Nuggets and notes
- Wire-to-wire. Wow. After two straight double OT games, Oklahoma City never trailed and led by as many as 24. There were zero lead changes. It was nice not to sweat this one in the fourth quarter (and overtime).
- Chet set the tone early on. After a quiet night against the Pacers, Chet Holmgren got his revenge. He dropped 14 on 4-of-4 from three in the first quarter and finished with 31 points (8-12 FG, 6-8 3PT, 9-10 FT), 12 rebounds, 3 steals and a block in just 27 minutes. Seeing this level of confidence and aggression in Chet makes my mouth water, tbh.
- Shai pressed the accelerator in Q3. I have to assume SGA wanted the fourth quarter open because Shai Gilgeous-Alexander drove in 17 in the third quarter and shot 6-of-7 from the field as OKC broke the game open. He finished with 30 points (12-17 FG, 4-4 FT), 5 assists and got some much-needed rest in the fourth quarter.
- Second chance wave. OKC crushed Atlanta 30-9 in second-chance points, thanks to 15 offensive rebounds. Holmgren and Hartenstein combined for six offensive rebounds, and Aaron Wiggins (yes, you read that right) had four offensive rebounds.
- Hartenstein’s workers’ evening. Hart has been (quietly) solid so far this season. The veteran center scored 14 points and 10 rebounds (7-13 FG) and was excellent in the pick-and-roll.
- Ajay an early 6MOY candidate. Serious. Ajay has contributed in every match, scoring double figures in all three matches so far this season. Last night, Mitchell scored 14 points and a team-high 7 assists, serving as a catalyst for minutes without SGA.
- Cason’s silent impact. Cason Wallace remains a box score +/- savant. Wallace was a game-best +21 with 3 steals and 3 assists while scoring just 3 points. Wallace just does all the little things that add up to winning basketball, and perhaps more importantly for Cason, he taught his brother how to gain the minutes even without scoring.
- Free throws. After shooting a total of 76 free throws in the first two games, the Thunder made just 19 against the Hawks. SGA, already praised on social media for its ability to connect, had just four free throws after averaging 20 per game in the first two of the season. Just for context, the Houston Rockets shot 79 free throws in their first two games, and the Orlando Magic and Memphis Grizzlies also average more FTAs/game than OKC.
One big takeaway
1. This looked like last year’s Thunder.
Look, the Thunder have been severely lacking to start the season, especially without Jalen Williams, who is still recovering from offseason wrist surgery. The injury report is longer than a CVS receipt, and in the first two games, OKC had to force itself to win.
But last night against the Hawks? The team used a familiar recipe to run away with a win against an overmatched opponent.
Does the third quarter dominate? Bill. A 39-25 lead in the third frame.
Turnover leads to offense? Bill. Seventeen forced turnovers leading to 29 points (+14 in the points off turnover category).
Attack the paint? Bill. The Thunder owned the paint and outscored the Hawks 50-34, which not only led to the 50 points but also opened up shooting at the rim.
Check, check, check. Thunder wins.
#Thunder #Hawks #Day #Report