Shorthanded Thunder Bow Down to Kings 117-111
With the Oklahoma City Thunder depleted of six players, highlighted by Josh Giddey and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, the Thunder entered Tuesday’s matchup against Sacramento in need of reinforcements.
In the back-to-back opener, the Thunder’s artillery fell short – bowing down to the Kings 117-111.
For the Thunder, the loss pins the group to a 12-21 record. As for Head Coach Mike Wilks, who filled in for an absent Mark Daigneault, Tuesday staked his first NBA gig as head coach. In addition, Wilks marked the franchise’s first former Thunder player to wield head-coaching duties.
Oklahoma City stuck to their roots to open play, fielding their first 12 points via Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Lu Dort, but as the duo dried up – Sacramento surged a mid-quarter 17-5 run. In the closing moments, the Thunder’s second-unit struck up a closing 15-5 run, topped with a Gabriel Deck buzzer-beater to post a 34-32 lead.
The second frame saw Sacramento earn a late nine-point lead before Oklahoma City finished the half on a 5-0 burst, entering the half out 61-57.
Three pointers were abundant through 24 minutes as the Thunder notched a 10-of-22 clip while the Kings crowned a 9-of-18 output.
With an eight-point hole early, Oklahoma City held Sacramento to 12-consecutive misses to will a 12-0 run, and the lead. However, the see-saw tipped to the Kings, swaying them a 14-5 closer, and an 87-81 advantage.
The Thunder sulked in the final period, opening with three-straight turnovers and five-consecutive misses en route to a 14-point hole by the midway point. With 19 OKC fourth-quarter foul tries, the game sliced to seven in the final minute – but time was not on their side.
After spurring a 10-of-22 first-half serving from deep, the Thunder shot a lowly 1-of-10 in the second half. They ended the evening with a season-high 30-of-36 (83.3%) piecing at the charity stripe.
Gilgeous-Alexander lived at the stripe Tuesday, tallying 33 points, five rebounds, and five assists despite a flaky 9-of-24 shooting clip. With a muddled three-ball (1-of-5) and little inside success, SGA turned into a foul magnet late, netting 12 fourth-quarter free throws to keep the Thunder in late while posting a career-high 17 free throw attempts.
Kickstarting the offense, Dort led OKC’s early scoring with the eight of the team's first 12 points, but a barren 5-of-15 shot chart forced the guard inside for 19 points and eight rebounds. Following a 2-of-7 trip from distance, Dort circulated to the line for seven foul shots, drilling all attempts.
Aaron Wiggins electrified Oklahoma City’s crew, gunning out 14 points and five rebounds in 26 minutes. Wiggins played an integral part in crashing the glass, recording three offensive boards, one of which yielding a putback slam.
Less than 24 hours removed from inking a deal, Olivier Sarr made the most in his NBA debut, posting four points, five rebounds, and two blocks in a 12-minute bid. The 7-footer’s verticality was on full display Tuesday, logging a pair of blocks within 45 seconds while also rolling to the rack for interior looks.
The Oklahoma City Thunder will suit up tomorrow to face the Phoenix Suns.
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