For the first time since Wednesday of last week, the Oklahoma City Thunder hit the hardwood — and it didn’t disappoint.
OKC roared out of the gates, taking a double-digit lead in the first half and never looking back, taking down the Sacramento Kings 130-109 and getting its west coast road trip off to a good start. Per usual, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams led the charge on offense and Isaiah Hartenstein joined in on the fun, scoring 17 points in his first start in an OKC uniform.
Gilgeous-Alexander had one of his best games of the season, scoring 37 points despite going an underwhelming 7-11 from the free throw line. Gilgeous-Alexander scored his 37 on 65% shooting from the field and also dished out eleven assists. It was another masterclass from Gilgeous-Alexander, who has been on fire since Chet Holmgren went down with an injury after starting the season in a slump by his standards. When Gilgeous-Alexander is on, OKC becomes virtually unguardable, especially when its role players are hitting their outside shots.
While Gilgeous-Alexander’s return to form has come as a surprise to no one, the ascent of Jalen Williams continues to be marked since Holmgren went down. Williams dropped in 28 against the Kings and showed off his supreme playmaking skills, both as an individual and for others.
Some have questioned Williams’ shot creation. Some must not be watching.
Williams’ ability to get to the rim and finish through or around contact with either hand is impressive and when he draws defenders in he may be the best passer on OKC’s team. As Williams continues to work his way toward superstar status, some fans will naturally look to poke holes in his game and while Williams still has plenty to work on, the questions regarding his self-creation skills that have circulated on social media are uninformed at best and ignorant at worst.
As Williams is trusted with more possessions as the primary ball handler, a pick-and-roll partner will be beneficial. Luckily for Williams, Hartenstein is back and thriving for the Thunder.
Hartenstein showed off his versatility as a defensive player and continued to make his floater, but his most valuable role for the Thunder is as a screener and an offensive hub at the top of the key.
Having a center with the passing chops of Hartenstein is a rare commodity and it will lessen the transition for the rest of the OKC roster when Holmgren comes back later in the year.
In the meantime, Hartenstein and Williams need to continue to develop their chemistry as pick-and-roll partners. It may not seem like a huge deal right now, but the relationship between Williams and Hartenstein will be paramount come the postseason and they need to get reps now and get the mistakes out of the way. If they can work out the kinks now, the duo could thrive as the primary creators for the second unit in the postseason.
It’s hard to take one game in November and look to the playoffs for its importance, but for OKC to walk into Sacramento and dominate the Kings while Hartenstein and Williams continue to develop their chemistry is huge at this stage of the season.
