By Nick Gallo | Broadcast journalist and digital editor | okcthunder.com
Shai reaches over 30 for 48th Time, OKC threads the needle, plus Josh and JWill Shine
The Drive and Dish is here to answer questions that might be running through your head during a Thunder match by providing you with experienced insight, highlighting aspects of the game you may have missed, and pulling you in behind the curtain with anecdotes, analyzes and statistics.
Here’s what you need to know as the Thunder take on the Dallas Mavericks tonight in an exclusive broadcast at 9 p.m. CT on TNT.
Thunder Hungry after loss to Pacers
The Thunder couldn’t find their rhythm Tuesday night in their first meeting of the season with the Indiana Pacers, but it wasn’t for lack of trying. As OKC turns the page to face the Dallas Mavericks for the third time this season tonight, they can rely on the same extra effort they put in against the Pacers to give themselves a chance again down the stretch RIGHT.
Whether it was Josh Giddey chasing his own miss off the backboard, Lu Dort sprinting to the corner as a patient Jaylin Williams hit him for a 3, or a series of cuts from Gordon Hayward and Aaron Wiggins, the Thunder kept his crushed foot on the pedal. all night and will have to do it again to be able to bounce back.
Shai’s scoring record of 30 points
In the final moments of Tuesday night’s game, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander eclipsed the 30-point mark for the 48th times this season, setting a new Thunder record for most games of 30 points or more in a season. Remarkably, the Thunder still have 17 games on their schedule, so Gilgeous-Alexander is likely to blow the previous mark held by Kevin Durant out of the water.
Against Miami, Shai tied the record by cracking the code to the Heat’s dominant defense by scoring 23 points in the second half alone, hitting a series of tough jump shots in the fourth quarter. He hit a baseline jumper to the right side, then went behind the back up the middle for another. He then set his man up for his final burst – a stop-and-pop jumper on the left wing, then the step-back dagger 3 to give OKC a seven-up lead with just 1:36 to play.
After Friday’s game against the Heat, Gilgeous-Alexander explained his metronome score each night as a product of the consistency of his life as a whole — from what he eats, when he sleeps, how he trains, who he keeps around. him and more.
Thread the needle early against MIA
Finding the seams of Miami’s defense was no easy task throughout the 48 minutes, but the Thunder set the tone from the start to demonstrate they had the ability to do so. OKC’s first three baskets were all assisted, with different combinations helping to get the action going. One of the plays was a classic out-of-bounds pass from Josh Giddey where he found Gilgeous-Alexander over the top for two, and it was reward for Shai’s assist to Josh on a diving pass to the rim from the Thunder bucket just before that. To open the scoring for OKC, it was another Giddey dime, this time an electric pass to Jalen Williams that found a tight seam in the defense and resulted in a reverse layup.
Josh Surging
Josh Giddey was in the mix on those first three Thunder possessions, a sign of his size, skill and acumen that carries over into the game when he asserts himself from the start. That was the case again Sunday against Memphis, when Giddey put the Thunder on the board for the first time with a very physical attack right into the heart of the Grizzlies defense, which he finished with a finger roll and a foul.
As the Memphis game continued, Josh reached his 50th.th career double-double (in less than 200 career games played) with incredible passes to Cason Wallace. One was a bounce pass in transition that was thrown so hard it must have made a dent in the Paycom Center floor and the other was an eyeball to the back of the left wing’s head with a Wallace cut. from the right side on a rear screen of Shai. Giddey’s size and vision allowed him to see over the defense and lead Wallace to two easy points.
In six games in March, Giddey averaged 14.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists on 55.2% shooting, including 41.2% from the 3-point line.
“Our Bruiser is back”
When Jaylin Williams returned to the lineup against the Miami Heat and Memphis Grizzlies after missing three games, his impact emanated from the floor in multiple ways – his physicality was palpable when he blocked a Terry Rozier shot and when he has body Bam Adebayo on a release in the first quarter. You could hear him yelling and communicating on defense to help seal possessions, including a hearty “Me!” » on a defensive board to prevent him and a teammate from colliding.
In some crucial moments in the fourth quarter against the Heat, Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault opted for the dual lineup of JWill and Chet Holmgren, and that helped seal the deal. After Isaiah Joe’s shot from the baseline sailed over the rim, JWill was there to clean it up with a takedown thanks to massive backside contact. After the match, Gilgeous-Alexander said succinctly: “We got our murderer back. »
Look In front
After the Thunder’s matchup with the Mavericks tonight at 9 p.m. CT on TNT, OKC will face the Grizzlies again on Saturday, this time in Memphis. The Thunder will then benefit from a very rare three-day break before hosting the Utah Jazz next Wednesday. Both of these games will be broadcast on Bally Sports Oklahoma. Follow our social accounts @okcthunder and stay here on the Thunder app or okcthunder.com.
