Thunder Strike Down Clippers in High-Scoring Affair
INGLEWOOD, CA – The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Los Angeles Clippers by a score of 126-107. The Thunder’s victory came at the Clippers’ home, a new and flashy arena. Despite the dazzling pre-game display with fireworks and a state-of-the-art video board, the Thunder proved too strong for the Clippers.
With this win, the Thunder have achieved a new team record for the most consecutive wins at the start of a season, now standing at 8-0.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the charge for the Thunder, scoring 30 points and providing 12 assists in just 29 minutes of play. This was his first game this season with double-digit points and assists.
One of the key matchups of the game was between Clippers guard James Harden and Thunder defender Cason Wallace. Harden started strong, scoring 17 points in the first quarter. Wallace, known for his defensive skills, faced a tough challenge in containing Harden. Harden ended the night with 25 points and six assists in 30 minutes on the court.
The Clippers were missing key players, including Kawhi Leonard and Bradley Beal, which may have impacted their performance.
The Thunder turned the game around in the second quarter by forcing turnovers. While the Clippers had a strong start, leading by as many as 13 points in the first quarter, the Thunder’s defense stepped up. Ajay Mitchell contributed with a steal that led to a 3-pointer by Isaiah Joe.
The Thunder capitalized on these turnovers, scoring 15 points off of eight Clippers’ miscues in the second quarter alone. By the end of the game, the Thunder had forced 19 turnovers, converting them into an impressive 34 points.
Isaiah Joe provided a spark off the bench for the Thunder. He scored 22 points, making seven of his 12 shots, including six of ten from beyond the three-point line. Joe’s performance was especially important since he had missed the first five games of the season.
Joe has been shooting very well from three-point range this season, making nearly half of his attempts. His 14 made three-pointers are the most by any Thunder player in the first three games of a season.
In other news, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander now stands alone in third place for the longest streak of 20-point games in the regular season, with 80 games. Only Wilt Chamberlain has longer streaks.
Chet Holmgren returned to the lineup after missing three games due to a back injury. He scored 11 points, grabbed five rebounds, and blocked three shots.
Lu Dort left the game with a shoulder injury. He briefly returned to the court but then did not play for the remainder of the game.
The Thunder will play against the Trail Blazers in Portland, Oregon.
