Despite being severely short-handed, the Oklahoma City Thunder showed plenty of fight Wednesday night in a 124-116 loss to the East-leading Detroit Pistons.
Oklahoma City was without the majority of its rotation, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (abdomen), Jalen Williams (hamstring), Isaiah Hartenstein (calf), Chet Holmgren (back), Alex Caruso (ankle) and Ajay Mitchell (abdomen) all ruled out. The Thunder later lost Isaiah Joe to a bruised hip after halftime, further thinning the lineup.
Even so, the defending champions came out sharp.
Oklahoma City held a 17-16 lead midway through the first quarter as its second- and third-unit players brought early energy. Seven different Thunder players scored in the opening period, and OKC closed the quarter on a 15-2 run to take a 34-22 advantage.
Detroit countered behind its interior presence.
With Oklahoma City missing both primary big men, Jaylin Williams was tasked with handling Detroit center Jalen Duren. The Pistons’ big man established himself early with eight first-quarter points and three rebounds, setting the tone for what became a dominant night inside.
Duren finished with 29 points and 15 rebounds, while Cade Cunningham added 29 points and 13 assists to lead Detroit (43-14), which has now won six of its last seven games. Duncan Robinson chipped in 16 points.
Despite the loss, Oklahoma City received several standout efforts.
Jaylin Williams delivered a career-high 30 points while serving as the Thunder’s offensive hub.
“He was unreal tonight,” Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said. “Great toughness, obviously great offense… he was a great hub for us again tonight.”Cason Wallace added 23 points, and the Thunder leaned heavily on the three-point shot, finishing 18-for-49 from deep. Oklahoma City’s perimeter barrage helped fuel a late push.
The Thunder trimmed the deficit to 108-105 with just over five minutes remaining following an 11-2 run, but Detroit answered. Javonte Green knocked down a key three-pointer after the Pistons grabbed four offensive rebounds on the same possession, helping the home team regain control.
Daigneault praised his group’s resilience despite the depleted roster.
“Really happy with the compete level and the resilience,” Daigneault said. “The guys that played tonight laid it on the line.”Oklahoma City fell to 45-15 after having won five of its previous six games.