The Oklahoma City Thunder (5-0) enter Thursday night, continuing to show championship poise early in the season while dealing with multiple injuries. Coming off back-to-back wins over Dallas and Sacramento, OKC has found ways to close games despite missing several key players.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander once again delivered in crunch time Tuesday, scoring 31 points in a 107-101 comeback win over the Kings, his 77th straight game with 20 or more points.
“It wasn’t going our way for most of the night,” SGA said. “But this team knows how to win when it’s time, and we showed it tonight.”Balanced Effort Keeps OKC Rolling
Aaron Wiggins and AJay Mitchell combined for 36 points, while Lu Dort hit the go-ahead three late in the fourth. Alex Caruso sealed the win with a dagger triple in the final minute.
Coach Mark Daigneault continues to stress composure over panic, even with OKC ranking last in the league in three-point shooting (28.8%).
“Our share of high-quality threes is lower than it was last season,” Daigneault said. “That’s something we have to improve as we move forward.”
Isaiah Joe is available for tonight, which should help the Thunder shooting percentage. Joe lead the team in percentage last season at over 40%. Joe suffered a knee contusion in the second game of the season.
Isaiah Hartenstein receives NBA Cares award for community contributionsWizards Searching for Answers
The Washington Wizards (1-4) have dropped three of their last four and enter Thursday on a defensive skid, giving up 139 points in back-to-back games.
They’ll welcome back Bilal Coulibaly, who missed the start of the season following thumb surgery.
“We need a little bit of defense, and I think I’ll be able to step that up,” Coulibaly said.
Second-year big man Alex Sarr, the No. 2 overall pick in 2024, has been a bright spot averaging 19.5 points, 8.8 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 2.0 blocks per game. He scored 31 points and grabbed 11 boards in Tuesday’s overtime loss to Philadelphia.
“People don’t talk enough about his passing,” Wizards coach Brian Keefe said. “He sees the floor so well — we want to keep playing through him.”Thunder rookie Nikola Topić diagnosed with testicular cancerInjury Report
Thunder:
Chet Holmgren – Out (back soreness)Jalen Williams – Out (wrist recovery)Kenrich Williams – Out (knee)Nikola Topić – Out (medical recovery)Thomas Sorber – Out for season (ACL)Isaiah Joe – Available
Wizards:
Marvin Bagley III – Questionable (ankle sprain)Bilal Coulibaly – AvailableBy the NumbersThunder: 5-0 recordWizards: 119.1 defensive rating (26th in NBA)OKC’s 3PT shooting: 28.8% (30th in NBA)Head-to-head: OKC has won six straight vs. WashingtonWhat to WatchSGA’s streak: Can he make it 78 straight 20+ point games?Thunder’s depth: Who steps up with Holmgren and Jalen Williams still out?Wizards’ defense: Will Coulibaly’s return help stabilize a unit allowing nearly 120 points per game?Where and When to Watch
Matchup: Washington Wizards at Oklahoma City Thunder
When: Thursday, Oct. 30 7 p.m. CT
Where: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City
TV: FanDuel Sports Network
Thunder Stay Unbeaten, Rally Past Kings 107-101