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For the first time this season, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored more than 40 points (43, actually) and carried the Thunder to a much-needed 117-112 win over Cleveland. It snapped a two-game slide in which OKC had been blown out twice, and it was the Thunder’s second win in four tries since it felt like the bottom may have dropped out of their whole season back on Oct. 25. “I am just trying to figure out what winning will look like for this team, with this group,” Gilgeous-Alexander said after the game. “Myself and the rest of the group had become so accustomed to what winning looked like with the whole group that we had.
Brandon Rahbar: Thunder improve to 5-2. Avoid losing 3 in a row since April 2024 SGA: 43 PTS/4-8 3PT/8 AST/2 STL Ajay: 20 PTS/5 REB Kenrich: 12 PTS/2-4 3PT Mara: 10 PTS/9 REB/1 BLK Stirtz: 9 PTS/3-4 3PT Hart: 5 PTS/14 REB/4 AST/2 STL Peavy: 8 PTS/2-2 3PT/5 REB Next up: Cavs in OKC in 2 days.
ESPN: When the Thunder won in 2025 and had the parade in downtown Oklahoma City, was there any part of you that was happy for the community to experience that? Kevin Durant: Most definitely. I mean, when we lost in 2012, we almost had like a small parade. So many people came and welcomed us back home and showed us so much love and congratulated us on a great season. I knew at that moment, if the city ever wins a championship, the amount of people that's going to show up for this parade and the energy they're going to have for this parade is going to be insane. ... I wish our [Thunder] team could have been the one to do it because we were young and we showed we could. But I felt the sense of pride of being an alumni of the Thunder, seeing this team win as well, because I felt that's the evolution of what we did. I felt like Sam Presti hit his final form and figured out the best way for him to be. And Shai and Jalen Williams, I just felt like they all hit that mark, and we kind of laid the foundation on what it meant to be successful young players in this league, and they built upon that.
Constantly changing tempos with stop-start slaloms through the defense, Ajay Mitchell, through four games (small sample alert!), is shooting 51.1 percent from the floor with a 22.1 player efficiency rating that barely trails that of Gilgeous-Alexander (22.8). His defense has been just as notable, too. “He’s established that he’s a great player and that he has a really bright future,” Thunder coach Mark Diagneault said after Mitchell’s career-high performance in Wallace’s starting spot. “His physical exertion and his effort, on the defensive end and on the offensive end, is what stands out to me. It’s just how hard he plays, how smart he plays and how skilled he is. On both ends, he can cover anybody for us. He gives great effort and help. And then on the offensive end of the floor, he can obviously create and score, but he also can play off of great players. That’s a unique skill, especially for a young player that should be finding his way.”
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: “We had a team meeting this morning, but it wasn’t anything special. It wasn’t no big rah-rah moment. It was just like, these are the cards we were dealt, and we can either feel bad for ourselves, which nobody does, or we can go out there and get better from this opportunity. We all chose to get better.”
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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: “Ajay Mitchell has proven what he can do in this league. It is hard for a guy like that, he gets swung around in terms of his role just because guys are in and out of the lineup. But it seems like whatever we need from him, he provides at a high level. I expect the same thing from Ajay going forward. If guys are out and we need more scoring, he will do so. If we need more defending, he will do so. Whatever it is, he will get it done.”
As Bobby notes, Oklahoma City's financial situation will make it difficult to trade for another high-salary contributor. The only Thunder players making more than $7.8 million this season are effectively untradeable: Williams, Gilgeous-Alexander, Caruso, Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein. Barring a shocking trade of one of those players -- a swap involving Williams is perhaps feasible in a vacuum if the Thunder want to maximize their championship chances this season, but it seems inconceivable in context -- the Thunder won't be able to match the salaries of potential targets such as Trey Murphy III (New Orleans) or Michael Porter Jr. (Brooklyn). Nor will they be able to replace Williams' rare combination of offense, defense and size.
Chet Holmgren and Ajay Mitchell immediately covered their eyes and looked away. Reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was closest and looked toward his bench, covering his mouth with one hand. Isaiah Hartenstein was on the bench facing the play, covered his face in a towel and walked to the tunnel. The Clippers first checked on Jones, but upon seeing Williams, Rui Hachimura put his hands on his head and walked behind the stanchion. Brook Lopez covered his mouth and turned away. Dunn was later assessed a flagrant 1 for his involvement. Williams’ teammates looked shocked when they noticed his foot curving left. The Thunder’s medical staff surrounded him for several minutes while he lay on the floor.
Williams gave two thumbs up while being stretchered off the court. He also received chants of “J Dub” from those inside Paycom Center, who are all wishing the best for the 25-year-old forward. "I just feel bad for him," Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said while fighting tears in his postgame interview. "... We just got to hold the fort down until he comes back."
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Against the Clippers, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander posted career 30-point game No. 223 and tied Larry Bird for 33rd on the all-time list. He has made at least half his shots in 166 of them (74.4%).
Tim MacMahon: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (on Jalen Williams): “It’s obviously going to be tough without a player like that. But he’s not gone forever. He’ll be back better than ever, and we know it. We’ve just got to hold the fort down until he comes back.”
Andrew Schlecht: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was crying through the post game interview with Nick Gallo. Just a gut wrenching night
Justin Martinez: Final: Thunder 108, Clippers 101 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: 34 points and 6 boards Ajay Mitchell: 18 points and 6 boards Isaiah Hartenstein: 12 points and 12 boards It's hard for anyone inside Paycom Center to celebrate right now. Everyone's thoughts are with Jalen Williams.
