Pair of 10-Day Contract’s Star in Thunder’s Road Defeat

The Thunder ran out of gas in Los Angeles Friday night, falling to the Lakers 120-101.

Oklahoma City was within striking distance for the majority of the game, but the Lakers used a strong fourth quarter en route to victory. Los Angeles outscored OKC 30-19 in the final frame.

The Thunder played just six players Friday night, five of them playing over 40 minutes. The Lakers played nine players, giving the starters a little more of a break.

OKC’s main issue tonight was 3-point shooting as the Thunder really struggled to score down the stretch. On the night, OKC shot just 6-of-29 from behind the 3-point line, good for 20.7%.

The Lakers were led by Stanley Johnson with 21 points, but it was truly a team effort. Eight players scored in double digits for Los Angeles.

Jaylen Hoard and Georgios Kalaitzakis combined for 52 of the Thunder’s 101 points, leading the top performers:

Georgios Kalaitzakis

Kalaitzakis has been another extremely impressive 10-day contract for Oklahoma City. In three games with the Thunder, he’s averaging 17.7 points and three assists.

Friday night, Kalaitzakis set a career-high of 25 points on 10-of-19 shooting. He’s shown streaky shooting tendencies, but was once again able to knock down two triples.

The 23-year-old did some of his best work in transition. He seemed to always be one step ahead of the defense. Kalaitzakis is proving he deserves another contract in the NBA, whether that be with the Thunder or with another team.

Jaylen Hoard

Thunder fans have gotten very familiar with Hoard and his big stat lines over the last few weeks. With big performance after big performance, it’s safe to say Hoard has made the most of his short contract.

Friday night, the Wake Forest product poured in 27 points and 17 rebounds. Hoard was an efficient 13-of-23 on the evening. The monster double-double numbers were a game high for both points and rebounds.

Since he signed his 10-day contract with the Thunder, Hoard has averaged 17.8 points and 13.4 rebounds per game. In those five games, he’s notched two 20 point performances and two outings snatching 20 rebounds.

Hoard was counted on to play heavy minutes Friday night with so many rotation players sidelined. The third-year forward played 46 minutes against the Lakers.

Oklahoma City wraps up the 2021-22 season Sunday in Los Angeles, as the Thunder face off against the Clippers at 8:30 p.m.

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