Top Performers: Gilgeous-Alexander, Giddey Lead OKC Thunder Against Wizards

Oklahoma City’s backcourt strung together a strong offensive performance to rally the Thunder against a porous Washington Wizards defense.

After falling flat on the road against the Magic in their last game, the Oklahoma City Thunder bounced back with a comfortable 127-110 victory over the Washington Wizards on Friday night. Without Bradley Beal, the Wizards never found their groove while the Thunder enjoyed one of their better offensive nights of the season.

Ball movement was the name of the game for the Thunder as they recorded 30 assists for just the fifth time this season. That led to an efficient shooting night as they drilled 46% of their 37 3-point attempts and converted 51% of their overall shots. Nine different players hit at least one triple for Oklahoma City while seven hit at least two.

The Thunder were also able to capitalize on the Wizards’ 20 turnovers, turning them into 32 points. The game marked just the fifth time that Oklahoma City forced 20-plus turnovers in regulation play in 2022-23. Meanwhile, the Thunder took care of the ball, turning it over just nine times, tying their second-lowest mark of the season.

Here are the top performers from Friday night’s action.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

In his second game back from dealing from illness, Gilgeous-Alexander led his team to victory with another 30-point outing after going 12-of-23 from the field. His 16 points in the third quarter gave the Thunder a comfortable lead that they would never lose. Defensively, he recorded two blocks and a steal, highlighting his increased effort on that side of the floor.

Josh Giddey

The Thunder’s sophomore guard added another really good performance to his resume on Friday night, recording 20 points, six rebounds, and nine assists while turning the ball over just twice. Giddey continued his streak of strong shooting, too, hitting 9-of-16 of his shots, and making both of his 3-pointers.

Luguentz Dort

Although Dort only played 22 minutes due to early foul trouble, he made the most of his time, setting the tone for physical play early, hounding ball handlers, and driving the victory home with his eight fourth-quarter points. The Canadian tank finished with 18 points on eight shots, went 3-for-4 from beyond the arc, and recorded six boards and four assists while never turning the ball over.

Jalen WIlliams

Much like Dort, the rookie wing capitalized on yet another opportunity in the Thunder’s starting lineup, helping to lock down the Wizards’ offense and finding ways to contribute off-ball. Williams scored 16 of his 18 points through the first three quarters and knocked down two of his four 3-pointers. His eight boards led the Thunder’s rebounding efforts.

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