OKC Thunder Continue to Respond After Losses

Oklahoma City lost the game of the season on Wednesday but had no hangover in Madison Square Garden.

The Thunder dominated the New York Knicks on Friday in the world’s most famous arena, only two days after having their 15-game winning streak snapped in Cleveland. While losing on the road to the league’s best team and immediately having another road game against a top squad could spell doom for many teams, the Thunder’s resilience was no surprise.

This season, the Thunder have lost seven games, including the NBA Cup Final, and are 6-1 in games immediately following. While responding after a loss isn’t always easy, the Thunder typically find a way to keep losses from piling up. The only time the Thunder have lost back-to-back contests this season was in the small stretch without either Chet Holmgren or Isaiah Hartenstein.

In the Thunder’s seven games after a loss, they have an average score differential of +12.4 and have been particularly impressive offensively. Of the Thunder’s nine games scoring at least 125 points this season, four have come immediately after a loss.

Part of the Thunder’s ability to move on quickly after losses is the identity that has been established for the past five seasons. Since Mark Daigneault took over as head coach, almost every player that has been through Oklahoma City has echoed his mantra of being 0-0 in every game.

While other teams around the league, such as the Thunder’s opponent on Friday in New York, might have extreme highs and lows, the Thunder have managed to stay even-keeled in any situation.

Another significant piece of Oklahoma City’s responses after a loss has been Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s MVP play. Against the Knicks, Gilgeous-Alexander scored 39 points on 15-of-21 shooting and got anywhere he wanted on the floor. While his skill set leads to wins on most nights, his consistency is especially useful for getting the team back on track.

As the Thunder push toward a 60+ win season, they won’t have many opportunities to bounce back after a loss. Yet, every time the Thunder come up short, they always make a statement their next time on the floor.

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