Looking Back: OKC Thunder Trio Plays Best Game Together
On March 5, 2023, the Oklahoma City Thunder took down the Utah Jazz 129-119 in a Sunday matchup. Following the All-Star break, the Thunder had a bit of a rough patch after having seemingly turned the corner.
This win over the Jazz helped the Thunder get back on track to make a play-in position at the end of the season.
A big part of the Thunder's success over that period was then-rookie Jalen Williams' impact. He played efficient basketball that complemented Josh Giddey and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's games well.
In this particular game, Williams scored a career-high 32 points on 12-of-15 shooting and 4-of-5 on 3-pointers. He started the game 2-of-5 from the field. He missed all three of his shots for the game by the 8:18 mark of the second quarter.
A big part of Williams' efficiency in the game was his ability to use his size and frame to get good looks at the rim. Knocking down four of his five 3-pointers also helps this, as defenders are having to closeout hard to run him off the line.
Williams scored 16 of his points in the fourth quarter, too, helping fend off any comeback attempt from the Jazz. His poise and ability to generate good looks were impressive and show his potential as a player.
The way that the 6-foot-6 guard got to his spots is more than replicable, and Williams has put on even more muscle mass ahead of next season, where he can continue his incredible stretch of basketball. While Williams was putting together his career-high game, Gilgeous-Alexander continued to get his buckets, putting up 38 points on 10-of-17 shooting.
The All-Star and All-NBA First-Team guard did his usual work, cooking in the mid-range and using his finesse and skill to generate quality looks at the rim. Being able to do so on efficient shooting and play within the flow of the game was made possible by the impact Williams and Giddey made as threats. Gilgeous-Alexander even knocked down one of his two 3-pointer attempts to keep the defense spaced out and honest.
Giddey tacked on an additional 24 points, nine rebounds and nine assists. He was just as efficient as the other two guys, as he finished the game on 10-of-16 shooting and 4-of-6 from beyond the arc.
With Giddey's impact both passing the ball and on the boards, any bit of scoring and floor spacing just feels like an addition to his game. He was using his size to attack smaller guards and pick his spots in the midrange. Though Giddey was often shooting push shots and floaters, he was doing what worked for him on that side of the ball.
What the trio showed in this game might be hard to replicate when it comes to the efficiency, as the three combined for 94 points on 32-of-48 shooting. However, they showed how their three unique skillsets can compliment each other and absolutely break down opposing defenses. Even better, these three each get an offseason to build off their incredible seasons and get the addition of Chet Holmgren and more depth.
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