Top Performers in Oklahoma City's Loss to Orlando

The Thunder ran out of energy in the fourth quarter against the Magic on Wednesday night.

A night removed from Oklahoma City’s best outing of the season, the team ran out of gas in Orlando. Despite Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s return to the lineup, the Thunder lost to the Magic 126-115.

The Thunder’s main issue Wednesday night was a familiar one. Orlando outmanned Oklahoma City on the glass big time, winning the battle 49-to-33. Wendell Carter led the charge with a 13-point, 13-rebounds double-double. Paolo Banchero nearly triple-doubled, recording 25 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in an impressive all-around effort.

Oklahoma City seemed to be making a strong comeback in the third quarter, as Gilgeous-Alexander found his way to the free throw line again and again. The Thunder won the quarter 35-25, and SGA finished the night 17-of-18 at the free throw line. In the fourth quarter, OKC unraveled though as Banchero’s final run was enough to win the game.

Here’s who led Oklahoma City on the second night of a back-to-back:

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

After missing a game due to illness, Gilgeous-Alexander turned in a stellar performance. The Thunder star returned to the court by dropping 33 points on 19 shot attempts. SGA knocked down 17 free throws, as he was aggressive driving to the hoop offensively.

Josh Giddey

It was another solid scoring night for the point guard, as Giddey netted 16 points on 7-of-17 shooting with two triples. The Australia product added five rebounds and four assists in addition. It’s hard to replicate the efficiency Giddey played with a night ago against the Celtics.

Isaiah Joe

Once again, Joe made the most of his minutes. He’s a sharpshooter when he’s on the floor for Oklahoma City. Joe only recorded 19 minutes if court time, but scored 13 points on three triples. He shot 50% from long range. In his 19 minutes, Joe was a plus-four, further solidifying his impact on the floor. The Arkansas product is pushing for more and more minutes.

Kenrich Williams

It was an efficient night for OKC’s vocal leader. Kenny Hustle record 12 points in 20 minutes, making 5-of-7 shots from the floor and 2-of-2 from downtown. Williams also grabbed nine rebounds.

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