All the numbers had suggested Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was having a down season.
After averaging 30+ points per game in each of the last two seasons, Gilgeous-Alexander was averaging only 26 — until Monday.
Gilgeous-Alexander destroyed his former team, scoring 45 points and leading OKC to a 134-128 win over the Los Angeles Clippers. In its first game without Chet Holmgren, the Thunder offense tallied its second-highest scoring total of the season against the fourth-best defense in the NBA.
Gilgeous-Alexander led the charge with his career-high 45 points, but Jalen Williams had a great game in his own right, scoring 28 points, grabbing eight rebounds and dishing out six assists. OKC’s star duo made up for Holmgren’s presence on offense, but the NBA’s best defense allowing 128 points is a clear indication of the long-term effects of his absence.
The tallest member of OKC’s starting lineup was the 6’6 Gilgeous-Alexander and Ivica Zubac recognized that. Zubac was second on LAC in scoring with 22 and ripped down 14 rebounds and was a huge part of the Clippers flirting with a 20-point comeback victory. Norman Powell also thrived, scoring 31 points and hitting a flurry of tough shots, but it was Zubac who punished OKC’s lack of size whenever he was given the chance.
Despite Zubac’s success, OKC’s defense down low was better than the statistics reflect.
Whenever someone would get the ball down low, OKC would swarm the ball handler immediately which played a big part in LAC having 23 turnovers. A lot of the Clippers’ success was due to pure shotmaking skills from James Harden and Powell, but once those shots stopped going in, OKC was able to keep a lead afloat.
On offense, OKC had a clear plan — shoot threes early and often and get the ball in Gilgeous-Alexander’s hands. OKC shot 16 threes in the first quarter and finished the game with 46 attempts.
Without Holmgren, OKC is going to have to play to the strengths of its small-ball lineups, at least until Isaiah Hartenstein gets back. If Alex Caruso’s shot can start falling at a normal rate, there is no one in OKC’s lineup who isn’t a real threat from deep and that is clearly the formula for it to have success without a real center on the roster.
Needless to say, none of the issues that Holmgren’s absence presents resulted in a loss on Monday, but the cracks in the foundation are clear, at least until Hartenstein or Jaylin Williams can provide any amount of relief down low.
