SALT LAKE CITY – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams were big parts of the Oklahoma City Thunder’s NBA championship run last season.
Heading into their Dec 7 (Dec 8, Singapore time) matchup with the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City, Gilgeous- Alexander is playing even better than he did last season, when he won NBA Most Valuable Player honours.
Williams is still working to return to form after missing the first 19 games following off-season wrist surgery.
Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 32.8 points per game, ahead of last season, when he averaged a league-best 32.7. Only the Los Angeles Lakers’ Luka Doncic has a higher scoring average (35.3) this season.
The Oklahoma City guard is coming off one of the most efficient games of his eight-year career, as he was 10 of 12 from the field with 33 points in the Thunder’s 132-111 home win over the Dallas Mavericks on Dec 5.
“He puts the work in,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said.
“He’s got great vision of what he wants to improve on and then he’s got a lot of experience now. He kind of channels all that into his work, which is ruthlessly consistent and very focused. All he’s ever done is improve. At this point, as great of a player as he is, it’s not surprising when he gets even better.”
Williams has not been bad since returning, averaging 16 points per game and shooting 42.1 per cent, but he has yet to take over the way he did at times a year ago when he earned his first All-Star berth.
He is shooting 51.8 per cent from the field in his last two games, though, showing signs of improvement.
The Thunder (22-1) come into the Dec 7 clash with the Jazz on a 14-game winning streak. Another victory would tie the longest winning streak in franchise history.
The game is the second meeting of the season between the teams, both in Salt Lake City. Oklahoma City won the first meeting 144-112 on Nov 21 after falling behind by 18 in the first quarter.
Utah have realised their mistakes after the Thunder turned defence into offence in that fixture.
“You can’t have 28 turnovers for 44 points in an NBA game and win. It just doesn’t work.” Jazz coach Will Hardy said after the November meeting.
The Thunder lead the league with 24.5 points off turnovers per game, while the Jazz are in the bottom five in the league, allowing 20.7 points off turnovers.
Hardy, meanwhile, hopes his team can take lessons from the Thunder.
“You can just see the attention to detail that their team has and each individual has throughout the game,” he said. “Everybody kind of understands how they fit together, what their role is.”
Meanwhile in NBA action on Dec 6, Pat Spencer scored 12 of his career-high 19 points in the fourth quarter of his initial NBA start and Gui Santos added 14 points off the bench, lifting the injury-plagued Golden State Warriors to a 99-94 victory over the host Cleveland Cavaliers.
Cade Cunningham led seven Detroit players in double figures with 23 points and 12 assists as the Pistons rolled past Milwaukee 124-112 at home. REUTERS
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