In a low-scoring, close game in which neither team led by more than eight points the Thunder managed to remain the aggressors. Taking care of the ball, maintaining great defense and generating good looks on offense gave the Thunder the slight edge it needed to steal a win from the reigning NBA Champions on their home floor and gain its sixth win in seven games.
Game Flow
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander put on a show for his hometown in the first half at Scotia Bank Arena. From the very outset, the Toronto native sliced his way through the lane utilizing his lightning-quick first step to leave defenders in the dust. Gilgeous-Alexander went 8-11 from the field and 2-3 from the 3-point line en route to an incredible 20-point first half performance. Last season with the Clippers, SGA scored 19 points the entire game when he played in Toronto for the first time.
“He’s at home, man. Him and (Luguentz Dort) they’ve both had this game circled since training camp so it’s nice to see both of them play well in front of all their family,” said Thunder guard Chris Paul.
The explosion of offense from Gilgeous-Alexander kept the Thunder afloat in the midst of 13 and 10-point performances from both Kyle Lowry and Fred VanVleet respectively in the first half. The Raptors ignited in transition turning Thunder missed shots into fast break opportunities. Even dead ball situations were used as opportunities to erupt in transition and get ahead of the Thunder defense. By the half, the game was tied at 47.
Coming out of the half, Thunder rookie Darius Bazley found his mark from behind the arc going 2-3 in the third quarter alone and a career high 4-7 on the night. However, it was the Raptors who caught fire for the quarter shooting 7-14 from three after sinking only six in the entire first half. Going into the fourth quarter the Raptors held a slight four-point lead.
“We got off to a really good start in the third quarter when we were able to build a little bit of a lead, but we knew it was going to go back and forth with them especially being home,” said Thunder head coach Billy Donovan.
Back and forth is the only way to describe how the fourth quarter played out. With three ties and nine lead changes, both teams found ways to put the ball through the hoop. For the Thunder, it was the crunch time effort of Paul who went for nine points in the fourth, six of which came from the midrange.
It would ultimately come down to who could string together multiple stops to gain an advantage. The Thunder were without notorious defensive pest, Dennis Schröder (ankle soreness) which meant next man up for the OKC reserves. That man was two-way guard Luguentz Dort who had the tough assignment all night to contain both Lowry and VanVleet. Between Dort and noted defenseman, Terrance Ferguson, the Thunder held the Raptors to 17 points in the fourth quarter and only one made bucket from Lowry and a pair of free throws for VanVleet in crunch time.
“I thought the job that (Ferguson) and (Dort) did defensively, just really moving their feet trying not to foul, staying in front. VanVleet and Lowry are hard to guard,” said Donovan.
Decisive Moments
In keeping with the theme of the night, it was SGA who secured the victory in the final 30 seconds for the Thunder. With 36 seconds remaining, down by one point, the second-year guard attacked middle off the right wing. Getting past Lowry and then VanVleet, Serge Ibaka was the last line of defense. Getting into the heart of the paint, SGA elevated and with extreme touch, pushed the ball so that it banked perfectly off the square and through the rim. The bucket gave the Thunder a 98-97 lead.
“I just knew I had to make a play,” said Gilgeous-Alexander. “The clock was going down and Chris (Paul) trusted me with it in the end but I just wanted to make a play and I work on shots like that all the time so I just trusted my work.”
Following the bank from SGA, the Raptors missed a 3-point attempt with 16 seconds remaining and coming up with the clutch defensive rebound, was none other than Toronto native, Gilgeous-Alexander who dribbled up the floor escaping Raptor defenders to avoid getting fouled. When the foul did come, only 3.5 seconds remained on the clock. When the Thunder inbounded the ball for a final time, it landed in the hands of Gilgeous-Alexander who ran out the clock and secured the victory.
Play of the Game
In the second quarter of the game, Paul advanced the ball down the right sideline. Seeing an advantage downhill, he accelerates and slices through the lane. Without missing a stride or even turning his head, Paul tosses the ball leaving it perfectly in the air for Nerlens Noel to elevate and throw down a two-handed slam with contact. The result was a three-point possession and a replay worthy highlight.
Stat of the Night32
Gilgeous-Alexander’s career-high tying 32 points marks the third time this season that the Toronto native has hit that mark. Including his performance tonight, SGA has notched 27.3 points per game, 2.2 steals while shooting 53% from the field and 45% from the 3-point line over the past six games.
Which of the 32-point games was his favorite? The second-year standout had to think about it for a moment before he decided.
“This one might be the best one so far,” said Gilgeous-Alexander ultimately conceded through a wide grin. “Back at the crib.”
Quotes of the Night
“Those are the best games to be a part of because it’s so competitive, every possession. Those are the most fun games.” –Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
“It took discipline and staying locked in. That’s a really good team over there even with all the injuries they’ve got. They’re well coached, they play hard. That’s a big win for us given this road trip.” –Chris Paul
Looking Ahead
After two games on the road, the Thunder returns to OKC for a day off before facing Dallas on New Year’s Eve.