OKLAHOMA CITY — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander delivered the dagger, a step-back 3, to cap a strong finish by the Oklahoma City Thunder (20-9) in a 129-120 win over the New York Knicks on Wednesday.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s 3 gave OKC a 12-point lead with less than a minute left.
Playing on the second night of a back-to-back, the Thunder had an energetic start, building a 38-25 lead after the first quarter. At halftime, the lead was 69-60.
“A lot of the first half, we did a great job there,” Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said on the win. “You can’t underestimate the importance of a good start and I thought we got off to a good start. Built a nice lead.”
Midway through the third quarter, the Knicks tied it at 81, and the Thunder entered the final frame leading by just four points. A 27-point fourth quarter by the duo of Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren helped close OKC’s second consecutive victory.
The two-man game between the 2022 draft members helped the Thunder collect the win. Both contributed with crucial buckets down the stretch as Williams continues to blossom into a potent scorer.
“Game’s starting to slow down a little bit,” Williams said of his comfort level. “Kinda understand my team more and more. It allows me to get where I want to be at.”
The Thunder shot 54% from the field and went 14-of-32 (43.8%) from 3. They also went 17-of-22 from the free-throw line.
Gilgeous-Alexander had another monster-scoring game with 36 points. He was matched point-for-point by his running mate Williams, who scored a career-high 36 points. Holmgren added 22 points. The trio combined for 94 points.
“I just thought the execution for most of the night across the board was really, really good,” Daigneault said. “I thought we played a really clean offensive game. Got good shots for the majority of the night.
“I thought the guys were very adaptive and focused on the second night of a back-to-back.”
Meanwhile, the Knicks shot 50% from the field and went 14-of-34 (40%) from 3. They also enjoyed a busy night at the charity stripe with a 24-of-30 outing.
Julius Randle led New York with 25 points and went 10-of-13 from the free-throw line. Jalen Brunson also had 24 points and seven assists. Off the bench, Immanuel Quickley contributed with 22 points.
The biggest difference in the game was ball security. OKC dominated the turnover battle, 18-4. The four turnovers by the Thunder were a season low. The Knicks’ carelessness helped the Thunder score an impressive 22 points in the fast break.
It was a productive two days for the Thunder as they had a clean sweep in their first of multiple back to backs in the ensuing weeks. OKC is scheduled to play five back to backs in January.
Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams and Holmgren showcased the type of performances they can produce when playing together at a high level. The three Thunder pillars continue to headline their success despite their youth.
“It’s needed to win big in this league,” Gilgeous-Alexander said on OKC’s trio performance. “You need multiple options down the stretch. You need multiple weapons on the basketball court at all times.
“We’re forming that day by day. That’s our goal — to be a really good basketball team and to win big in this league.”
Let’s look at Thunder player grades.