Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's Charity Stripe Perfection Led Oklahoma City to Victory Monday
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In an exciting back-and-forth contest, Oklahoma City completed a second half comeback to knock off another playoff hopeful on the road. This time, the Thunder got the best of the Atlanta Hawks in an impressive 121-114 victory.
Once again, Oklahoma City was active at the free throw line. The Thunder seems to be establishing an identity as a team that looks to drive to the hoop and take on contact in the process. On the night, OKC finished finished 23-of-24 at the free throw line, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander who didn’t miss a single attempt in 15 tries. Oklahoma City’s consistency on the floor, and motor for a full four quarters, has been able to catch teams off-guard lately.
In what was supposed to be a brutal road stretch — five games against serious playoff hopefuls — the Thunder seem to be finding an unexpected groove. After winning two straight road games, and three overall, OKC is just two games back from .500 at 11-13. It’ll be an interesting next few weeks for Thunder fans.
Here’s who led the charge in the Thunder’s momentum win against the Hawks:
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
It wasn’t his most efficient night at 10-of-22, but Gilgeous-Alexander was brilliant on both ends down the stretch. His effort on the defensive end led to so many transition opportunities, and he netted 15 crucial free throws. He’s an elite scorer.
SGA totaled 35 points, six rebounds and five assists, adding two steals, too. His demeanor helped calm this young Thunder team down the stretch and give them the confidence they needed to win. It was another night at the office for the MVP candidate.
Josh Giddey
Giddey has put together an impressive string of games recently. In just 27 minutes on Monday night, the point guard contributed 17 points, five rebounds and four assists. He also drilled a logo 3-pointer that ended up being a massive shot for the Thunder.
The young floor general continues to get better despite the outside noise. Monday was a step in the right direction, as he played what felt like a complete game.
Ousmane Dieng
Since his call-up, Dieng has done so many good things. The main surprise continues to be his efficiency from long range. It’s not consistent yet, but when he’s on, he’s on.
Against the Hawks, Dieng netted a career-high 15 points and five rebounds in just 18 minutes. He was 3-of-4 from 3-point range and played with confidence and swagger. The more that Dieng is able to spend time with the Thunder’s core, the better.
Isaiah Joe
Even though Joe played just ten minutes, I had to include him on the list. He seems to play with ultra-efficiency at all times, and Monday was no different. The sharpshooter was 3-of-4 from 3-point range in his limited action, picking up two assists and two steals in addition. He’s making a case for a consistent spot in the rotation.
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