Nothing is coming easy for the Oklahoma City Thunder after a historic start to the season, but they still have Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. On Wednesday, that was the difference.
Facing the Utah Jazz — hardly a team fans expected to give them trouble a month ago — the Thunder found themselves down 114-112 with 2.7 seconds left, at home, having already lost six of their past 11 games. They advanced the ball with a timeout, then let Gilgeous-Alexander do his thing.
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The reigning MVP ran to the elbow and barely got an awkward shot off in time. It, naturally, went in, giving OKC another five minutes to show why it’s still the overwhelming NBA title favorite.
Things came a bit more easy for the Thunder in overtime, such as this Chet Holmgren put-back dunk off a Gilgeous-Alexander miss:
The game ended as a 129-125 Thunder win, improving their record to an NBA-best 31-7.
Gilgeous-Alexander finished the night with 46 points, his second-highest total of the season, on 14-of-26 shooting, plus 6 rebounds and 6 assists. Holmgren had 23 points, 12 rebounds and 3 blocks.
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The Thunder will gladly take the win, especially on a night where they shot 7 of 38 from 3-point range. Still, getting pushed to OT by the 12-24 Jazz — or, rather, having to push the Jazz to OT — feels like an ominous sign for a team that lost its unstoppable reputation over the past few weeks, especially after a 27-point home loss to the Charlotte Hornets.
Gilgeous-Alexander seemed aware of the struggles after the game:
“It’s not always going to be pretty. We’ve got to play a lot better if we want to get to where we want to get to. Nonetheless, we won the game. Rather learn the lessons in a win than a loss.”
OKC’s next two games are against the Memphis Grizzlies and Miami Heat, both teams in the play-in range of the current standings. After that, though, is yet another clash with the San Antonio Spurs team that humbled the defending champs three times in December. There would be no better way to show the team is back on track.
