Washington made it interesting late in the third quarter of its road game against OKC on Thursday.
Despite being massive underdogs, the Wizards managed to trim the deficit to just two points with 1:13 on the clock. But that magic quickly wore off, as the Thunder responded with a 13-3 run and ultimately claimed a 127-108 win.
It marked OKC’s 21st consecutive regular-season win against teams from the Eastern Conference, setting an NBA record for the longest winning streak against an opposing conference. The Thunder went an NBA-record 29-1 against the Eastern Conference in the 2024-25 regular season.
OKC is now 6-0 on the season. Here are three takeaways from the win:
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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander impressed with his patience
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander punched the brakes late in the first quarter.
He’d just seen the traffic jam of red-white-and-blue jerseys down low. And instead of barreling into the lane for a layup, he opted to take a detour.
Gilgeous-Alexander methodically tested Tre Johnson’s defensive tenacity with a series of dribble moves before swerving around him. And with the rookie forward on his shoulder, Gilgeous-Alexander elevated and sank a mid-range jumper despite being fouled.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s pace proved to be his biggest weapon Thursday. He thoroughly searched for his spots and found success by recording 31 points on 11-for-20 shooting from the field (3 for 6 from deep).
Gilgeous-Alexander’s scoring continues to defy logic. He puts up points in a hurry, and yet he plays with patience. He catches fire on a nightly basis, all while staying cool-headed.
It’s no wonder defenders are perplexed when trying to contain him. The reigning scoring champ is now averaging 34.2 points this season.
Isaiah Joe provided some much-needed 3-point shooting in his season debut
OKC’s top sharpshooter looked as sharp as ever.
After missing the first five games of the season due to a left knee contusion, Isaiah Joe made his return to the floor. And he made up for lost time by racking up 20 points and six boards on 7-for-12 shooting from the field (5 for 9 from deep).
Joe’s sharpshooting services are sorely needed. OKC entered Thursday with the second-worst 3-point percentage in the league (28.8%), and it continued to struggle as a team against Washington.
The Thunder went 16 for 49 from deep (32.7%). Those not named Joe went 11 for 40 (27.5%)
OKC dominated the turnover battle
It was supposed to be an easy handoff. A short underhand toss on the perimeter to Corey Kispert from Marvin Bagley III, who’d then set a screen to free up the Wizards’ 3-point specialist.
But Cason Wallace blew up the play with an explosion of speed.
The third-year guard poked the ball away and chased it down for a steal. And instead of attacking the rim for one of his trademarked transition dunks, he lobbed a pass to Aaron Wiggins for the alley-oop layup. It gave OKC a 96-84 lead with 11:05 left in the game.
Plays like that were plentiful for a Thunder team that dominated the turnover battle, 23-6. It converted those miscues into 26 points on the other end.
Tip-ins
- Chet Holmgren missed his second straight game due to lower back soreness. Head coach Mark Daigneault said OKC is ‘being conservative’ with its star big man.
- The NBA announced Thursday that Isaiah Hartenstein is the recipient of the NBA Cares Bob Lanier Community Assist Award for the 2025 offseason. Hartenstein and his foundation, the Hartenstein Foundation, have had a constant presence in the community since he joined the team in July 2024.
- OKC went 7-0 to begin last season, marking its best start in franchise history. It can tie that record when it hosts New Orleans at 2:30 p.m. Sunday.
Justin Martinez covers the Thunder and NBA for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Justin? He can be reached at jmartinez@oklahoman.com or on X/Twitter at @Justintohoops. Sign up for the Thunder Sports Minute newsletter to access more NBA coverage. Support Justin’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
Thunder vs. Pelicans
TIPOFF: 2:30 p.m. Sunday at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City (FanDuel Sports Network)
