point line in anticipation early in the third quarter.
The rookie guard is eager to tango with even the most talented scorers. It’s how he made the ACC All-Defensive team at Duke last season, and it’s how he has quickly carved out consistent minutes with Charlotte despite being a second-round pick (No. 33 overall).
But James hasn’t danced with anyone as good as Gilgeous-Alexander, who calmly walked the ball up the floor. And after a pair of between-the-leg dribble moves, the reigning scoring champ stepped around a Hartenstein screen and into a 3-pointer that splashed through the rim.
Gilgeous-Alexander dominated on Saturday, and that’s not an indictment on James. Nobody was going to stop the Thunder’s superstar guard, who was dialed in from around the rim, the mid range and the 3-point line.
Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 33 points, seven assists and two steals in just 29 minutes. He shot 13 for 19 from the field (68.4%) and 3 for 4 from deep (75%).
Keep feeding Chet Holmgren
Cason Wallace intercepted a pass early in the third quarter and sprinted up the floor.
The only Hornets player in his way was Collin Sexton, a tenacious but undersized guard. Certainly a poster candidate for Wallace, who has delivered picturesque dunks over larger opponents in the past.
But Wallace instead threw a lob to a trailing Holmgren, who threw it down with both hands.
It was only right to feed OKC’s star forward, whose confidence continues to grow this season. Holmgren racked up 25, eight rebounds and one block in 32 minutes on Saturday, and he shot 10 for 20 from the field (2 for 4 from deep).
Holmgren stepped into 3-pointers without hesitation, but he was equally eager to put the ball on the floor and finish through contact around the rim. It was a strong performance by the 23-year-old pro, who’s starting to put it all together on a consistent basis.
“He’s done a great job so far this year of figuring out how to assert himself in the flow of the team, and tonight was no different,” Daigneault said. “He came out very aggressively, played within the flow and had a really nice game.”
Tip-insLu Dort returned to the Thunder lineup after a five-game absence with an upper trap strain. He had three points and four rebounds in 22 minutes.Alex Caruso exited the game late in the first quarter and did not return due to right hand soreness. He played just two minutes.Jaylin Williams was a late scratch for Saturday’s game due to left shoulder soreness. He was one of just four OKC players who had played in every game this season. That group now consists of Gilgeous-Alexander, Hartenstein and Ajay Mitchell.Gilgeous-Alexander has scored at least 20 points in 86 consecutive regular-season games, which ranks third throughout NBA history. He trails only Wilt Chamberlain, who had two streaks of 126 games and 92 games.
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.
Thunder at Pelicans
TIPOFF:Â 7 p.m. Monday at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans (FanDuel Sports Network)