OKLAHOMA CITY — Even with Kobe Sanders and Nicolas Batum closing in, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander didn’t care. He swished in a stepback 3-pointer in the final seconds for his last bucket. He pointed to the OKC bench and pumped out his signature outside bucket celebration.
After a slow start, the Oklahoma City Thunder collected a 122-101 win over the LA Clippers. It was a double whammy as the reigning NBA champions helped their 2026 lottery odds.
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Things were pretty sleepy at the start. Bogdan Bogdanovic knocked down an outside jumper as OKC was in a 10-2 deficit less than two minutes into the game. The Thunder looked like a team that had an impromptu four-day break after the NBA Cup. They were in a 33-27 deficit after the first quarter.
After that, the Thunder woke up. They score 37 points in the second frame. The OKC bench lineup provided a jolt of energy with Alex Caruso and Ajay Mitchell. Meanwhile, Chet Holmgren looked Dirk-esque with some of his turnaround jumpers that swished in.
As his jumper took a while to get going, Gilgeous-Alexander morphed into a shot-blocker. He met with Ivica Zubac mid-air on the textbook contest he blocked. The Thunder entered halftime with a 64-55 lead over the Clippers.
After the break, the Clippers held their own. Unreal shot-making by Kawhi Leonard kept them within striking distance. Going to the baseline, he flooded back several nostalgic memories of being one of the NBA’s best players. Alas, that was a half-decade ago.
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The Thunder eventually went on their avalanche run. They had a 25-8 run to balloon their lead. No James Harden finally reared its ugly head. OKC went into ball-hawk mode as it created turnover after turnover. Caruso’s steal-and-score sequence put them up 88-76 with a little under four minutes left in the frame.
That only escalated. Branden Carlson threw down a loud jam. Gilgeous-Alexander finessed his way to a layup. The OKC game ops crew played ‘Titanium’ as LA spammed timeouts. The Thunder scored 39 points in the third quarter. In the blink of an eye, they had a 103-83 lead over the Clippers.
Sitting on 30-plus points, Gilgeous-Alexander sat out another fourth quarter. Holmgren and Williams did enough in the second unit minutes to stiff-arm the Clippers on the scoreboard. They led by as many as 25 points. The Thunder only scored 19 points in the final frame, which was pretty forgettable.
The Thunder shot 48% from the field and went 13-of-36 (36.1%) from 3. They shot 13-of-16 on free throws. They had 28 assists on 48 baskets. Five Thunder players scored double-digit points.
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Gilgeous-Alexander finished with an efficient 32 points. Holmgren had an efficient 22 points and seven rebounds. Williams tallied 20 points and five assists. Mitchell totaled 16 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Isaiah Joe scored 14 points in his return.
Meanwhile, the Clippers shot 49% from the field and went 10-of-32 (31.3%) from 3. They shot 17-of-22 on free throws. They had 25 assists on 37 baskets. Five Clippers players scored double-digit points.
Leonard had 22 points, eight rebounds and six assists. John Collins finished with 20 points and four rebounds. Zubac tallied an 11-point and 11-rebound double-double. Bogdanovic scored 14 points. Kris Dunn turned in 14 points, five rebounds and four assists.
Well, this is why the Thunder are viewed as the NBA’s best team and the Clippers are viewed as one of the biggest dumpster fires. Even with the lackadaisical start, the championship talent eventually showed against one of the league’s oldest squads.
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They’re likely numb to it, but add this to the long list of reasons for regret for why the Clippers set their franchise back by dealing Gilgeous-Alexander in 2019 for the Paul George blockbuster deal. And if they continue to fall in the standings, they could hand-deliver the reigning NBA champion a premium draft pick.
Let’s look at Thunder player grades:
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: A
Dec 18, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) goes up for a basket beside Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) during the second quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Seeing Sanders across from him, Gilgeous-Alexander tasted blood in the water. Shaking his shoulders back and forth, he settled at the nail. A pull-up mid-range jumper swished in. Finally, the reigning MVP regained his superpowers after dealing with Kryptonite at the start.
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Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 32 points on 13-of-24 shooting, seven rebounds and six assists. He shot 2-of-6 from 3 and went 4-of-6 on free throws. He also had two steals.
This was quite the in-game comeback. Things looked dire at the start. Gilgeous-Alexander drove to the basket but saw his shot attempts circle the rim before they fell out. His jumper barely missed on other attempts. He even coughed up a seldom turnover.
It felt like we were watching a real-life remake of the ‘Thunderstruck’ classic. Gilgeous-Alexander’s powers were suddenly gone. He felt mortal. But just like in the Oscar-worthy movie, though, he shook off the cob webs. The reigning MVP flipped a switch and remembered who he was.
After playing around with their food, Gilgeous-Alexander put the plates away. The Thunder ran away on the scoreboard in the third quarter. He scored 19 points in the frame to ensure he’d be able to clock out early from another shift — especially important since this is on the front of a home-and-road back-to-back.
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Gilgeous-Alexander sliced through LA’s defense. The slow-footed roster couldn’t keep up. He got into a groove. And as the Clippers turned it over every other possession, that led to the ultimate advantage, as the NBA’s best scorer was given plenty of transition opportunities to beat the Clippers to the rim.
Another ho-hum game by Gilgeous-Alexander. He had 30 points in three quarters. After enjoying the extravagant nature of Las Vegas, it was nice to see the reigning MVP back in his own gym to beat his old squad and twist the knife even further for the franchise-altering mistake it made seven years ago.
Chet Holmgren: A-plus
Dec 18, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren (7) drives against Los Angeles Clippers guard Jordan Miller (22) during the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Seeing Bogdanovic on him, Holmgret went old school. He backed him up in the post. He didn’t need much strength to dribble his way to his spot inside the paint. Near the basket, he went with the one-legged fadeaway jumper that swished in as the whistle blew for the and-one opportunity.
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Holmgren finished with 22 points on 8-of-13 shooting, seven rebounds and two assists. He shot 3-of-5 from 3 and went 3-of-3 on free throws. He also had a steal.
It wasn’t that long ago when folks begged the Thunder to run some of their offense through Holmgren. You’ve seen that happen this season. In turn, he’s had one of his most efficient scoring years. Fighting through a cold start, he was OKC’s sole source of offense. He had 11 points in the first frame.
Against Zubac, Holmgren utilized his perimeter scoring. He hit on his mid-range jumpers. And when the ball reached him at the perimeter, he knocked down his outside shots. He had 18 points in the first half. Along with Gilgeous-Alexander, both players helped the Thunder create some distance on the scoreboard.
Putting up an efficient 20 points is the new standard. Holmgren has set that bar. He’s matured as a scorer and has turned into someone the Thunder can throw the ball to and expect to generate a quality look. That type of developmental path should be rewarded with a first-time All-Star berth.
Jalen Williams: A-minus
Dec 18, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jalen Williams (8) screams and celebrates after dunking against the Los Angeles Clippers during the second quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Nonchalantly poking the ball out of Sanders’ possession, Williams picked up the loose ball. He went the other way without any interference for a running layup as the Thunder ensured there was no funny business involved with the fourth quarter.
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Williams finished with 20 points on 8-of-14 shooting, five assists and one rebound. He shot 2-of-2 from 3 and went 2-of-2 on free throws. He also had two steals.
Facing the Thunder without a real point guard is a recipe for disaster. Once Harden was ruled out, OKC forcing dozens of turnovers was within the realm of reality. That undersold it a bit. Williams disrupted LA’s halfcourt offense as it turned it over an alarming 29 times. Being flooded by a wave with all-world defenders will do that.
And then Williams did enough on offense. He played within the flow of the offense. He sliced through LA’s defense. His drives to the basket continue to look sharper by the game. A couple of outside makes had people’s hopes up that his shooting numbers could eventually come back to form.
It’ll be a journey for Williams. He continues to get comfortable with his surgically repaired wrist. The Thunder hope that once he returns to his usual superb-efficient 20-plus point form, they can heighten their ceiling as an NBA win machine that’s unbeatable at home.
Ajay Mitchell: B
Dec 18, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell (25) drives to the basket beside Los Angeles Clippers guard Kris Dunn (8) during the second quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Extending his arm straight up to its fullest extent, Mitchell banked in an and-one layup as Batum fouled him off the drive. The high-difficulty finish got him into the groove of things.
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Mitchell finished with 16 points on 7-of-15 shooting, seven rebounds and five assists. He shot 1-of-3 from 3 and went 1-of-1 on free throws. He also had two steals.
Seeing the starters needed a boost, Mitchell provided it — a la a Red Bull in the middle of a work shift. He likely read the scouting report and was anxious to go out there against an LA squad filled with old legs and cranky moods. He attacked the basket and drove through arms.
As a secondary ball-handler, Mitchell has helped the Thunder not see a sea-sized drop-off once Gilgeous-Alexander checks out. He helps Williams and Holmgren run the show in the second unit. His scoring aggressiveness has been a breath of fresh air for the reserves.
Cason Wallace: A
Dec 18, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Cason Wallace (22) drives between Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) and guard Kobe Sanders (4) during the first quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Playfully stealing the ball from Sanders, Wallace added to his total. Facing an LA squad that had Dunn bring up the ball helped him create some wiggle room for the league lead in steals. It was too easy for him as he relied on his instincts and saviness.
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Wallace finished with five points on 1-of-8 shooting, four assists and one rebound. He shot 1-of-6 from 3 and 2-of-2 on free throws. He also had five steals.
The Thunder have buried opponents on the scoreboard thanks to their defense. Specifically, creating turnovers and winning the possession battle. You saw that in this matchup as OKC took an unreal 25 more shot attempts than LA.
Juggling injuries all season, Wallace returned to the starting lineup. Isaiah Hartenstein was out with soleus injury management. It’ll be interesting to see if anybody sits out against the Minnesota Timberwolves on the second night of this back-to-back.
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This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Player grades: Thunder bounce back with 122-101 win over Clippers